Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 258

Day  258

Matthew 13:57-58

"And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."

When people do not believe because of ignorance, God can still perform miracles by the gifts of the Spirit, as the person doing the ministering operates in faith. However, where there is unbelief, He can do nothing. Doubt comes from not knowing or understanding. Unbelief is the result of offense.

The people in the areas where Jesus was raised were offended that the person they grew up with was able to do things they could not do and was looked up to by so many others. They seemed to think, "Who does he think he is? We know him as one of us. How can he expect us to look up to him? He's no better than any of us." How sad it was that they missed the visitation of God because they refused to believe.

We may look at them and feel disgust at their attitudes, but many Christians are suffering today with the same problem. They know what God can do. It is obvious to them. However, they are offended at God and refuse to believe Him. Sometimes they are offended at a minister and therefore cannot receive from God through him or her.

We need to examine our hearts to see if we are in unbelief. One of the signs that we are in unbelief because of being offended at God is when we give more attention to the problem than the answer. Even after we have prayed, we may speak as though we have more faith that the problem will continue than that God will solve it. This can be especially true when it comes to our prayers for people. We can get offended when we expected God to do more within a certain time frame with the individual we prayed about. So, we get fed up waiting on God and begin to operate in unbelief.

Another sign that we are offended at God and are operating in unbelief is when we stop feeding our faith in a certain area. When things do not change in the time frame we expect, we despise hearing the Word on the subject and will not confess God's Word in that area any more.

It is clear that unbelief is a result of pride and selfishness - thinking about ourselves and what we want. Often, our prayers were never going to be answered anyway, because God will not respond to selfish prayers. He is not an errand boy who does as we command. He runs the show, not us. We must not believe and serve God conditionally. He is God, and He is worthy of our reverence, regardless of what we get or do not get.

If we determine we are operating in unbelief, we need to pause today and forgive God for the hurt we suppose He caused us. Then, we need to repent for our attitudes of pride, selfishness, and unbelief and receive forgiveness. Satan would love to capitalize on our offense and destroy much more than our relationships with God. God wants to restore His fellowship with us, and we desperately need it.

I will examine myself for offenses today. If I have been offended at God, I will forgive Him and repent With  God's help, I will avoid such offenses by humbling myself daily and serving God with pure motives and great appreciation for what He has already done, primarily for the great salvation He has given me through Jesus Christ.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 257

Day 257

Matthew 5:44

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."

When  Jesus  told  His  disciples  to  respond  positively to those who did negative things to them, how could He expect them to obey Him? How can someone love his enemies? How can we bless those who curse us and do good to those who hate us? Certainly, Jesus could not have been asking for a natural response to hatred, cursing, etc. It is natural for us to preserve our lives and our happiness. We naturally defend ourselves against those who try to hurt us.

Jesus was talking about a spiritual response, not a natural one. He was teaching His followers to think and act like God the Father. God looks beyond the faults of man and sees their need. He sees them as victims, not just criminals. He believes many will change their behavior when their eyes are opened to the truth they have never known. He believes that when they see unconditional love, they will open up to hear and understand the gospel.

How can we, real humans with real feelings, give a godly response to ugly people when they mistreat and offend us? Being born again does not make us mechanical robots with no real feelings. We have to respond from our spirits, not our heads. We must dictate to our flesh what we will do. As an act of our wills and out of obedience to the command of our Lord, we can declare our godly response and discipline our bodies to cooperate with our spirits.

The good news is that practice makes perfect. It may seem hard when we first start to make godly responses to evil provocation. However, as we continue to discipline ourselves to do what is right, it will become more and more natural to act like God. Our flesh is like a child. After a while, if we are consistent, our flesh will realize it cannot have its way and stop harassing us. Let us press on to be more like our Father today. He is good to everyone, regardless of how they behave.

I will discipline myself to make godly responses to unkind people. God will use me to help people open their hearts to receive the gospel and change their lives.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 256

Day  256

Matthew 13:4-19

"And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart This is he which received seed by the way side."

Jesus explained that a lack of understanding causes the word to be stolen from us. We must recognize this for our own benefit, as well as for the benefit of those we minister to. Since the benefits of God's Word are lost when we don't have understanding, we can minimize our losses by praying for or giving thanks for understanding when we listen to or read the Word.

When we realize how others we share the gospel with can fail to receive, we can reduce the casualties by praying for their understanding, rather than by assuming they understand. The Bible says in II Corinthians 4:3-4 that the god of this world (Satan) blinds the minds of those who do not believe, to prevent them from seeing the glorious light of the gospel. Satan's job is to do what he can to hinder the sinner and the believer from benefiting from the Word of God. Our job is to destroy that hindrance by prayer, taking authority over the works of darkness, and being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I will increase my benefits from the Word by receiving understanding by faith. I will increase the results of my ministry to others by interceding for their understanding of the gospel when I share it.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 255

Day  255

Matthew 12:34-37

"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

Jesus pointed out clearly that the words we speak from our lips are indicators of what we have inside. This is something for us to ponder and use to make adjustments in our lives. When we want to !mow what our body temperature is, we stick a thermometer under our tongues for a few minutes. Then, we pull it out and read it. It will reveal what is going on inside us. Just like our mouth helps us determine our physical condition, it also helps to reveal our spiritual condition. The amount of good or evil that comes forth lets us !mow what is in our hearts.

It would be good if we could record our conversations for a day. At the end of the day, we could review it and see how much good is inside us. Let us not just think of evil in terms of profanity, meanness or dishonesty. Worry, or having more confidence in the devil's ability to destroy us than in God's ability to bring us through, is evil. Expressions that contradict God's Word are evil.

Jesus told us that output is a result of input. When we see what our level of evil is, we will !mow how much more good needs to be put into our systems. Input comes from what we hear from our own mouths, as well as from other sources. It also comes from what we see or contact with our other physical senses. There is no need to condemn ourselves for saying negative words. We must simply increase the positive input so there will be less evil and more good coming forth from our lips all the time.

I will monitor my words and increase my positive input and output, that I may please the Lord more and more.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 254

Day  254

Matthew 10:8

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."

Jesus sent His disciples on a mission to the nation of Israel. He told them where to go, what to say, what to do, what to expect, and how to handle the challenges they would face. He sent them with good news: "The kingdom of Heaven is near." After they shared the good news, they were instructed to perform good deeds, which was consistent with the kingdom of Heaven. They were to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out devils. They were to give as freely as they had received. They were not charged for the power delegated to them, and they were not to charge for dispensing that power to those in need.

If good works heralded the coming of the kingdom, then surely they were a sign of what it had to offer. As disciples of Christ today, we, the children of the kingdom must give freely what we have freely received. We have received deliverance from the power of darkness. We have been endued with power to do the works of Christ. Let us offer what we have to those in need. God blessed us as He did Abraham- to be a blessing.

I will freely give what God has given me. I will be a channel of His blessings to those in need.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 253

Day  253

Matthew 13:22 NIV

"The one who receives the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful"

Jesus likened the worries of life to thorns, as He explained how the Word is choked out of the life of someone who has heard it. Like the deceitfulness of riches, the worries of this life can take over our attention subtly. We may not hear, "Here are some legitimate concerns that urgently need your attention."

Before we realize what is happening to us, numerous concerns tum into worry, as we attempt to be responsible and take care of things that confront us. It is human nature to proudly assume we can get anything solved if we try hard enough. Then, as we run into seemingly invincible obstacles, we begin to work overtime thinking of what can be done, while all along feeling hopeless. It takes us a long time to realize God is waiting to help. By the time we do remember, we are too absorbed in the problem to even pray in faith. The problem has far outgrown the Word in our spiritual visions, making the Word ineffective. If we are ever going to get out of the mess we have created, it will take someone else's prayers and faith operating on our behalf.

To keep the worries of life from choking  the Word  out  of us, we must habitually  meditate and confess God's Word  to  give it  a stronghold in our lives.  Then,  we must  deny  distractions  access to the time we spend in the Bible. We need to carefully evaluate whether or not something is urgent enough to interrupt us when we are devoting time to feed our spirits with the Word. Many  times when we think something is urgent, if we will ponder it a little, we will find it can actually wait until we are finished.  Sometimes  we can be seduced into giving up devotional time to help people who have legitimate needs. We must remember we are  not  God.  Only He is the source of everyone's supply. Unless God specifically  tells us to meet a need immediately,  we must have the ability to  put  if  off or give it to someone else to handle when it  is  time for  us  to feed our hearts with the Word of God. It is dangerous to run out of spiritual strength and still try to minister to others before replenishing our supply. If we are interrupted legitimately,  the time we would have spent in the Bible needs to be made up.

Aside from spending time in the Word, we need to praise and worship our Father. It is He who cares for us and provides for our every need. Because He is so great and loves us so much, if we praise and worship Him often enough, we will see challenges as powerless to overcome us. Instead of worrying, we will view every problem we face as simply another opportunity for God to show Himself strong in our lives.

Another thing we can do to overcome worries is to increase our love and respect for God. To worry is disrespectful, because it means we are placing more confidence in the power of the devil or the circumstance than in the power and love of God. Our love and respect is increased by fellowship with God and obedience to His Word.

It is important that we maintain a high Word level so worries that attempt to come in will be met by the Word in us and be chased away. It is so important that we praise and worship the Lord so He is magnified in our view, instead of the cares of this life. It is also important that we fellowship with and obey Him consistently, so we maintain respect for Him and refuse to insult Him by worrying. Let us guard against every attempt of the enemy to choke the Word out of us today by practicing preventative maintenance.

I will feed myself the Word of God today. I will confess His Word and praise and worship Him. I will love and obey Him. He will help me live above worry.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 252

Day  252

Matthew 13:22 NIV

"The one who receives the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful"

What makes thorns grown in our hearts and choke the Word? Jesus likens the deceitfulness of wealth to thorns. How can we become deceived by wealth? It happens when it becomes more attractive to us than the Word of God.

Surely, nobody who hears the Word and responds to it intends to have it choked out of them later. So, how can we protect the gardens of our hearts from weeds that will destroy what we are attempting to cultivate? We must realize that to be attracted to wealth over the things of God, the Word of God must be gradually taken away from our views and be replaced with other things. We must be deceived into thinking material things are more important. Then, we will be shown the glamour of the things others possess. After that, we will be made to feel that having those things will make us happier. Since it is normal for us to pursue happiness, we will become consumed with getting the things we consider necessary to make us happy. Our concern for the Word will diminish, as we attempt to accomplish our goals. We will then begin to rationalize every move that contradicts the scriptures.

Temptations aimed at taking our focus away from God and onto material things may not be obvious in the beginning. Perhaps we used to listen to tapes of the Bible being taught, and we ran out of batteries or the tape player wore out. Instead of replacing it, we were tempted to minimize the importance of listening to the Word. The time we used to spend listening to those tapes was replaced by something carnal - not sinful - just not spiritual. Maybe we used to make a special effort to attend other services in addition to Sunday morning services. Then something hampered our being able to attend for a few weeks, and we found other carnal things to do. So, since we were not giving our attention to the Word of God during that time, we may have gotten used to watching a program on television or doing something else. Since all was still well in our lives as far as we could see, we lost our motivation to start going to extra church services. Our interest in things became stronger than our interest in the Word.

For the devil to put thorns in our hearts, he has to be allowed entrance. He does not have the ability to come in and do as he pleases. We need to watch out for the distractions he uses to gain entrance to our gardens to plant weeds that destroy our healthy plants. It will not benefit us at all to gain the whole world and lose our relationship with God. If we neglect His guidance, there is always a chance we may not even live to enjoy what we have given all our efforts to obtain.

I will examine my life for distractions - things that have taken the place of the Word or time I have spent in Christian fellowship as I pursued other interests. With God's help, I will keep my priorities in order and never be deceived by material wealth.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 251

Day 251

Matthew 13:20-21 NIV

"The one who receives the seed on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away."

Many people have attended church services and shouted with excitement, as they heard the Word of God being taught or preached. Yet, those same people failed in the very areas they were shouting about. Being excited about the Word is no indication that it will do us any good. Jesus said, as He explained a parable he taught His disciples, that a man who joyfully receives the Word but has no root will only benefit temporarily. He will only last as long as he does not experience pressure to give up.

Unless we develop a habit of studying, meditating and practicing the Word of God, we will not succeed when our faith is tried. Jesus said the man who cannot last when persecution comes is like rocky soil that has just enough dirt to cause the seed to grow, but not enough to give it a root system that will strengthen it to outlast the heat of the sun.

Prayer, praise and worship are three of the important habits the Bible endorses. God's Word will more easily develop a root system in us when we fellowship with the author and receive strength by ministering to Him. We receive joy, which produces strength, when we bask in His presence. When we pray in line with the Word and experience results, it encourages us when we face new challenges. When we praise our great and mighty God for who He is and what He has done, is doing and will do, it reduces the size of the problems we face. When we worship Him, we remind ourselves of His worthiness and our obligation to serve Him, no matter what comes against us.

The Bible also teaches us that we need to attend church and engage in wholesome Christian fellowship to help us develop a root system in church attendance. Hebrews I0:25 exhorts us to come together more often and to encourage each other, as we see the end of time approaching. We draw strength from our brothers and sisters who are facing the same challenges we are facing. We also need to belong to a group of believers and have a pastor we respect - one who can help us through difficult times. Jesus gave us pastors and other ministers to help us grow up and mature spiritually. He would not give us something that is unnecessary. Whatever He has given us is necessary for us to live as overcomers.

So, the next time we hear or read the Word and get thrilled over it, let us not be fooled into thinking our excitement is all we need to guarantee victory when trials come to test our faith. After the thrill is gone, we must make sure we are living consistent lives of meditation, study, prayer, praise, worship and Christian fellowship. We need all the help we can get to develop a root system that will enable us to endure the trials of our faith that will come to us periodically.

When I get excited about the Word, I will not allow the thrill of the moment to be a sign that the Word has taken root in me. I will follow up with a consistent life of meditation, study, prayer, praise, worship and Christian fellowship.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 250

Day  250

Matthew 13:19 NIV

"When anyone hears the message about the Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path."

Jesus told His disciples a parable to teach them a lesson that the Word is like a seed. In the parable, He said the natural seed, which was sown but fell by the wayside, was devoured by birds. In like manner, when the Word is sown without understanding, the enemy snatches it away. Just reading the Bible casually is not sufficient to get the benefit God intends for us to have. When we just read, we get a certain amount of benefit. When we study or meditate the Word, we are more likely to get understanding and not just knowledge. We can easily learn certain facts, like Jesus died on the cross for us. However, it takes study and meditation to grasp the full impact of how that affects our everyday lives.

Sometimes, understanding comes to us as we listen to the Word of God being taught. Our comprehension of other things will improve as we do personal study. Seeking understanding is so important. People dismiss things that can revolutionize their lives, simply because they lack understanding. We cannot enjoy the use of certain products or equipment we own if we cannot figure out how they operate. So, Jesus explained to us that the devil can rob us of the benefits the Word is supposed to bring to us when we do not understand.

Let us commit to meditating and studying the Word, in addition to exposing ourselves to anointed teaching. We can develop these habits by setting aside reasonable amounts of time for this. We should begin by investing an amount of time small enough to allow us to easily succeed until we have established a habit. Then, after the habit has been established, we can gradually increase the time we spend in the Word until we reach a goal we think is right for us.

I will regularly expose myself to teaching that will help me improve my level of understanding of the Word of God. In addition, I will create a habit of studying and meditating the Bible. The Holy Spirit will help me.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 248

Day 248

Colossians I:3

"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,"

As Paul told the Colossian church, he and Timothy were always praying for them. How wonderful it would be to have someone always praying for us. Prayer changes things. Since God gave man dominion in the earth, He needs our cooperation to work among us. When we pray, it allows Him to perform on our behalf. It may surprise us to know how many good things have happened in our lives because of someone else's prayers that we knew nothing about. We may have experienced a blessing in an area we were not even praying about, but someone called our name out to God, and we enjoyed the results.

It is so important that we do not regard prayer only as a formal time when we seclude ourselves and recite poetic verses to God. Formal prayer has its place. However, when we realize prayer is simply communication with the Father, we can pray more often and be a part of more things being accomplished in the earth. Because of a lack of understanding in the past, we have put off praying many times when we should have. We told ourselves we needed to pray about a situation, but we forgot. In most cases, we could have prayed the moment we thought about the problem, but because our image of prayer was being still and talking to God in a particular spot, we procrastinated and forgot about it. God is always with us. Whether we are cleaning our cars, washing our dishes or riding down the street, He is available to take calls.

Paul and Timothy were always praying for the Colossians. They were probably not stopping constantly to find a place to pause and say a formal prayer. But, perhaps while they were walking along a street, the Colossians came up in the conversation and one of them said to God as they continued their journey, "Lord, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for what you are doing in Colossee. Meet the needs of the believers there today. Help that old man who lost his wife to recover from his grief."

We must catch on to the fact that we can pray all the time, no matter what our lifestyles. Lifting someone up in prayer or just giving thanks can be done in less than 10 seconds. We can pray while we are walking to the rest room, while we stretch our arms to take a break from typing or writing, while we are packing to go home or during some other transitional activity.

Let us be a part of someone else's being blessed  today  by not hesitating to pray whenever they come to our minds. It does not matter how short or how long the prayer is. What  would  our response be if someone were to say to  us, "I  only have  IO seconds to pray. Would you like for me to pray for you now or wait until I have more time?" We might rather have a little prayer  now, than  take the chance of being forgotten about later. Let us pray  more often, remembering that prayer includes giving thanks.

I will practice praying more often. I will not wait for convenient times before I bring my requests and thanks to God. I will pray always.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 247

Day 247

Ephesians 6:17

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Paul said, "Take... " That is a demonstrative word. It is a word of deliberate action. He did not say, "Receive." Receive is a more passive verb. It does not require as much effort, because someone else initiates the action, and we respond. On the other hand, when we take something, we initiate the action with a purpose.

Let us take the helmet of salvation today. When we do, we will not be passive about who we are and what we have through Jesus Christ. Our helmets protect our heads. When we do not take the helmet Jesus provided for us, our heads will not function properly. Our thought processes will be vulnerable to pessimism, fear, confusion, doubt and inferiority.

Salvation includes redemption from the kingdom of darkness. We cannot be moved from something without being moved into something else. We have been translated into the kingdom of Light. Kingdoms function by laws. Paul said in Romans 8:2, "For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." The laws of our kingdom produce life and free us from the cycle of sin and death. As we take the helmet of salvation, we will be intolerant of anything that goes against the spirit of life. Galatians 3:13 tells us Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law. This curse included sickness, disease and poverty, among other things. We must not tolerate these things. Our helmets cause us to resist things that are under the curse of the law.

Let us thank God for the helmet of salvation and take it today and every day. It will not only make our lives better, but it will also have a positive effect on the lives of those we come in contact with. The more positive our thoughts and responses are, the better off people around us will be.

I take the helmet of salvation today. I will think and respond as a child of God, as a citizen of the kingdom of God. I will accept only that which produces life and well being.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 246

Day 246

Philippians 3:13

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,"

Paul emphasized the need to forget the past to reach for what is ahead. No matter how many things we accomplish, there is far more to achieve. As our knowledge, experience and wisdom increase, we should be able to do more in less time. Our latter years should be more productive than the former ones. We should have learned a lot about what to do and what not to do, what to pursue and what to avoid. We should be better.

Nothing should stop us from going forward. We must forget regrets. God will heal us of hurts, if we sincerely desire to be free. Failures are not the only things that hinder us. Sometimes, we can be a tempted to camp out on our successes, but we must humble ourselves and forget our accomplishments. We are who we are by the grace of God. There is no excuse for parking and retiring. Moses, who died at 120 years of age, was actively serving God the day he died.

Success is not achieved by observation or meditation alone. Paul said he reached for the things ahead. Today, let us reach for what we believe our divine destiny is, climbing the ladder one step at a time. If we look at the top of a I00-step ladder, we can be tempted to procrastinate getting started. Our attitude must be to climb each step as quickly as possible. If we never reach the top, it is certainly better to die trying, than to successfully get nowhere because we never made an effort.

Let us reach today. Someone can be saved by our efforts. We were saved by someone else's reaching. God will help us, because He is the one who puts in us the desire to go forward.

I will reach today. I will make at least one more step toward my goal God will help me. Someone's life will  be blessed because of my effort.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 245

Day  245

Matthew 12:50 NIV

"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

When Jesus was told that His mother and brothers wanted to speak with Him, He responded that His true relatives were those who did His Father's will. At that time in His life, Jesus' earthly family had difficulty accepting His ministry. Most people hold their families dear in their hearts and desire acceptance, approval and warm fellowship with them. Depending on the circumstances, this desire can be a help or a hindrance. In Jesus' case, his desire for a positive relationship with His family would have been a hindrance, if He had allowed it to influence his ministry. So, He chose to focus on His eternal family, instead of his temporal relatives.

When we accept that our real family members are the persons who do the will of God, and we focus our desire for acceptance, approval and fellowship toward them, it will be easier to fulfill the plan of God for our lives. Those who are headed in the same direction as we are will not be a hindrance to our doing the will of God. They will instead be an encouragement to us as we all share the same aim - to please God above everyone else. There are no positive results to look forward to when we are against God's will. Those who do not desire God's will or do not understand it will not benefit from our compromising the call of God to gain their approval.

At the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, after he died and rose again, His earthly family accepted Him and became a part of His continuing ministry on earth. If He had denied His mission to make them happy, He would have failed God, Himself and His family. We must trust God to open the eyes of our relatives, while we pursue the work He has called us to do. Until they have a change of heart, we must realize that compromising will never bring blessing, if it entails disobedience to God. We will help no one.

Christians have missed God by yielding to the pull of relatives to do the wrong things, or to be in the wrong places at the wrong time, and no one profited when they were finished. What they did was not necessarily sinful. They just missed doing what God wanted them to do, according to His divine plan. We may have struggled with the question: "What will my relatives say if I don't show up for this major family event?" What matters more - what God would say, or what the family would say? When the family is as interested in the will of God as they should be, they will say, "We sure will miss you, but we would rather you follow your heart and obey God."

From this moment on, let us determine to leave our relatives in the care of the Lord, when we have to obey God and they don't agree with our decisions. Also, let us make sure we are never the guilty ones, pulling on a relative to disobey God to satisfy our carnal desires. Let us ever keep before us the words of Christ: "Not my will, but yours be done."

With God's help, I will not yield to the temptation to follow my relatives instead of God. I will also not be an instrument used to discourage any of my family from obeying God to satisfy my natural desires.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 244

Day 244

Genesis 8:22

"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. “

God said while the earth is in existence, there are certain unalterable natural laws that will operate. One of those laws is seedtime and harvest. Whatever is sown in our lives, we will reap.

Today, we are reaping the results of seeds we and our parents have sown. The grace of God causes some of our unwanted crops to fail and helps us cope with some undesirable ones that come forth. As we acknowledge that this spiritual law is a permanent one that will affect our lives and the lives of those we are associated with, let us be careful how we plant today. When Jesus encouraged us to do to others as we would have them do to us, He was reinforcing this principle of sowing and reaping. What we do to others will come back to us.

We should endeavor to treat people well, as we interact with them today. We should also purposely do some good deeds to bless others and, at the same time guarantee blessing for ourselves and our families in the future. Not only will we be planting for a good crop in the future, but we will also be experiencing the joy of giving while we are planting.

I thank God for the blessings I enjoy today, because of the seeds my parents and I have sown before. I thank Him for the grace that has saved me from some undesirable crops that were headed my way. I thank Him for the grace to cope with some of the negative things I have reaped. I will deliberately sow good seeds today that will bless me and my family in the days to come.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 243

Day 243

I Chronicles 1:9-10 Amplified Version

"Now, 0 Lord God, let your promise to David my father be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this Your people who are so great?"

Solomon asked God to help Him lead the people of Israel. He believed the task was too great for him. It is so important that we recognize that everything we do that involves people is too great for us. Solomon was aware of this when he saw a great multitude. It was easy for him to see that he needed help for a crowd of people. However, whether we are dealing with one person or a million people, we would be wise to seek God's help when dealing with anybody, including ourselves.

Solomon was a success in ruling his nation but failed in his personal life. He asked for and received wisdom to deal with the people of his kingdom, but he did not ask for wisdom to manage himself. So, by the time he was an old man, he had helped many others solve their problems and make right decisions but had messed up his own life.

It is important that we not think we can ask God for help one time and not rely on Him anymore. Whether we ask afresh one day at a time or give thanks for His help each day, we need to look to God for help on a daily basis. If we do not acknowledge our need for God daily, it will become easy for us to forget we need Him until a major need or crisis arises.

Let us take our need for God's help more seriously. Every husband needs God's help daily to be the best he can be. Every wife, father, mother and child need His help to be the best they can be. On our jobs, we need the Lord, for us to be the best employers or workers we can be. In our churches, we need Him to help us be the best pastors or church workers. We will never live long enough or have sufficient experience to make us smart enough to function at our best without God's help.

I will seek God's help daily for every task before me. With his help, I will excel in every area of my life.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 242

Day 242

Mark 5:28 J.B. Phillips Version

"For if I can only touch his clothes," she kept saying, "I shall be alright"

Mark's gospel records the story of a woman who had a disease that caused abnormal bleeding. She suffered, growing

steadily worse for many years, and could find nobody to help her. Eventually, she heard about Jesus and became convinced He could help her. Breaking tradition and the law, she ventured out into the public. (People with conditions like she had were not supposed to be out in public.) Her boldness demonstrated her faith. To take such a chance, she had to believe she would get results.

This woman had to break through more than tradition. She had to make her way through a crowd that was very tight. Jesus was not easy to get to that day. There was no way she could announce her need and ask for help to get through. Although her body was probably weak from the prolonged illness, she had to maneuver her way through to get within reach of Jesus' clothes. She may even have had to push, squeeze, and wiggle her way through. One record of this story indicates this woman touched the hem of Jesus' garment. That means she eventually stooped to the ground to make her final move. What a story of faith!

Before the woman was healed, she continued to say, "If I can only touch His clothes, I shall be alright." She was single­ minded. While others in the crowd could see many people dressed in different clothes, she was focusing on one person and on one garment. When faith comes into our hearts and causes us to reach for a healing or a miracle of some kind, we must be focused. One of the ways to remain focused is to keep saying the same thing. The woman in the story made her way out of seclusion, into the street, to the middle of the crowd and eventually to the hem of Jesus' garment. She had several opportunities to give up and tum around. Her consistent declaration of faith enabled her to keep her attention on her goal.

Little will come to us without our showing determined effort. Our mouths can either help us or hinder us. Let us find the right words to help keep our focus and press towards our breakthrough.

With God's help, I will find the right words to help me focus on my goal I will continue to say words that are in agreement with God's Word and focus on my victory. By faith, I will overcome every obstacle and come out with a testimony.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 241

Day  241

Philippians 4:13 Amplified Version

"I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me fl am ready for anything and equal to anything  through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]."

Paul told the Philippians how he was able to handle any situation he faced. In Philippians 4:11-13, he explained that he understood how to be content, regardless of the circumstances he faced. It did not matter whether he was abased or had plenty, or whether he was full or hungry. In every situation, Christ provided the inner strength he needed to endure and remain humble.

How could Jesus give Paul the strength to live an overcoming life, no matter what conditions he found himself in? Jesus Jived an exemplary life. He enjoyed the praises and adoration of people. He suffered the rejection and disrespect of others. He was mocked, beaten and crucified before He left the earth. He received strength from his Father to endure it all, and stayed connected throughout His earthly ministry. John 12:49 (Amplified Version) records Jesus as saying, "This is because I have never spoken on my own authority or of my own accord or as self­ appointed, but the Father who sent me has Himself given me orders [concerning] what to say and what to tell." John 10:30 says, "I and my Father are one."

Hebrews 12:3-4 Amplified Version says, "Just think of Him who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor yet have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood." If we stay connected to Jesus and keep our eyes on Him, remembering what He endured for us, it will encourage us to press through very difficult circumstances. When we realize He has all power and makes His power available to us at all times, our wills to overcome will be strengthened.

Jesus has promised to be with us always. As long as He is with us and does not tell us there is nothing more He can do for us, we have no reason to give up. We can do all things through Christ, who is our Strength.

I am encouraged today. I can handle, endure and overcome any challenge. Jesus Christ, by His example and ongoing support, enables me to come out of every test a victor, instead of a victim.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 240

Day  240

Psalm 34:10

"The young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."

Is it really true that those who seek the Lord will not suffer lack of any beneficial thing? Emphatically, yes! The Word of God is right and true.

First of all, we must know who the Lord is. Even if we .think we know, we may have forgotten lately. The cares of this world and other distractions can blur our image of God. As the Hebrews did when they approached God in prayer, we must remind ourselves of who God is. If we see God properly, we will have confidence when we pray.

Secondly,  we must be seeking the Lord, not the benefits. That does not mean we cannot ask the Lord for the things we need. It means our emphasis must be on Him, not on things. We will know we have God in His rightful place by the way we behave. If we seek God more than things, we will endeavor to line our lives up with His will. The more we practice seeking the Lord Himself, the less we will be asking for the things,  because we will find that He automatically provides for those who put Him first and trust Him to care for them. It is like a parent-child relationship. When children of good parents constantly seek their parents' pleasure and well being, those parents begin doing more and more for those children, without their having to ask.

Our Father loves to provide for us. Let us seek Him with all our hearts and allow Him to enjoy blessing us.

I will remind myself of who the Lord is and seek Him above all else. He will enjoy blessing me, as I enjoy living for His pleasure.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 239

Day  239

I   Corinthians 15:51

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed."

Paul encouraged the Corinthian church, as he spoke prophetically about their future. He informed them that when Christ comes for the church, the dead will be raised, and those of us who are alive will escape death and be changed physically. We will then receive new, transformed bodies that will be incorruptible.

How exciting it is to know that new bodies await us! We are grateful for what Jesus did for us on Calvary when He bore our sickness and disease. It allows us to receive healing for our bodies and enjoy health while we live on earth. However, the time will come when we will receive bodies that will never be subject to disease. Healing is a part of redemption, but not all of it. The full redemption of our bodies will be the transformation from mortality to immortality.

No matter how wonderful life is now as we serve Christ, it will still be better when our redemption is complete. We should be glad we are kept from evil in this world, but we should more gladly anticipate a world without evil.

Let us keep mindful of our blessed future and live like the temporary residents we are to this world's system. The new earth will be our dwelling place. It will be totally different from what exists now. This world's system will disappear, and we will no longer be subject to the anarchy it has caused.

We must be willing to change what we can while we are here, but we should keep our hope alive for the world to come. Let us be encouraged by looking through the eyes of faith at where we will spend eternity.

I am glad to be in the family of God and have hope for a new body in a New World. Though I am happy living for Christ in this present world, I also look forward to the new world he will bring into existence.

Come Up Higher, Vol. 3 | Day 238

Day 238

Luke 19:13

"And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come."

Jesus told his disciples a parable in response to their attitude that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. The story is about a nobleman who went to a far country (representing a long period of time) and left his servants in charge of his goods. He said they should occupy, which means engage in business with the goods in their possession until he returned.

Some groups who were expecting Jesus to return quit everything they were doing and waited to be supernaturally transported away. That contradicts what Jesus taught. Certainly, if we are working on our jobs, ministering to our families, feeding our pets, serving in the church or performing some other duty, Jesus can locate us when He returns. It is foolish for us anyway_to presume we are waiting in the right physical location.

Jesus wants us to be living productive lives when He comes. The angels said to the disciples on the day of Christ's ascension, "Why do you stand gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into heaven, will return... " (Acts 1:11 Amplified Version) The angels did not say, "Jesus is coming back as you have seen Him leave. So, stay right here and keep your eyes on the sky."

If the disciples were not to gaze as they awaited Jesus' return, it meant they should have been found busy when He appeared. Living every day as though Jesus will return simply means we are not wasting time. It means we are taking advantage of opportunities to be profitable servants in God's kingdom. Ministering to our families and working so we can eat is a part of the normal life we live while we are serving God. We should not try to deliver ourselves. God expects us to continue with our responsibilities until the time comes for Him to deliver us from this world.

I will remain active in my everyday life, endeavoring to be fruitful and productive for my Lord each day. He will not find me gazing, but occupying when He comes.