Prerequisites Come Before Promises!

           If you were to look inside of Webster's Dictionary, you would find that the word Prerequisite is listed before, the word Promise! I know what you are thinking! "of course it is, due to the spelling" ..right? Well, for the benefit of today's message, I choose to believe that God arranged them this way, for a reason! So, just go along with my theory, for just a moment! A prerequisite is something that is required, prior to obtaining something else. It's something that prepares you to receive something of a greater significance. And it is something that can cause a delay or failure if ignored!

Have you ever had to take a prerequisite before a class? What was the purpose of the prerequisite?....The purpose of it, was to prepare you for something that was ahead! A class that would ultimately be a necessary tool for your receiving your desired degree! ....If you have ever had to complete payment on something prior to receiving it, it was so that you could "lock in" your expectation of receiving whatever you wanted to call your own! Or how about that bank account of yours? What would be the prerequisite for you being able to withdraw money? Well, the prerequisite would have been that you, first! put money in! right? Now, for the flip side! If I never take that prerequisite in school, I cannot expect to advance to gaining the knowledge needed for me to secure that degree....And if, I never send that payment in, I can forget claiming that item as my own...And as for my bank account? Well, no money in!...means, no money out! 

Did you know that some of God's greatest blessings and promises come with a prerequisite? The promises of God are sure, and we can count on them, if He has declared them! Some of God's blessings and promises are "free", meaning, there is nothing that you or I are required to do to obtain them. An example is, God's mercy...or his grace! There is nothing that you or I can do that would keep God from exercising these acts of love....nothing! Nor is there anything that you or I could do that would qualify us for these benefits! They come along with WHO HE IS! ......Now! what about the blessings and promises of God that require something of us? Meaning that, there is something that He wants from us,  prior to his releasing! A prerequisite that has been established by God! Take a moment and think of a scripture or passage, where God has added a prerequisite to his blessings or promises! I can think of a couple, right off;  and one of them pertains to us receiving God's forgiveness for our transgressions! What is the prerequisite for obtaining this act of love from God? ......if you're thinking, "forgiving others", you are right! God has made it clear that unless we forgive others, we can not expect our sins to be forgiven! (A requirement, that should not be overlooked!)....And what about Philippians 4? where we are given the prerequisite for having peace in our lives! How do we obtain peace? By not being anxious AND surrounding our request with thanksgivings, when making them know to God! Prerequisite comes before Promise! Or Deuteronomy 28, where God lists one specific requirement for obtaining an entire wealth of blessings! That requirement? Obedience!We can go on and on with the many things that God has attached prerequisites to, in order for us to experience his POWER! Our God wants to bless us according to his will for our lives, however, we tend to merely "glance" over the prerequisite, while anxiously "seeking" the promise! This is where we "miss" God! Because as you will find out; it is in the prerequisite, where we find our stability; it is in the prerequisite where we gain our required knowledge on how to gain access to His promises, where we can both walk in and live out His promises, so that unbelievers will want to know how they too, can share in his promises!

Prerequisites aren't created to "delay" your promises; they are created to "ensure" your promises! So, whether you ask God or Webster's Dictionary about prerequisites, one thing will always hold true! Prerequisite will always come before Promise!!

A Prayer for today:

 Dear Lord, thank you for reminding us that, there are promises that you have made, that require nothing of us, but are of your grace and mercy; however, let us be mindful of the fact that there are times when you require a prerequisite prior to our  receiving your blessings. Lord, we acknowledge and understand that prerequisites are for our own growth, and will lead us to deeper relationship with you, and we thank you for your wisdom and for your everlasting love, as you have shared with us, the key to obtaining your promises!



HOW'S YOUR HEALTH?

As I spent some time meditating this morning, I did a quick review of my life, and I realized that I had been very lax, in the type of lifestyle that I had led. It didn't really matter, what I ate; really didn't matter if I studied; didn't really matter, whether or not, I exercised; whether or not, I prayed; whether or not my relationship with the Lord was growing or decreasing! I realized that I had slid my way through life, not really being "matter of fact" about anything!! It just, "was, what it was!" (ever heard that saying?!). Well, let me tell you, what happens, when things don't really matter! And when you just allow things to be, ....just what they are!!!! It is the perfect formula for an unhealthy lifestyle! You made it to this point with no major goals, no positive mind set, and no real necessity, to include God into your "comfortable" lifestyle! Oh yes! It was cozzy comfy!! I didn't really do anything that I didn't feel like doing, and I pretty much did, what I wanted to do, regardless of spiritual back lash or the "time-to-time" guilt that would stop by momentarily!
But, let's go back to my conversation with the Lord! Something came out of my mouth that surprised me! I told God, that, I appreciated Him for where He has brought me! I told him, that because of the consequences of my actions, bad decisions, wrong choices, & failures; It brought me to a place of readiness!  It brought me to a place of "healthiness"....."healthiness, in Him!"..... and in my life! 
As we all know, problems have a way of bringing you to your knees; However, allowing God to have His way in your life, isn't always what we opt for, when we get up off of our knees! Just like, with a fad diet, you can find yourself right back, on the wrong side of His will for you! Well, I came to my senses, one day, and I realized that, I was making life, much harder than God had planned for it to be! And that I was the creator of more storms, than the Lord, had EVER, planned to send my way! And that I held on to pain, far longer, than He hoped, that I would! ....Sometimes I wonder! how many tears, were the result of my unhealthy lifestyle? How much pain could have been avoided? .....Had I not, been starving spiritually, would my choices have been different? (when you are hungry, you always select, for the moment, and not for the future!) ...Well,what I have found out was; that God has always been good, and that a healthy lifestyle had been laid out before me the entire time, but I had chosen the unhealthy things in life to sustain me!.....And as the saying goes!.."you are, what you eat"!!!! ......It is absolutely the truth! What you have chosen for your life's nutrition, shows, physically, mentally, and spiritually!!! One day, I made up in my mind that I was going to switch nutrition plans!!!! This was major! Because, this meant, that I was about to work towards transforming my body, transforming my mind, transforming my attitude, and most of all! transforming the most important part of all; and that meant! .............a transformed relationship with the Savior! Once upon a time, I was malnourished! not receiving the nutrients that I needed to be strong and healthy! Nutrients, such as healthier foods, prayer, fasting, and reading the Word of God, which, by the way, gives you, spiritual, Omega-3's (The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), all working to create a healthier you!!! How's your health? ...Are you feeling down? depressed? depleted of all of your energy?....Go to the Father, and ask him for an assessment! He's been waiting for you to make this appointment! And He's ready to give you a full consultation, on how you can be on your way, to a much healthier YOU!!

Go Ahead and Praise Him!! .....After The Storm!!

Wow!! Sitting here thinking, after one of the most powerful and inspiring prayer line calls, that we have ever had!!!! 
One thing that God seems to reveal to me, more and more, is the absolute necessity for my storms! Looking back over my life; and I'm only talking about the last 10 years or so! I have had some heavy storms! I even have some "storm damage" as a result of some of those storms! ...Still, cleaning up debris! from some of those storms! But, when I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all that He has done for me!!! .....I tell you! I could be dead! I could be out of my mind! stuck in a habit, that I can't break! sitting in a jail cell, walking the streets, both helpless! and hopeless! ...But God!!!
As I sat in my car; having listened to (2) powerful, yet, painful testimonies, I realized that Praises were going up!! ........What?!? Praises going up? Where could it be coming from? .......I'll tell you, where it was coming from? It was coming as a result of pain!! ...Pain that didn't kill them, but made them stronger!! It was coming from pain! ....Pain that didn't "take" their minds, but "kept" their minds! ...The praise was coming from the pain! Pain, that the enemy thought would be the end of their story, but it was the beginning of their story!! .....I thought to myself! "the enemy is confused right now!" because like them; he thought he had me too!! He didn't know that when you know Jesus as "daddy!" definitions start to change! When you're a child of the Most High King! Pain means praise! and storms means strength!!! and tears bring triumph!
Check your status after the storm! Are you better? are you stronger? is your faith preserved? Is your joy in tact? ......I didn't ask you, was it tough?....I didn't ask you, did you cry? I didn't ask you, if it shook your faith? ...or if you laid in bed at night, confused!...Because I know that all of this may have taken place, during your storm, but check your status!!!! Go ahead, check for storm damage!...and tell me; now that the skies have cleared! ...where are you at now? ...now that the storm is over? Can you still see Jesus? ...after the storm? Can you still lift your hands in worship? ....after the storm? Can you shout Glory Hallelujah! ...after your storm? Can you say thank you Jesus!... after your storm? If you are still here! and you made it through, and you feel like you can go a little higher, and walk a little further! then go ahead and give God some praise!! You gave him praise before your storm!....and as long as he is YOUR daddy!!!!...He will give you a praise......after your storm!