cannyben

At that time a great persecution arose against the church…Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. Acts 8:1 & 5 This persecution forced Philip out of Jerusalem. He was pushed out of his comfort zone. What’s interesting is that previously God had poured out His Spirit upon the believers in Jerusalem. The same God who showed them that powerful sign could have stopped the persecution, but it was for a purpose—a plan to push them into their destiny. It was in Samaria that Philip saw the greatest days of his ministry. If he had stayed in Jerusalem, he would never have reached his full potential. God knows how to get you out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ve been pushed out of Jerusalem, so to speak. Don’t be discouraged. If it weren’t going to work for your good, God wouldn’t have allowed it. Jerusalem may have closed, but Samaria is about to open. God wouldn’t be pushing you if He didn’t already have a door open.

He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. Matthew 26:38 On the night before Jesus went to the cross, He was so deeply troubled in the Garden of Gethsemane that He asked His disciples to stay there and pray for Him. He deserved their support, but they couldn’t stay awake. It was disappointing, but He accepted that He wasn’t going to have their encouragement and moved forward toward His resurrection. In life we all have disappointments, some that deeply trouble us. But God gives you grace for every Gethsemane, for every person who falls asleep. It’s very freeing when you can look at the frustration, look at the business that slowed down, look at the people who left you, and know that amazing things are ahead if you don’t give up in Gethsemane. Yes, there are crosses to bear, betrayals, and setbacks, but if you keep moving forward, there will be resurrections. There will be new beginnings, times when God pays you ba...

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days John 2:19 When Jesus spoke today’s Scripture, He was referring to His coming death. At the time, people thought He was talking about the actual temple building, but He was talking about Himself. He knew that His end had been established. He was saying that His final scene was not one of being betrayed and mistreated, hanging on a cross in great pain, or being buried in a tomb wrapped up in grave clothes. He knew that His final scene was that of being seated at the right hand of His Father, with all power, with the keys of death and hell. That’s why the Scripture says, “For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame.” Now in the tough times, don’t let the twists, the turns, or the things that don’t make sense cause you to get discouraged. The way to keep your joy is to keep looking ahead, knowing that you will have a flourishing finish, knowing that God always c...

A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty, rescue them, and you will have to do it again. Proverbs 19:19 Are you so good-hearted that you’re sacrificing your time and happiness to keep everyone around you happy? You need to know the freedom that comes when you get free from controlling people. Some people are always having a crisis and in desperate need of something. It’s good to help people who are in real need. But if it seems the emergencies never stop, you need to recognize that’s a manipulator and you are their puppet. They know if they pull one string, you’ll feel guilty, or another string and you’ll bail them out. If someone is playing you like a puppet, it’s time to cut the strings. No more letting them make you feel guilty. No more will you come running. If you feel you’ll lose their friendship if you won’t meet unreasonable demands, that person is a manipulator, not your friend. The sooner you break free, the better off you’ll be. Be bold, take charge o...

The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. Deuteronomy 7:6 God’s creation is filled with magnificent scenes and things, but He says you are His most prized possession. Don’t go around feeling wrong about yourself. Quit letting your thoughts tell you that you’re ordinary. God went to great lengths to make you exactly as He wanted. You have what you need to fulfill your destiny. When God created you in His own image, He stepped back and stamped His approval on you.

Instead you thrill to God’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You’re a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. Psalm 1:2-3 Today’s Scripture says that when you meditate on God’s Word day and night, “You’re a tree…always in blossom.” That’s God’s dream for your life—that you always have a smile, that you’re always in peace, that you’re always excited about your future. And, no, it doesn’t mean that you’ll never have adversities. But in those difficult times, because you have your thoughts fixed on Him, thoughts you’ve drawn from His Word, deep down there will be a confidence, a knowing that everything is going to be all right. You will know that God is still on the throne. He is fighting your battles, and you’re not only going to come out, you’re going to come out better off than you were before. When you’re in agreement with God, the Creator of the universe goes to work. God will cause His favor to shine down...

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. Matthew 14:19 When Jesus was about to feed a multitude of thousands of people, “He broke the loaves,” and the bread was multiplied. Notice the blessing was in the breaking. The more He broke it, the more it multiplied and fed a tremendous multitude, with basketfuls of leftovers. There are times in life when we feel broken. We have broken dreams. When you feel broken, don’t get bitter and give up on your dreams. That brokenness is not the end; it’s a sign that God is about to multiply. The more broken you are, the more God is going to increase you. The bigger the disappointment, the bigger the blessing. The more they hurt you, the more He’s going to reward you. That brokenness may have been meant to stop you, but if you stay in faith, God is going to use it to bless you. The h...

At that time a great persecution arose against the church… Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them Acts 8: 1 & 5 This persecution forced Philip out of Jerusalem. He was pushed out of his comfort zone. What’s interesting is that previously God had poured out His Spirit upon the believers in Jerusalem. The same God who showed them that powerful sign could have stopped the persecution, but it was for a purpose—a plan to push them into their destiny. It was in Samaria that Philip saw the greatest days of his ministry. If he had stayed in Jerusalem, he would never have reached his full potential. God knows how to get you out of your comfort zone. He opened the door; He can close the door. Maybe you’ve been pushed out of Jerusalem, so to speak, through a bad break, a disappointment. Don’t be discouraged. If it weren’t going to work for your good, God wouldn’t have allowed it. Jerusalem may have closed, but Samaria is about to open. God wou...

But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”---He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house Mark 2:10-11 In the Scripture, four men carried a paralyzed man to see Jesus. When Jesus saw them, He said to the man, “Your sins have been forgiven.” Some of the religious leaders were offended and began to murmur, “Who does He think He is? Only God can forgive sins.” Challenged by His critics, Jesus said to them, “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?” To prove to them that He was the Son of God, He turned to the paralyzed man and told him to rise up. Jesus could have just forgiven the man’s sins and moved on, but when His enemies murmured about it, Jesus healed him. When people are talking about you, trying to push you down, don’t worry—God sees and hears them.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians !0:4 We know God has forgiven us from past mistakes and failures, but some of us still have a sense of unworthiness as though we don’t deserve it. God’s mercy was there for you before you made the mistake. It’s time for you to shake off the shame, to shake off the guilt. This is a new day. Don’t let negative events become your identity. You are a child of the Most High God.

Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you. Judges 6: 11-12 Gideon was hidden from his enemies, threshing wheat on the floor of the winepress, when God said he was to deliver the people of Israel from the Midianites. But Gideon was insecure and didn’t feel qualified to do anything great. The threshing floor was where the wheat was separated from the chaff, and symbolically it became the place where God separated Gideon from what was limiting him. When God called him a “mighty hero,” it separated him from his low expectations and little dreams and empowered him to great valor. We all go through the threshing floor of difficulties because God is preparing us. He’s separating what’s holding you back, and you’re about to see new growth, new opportunities, new friendships. You’re coming out refined, polished, stronger, and matured. On th...

Then Pilate said to Him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against You? But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marvelled greatly. Matthew 27:13-14 It’s interesting that the people who were most against Jesus were the religious people. He didn’t try to convince them to change their mind. He didn’t spend hours arguing over doctrine. He ignored the critics and just ran His race, even when His life was on the line before Pilate. You have to accept the fact that not everyone is going to accept you, like you, or understand you. Jesus had more critics than anyone, but He didn’t waste His time trying to convince people who He was.

Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies… Psalm 103:4 Where would you be if God had not redeemed you from your wrong choices? You were headed down the wrong path, doing things that you knew were not God’s best, but you encountered the God who overrules. He loves you too much to let you miss your purpose. Today’s Scripture talks about the tender mercies of God—not “mercy” but “mercies.” Again and again, God shows you mercy. His mercies are new and available to you every morning. You may have made a lot of mistakes, but the good news is, you don’t have to carry that around with you. Do you feel like there’s something between you and God right now? Come to His throne of grace and receive His mercy. Ask for His forgiveness for every failure. Don’t carry around yesterday’s mistakes any longer. Let Him refresh and restore your soul right now.

It so happened that Aram, on one of its raiding expeditions against Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to Naaman’s wife. One day she said to her mistress, “Oh, if only my master could meet the prophet of Samaria, he would be healed of his skin disease. 2 Kings 5: 2-3 Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army that had captured a young Israelite girl and brought her back as his wife’s maid. You can imagine how her life was turned upside down. Taken from her family and friends into a foreign country, she barely understood the language. Her hopes and dreams were shattered, and it’s all because of Naaman. You would think she hated him. But whenever he came home and took off his armor, hidden underneath was the leprosy, eating away his body. She could have thought, “I hope you die.” But instead, she was full of mercy and offered the remedy through which he was completely healed. All because she showed kindness to someone who had done her wrong. It’s easy to hold a grudg...

That is what is meant by Scriptures which say that no mere men has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:9 God’s dream for your life is so much bigger than your own. What He has in your future is going to boggle your mind. You can’t imagine the places He’s going to take you, the people you’re going to meet, the levels you’re going to reach. Today’s Scripture says that if you think you’ve reached your limits, you better think again. God is about to take you into overflow, into abundance, into more than enough. Whatever level you’re at, get ready, another level is coming. What you haven’t seen or imagined is on the way. Circumstances may be against you, but the Most High God is for you. He’s working behind the scenes. Things are happening that you can’t see. Keep being faithful. Keep doing the right thing. Keep going to work with a good attitude. God is your source.

For God has said, “I will never, never fail you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 In today’s Scripture, God puts such an emphasis on His faithfulness because He knew how easy it is to give up on our dreams. You may be facing a situation that looks impossible today. The odds are against you, and you’ve had some setbacks. Let me encourage you. God is not going to fail you. The breakthrough is already in your future. Don’t talk yourself out of it. When you go through the day with this expectancy, knowing that God is working behind the scenes bringing it together, that’s what allows God to do great things. If you stay in faith, at the right time you will see it come together.

…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 There are times when God will allow us to go through a painful season. If you go through something you don’t understand, God allowed this to happen because He trusts you. He knows He can count on you to take the same comfort, the same healing, the same encouragement that helped you overcome this trouble, and share it with others. Keep moving forward. Go out and find somebody you can help. Healing comes when you get outside yourself and help others. As long as you stay focused on your pain, what you lost, what didn’t work out, you’re going to get stuck. There’s a blessing in that pain. When you’ve been through something, you’re uniquely qualified to help and comfort somebody else in that situation. Look for opportunities. God is counting on you to h...

They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. Psalm 37:19 David says that even in a down time, even in a time of famine, the righteous will see increase and favor. Here’s the key: As long as you stay close to God, as long as you keep Him first place, you are connected to a supply line that will never run dry. Even in a slow economy, you are connected to a supply line filled with health, wholeness, and restoration. When you don’t see how you can accomplish your dreams, don’t get discouraged. You have a supply line connected with good breaks, the right people, ideas, and creativity. You’ve been called out, set apart, and chosen to live a distinctively favored life. Now do your part. Pray bold prayers. Take the limits off of God. Believe for your dreams. If you do this, I believe that God is going to show out in your life in amazing ways.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them, he delivers them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 God will deliver us from trouble, but consider it in a new light. The post office picks up a package in New York, and drivers deliver it to Tashkent. “Deliver” means they transport it from one location to another. It may go through five stops along the way before it is delivered. In the same way, right now God is delivering you from trouble. You’re en route, and there may be some stops along the way. But don’t worry, you’re not delivered yet. You’re dealing with depression, but God is delivering you into joy. God is going to open new doors, turn impossible situations around, and push you into a level of your destiny that you would never have experienced without it.

But Lord, “exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem ! Acts: 9:13 When God told Ananias to go pray for Saul, Ananias didn’t want to go. Saul was the biggest persecutor of the church. But Ananias didn’t know that Saul’s life had been changed on the road to Damascus. He was worried and started telling God all the reasons why he shouldn’t go. He didn’t realize that God had already taken care of what worried him. When he went and prayed for Saul, instead of finding an enemy, he found an ally. Some of the things we worry about, God has already changed. He’s already set the miracle into motion. It’s just a matter of time before you experience it. Stay in peace, and as Ananias did, you’ll come into what God has already done.