Exodus 5:22-23 – “Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? ²³ From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!”

Today is a day of rejoicing and reflection.    Rejoicing, not because there are no obstacles but because God is God!   Reflection, because by rehearsing God’s goodness, we are encouraged and empowered to press into His fullness.    Today is your day because it is God’s day, and you are God’s.    Therefore, it is your day; seize it and squeeze from it every ounce of life it holds.

In Exodus 5, we encounter a powerful reality: “Promises come with problems that are influenced by perception.”  

In Exodus 5, when the children of Israel complained to Moses about Pharoah’s actions, Moses went to God with a question that reflected his perception. Moses had given them the Promise, and when they heard, they believed.

Their perception and expectation were that it would be easy.   It was not!   It usually never is.  Moses asked God, “Is this why You sent me?” What an insult to the character of God.   A problem manifested, and his perception was that God sent him to give false hope.

Moses tried to convince the people to persist, but in Exodus 6:9, we see the situation, “…they did not listen to him (Moses) because of their broken spirit and cruel bondage.” Problems crushed their hope and shifted their perception from victory to defeat.

The victory in Exodus 14-15 gives us something to anchor in our hearts to help us not get off course and be sidetracked by the problems within the promise.   Exodus 15 speaks numerous things about God that will inspire and empower us to pursue God’s promise and purpose if we cling to them.

• God is highly exalted. 
• He is a warrior. 
• He is glorious in power. 
• He is great in excellency.
• He is unending in loving-kindness.
• He brings into the promise no matter what the problem.
• He reigns forever.
• He plants His people in His Garden.
• He is I AM.

Problems may lurk in the background, but you won’t see them.  You will look past them to the promise.  Perception becomes a reality, not because it is but because we believe it is.

Embrace the Promise and trust God rather than focusing on the Problem and making it your Perception of reality. Make Psalm 91 your anthem and expectation.

Perception penetrates the possession and, if negative, prevents the promise from becoming a manifested reality.  Focus on God, not the problem.  He Is God!  Our self-talk reveals our perception.  Our perception predetermines our victory or defeat.   Be victorious!

Have a great day, and embrace His promises. Do not allow problems to defeat you!

Exodus 4:2 – “The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word, an old saying came to mind: “Another day, another dollar.”   It caused me to reflect on the reality that God is still on the throne and is the I AM, I WAS, and I WILL BE. That opened the door for the Spirit of God to speak clearly to my heart. 

I heard the question, “What more do you need?“    People frequently tell me that great things are going to be done by God’s hand through them WHEN.    The when and the what is a bit vague in those assertions. 

When or What?    Sometimes, it is when their ship comes in. It is when they reach a certain level of success.    It is when this or that transpires.  It is contingent upon something external.   A blessing or windfall or something. 

God’s question of Moses in Exodus 4:2 is revelatory.   Moses was focused on perception, and God asked, “What is in your hand?”  

• What do you have now?  
• What can you do now?
• Who are you now?
• Where are you now?
• Is God limited to something we think will elevate us to a place where we can perform His purposes?

What’s in your hand at this very moment?   What do you have to work with at this moment?   God takes what we have and uses that to bring us to the place of fulfillment He has purposed.   If we tie the fulfillment to something that may be more fantasy than a promise, we limit God and guarantee that we will be waiting to fulfill our destiny when we die.

Tomorrow is not guaranteed.  We have today, and Now is the time.   Therefore, take what you Have, not what you hope to have, and let God use it; He will.   Look at what God did through Moses, who went to Egypt with a staff and a Word.

Take the Word and use what you have. It’s not up to you or based on what you do not have, but on what God can do with what is in your hand.

Procrastination leads to stagnation.   The outflow of the reservoir keeps it alive.  What is in your hand now?   Little is much when God is in it. God will take your seeming little and amaze you if you will trust Him.

What is in your hand Now?

Have a fantastic day, and remember that Sunday is coming!

Genesis 29:2 – “But God was with Joseph…”

Today, as I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God, I was reminded of God’s unique way of imparting truth and illustrating life. A prime example is the Book of Genesis and the story of Joseph. His history contains an unmatched life lesson applicable to our encounters.

Joseph had an extremely volatile family.    He exasperated the situation by being his father’s favorite, but that was not his fault.   When the teenager (Joseph) told on his brothers, he gave them further reasons to hate him.    What they were doing is unknown, but his tattling made him a pariah to them.

To make matters worse, he was the baby of the family and got Ruben’s rightful special coat, the coat of the firstborn.   That was another nail in the coffin of harmonious relationships and became a seething cauldron of hate.

Had it stopped there, there might have been hope of reconciliation in time, but he had dreams of ruling over them.   Imagine how they felt.  This brat has visions of ruling over us.  That stoked the flames of resentment.   It might have been youthful arrogance and ignorance that prompted him to share his dreams with them.

Their retaliation came when they sold him to the Ishmaelites, who sold him to Potiphar.   Here is where I see God’s humor on display—not the events but Moses’ declaration in relating this account in Genesis 39:2. He says, “But God was with Joseph…”    

Tap the brakes, Moses.    Are you kidding me?   Where is God?   We have all been there at some point in our lives when troubles were overwhelming us.   And we profess, “God is with me.”   Yet, He seems light years away!

Joesph received favorable treatment in Potiphar’s house, and things were looking up.  Then, he refused the advances and attempted seduction of Potiphar’s amorous wife.   She falsely accused him of sexual assault, and he was thrown into prison.

Then, once again, we read in Genesis 39:23, “God was with Joseph.”   In a time like that, I have thought, “Lord, if this is You being with me, I’m not sure I can survive You being against me. If this is help, it sure doesn’t look like it.”   I have been there, and I’m sure you have, too!

Then, we find him excelling in prison, only to be forgotten by the king’s baker.   After two long years, God’s help becomes visible.   Rooted in that reality, I say never lose sight of the vision and call.   The journey may have enormous potholes, but staying faithful to God and the call will bring fruition if we continue!

As Burton McCafferty famously said, “God can pull us through anything if we can stand the pull.”   The question is, can we stand the pull?   God is faithful, and His ways are beyond finding out.   We do not have to understand it.   We simply remain faithful.   God does not lie and has never failed, and you won’t be His first failure!   So, let me encourage you to Hang On!   Believe!   Victory is coming because it already is in Him!

Have a great day, and remember that God loves you!

Colossians 3:1 – “Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection, too.”

In Christ, we are God’s reservoirs of wisdom and spiritual understanding.  Paul’s prayer should be our goal and realized condition.

We are enabled to walk (live) in the ways of righteousness.  That lifestyle and condition transform us into fruit-bearing branches.   That enables us to yield to His life.   If we yield to His life, we do not yield to our fleshly desires.  

We are to grow into spiritual maturity through knowing God.   Too often, what we call knowing God is knowing about God.   The knowing off which we speak is knowing in Him in His fullness.   As we know, Him in His fullness, His power is unleashed in our lives.  Paul’s words – “energized with all His explosive power from the realm of His magnificent glory, filling with great hope.”

If we know Him and are filled with Him, that is evidenced (biblically) in a manifestation of His power, love, grace, and purity in us.   In Christ, we have no past.   The Cross made it extinct.   Colossians 3:1 – “Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection, too.”   In Him, we are transformed, and new longings fill us.   If we are still filled with fleshly longings, we need to go back to the Cross.

Our part is to fill our consciousness with heavenly realities, not earthly things.   A reminder and liberating truth is found in Colossians 3:3 – “Your crucifixion with Christ severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ.”   In verse 10, we realize that we are New Creations continually being renewed into the likeness of the One who created us.  

But there is more.   Here, we have the promise and revelation that the Holy Spirit is “Giving you the full revelation of God.” In this new creation life, Jesus lives “in” us.  If He lives in us and we are powerless, that is a contradiction.  He is not powerless!  He is not overcome by carnal thoughts or actions!  He is what He makes us Totally Victorious!

Therefore, our heart’s cry is to know Him and become One with Him so that His life and our lives are indistinguishable.   He cannot live “in” us and not be Who He Is.    Therefore, if He is “in” us, we become Who He is.

The questions are “Who are we?  Who is He?  Is He manifested in us?  It is either or not both.”    We are “in” Him or “in” the world.   We manifest Him or the world.   It is a process, but there must also be progress.   As we die to self, we live to and in Him.

It is either time to go to the Cross for cleansing or into the world in ministry.   Our hearts tell us which.  Jesus in us will all be Jesus through us.

Have a wonderful day manifesting Him and being Fruit Bearing Branches!