DO IT ALL
Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) What could it be that will make anyone that is calling on His name not enter heaven? Jesus concluded that any one that does the will is the one that will enter the Kingdom of heaven. It is right to conclude that not everyone that calls on His name does His will. It can also be concluded that not everyone that is prophesying in His name are set for heaven. Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’(Matthew 7:22-23) Jesus was referring to many that were doing miracles in His name. He was also talking about those that were doing wonders in His name. Jesus did not deny their work; neither did He deny the fact that they knew His name. What Jesus was saying here was that He would declare that He did not know them. Jesus did not know them because the part of the word that was not obeyed by those doing wonders in His name, were the ones that would count against them. As a believer, it is possible to be occupied by doing all kinds of good work as the word required, but the part of the word that is neglected consciously or unconsciously will count against every believer that neglects it. God is looking for a spotless church as it is written in 1Timothy 6:14, “that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.” In the word of God, there is no lowering of expectations because He has given His word and no one shall fall on the ground without performing it. God gave all that makes it possible to live up to the word, but the world is offering all that it takes not to live up to the word of God. He is not coming for the ones that blow hot and cold, obeying God requires doing all. He mentioned in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Be warned, despite all the miracles that you have been doing in the name of Jesus, He will not grant you a ticket to the Kingdom of God except if your obedience is without wrinkles. It is the word that you fail to do that will prevail against you and will make Jesus declare that He does not know you.
Prayer for today: O Lord, have mercy, let me live to the fulfillment of my calling in Jesus name.

 DISTRACTION FROM DIRECTION
Jeremiah 42, 43

“The LORD has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt…”(Jeremiah 42:19). The children of Israel were seeking a way that seemed right to them because of the fear of the Chaldeans attack. As a result, they went to Jeremiah, “And said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please, let our petition be acceptable to you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant (since we are left but a few of many, as you can see), 3 that the LORD your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do.””(Jeremiah 42:2-3) Jeremiah did as they had requested and the Lord gave the direction, but the remnant redirected themselves. Has the Lord been speaking direction to you directly or indirectly? When God’s direction is redirected, it leads to nowhere, but to disaster. Despite the condition on the ground, the remnants were in a safe hand and they should have had no reason not to obey and accept the promise of God to keep them from the Chaldeans’ attack. The remnants initially knew what they would do before sending Jeremiah to ask from God. Jeremiah warned them, “Then hear now the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you wholly set your faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there, 16 then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die.”(Jeremiah 42:15-16) Jeremiah pointed out the reason for asking, or seeking God, for direction and not taking to God’s direction is “wholly setting of eyes on one’s own direction”. The remnants of Judah were running away from war, and failed to listen to God’s word of direction through Jeremiah, as a result, they ended up in self destruction, “…So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah” (Jeremiah 43:4) The remnant had wholly set their eyes on going to Egypt. Believers can always remember that God always has a better plan for His children. The God that has brought you this far does have better plans to see you further, because faithful is He that calls you.

Prayer for today: Father, I ask that You deliver me from every agent of distraction that causes man not to obey Your direction.

D DAY IS COMING
Malachi 4

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the LORD of hosts, “ That will leave them neither root nor branch.”” (Malachi 4:1) The day is coming, is what the Word is saying here for those who have an ear to hear. The proud are the wicked, and the wicked are the proud. The proud and the wicked are one; they are like birds of the same feather. Have you been identified as wicked lately? Do you consider yourself wicked? Who are the proud, and who are the wicked? Inside of the complaint of Jeremiah before God, the identity of the wicked is revealed, “…Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? 2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” (Jeremiah 12:1-2) All men that have the Word of God in their mouth, but their lifestyle is far from the Word of God that they profess, are identified as wicked. Jeremiah’s complaint is indicated that the wicked are well in their standing because they have roots, they grow, and they bear fruit. The wicked ones are the ones with the Word near their mouth, but far from their mind. Is that you in anyway? Be warned because the Word of the Lord has said it all, that the proud, the ones that do wickedly will be stubble, the days that are coming shall burn them up. After being burnt, they will have no roots or branches remaining. The days ahead are not good for the wicked or the proud. It is possible to pretend before man, but the Lord God cannot be deceived. The proud can be eloquent and very conversant in the Word of God, but that will not deliver any of the wicked or proud. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111:10) It is wisdom to know that the Lord God does not overlook sin, and He will do what He said He would do to the wicked and the proud. In your daily life, let hatred, deception, manipulation, and all other evidence of pride not be your portion. The day is coming, that is what the Lord said concerning the proud and the wicked. Avoid getting burn. Be born in truth, and indeed, and you shall have life.  
Prayer for today: My Lord, and my Father, help me just as Peter was helped by the Lord’s prayer that kept his faith from failing. Let my faith not fail in Jesus’ name.

TRUE WAY
John 6:22-29

Jesus, on top of a mountain with His disciples, sat and opened His mouth, and taught from beatitudes to the law. He taught about fasting, about false, and true, teachings. In that series of teaching, Jesus also taught about the true way into the Kingdom. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Indeed many are saying to Him, ‘Lord, Lord,’ today and they are saying it with more eloquence, but He is not evident in their life. What the Lord was saying here was that those that are calling on God without doing the will of the Father are bound not to enter the Kingdom of heaven. For so many years you have been saying, ‘Lord, Lord,’ can you sincerely declare that you have been doing the will of the Father? Doing the will of the Father is not only in going to church, prayer meetings, and every other function or church activities. Doing the will of the Father was pointed out by Jesus when He stated in Luke 6:46-47, ““But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like.” Doing the will of Jesus is in coming to Him, hearing what he has to say, and doing what He says. So many have come to Him, so many are still coming to Him, but almost none are doing what He says. If the numbers that are doing what He says was high, then the world would be a better place to live. Among all the believers, if anyone truly believes in the purpose of why Jesus came, the ones that believe are supposed to be true to the word of God. Claiming to be a believer is not enough, but aiming to be like Him is. Following His word is what believing in Him is all about. Jesus was asked in John 6:28-29, “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” The will of God is for all to work the works. To work the works of God is to believe in whom that sent Jesus. All the acclaimed believers that have been coming without doing the words are not doing the will. However, not doing the will is not walking in line with God.
Prayer for today: Father, I ask toady that you take my moments, and let me follow all Your word as they locate me in every area of my life.

TRUST AND EXPECTATION
Joshua 1:1-9

“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.” (Joshua 1:1-3) God spoke to the children of Israel through Joshua about what He was going to do. God had a plan to bless them and it was a done deal if they were going to trust only on the promises of God. God’s promise was that every place that the sole of their feet would tread upon would be their own, but they had to move by trusting the Lord for what He said He was going to do. All the promises of God are set to become a manifestation wherever there is expectation in place. Expectation is rooted in trusting God for what He is and what He can do. All of the promises of God will come to pass when the trust invested is making man live by the Word of God. Often times believers quote, “Every place that sole of your foot tread upon has be given to them”. Indeed God has done what He said He will do before it becomes a physical manifestation. Only when the required trust is in place. Isaiah 57:13, “…But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.” God spoke again to confirm only those whose trust will rest in His promises. Has the Lord spoken and you have heard Him but didn’t trust Him? There is nothing to loose in trusting God, but there is so much to gain. Joshua’s experience after spying on the land was enough for him not to falter in hearing and abiding by whatever the Lord promised him. Joshua and Caleb survived among all the generations that perished in the wilderness because of the demonstration of the lack of faith to trust God for His promises. God has so many promises for His creations, none that can be achieved just by the word of mouth, but by consciously living in the Word of God. Knowing that trusting God is wisdom is not enough, but knowing how to live by the Word of God will bring to pass the manifestation of what the Lord promised to do.
Prayer for today: Father, all I am asking for this day is the grace to be able to live every single moment of my life in trusting Your gracious and merciful name.