1 Peter 4:12-13

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Oh how I love this scripture, it is indeed food for the whole man. This scripture brings such clarity in seasons of fiery trials. Why do we think it is strange to be going through a fiery trial?
Similar words to strange: odd, bizarre, outlandish, weird, peculiar, out of the ordinary, unexpected, unfamiliar, foreign, and different.

The opposite of strange is normal. It is indeed normal for true Christians to experience fiery trials. So why then are we so surprised and somewhat caught off guard when we are under fire. Sometimes I encounter Christians who are totally distraught when going through a fiery trial as if they were surprised something of that nature was happening to them.
Fiery trials are apparently different from regular trials.

Fiery defined:
• Burning or full of fire.
• Full of or prone to sudden extremes of emotions.

These kinds of trials are definitely designed to do real damage to the life and confidence of the believer in Christ. The nature of fire is to consume, it will burn and destroy until there is nothing left but ashes. Fire not only burns whatever it is on but can spread to whatever is near it, unless it is contained. That’s why when people are going through fiery trials and you step in to help make sure you are being lead by the Holy Spirit and are equip with your spiritual armor.
It is not the will of God for any sort of trial, regular or extra spicy, to defeat or destroy His people.

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 

If you are going through a fiery trial at this very moment, rejoice, and begin to give God praise that this thing will never overtake or consume you. Rejoice and focus on the goodness of God that is bringing you out of this situation without being burned! Now that’s supernatural. Rejoice and give God the Highest praise! You are a child of the Most High God and He will never leave you or forsake you. You have been FIRE-PROOFED! Hallelujah!

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Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

In the 23rd Psalms, the psalmist speaks of a table. It was not just any old table but a prepared table. When someone prepares something they generally are expecting someone to show up or something to happen. The psalmist made it clear that the one who was doing the preparing was the Shepherd.

The word prepare is defined as; to take the necessary action to put something into a state where it is fit for use or action, or for a particular event or purpose.

It is very obvious to those who know the Lord and are familiar with His character and nature that He is not a haphazard God. God is very orderly and organized. God never just throws things together and hope it all works out alright. Everything God does has purpose, power and passion. Therefore, when we think of a table that has been prepared by God we must think and imagine on a higher level. We must consider who is preparing this table and the resources that they have to do what they are doing. Now, there are people in this world who have lots of money and earthly resources but they don’t have the nature of God. God is an extravagant giver. He is not stingy nor is He greedy. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof. God’s resources and supplies are unlimited they are inexhaustible.

God is gracious and always looking for ways to bless and overflow people’s lives with abundance. God is Love and Love manifest itself through giving. God is never selfish; He is not trying to hoard things for Himself.

The scripture declares that the Shepherd prepares a table before you. Now notice it doesn’t say He prepares a table and sits you at the table. No, it says He prepares a table before you. This could mean either that He is getting it ready as you are looking or that He put an already prepared table right in front of you.

In the natural when you are expecting guest for dinner you prepare the table with your guest in mind. You particularly pay attention to what they like and also in love, what they need. The table that God prepares for us is right before us. It’s not hidden or covered its right there. Now, He is putting this table in front of you so that you can benefit from what’s on it but if you never go sit down and start partaking of its bounty you will only be a spectator. We can shout about the table, dance about the table, tell other people how pretty the table is but yet we never sit down and enjoy what’s on the table ourselves. Whatever God puts on your table is for you. Because the Shepherd knows His sheep, your table is stacked just for you. When you sit down at your table you will never need to look across the room to see if your neighbor got more or better things than you. The Good Shepherd will always provide lavishly for each and every sheep. There may even be something’s you see on your table that you may think surely the Shepherd has made a mistake this should be on so and so’s table not my table but rest assured God knows exactly what He has put on your table so don’t fret just dig right in and start eating. Know that everything on that table is for you and that it is good.

Make sure that you don’t get distracted by your enemies that are standing around watching you partake from your table. Don’t let fear or intimidation stop you from eating. Don’t let guilt harass you into the sense realm. It will have you saying things like, “But I feel bad about prospering right in front of them and they are just standing there with nothing.” The enemy of guilt and shame will use manipulation and pity to try and make you get up from your table and serve them. God is no respecter of persons, if they are truly God’s sheep the best thing you can do for them is to tell them to stop staring at you and go over to their own table and enjoy the things God has prepared for them.

Don’t wait for the people next to you to start eating before you start that’s a human courtesy and has nothing to do with your spiritual supply. We honor God when we scoot up to the table He has prepared and begin to dig in by faith and enjoy all that He has prepared.

There is nothing like seeing someone who is hungry set down at a table you have prepared for them and they just make themselves at home, enjoy every bite with a smile. These are those who don’t mind asking for second helpings and you always know they will be back because they were satisfied at the table. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good, you’ll always come back for more.

It makes the cook smile!

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 Psalms 31:20

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Oh, how wonderful it is to know that you and I have a place in God’s presence where there is safety.

The word that God is speaking to us here in Psalms 31:20 is a revelation and a demonstration of the Love of God. God is saying to us, I am your shelter, I am your protector, and I am your hiding place! God is speaking to us through His word letting us know no weapon formed against us will prosper, if we stay in His presence. God is saying to us in 2010, I got yo back! God has promised to never leave us or forsake us and He is a promise keeper not a covenant breaker.

The word of God here says that God will hide us from the pride of man, Hallelujah! Pride is conceived out of rebellion and breaks forth from the womb of sin. It is an abomination to God. It comes to kill, steal and destroy any life and destiny that will yield to its deceptive will. Pride is the nature of Satan. It seeks to dethrone the true God and exalt itself. When pride speaks its words are in direct opposition to God’s word. If God says you can, pride will flood your mind with reasons why you can’t. If God says go, pride will try to convince you to stay. Pride hides itself many times behind the voice of reason. Pride appears puffed up but is in all actuality permeated with fear. Pride seeks to control people through intimidation and manipulation. Pride lust for alliances and allegiance. Pride says, “I will exalt myself above God.” When pride is operating through the lives of human beings, they strive to live in the authority Adam had before the fall through their own works, human reasoning, and natural ability and intellect. Pride is a seducer. Pride seeks to be its own source, trying to do everything without the help of God. It says, “I can do that myself.” Pride says, ” It over there’s no more hope.” Pride says, ” You can never have that, even by faith, it’s too much.”

However, God has said I will hide those who trust in me from the pride of man. Pride can’t access you when you are tucked away in the secret of God’s presence. In God’s presence, you are saturated with His words which are spirit and life. In God’s presence you are aware of His power and protection over your life and circumstances. In God’s presences there is supernatural strength and abilities. In God’s presences there is direction, correction, instruction, encouragement and courage. In God’s presence you know that all things are possible with God and that there is nothing too hard for Him. In God’s presence there is fullness of joy, which infuses you with strength for the journey. In God’s presence you have insight and revelation into the plans and purposes of God. In God’s presences you know that there is no lack and that all things are yours and that God is your source who supplies all your needs through His riches. In God’s presences you see Him as the one who provides all your provision and protection, refusing the voice of pride to be your guide. 

It’s only when we start peeking out, through enticing words of mans wisdom, we are in danger of being lured out of the secret place of God’s presences.

You are a child of Almighty God; you were not created to be a prisoner of pride. Purpose in your heart today to reign from the secret place of God’s presences and never let pride have dominion over you.

You have to declare, “I am free and love dominates, and reigns in me!

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 Psalms 31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Yesterday we discussed the first half of this scripture which speaks of God hiding us from the pride of man. Today let us dive into the revealed word the Holy Spirit has for us concerning the protection God gives us from the strife of tongues.

We know and are confident that God is our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. God is our protector no matter what the attack but we must endeavor to remain in our place of safety.

Protector defined:

• Somebody who protects or defends somebody or something.

God is not just another form of protection for the Christian who; trusts, relies on and depends on Him. He is our only source of protection. Many times people like to have a little something on the side just in case God doesn’t follow through on His promise to protect them. Well, that’s unbelief. God will always come through for us, He is not a man that He should lie.

The word of God speaks loudly to us from Psalms 31:20 that God will keep us or protect us from the strife of tongues. Now, that doesn’t mean you will never hear anyone talk bad about you or lie on you or gossip about you or think and speak evil of you. Yes, these forms of persecution will come, but God is saying, “I won’t let those words harm you.” Words are carriers; they can contain life or death, blessing or cursing. The scriptures tell us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. God speaks words of life, Jesus said his words are spirit and they are life. The devil on the other hand speaks words of death and destruction.

Strife defined:

• Bitter and sometimes violent conflict, struggle, or rivalry.

The devil lives to release words of strife. Strife robs and steals the joys of each new day.

Hebrews 12:15 declares, “Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it–.”

The enemy sends words of strife or bitterness to defile you. He wants to corrupt your pure minds. Seeds of bitterness that are planted in the soil of a person’s heart will wage war on their soul. These words will seek to shut down the progress of the word of God in their lives. Words of bitterness will cause conflict in your mind, will and emotions, seeking to abort the process of transformation. It will soon permeate through you to others causing fighting, discord and all kinds of trouble. It will seek to thwart every relationship in your life; your marriage, children, employer, neighbors, extended family.

But God has promised to hide us from the effects and poison of the strife of tongues. The devil will release this weapon against you but it won’t prosper. The words will fall to the ground ineffective and powerless against you. These words of strife can never penetrate God’s shield of protection. You will be inaccessible to their bite. However, in order to benefit from God’s protection we must do our part and stay in the secret of His presences. We cannot try to venture out on our own and seek to correct the situation. We must stay hidden in Christ. It doesn’t matter what people are saying about you, don’t let it get to you. Just stay in your protection. The enemy will try to lure you out through your five physical senses or your untrained emotions. You may say, “But they hurt my feelings,” that’s because you was peeking out and you let that evil dart scratch your skin and some poison slipped in. You need to get back into the secret place of God’s presences, letting Him heal and conceal you. Don’t yield to the temptation to be nosey, “Wonder what they are  saying about me.” This will only draw you out of your secret place of protection.

Just sit down in God’s presences and rest. He will protect and shelter you through the test.

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 2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The word sufficient means:

• Enough

• As much as is needed

Many times we think we need something more to help get us through a situation or a hard time. The pressure of the situation causes needless anxiety which in turn produces insecurities and “what if’s.” We must learn to rely on the grace of ALMIGHTY GOD.

We must believe that God’s grace is enough. No test or trial can outwit or over power the grace of God.

God’s grace is infused with strength and ability. It will help us through anything. Grace is not just a prayer you say over your food. Grace is God’s ability working in you and for you. So, as you walk through the valley and shadow of death know that His grace is enough.

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Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Many people desire good success but yet they fail to invest time in the only thing that can bring them good success. You can have a measure of success in life just with mere human effort and will power. However, if we want good success we must diligently attend to God’s word and obey it. The success in life that comes from God is satisfying and will not rob you of peace or cause you to go to bed at night with a guilty conscience. God has promised that if we would follow His plan for our lives and not veer off into our own reasoning and know how, He would not fail us or forsake us. So take the sure course of life and pursue with all your heart the plans and purpose God has for you. Good Success Awaits You!

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 John 8:31-32

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Persistence defined: the quality of continuing steadily despite problems or difficulties.

To continue in something take tremendous effort and discipline; especially when surrounding circumstances become difficult to bear. Persistence defines what you’re made of. Many times people talk a good talk but when it comes down to doing the do they retreat in fear. Obtaining Godly success takes more than smooth talking; it takes faith walking.

Jesus said, “If you continue in my word.” He wasn’t speaking negative by inserting the word, if, He was simply speaking truth. Jesus knew the importance of persistence. He was teaching His disciplines the value of consistency despite difficulties. Persistence is a quality that must be developed through practice.

Start with the little things in your life; unfinished projects and unfulfilled promises that you’ve make to yourself and others. The little things will help you prepare for the bigger things.

When the road of life you are traveling is suddenly faced with a vicious storm you are now qualified and equip to master it.

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 John 10:4-5 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

The Bible says that there are so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. (1Corinthians 14:10).

God is not expecting you to listen to every voice in the earth and follow it. He made it simple for us. Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. This makes our choices easier. When we receive instruction from God we don’t have to think twice about rather we will follow His instruction or someone else’s, our answer should always be, yes Lord I’ll obey you. Too many choices sometimes bring confusion to the hearer. We sometimes go through life asking everyone for their opinion about our situation and never stop to ask the one who knows, God.

Jesus said as His sheep we would flee from the voice of strangers because we know not their voice. Any voice that does not agree with God and His word should be considered strange and God has given us permission to flee from it. God is the only one who will go before us and always lead us in the right direction. So as the voices of this world clamor for your attention be confident and know that the Good Shepherd has all the instruction and direction you need for a safe journey through this earth. Follow Him.

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Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.

For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Deceived defined:

• To mislead or deliberately hide the truth from somebody

• To convince yourself of something that is not true

The worst kind of deception is self deception. The scripture warns us not to be deceived because God is not mocked. If we live a life of pretense we will reap the results.

It is deception to think you will receive things only obtained by faith and you don’t live your life governed by faith. It is deception to think you will receive the benefits of prayer when you never spend time with God. To pretend that you are doing something and you really aren’t is insanity. Many times people try to pretend they are people of prayer but the only time they pray is when they are around other people of prayer. They live a life of mere outward show and lip service. We must be honest with ourselves and examine our lives and motives before we are caught holding the bag of pretense. If we are true to our own heart we will examine our lives and make the necessary adjustments and begin to live a life untainted by deception.

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