cannyben

By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told. Hebrews 11:7 Most of us wouldn’t have any problem with taking a step of faith—starting a business, going back to school, moving to a new location—if we knew where the money was coming from, how long it was going to take, and that the right people were going to be there for us. But here’s the key: God doesn’t give the details. He’s not going to give you a blueprint for your whole life. If you had all the facts on how it’s going to happen, you wouldn’t need any faith. He’s going to send you out not knowing everything. He leads you one step at a time. If you have the courage to step into the unknown and do what you know He’s asking you to do, He’ll show you another step as He did to Noah. Doors will open that you could never have opened, the right people will show up, you’ll have the funds and any other resources you need. Step by step, He’ll lead yo...

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16 I’ve learned that if you fill your mind with the right thoughts, there won’t be any room for the wrong thoughts. When you go around constantly thinking, “I’m strong. I’m healthy. I’m blessed. I have the favor of God,” then when the negative thoughts come knocking, there will be a “No Vacancy” sign. They won’t be able to get in. You need to take inventory of what is occupying the rooms of your life. If you give fear a room, faith gets left outside. There’s not room for both. Quit renting out space in your mind to your problems and self-pity. Tell those negative thoughts, “You’ve occupied my rooms long enough. I’ve got a new resident coming in. My new resident is faith, joy, peace, healing, and victory.” Let what God says about you have a permanent home.

Now why do you cry aloud ? Is there no king in you. Micah 4:9 One time in the Old Testament, an army invaded Jerusalem and killed their king. For the first time, the people of Israel were without a leader. They were discouraged and didn’t know what to do. As they sat there thinking that it was over, the prophet Micah rose up and said, “Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you?” I believe that God is saying the same thing to each of us: “There’s a king in you.” You may have made mistakes, but you are still a child of the Most High God. You may have gone through disappointments, but You have royal blood flowing through your veins. You may have missed good opportunities, but let these words sink deep down into your spirit. “The king is still in you.” “The queen is still in you.” You are still wearing a crown of favor and clothed in a robe of honor.

But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 (In Acts 28) When Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake on a small island named Malta. Paul didn’t panic, but simply shook the snake off and went about his business. The local people waited to see him swell up and suddenly die, but after a long wait and no harm to Paul, they decided he was a god. There will be times when we get bit by a sickness, or a loss, but like with Paul, that poison is not going to have any effect on you. Its purpose is to take you out, but because God destroyed the works of the enemy, it’s not going to have its intended purpose. God has the final say. What stops others is not going to stop you. The Most High God is pushing back forces of darkness.

Look, I go forward, but…I cannot see him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:8-10 It is said that our character is more important than our talent. We can have all the talent in the world, but if we don’t have strong character, we won’t go very far. We can all trust God in the good times. The question is not only if you can trust God, but more important, if God can trust you. Too many people let frustrations cause them to get sour, lose their passion. Will you pass that test and stay in faith even when you can’t see what God is doing? Keep doing the right thing, keep being good to people, keep giving it your best and having an excellent spirit. Nothing may be happening on the outside, but if you keep the right attitude, something is happening inside. God is changing you. If you keep trusting God, you will rise higher, overcome obstacles, and become everything you were created to be. PRAYER:- Father, Thank You that when ...

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 Your friends should be sharpening you, making you better. Is that true of your circle of friends? Whatever qualities your friends have—either good or bad—eventually will either dull you or sharpen you. If you hang out with people who gossip, who compromise, or who are stingy, that’s what you’ll become. But if you hang around excellent people, generous people, and motivated, successful people, those good qualities will sharpen your life. This is why it’s so important that you are selective with whom you spend your time. Don’t worry about being in the right group, having the most friends, being the most popular. The quantity of friends is not important; it’s the quality of your friends that really matters. You need eagles in your life—people who inspire you to reach your dreams, people who motivate you to go further, people who make you better. The truth is that you cannot reach your highest potential on your o...

I thought, “Surely I shall die quietly in my rest after a long, good life.” Job 29:18 In the Scripture, Job had his nest all fixed up, had his house just as he wanted it, and had a successful business. Things were going great. He was finally comfortable, but what happened? God stirred up his nest. God doesn’t bring the trouble, but He will allow difficulties to push us into our destiny. Almost overnight Job lost his health, his children, and his business. If the story stopped there, it would be a sad ending. But Job understood this principle. In spite of great difficulties, he said, “I know my Redeemer lives.” In the end Job came out with twice what he’d had before. God’s dream for his life was greater than he could imagine. Every difficulty you go through pushes you to mature, to trust God more, to be more resilient and determined. Keep the right attitude, and God will push you to a new level.

Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and fielded ripe almonds. Numbers 17:8 In Numbers 17, when the people were questioning Moses’ and Aaron’s authority as leaders, God instructed Moses to take the staffs from the leaders of each of the tribes of Israel and place them in the tabernacle where God’s presence was manifest. These staffs were old walking sticks, dead pieces of wood. The next morning the staff of Aaron had sprouted, blossomed, and even produced almonds. This dead wood that blossomed was proof of who God’s leaders were. God can change what looks dead overnight. Suddenly, unexpectedly, God can change it overnight

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 In the Scripture, the Pharisees went to the temple all the time and did the right religious things outwardly, but they had wrong motives. They went to be seen and to impress people. They prayed long prayers out loud, but only because they wanted everybody to hear them. They gave their money so they would look good. And in the process, they failed to see God right in front of them in Jesus. Today’s Scripture tells us that our inner life is more important than our outer life. On a regular basis we should ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this? Am I volunteering as a service to God or to get other people’s applause? Don’t go year after year as the Pharisees did, giving, serving, doing the right thing but not reaping any reward.

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. Acts 9:1 Saul was one of the greatest enemies of the early church. He was headed straight toward Damascus with authority to arrest any followers of Christ. The believers in Damascus didn’t even know it. He was going to cause them tremendous heartache and pain. It looked inevitable. But suddenly a bright light shone down on Saul from heaven, knocking him to the ground. In a split second, God stopped the persecutor in his tracks…and in the process changed him into an apostle. We all need to realize there were times in our past when we knew nothing about it. It should have finished us off, but God said, “No, that’s My child. I’m putting a stop to it.” That is the mercies of God. PRAYER: Father, Thank You that You are my protector against so many things that I’m not even aware of. Thank You that all that comes against me to defeat me cannot finish me off because You raise up a barrier. I b...

Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too.” Genesis 48:11 In the Scripture, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, brought his bloody robe to their father, Jacob, and told him that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob was certain Joseph was dead and lived heartbroken year after year. When Jacob was an old man, those same brothers brought him the news that Joseph was still alive and in charge of the nation of Egypt. Jacob was overwhelmed to see not only Joseph again but to meet Joseph’s sons. God is going to bring things to life that you thought were dead or too far gone. Dreams you’ve given up on—suddenly the right people show up, and you get the break you need. God is already arranging the breaks you need, moving the wrong people out of the way, lining up the favor and advantages. God knows how to bring it all together, and when He does, it’s going to be bigger, better, and more rewarding t...

It is God’s privilege to conceal things …. Proverbs 25:2 We know that God is good, that He’s loving, that He’s for us. If you’re always trying to figure out why something happened, you’re going to get frustrated and bitter. If God wants you to know why, He’ll tell you why. But there are some things God doesn’t want us to know yet. If you’re going to trust God, you have to be mature enough to drop it and say, “God, I don’t have to have all the answers. You’re God. Your ways are better than mine.” PRAYER:- Father, Thank You that no matter what I go through, You are good and You love me. I leave the things I don’t understand in Your hands and know that You will reveal or conceal things according to what’s best for me. I trust that Your ways are better than mine. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:15 God has seen everything that’s happened in your life—the injustice, the bad breaks, the person who did you wrong. Those people cannot pay you back. They cannot make you whole. No matter how good a person is, they can’t give you everything you need. Only God can meet your needs. He said He will give you beauty for ashes. He said He will pay you back double for the unfair things that have happened. When you let people off the hook and quit trying to make them perform perfectly and keep you fixed, not only will their life be better, but your relationships will improve. Let people off the hook. If you go to God, He’ll bring you out better. He’ll make the rest of your life more rewarding and more fulfilling than if those negative things hadn’t happened in the first place.

Fight the good fight the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you…. 1 Timothy 6:12 There are things that you’re believing for—you know God has planted those seeds. The start is exciting, and the end will be rewarding; but the truth is, the middle can be messy. In some way we’re all in the middle; we’re all on a journey. You know God gave you a promise, but every circumstance says just the opposite. Over time it’s easy to give up and think, “There are too many obstacles. It’s never going to happen.” When you study the heroes of faith, one common denominator you’ll find is that they had faith in the middle. When the promise seemed impossible, they kept moving forward, knowing it was a part of the process. They refused to surrender to the trials or dark places. At times worry would come, fear would come, doubt would come. They stirred their faith back up and believed that the promise would happen. Now do your part as they did—have faith in the mid...

You have crowned him with glory and honour. Psalm 8:5 When life throws you a curve, you have to have the right perspective when dark times linger. A bad break, a disappointment, or a sickness can’t stop you. Keep hoping on in faith. God didn’t crown you with favor and give you a royal robe so you could go around anchored to doubt, fear, and bitterness. Being hopeful is about your soul being anchored to the right thing. If you’re not anchored to hope, you’ll become anchored to something else. You can become anchored to discouragement and see everything with a tainted perspective. It’s time to cut that anchor and come over into hope.

So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.’ Zechariah 4:6 In Numbers 21, the Israelites were desperate for water in the barren wilderness when they came upon an old dry well. Here the people sang, “Spring up, O well!” even though they couldn’t see, taste, feel, or smell water. There was no reason, logically speaking, to believe water would flow out of the well. That’s why the Scripture tells us to walk by faith and not by sight. If they had gone by what they saw rather than had faith in the might and power of God, they would have missed this abundance. In difficult times, you’re either going to be singing about the problem or singing about how big your God is. He is not limited by the laws of nature. He’s limited by what we believe. You have to make declarations of faith when you’re in the drought and break forth into song, and God will show out in your life in ways you’ve nev...

So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines ? Will You deliver them into my hand ? 2 Samuel 5:19 When the Philistines heard that David had just been made king over all Israel, notice his humility in today’s Scripture. David was a great warrior who had won many battles, yet he was not proud. He was saying, “God, I don’t want to go if You’re not going with me.” He showed his dependence on God. He recognized where his strength, his favor, and his ability came from. Sometimes when we face a challenge, we assume God is on our side and there’s no question about whether we go to battle. But a wiser approach is, “God, what do You want me to do with this opposition. Shall I attack, or shall I be still and let You fight for me. We’ve all fought battles where we didn’t come out like we thought. Maybe it was because we didn’t inquire of the Lord.

For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken…. Luke 5:9 After Peter and his companions had fished all night and caught nothing, he obeyed Jesus’ instructions to try again and caught so many fish that his nets began to break. Peter was a professional fisherman and had never caught so many fish that his nets began to break, and he had to call on another boat of companions to help him. He was astonished by it, awestruck by what followed his obedience to Jesus’ word. You may have been working hard, doing the right thing, but you feel like you’ve caught nothing. There weren’t any fish out there the last time, but God controls the fish. Start dreaming again, start taking steps of faith. God is going to do things in your life that astonish you. It’s not going to be a normal catch, an average contract, an ordinary promotion. It’s going to be a net-breaking blessing—something unprecedented, favor so heavy that it starts to sink the boat.

And I am certain that god, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 God has His own timetable. While He’s changing you, you need to feel good about who you are, knowing that God will get you to where you’re supposed to be. Most people say, “I would feel good about myself if I were more patient, less jealous, and hadn’t blown that relationship.” There will always be some reason why you won’t feel good about who you are. The accuser will make sure to remind you of something you’re not doing right, some way that you failed. If you’re going to live in victory, you have to put your foot down and say, “That’s it. I’m done being against myself. I’m done focusing on my weaknesses. I know I’m a child of the Most High God. I am redeemed, restored, and forgiven. God is taking me from glory to glory, so I’m going to look away from all that distracts. I’m going to enjoy the glory I’m in righ...

When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Get Plugged In The writer of Psalm 73 was struggling to understand why God was allowing the people who were coming against him to prosper. He was discouraged. Yet he tells how in the sanctuary, he got a new perspective. He heard people thanking God and telling of His goodness. When he got around people of faith, people who knew that God was in control, that spirit of defeat and depression couldn’t stay. A few verses later, he was making bold declarations of faith. There are some breakthroughs that are only going to happen when you are in the house of the Lord. Your faith alone may not be enough. That’s why God has ordained you to be in a community of faith. Together, we’re better. Together, we’re stronger. There’s power when your faith is connected to other believers’ faith.