Don’t Miss the Warning

Don’t Miss the Warning

Written by Felicia McKnight
11/7/2016

Jeremiah 7: 13, 26 NLT

(13) While you were doing these wicked things, says the Lord, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.
(26) But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.

Have you ever found yourself going through a major trial in life where things didn’t turn out as you hoped or planned?  Maybe a marriage fell apart, a business deal became a financial loss, or you should have stayed at your old job instead of taking the new one.  Maybe God told you to do something and you made up every excuse not to do it and now all hell has broken out in your life.   Have you found yourself suffering the consequences of wrong decisions or a sinful lifestyle and now you wish you would have listened to God or people with sound advice?

 “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.  (Jeremiah 7: 24 NLT)

When you are in a place of having to make a major life decision it is very important as Christians to listen to God and what it is He is telling us to do.  God speaks in various ways and He speaks to each individual in a manner He knows we will understand, because He knows that His sheep know His voice (John 10:27).  God can speak to you through His word, a fellow believer’s counsel, dreams, visions, a devotional, a sermon, a still quiet voice, a nudging thought or a song.  God speaks and you must listen.

Today’s scripture readings are sad, but not uncommon in a believer’s life.  The scripture speaks of red flags warning believers of danger ahead when we choose not to listen to God.  If you are in dark trial right now could it be that you missed all of the warning signs that were there?   Did God show you during the relationship phase that the person you married was not right for you? You knew deep down you shouldn’t marry them, but you chose to marry them anyway because of love.  Did you make up every excuse for their behavior and  sit back and hope they would change after marriage, however they are still the same person or worse as a spouse? Maybe God gave you the warning signs about the business partner, but you chose to pursue the business deal anyway because you didn’t want to start the process over.  Were you frustrated at your job and God told you to be still and stay there, however you pursued other opportunities only to find yourself in a place of regret?  Whatever your circumstance is God gave you specific instruction or He sent all of the warning signs and now you find yourself in a place where you can look back and see that you ignored them.  You heard them or seen them, but chose to follow your own plan for your life.

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – it’s painful.   But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11 NLT)

When we do not follow God’s leading we head in the wrong direction and wrong paths lead to dark places.  If God is showing you all of the signs today of why you should not pursue someone or something listen to Him now.  It may hurt now to walk away, but listening to God will save you from an even greater heartache later.

“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21 NLT)

If you are in a place where you missed or ignored the warning signs the good news is God has a way of getting you back on track.  In the book of Jonah God sent Jonah to give a message to the people of Nineveh.  Jonah decided not to carry out his assignment from God and ran away.  Jonah had to suffer the consequences of not listening to God.   Jonah was eventually delivered from the dark place he found himself in as a result of not listening to God.  Ultimately, God’s will was accomplished in the town of Nineveh and in Jonah’s life.

If you are struggling to make a right decision right now or if you find yourself in a dark place I pray Psalms 73:24 over you today, “May you allow God to guide you with His counsel and lead you to His glorious destiny.”

Be blessed and be encouraged!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive us for our sin of not always listening to your commands.  Show us your ways, O Lord; Teach us your paths.  Lead us in your truth and teach us, for you are the God of our salvation.  (Psalms 25:4-5) As we go through life help us to remember the promises of Proverbs 10:22 that your blessings make us rich and you add no sorrow with it.  Lord, give us the wisdom to know your voice and the strength to be obedient to your commands.  Guide us in all of your ways, so that we will receive the fullness of the destiny you have planned for our lives and every blessing you desire to give us.  In Jesus’s name.  Amen

God Stepped In

‭‭God Stepped In

Written by Felicia McKnight

10/5/16

Job‬ ‭33:26-28‬ ‭MSG‬‬

““Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight! You’ll see God’s smile and celebrate, finding yourself set right with God. You’ll sing God’s praises to everyone you meet, testifying, ‘I messed up my life— and let me tell you, it wasn’t worth it. But God stepped in and saved me from certain death. I’m alive again! Once more I see the light!’”

In today’s scripture passage Job is in a place of reflection and gratitude. If you have ever been at rock bottom or tangled in a web of your own poor choices and mistakes, then you can relate. Have you ever been in a place where your life was completely messed up because of your own wrong choice? Maybe it was due to connecting with the wrong person, a lifestyle of sin, or just constantly making bad decisions. As a result you found yourself dealing with the consequences and as Job described life became messed up for you. Maybe you are in that place today.

“This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭34:6-7‬ ‭NIV)‬‬

The good news is when you find yourself in this predicament help is closer than it appears. If you truly desire God’s deliverance, then you have to completely surrender your life and your own will to God. You have to seek His forgiveness and allow Him to step in and transform your heart and mind. You have to allow God to be Lord over every area of your life. We see from the lives of people like Job, Abraham, and David that God can turn mess into miracles.

God’s grace, His covering, and His protection covers His children when you live a yielded life to Him. When you humble yourself before God He will step in and save you from your own destructive ways. God is a deliverer. He desires the abundant life for you. God sent Jesus on the cross to pay for your sins and pave the way for righteous living. Whatever you are going through today stop and seek God’s will for your life. You may still have to endure consequences of your actions, but the good news is God’s forgiveness and grace covers you and leads you from a destructive path to a path of righteousness.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;” (Psalm‬ ‭34:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Be blessed and be encouraged.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your grace. Thank you that when we cry out to you for help and to save us from our own destructive ways that you hear our cry. Lord we praise you that when we surrender to you, that you will deliver us. Help, every person reading this who finds themselves making the same mistakes and poor choices over and over again. Help those who are at rock bottom or headed there because of their own sin. Lord, give them the wisdom to know their wrong doings and the strength to turn from them. Strengthen each person and help them to know when to walk away from people and circumstances. Lord, I pray that they will not conform to the patterns of this world, but that their minds will be renewed to know your good and perfect will for their lives. Father, send peace, healing, protection, provision, wisdom, deliverance, and salvation to all those who stand in need. In Jesus name. Amen

Working For Your Good

Working For Your Good
Written by Felicia McKnight
8/10/2016

Romans 8:28 NKJV
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

In life we will go through circumstances that we don’t understand. As we go through them we find ourselves questioning God as we know we didn’t do anything to bring these circumstances on ourselves. Romans 8:28 reminds us today that there are things God ordains for our life with a divine purpose in place. When we are hurting, struggling, or disappointed it is difficult to see, but God has called us to walk by faith and not by sight. He has called us to focus on what is seen not what is unseen. God will bring people in our life and circumstances to accomplish His perfect will. Sometimes God strips us of people and things so we can learn to trust Him more. Sometimes we have to deal with circumstances such as illness to experience Him as a healer or financial loss to experience Him as a provider. Pastor Joel Osteen recently said in a sermon sometimes “God wants to make us an example of His goodness.” Only God knows why we are going through what we go through and in time He will reveal His will to us.

As you go through your challenges remain prayerful to God. Be thankful in all circumstances and allow Him to order your steps. Allow God to refine you during your season of difficulty. Allow the people God sends in your life to keep you encouraged. Trust God during the trial knowing in the end His perfect plan will come to pass. You will be able to look back and see how God used every trial as a divine puzzle piece to cause the bigger picture of your life that He ordained to come to pass. Be blessed and be encouraged.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that we can put all of our hope and trust in you. Lord, we love you and know we have been called by you. We believe by faith today that you have a divine purpose for every circumstance in our life and you are causing them all to work out for our good. In Jesus name. Amen.

Freedom From The Promiscuous Woman – Part II

Freedom From The Promiscuous Woman – Part II
Written by Felicia McKnight
7/27/2016

Proverbs 2:16 NLT
“Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.”

Where things become challenging for most of us is the turning away from sin. When sin becomes a stronghold it is difficult to break free from it in the power of our own flesh. At the point of salvation the Holy Spirit dwelled within you. God’s word says in 1 John 4:4 NLT:

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

While it may be difficult to break free God has already declared your victory over sin. The Holy Spirit that dwells inside of you is greater than the worldly ways. To break free you have to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, prayer, and sometimes the prayers of others.

“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We use the weapons God has given us to fight off sin. Find out what God’s word says about your sin. Meditate on it daily and allow it to take root in your mind and soul. Allow the word to destroy the lies the enemy has placed in your mind to justify sinful ways. Sometimes deliverance from sin is immediate. You pray and all of a sudden you don’t want to do those things anymore. Then there are times deliverance from sin may not always be immediate. It’s a process. But little by little you will be set free.

The process is a lot like taking medicine when healing from an illness. You may not feel the change over night, but if you keep taking your medicine by meditating and praying eventually the change will come. Every time the thought and desires arise use the word to speak the truth over your life.

There may be times it is difficult to change on your own. You may be dealing with things you don’t want anyone to know about. Perhaps you feel ashamed or embarrassed for your actions. You know your struggle and you want to change but the stronghold is so heavy it seems impossible. What do you do in this situation?

You need to pull it the additional weapon of a prayer partner. Pray and find a non judgmental prayer partner that you can confide in and one who will pray you through. Ask God to show you who that person is. Often times we are so weak that this individual has a clear perspective that can help you see the truths and pray you through.

“Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” ‭‭James‬ ‭5:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s also important to remember that once God forgives you that you need to forgive yourself. Once you are forgiven…..you are forgiven and who the son sets free is free indeed. Be blessed and be encouraged!

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans‬ ‭8:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Previous Post:
Freedom From The Promiscuous Woman – Part I

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank you for Jesus death on the cross. Thank you that he accomplished victory over sin in our life. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that dwells within in us. Farther, we come declaring victory over every area of our life. We thank you that we are forgiven and we are set free. In Jesus Name. Amen

Freedom From The Promiscuous Woman – Part I

Freedom From The Promiscuous Woman – Part I
Written by Felicia McKnight
7/20/2016

Proverbs 2:16-19 NLT
16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
17 She has abandoned her husband
and ignores the covenant she made before God.
18 Entering her house leads to death;
it is the road to the grave.
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never reach the paths of life.

Throughout the Bible God typically uses the analogy of a prostitute or promiscuous woman to describe sin and the continuous comfort of living in it. One definition of a prostitute is to put to unworthy use. To God sin is unworthy. It lacks excellence in God’s kingdom and is not of His character. Sin is like a prostitute because it can look good and feel good. Sin can be enticing and lure us away from righteous living.

Here the scripture defines sin as the “immoral woman”. It’s not conforming with God’s word. Because sin “feels good” it’s easy to get caught up and continue doing the same thing that is not pleasing to God. Sin can be captivating and seductive. We all sin in some respect, however, we each have or have had that one sin that is a constant struggle to become delivered from. It becomes a stronghold. In some cases we can become so easily entangled in sin that our relationship with God becomes more distant causing a spiritual death. We continuously make up excuses to justify the sin rather than acknowledging God’s word to break free from it.

“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James‬ ‭1:13-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sin and the struggle in it is real, but God has given us hope and the tools to break free.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (2) We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our hope in freedom from sin is Jesus death on the cross. He died so that we would have victory over sin and we tap into this victory through the free gift of salvation.

“ sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:56-57‬ ‭NLT‬‬

1) Receive the gift of salvation.

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

2) Have a desire to change.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

3) Seek God for forgiveness.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

4) Turn from sinful ways.

“repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What if you’re saved, you’ve asked God forgiveness, yet you still find it difficult to turn from your particular sin? I will answer that next week. Until then, be blessed and be encouraged.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus death on the cross that paved the way for us to be forgiven for our sins. Lord, we ask for your forgiveness today from anything we have said or done that has not lined up with your word. Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Give us to discernment to know what those sins are and the wisdom and strength to turn and repent from them completely. In Jesus Name. Amen

Where Do You Fit?

Where Do You Fit?
Written By Felicia McKnight
7/9/2016

1 Corinthians 12:14-19
For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

I normally write on Wednesdays, but my heart is heavy. Like many of you I was at a loss of words and grieving for all of the events that have taken place this week as a result of gun violence. The other night I woke up around midnight to see a gazillion notifications on my cell phone that read “multiple Dallas officers shot”. My eyes couldn’t believe what I was reading. Was I dreaming? I turned the TV on to CNN only to discover this was really happening. I watched in disbelief. I was first saddened to hear about Alton Sterling. I wake up the next morning to be saddened once again by Philando Castile and now 12 police officers (5 who lost their lives). Each incident saddened me and angered me. After hearing about the Dallas Police Officers this incident broke me. I couldn’t sleep. I cried all night. I was scared. I cried throughout the morning. I don’t know the last time I cried so much, but my heart aches for the families and for this nation. All I could think is that a war has broken out in our nation. I didn’t know how to pray or what to say. I’ve watched the news. I’ve watched people put blame on guns, police, President Obama and the black lives matter movement. Frankly I am disgusted at all of the finger pointing. The bottom line is NO HUMAN deserves to have their life taken from them for minding their business, having a good time at a club, getting their hustle on, driving down the street, or doing their job to the best of their ability. There is no excuse and no reason. As I pondered on this entire matter the bottom line is EVIL is lurking. EVIL is the root issue. EVIL is what causes people to kill other people for no reason.

As I pondered on what could I do to make a difference my heart lead me to do what I do best is to pray. God placed 1 Corinthians 12 on my heart as people shift the blame and post that we all need “to do something to make a difference.” That is very true. We all need to stand up and do something. But your something may be different from another person’s something. If your something is peaceful protests, then know that your voice makes a difference. If your something is to lobby for change in gun laws, then please know your something makes a difference. If your something is to stand behind the scenes and pray, then know that God hears and your prayers are NOT in vain. Now is not the time for a separation because of how we each choose to make a difference. As the scripture reminds us today our something, our calling, and our gifts on these matters collectively can make a difference if we all unite for the betterment of humanity.

You probably won’t see me protesting and that’s OK. I may not see you praying or writing letters to congress and that’s OK. But whatever we chose to do as long as we are doing it peacefully and with the love of Christ together we can all make a difference on these matters.

I’m tired like the rest of you of picking up my phone and seeing so many breaking news notifications or turning on the news to another tragedy. My heart aches and my heart is heavy! Even as I write this I hurt still and I cry. I just want it all to stop! Just a few days ago we were celebrating the 4th of July Holiday. We were singing about freedom and America the Beautiful. Right now America is broken and hurting. Our nation needs peace again, and love, and justice, and most of all unity.

This is my view, but I know these tragedies can be looked at from so many angles, and that’s what makes us all unique and different.

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

I encourage everyone reading this today to do what God created and called you to do. If we each do our part individually we can make a difference collectively as the whole body of Christ!

“May that which unites us be greater than that which divides us.” – Bishop T.D. Jakes

God Bless You. God Bless This Nation. God heal this nation. Be blessed, be encouraged, and be in peace!

I love you and God loves you!

RIP
Alton Sterling
Philando Castile
Brent Thompson
Patrick Zamarripa
Michael Krol
Michael Smith
Lorne Ahrens
Pulse Night Club Victims
All those whose lives have been lost to senseless, unjustified violence

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Our Nation Needs you like never before. We pray for your healing on this nation. We pray for your strength, comfort, and guidance for all those who mourn those whose lives were tragically lost this week. We pray for peace, unity, love, and justice. We pray for your word in Psalm 46:9 to come to pass over our country and that you will cause this war to cease amongst humanity. In Jesus Name. Amen

Book Review: Dreaming the Dream: 8 Inspirational Stories of Love, Faith, and Dreams by Multiple Authors

Book Review: Dreaming the Dream: 8 Inspirational Stories of Love, Faith, and Dreams by Multiple Authors
Written by Felicia McKnight
7/6/2016

Dreaming the Dream is a collection of 8 Inspirational stories by 8 different authors on their journey to accomplishing their dreams. Each author has a different message of hope, encouragement and a testimony of their journey to accomplishing their dreams.

Author, Shawneya Ellis, reminds readers that negative thoughts can kill our dreams. We have to have faith in God’s word to detoxify the negative thoughts that hinder us from pursuing our dreams.

Author, Romella Vaughn, encourages readers to trust God and wait on instruction from Him concerning the assignments He has for us. Waiting is a time for self-evaluation and spiritual and emotional healing. As we wait God will guide us every step of the way along our journey.

Author, Kishma George, shared her testimony of how God protected her in the area of relationships, so she could fulfill her God given destiny. She did not let her desire for marriage get in the way or put her dreams on hold. Kishma pursued her dreams as a single woman and continues to have faith that God will still bless her with her mate.

Author, Pippa Ashley, encourages those looking and hoping for love that we will indeed find it.

Author, Dr. Yomi Garnett, shares how to never stop dreaming and encourages readers not to let past mistakes, mishaps, hurts, and failures hinder you from your future. He encourages us to turn our negatives into a positive.

Author, Rodney Davis, speaks on the barren womb which is a place of failure, unfruitfulness, setbacks and hopelessness. He shares what He learned from his own place of barrenness. Barren womb dreams are the opportunity for us to operate in perseverance faith. We are to remain in a place of faith that no matter the circumstances dreams will come to pass.

Author, Tammy Collins Markee, gives us hope that there is a fire power dreamer in each of us. We have to remain positive and speak life to our dreams. We have to surround ourselves with individuals who will affirm us and encourage us along our journey.

Author, Trina Bowers, teaches us how loyalty brings promotion. Loyalty is standing with others through adversity and trials trusting by faith God will bring you out. It’s learning to stick things out in businesses and relationships. It is trusting that God is faithful. Trina uses the life of David and Ruth to show readers how we can be ushered into our destiny and God’s promises by remaining loyal.

These are some of the words of wisdom I took away as I read each chapter. Regardless of where you are in pursuing your dreams there is a word for you in this book. If you are in the initiating or planning phase, the phase where hope seems loss, the waiting phase, or the phase where things didn’t work out then a word of encouragement awaits you in the book. You may order a copy of the book on Amazon.com in paperback or kindle.

Today Could Be The Day!

Today Could Be The Day!
Written by Felicia McKnight
6/29/2016

“Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do.” (1 Samuel 12:16 NLT)

Today’s scripture gives us hope and encouragement to begin each day with a heart of expectancy that today could be the day God is going to do something great in your life. Some days are hard to believe God is at work because of the circumstances going on in our lives. However, we are to remain in a place of faith. God calls us to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Dwell on the things God has already done knowing He can work a miracle in your life as well.

God turned darkness into light. He raised dead men from the grave and caused them to come back to life. He healed incurable diseases. He miraculously fed a multitude when there was no food. He took nothing and made it into something. Everything God did before He can do again in a way that meets your needs and God ordained destiny.

Whatever seems dead or impossible in your life believe God for the possible. Today could be the day that phone call, or email, or the person you run into, or the letter you open in the mail could be the breakthrough you have been waiting for. It could be an unexpected blessing. It could be God doing exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ask for or imagine. Stand and see the great things the Lord is about to do.

Stand and be still knowing that He is God. (Psalm 46:10) Stand and know no eye has seen and no ear has heard nor has it entered into the heart of man all the wonderful things God has in store for your life. (1 Corinthians 2:9) God wants to blow your mind with His goodness. God wants to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all you could ask, think or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) God is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Be encouraged and declare today that your storm season is over and God is going to rain down blessings and favor over your life! Have faith and believe today that God can answer your prayer at any moment now.

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 9:23 NLT)

Be encouraged today to stand with an expectant heart as God works blessings and miracles in your life!

“Pay attention! Watch this wonder that GOD is going to perform before you now! It’s summer, as you well know, and the rainy season is over. But I’m going to pray to GOD.” (1 Samuel 12:16 The Message)

Prayer
Heavenly Father, some of us have been laboring in prayer asking you to work a miracle in our life. We’ve been praying without ceasing for you to send the breakthrough we need. For some of us the days have been dark and we just want to see a gleam of hope, a sign, or a wonder, that you hear our prayers. Some of us have struggled to remain encouraged not to grow weary or give up while waiting on you. Lord in all of this we continue to stand by faith even when it seems like our blessings and answer to our prayers are on hold somewhere. Lord give us the strength to go through each day with a heart of expectancy that today could be the day we see the answer to our prayer. Give us the strength and wisdom to trust in your timing that today could be the day we see your word and the promises we have been standing on manifest themselves in our lives. Lord, we stand by faith continuing to believe that we will see your goodness on this side of heaven. We stand by faith believing the things that have hindered you from moving in our life are no more. Thank you for your grace that continues to cover us as we wait. Thank you for your mercy that forgives us when we lost hope. Lord we trust in you to answer our prayers and that you will do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ask you for think of or imagine. Lord we have a heart of expectancy that we will see answers to our prayers and today could very well be that day that things turn around in our favor. In Jesus name. Amen!

The Book of Revelation – Part III

The Book of Revelation – Part III
Written by Felicia McKnight
6/22/16

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:4-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

After the tribulation and the destruction of Babylon and the destruction of the enemy Revelation ends with the grand finale and what the entire Bible builds us up to. God will introduce those who are saved to the New Heaven and the New Earth. The old earth is tainted by sin. Heaven is the eternal life God has promised believers. God will dwell with us and be among us in the new heaven. There will be nothing to be afraid of. Our new home will be a place of continuous worship to our Heavenly Father and Heaven will radiate in beauty. It will be peaceful and the things that weighed us down and burdened us on earth will be no more.

“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:19-21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

If you’ve ever marveled over the beauty of light as it reflects off of gems and glass, then you already have a slight glimpse of the physical beauty of eternity. There will no longer be any curses as a result of sin. It will be a perfect place where sin is gone, decaying bodies gone, evil gone. If you’ve watched the news lately, then what we see now will be no more. No more of people dying of sickness, no more massive killings and terrorist attacks, no more murders, no more evil. Satan can’t get in. Heaven will have walls to keep the inhabitants secure forever. We will reside with God. God will be among us. We will be His people and He will be our God. God will prove His faithfulness to us once again. His Shekinah glory will be the light of the city and the sun and moon will no longer be needed. The River of Life will flow through the city which is God’s everlasting presence. We will have full access to our creator.

Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:6-7)

Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life are permitted to this wonderful place where we will reign forever and ever and ever with Him. We will worship Him for all He has done. If you haven’t received Christ as your Lord and Savior and repented of your sins, then now is the time. Don’t be left out of this marvelous blessing that God has in store! Receive Christ today, so that we can all one day meet in a perfect place where we will bow down as a community of believers to our master and worship among the angels.

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever Amen.” (Revelation 7:11-12 NLT)

God’s promise of eternal life is for all those who are willing to believe and trust in Him! The gift of Salvation is free to you and to those we love. Be blessed and Be Encouraged.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we continue to pray for those who do not know you as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray that the unsaved will surrender, repent of their sins, and receive your free gift of salvation. We thank you that you are in complete and total control. We thank you that the evil we see today will be no more. We thank you that satan will be defeated and that those whose names are written in the book of Life will reside with you for eternity. Lord, we chose to worship you today for who you are. We thank you that you are a faithful God. We thank you that you are a sovereign God. We thank you that you love us unconditionally. We thank you that you will reign and rule forever. All glory, honor, and praise belong to you our holy, living, eternal God. We give you all the glory, the honor, and the praise. In Jesus name. Amen!

Previous Posts
The Book of Revelation – Part I
The Book of Revelation – Part II

The Book of Revelation – Part II

The Book of Revelation – Part II
Written by Felicia McKnight
6/15/16

John 3:18 NLT
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”

A majority of the Book of Revelation is spent describing a period of judgement and the great Tribulation. This is the time all hell will break loose (no pun intended). Several events will take place to once again get God’s people to repent and turn to Him. There will be devastation and destruction. Things will become harsher on earth, but there will still be a small window of opportunity to repent and turn to Christ. Revelation points out some of the sins that people are engaged in: idolatry, murder, sexual immorality, drug abuse, witchcraft, and theft. The enemy, known as the beast, will be deceptive. There will be a time in Revelation that even after all of the destruction and individuals seeing various parts of the earth destroyed that they will still chose to cling to things of the world and follow the beast. I concluded that since there is such a large portion of Revelation dedicated to the tribulation that God wanted to ensure that we knew and understood the magnitude of what would take place if we did not repent and turn to Him. It’s almost as if God is saying “Are you sure you want to remain worldly and follow the beast?”

We all have friends and loved ones who are unsaved and clinging to a sinful lifestyle. As I read through Revelation it hurt my heart to know the magnitude of their suffering if they don’t receive the free gift of God’s salvation. It doesn’t matter if they think they were born one way or suffering because of what someone did to them. As Christians we have to be bold enough to remind the lost that Christ loves them so much that He does not want to leave them where they are all messed up. We have to be bold enough to proclaim the Gospel and remind them that God sent His one and only son Jesus Christ on the cross to save and change them.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 NKJV)

The final defeat will be the Fall of Babylon which in summary is a kingdom of evil and all things opposite of God. Babylon is referred to as a prostitute in Chapter 18 which represents lust and cravings that lured people in rather than people loving and enjoying God. It’s a place where mankind preferred wealth, excessive consumption, and self-pleasure over the things of God. There will even be a time where believers will stray from God and cling to the ways of the world by accepting what current culture considers valuable and right even though it goes against the word of God. Babylon will ultimately fall and be destroyed. Those pleasures and enjoyments will be gone forever.

“And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!” (Revelation 18:2 NKJV)

God desires for us to love Him and Him only. It can be so easy to get caught up in the lusts of the eyes. It’s so easy to get caught up in things that seem to be more comforting than God such as job security, possessions, cars, or any material thing. We have to remember as Christians that we are to be sanctified which means set apart and holy. It means denying our self. God calls us to remove ourselves from anyone or anything that will compromise our faith and obedience to Him. When we trust God we live a different life than the world. We must love God more by choosing to leave what pulls us away from Him. God is the only hope and He is the only one who can truly satisfy us and fill our needs.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

As believers we are called to be the light and God’s example to draw others into His kingdom with us. We are to keep our hearts and minds set on God. This is the message of the book of Revelation. God just wants us all to love Him more than we love sin and the ways of the world. He is giving each of us the opportunity to repent. Reading the book of Revelation placed a fire in me to want to pray more frequently for the lost. Revelation ends by describing that beautiful place God has for us called Heaven where we will reside with Him for eternity. How tragic would that be not to share this glory with those we love. God loves His church and who He loves He disciplines. What will it take for our friends and loved ones to let go and cling to God? We don’t want to see them suffer any more than we want that in our own lives, so saints it’s time to pray and intercede like never before!

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Regardless of all of the evil we see now and all of the evil that is to come the good news is that Satan will be defeated and destroyed! He will be thrown into the lake of fire forever. Sin will be destroyed. Those that chose not to repent and reject Jesus will also be destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire. God will make everything right again in his eyes.

I will continue next week on my study of Revelation. Until then, some things to ponder on:
• What pulls at your heart, dominates your thoughts, and drains your energy?
• Do you place your hope in what will not last or what is eternal?
• Who do you need to pray salvation for?

If you are reading this today, then there is still time to repent of sins and anything that has pulled you away from God. There is still time to pray for our unsaved friends and loved ones. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then it is not too late to repent. There is still time for salvation today to turn to God and live according to His ways.

Until we meet again, be blessed and be encouraged!

Click Salvation Prayer if you desire to pray the salvation prayer or share this prayer with someone who needs it.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank you for being a God who is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. Father forgive us for our sins and for doing anything that goes against your will and your ways. Lord, give us the wisdom to identify our sins and the strength to turn away from them and come to a place of complete and total repentance. Lord, guide us to cling to you and love you more than we love the ways of the world. I pray that each of us will spend more time with you daily in prayer and in your word. As we spend more time with you may we find joy, peace, and fulfillment in ways that only you can give. We also, lift up the lost and we lift up to you all of our family and members and friends who do not know you as their Lord and Savior. We pray that they will receive your free gift of salvation, so that they too can enjoy the benefits of your forgives, grace, and unconditional love. In Jesus Name. Amen

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“The Book of Revelation – Part I”