Loosen Your Grip

1 Peter 5:7 Amplified Bible “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].”

What needs to be done today? What do I do first? Who do I need to call? When does all this need to be finished? Does all this sound familiar to you? Ask yourself, “Am I gripping things too tight?” “Have I got a white-knuckle hold on life?” If the answer is yes, here’s some great advice, “Loosen your grip”.

To illustrate my point, I have another golf story for you this week. It’s about Greg Norman, a very gifted and famous golfer from Australia, and physically one of the most talented golfers in the world. At one point in his career, there was a recurring pattern in his tournament play. He would lead the first three rounds, then in the fourth and final round he would lose. This happened three straight times. In his next tournament he had the lead again, but the night before the final round, Hall of Fame golfer, Jack Nicklaus, walked over to Greg at a restaurant and said quietly, “Loosen your hands on the grip, it’ll help”. Greg followed Jack’s advice and won that tournament and three straight tournaments that followed.

If you’ll loosen your grip on life a little, it’ll make a big difference. When you rest God works, when you work God rests. You will accomplish more and experience more victories by resting than you will by being anxious and trying harder. Go ahead, cast all your cares, anxieties, worries, and concerns once for all on Him. You’ll see. He cares about your watchfully and affectionately. Loosen your grip.

When You've Lost, You Win

Psalm 68:4 “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies, wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away”

In 2017, at a Champions Dinner at the Masters Tournament, the great golfer Tiger Woods famously said to Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player, “My playing days are probably over”. After years of surgeries, and most recently a back surgery that left him so weak he could barely get out of bed, it looked like Tiger had finally lost. Until 2019, when Tiger made a miraculous comeback and won the Masters at age 43.

Perhaps you lost something very precious, followed by years of depression, sickness, a series of failures, and regret. Maybe you’re at a place where your saying “it’s over for me”. Did you know that as a believer you can win, even when you lose? Whatever you’ve lost, you don’t have to live in defeat. I want you to know it’s NOT over, God’s powerful restoration is on the way!

God is ready and willing to turn things around for you. Despite your losses you can expect a bright future when you look to the Lord for restoration. No matter what you’ve been through, at the cross Jesus purchased and restored everything you’ve lost with His blood. He restores years (Joel 2:25), He restores health (Jeremiah 30:17), and Psalm 68:4 says, “He restores that which He took not away”. Praise God that even when you’ve lost, you win!

Just the Three of You - by Natalie Fortunato

Psalm 139:13-14 – “For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.”.

When you think of what your mother means to you and how important she is in your life, simply stated, without her (and your dad), you wouldn’t be here today, at this time, in this decade, at this point in history.

God was present in your mother’s womb, molding and shaping you for His purpose. He gave you your hair color, your height, your frame, your eye color, and your skin tone. He formed your inward parts, He gave you your temperament, your strengths, your intellect, your gifts and talents, your passions and dreams, all for His glory and for you to fulfill your assignment here on this earth. An assignment that only you can fulfill.

He was present in the womb, regardless of what was going on in your mother’s world at the time or if she even acknowledged God, it was just the three of you from conception to birth.

Every woman who carries a child must remember they are carrying God’s creation, He has entrusted us with a handmade original that has a purpose and destiny, deeply loved by God, and foreordained from the foundation of the earth to know and bring glory to their Maker.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and marvelous are His works! He loved us from the very beginning (Romans 8:29), and He has not changed His mind about us and never will.

"Cross-Check" Your Worship

Mathew 28:20 "……I am with you always, even unto the end of the world"

Why on earth would we sing "one thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life", when we are the house of the Lord (1Cor. 6:19-20). In fact, it's going to be quite impossible for us to dwell anywhere else.

Worship leaders everywhere are going through hoops every week trying to get people into the presence of God when Jesus already did that. They use the "Psalm 100 method", to enter His gates with thanksgiving, courts with praise, then finally into the Holy of Holies and worship. They forget that our born-again spirit man is the Holy of Holies.

Folks, we need to "cross-check" our worship. Check if the lyrics are about trying to get to God, or bring Him down, or get closer to Him. If yes, then find new songs that celebrate our lives after the cross. From the place of victory because of the finished work of the cross. From a place of intimacy because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. From the inside out.

Good to the Last Drop

Matthew 26:27 - “And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it”

Many people may be familiar with the Maxwell House coffee slogan, “Good to the last drop”. However, very few people know that it was President Theodore Roosevelt who, while on a visit to Andrew Jackson’s estate, The Hermitage, near Nashville Tennessee in 1907 was served a cup of Maxwell House coffee and proclaimed it to be “good to the last drop”. Personally, I’m a Starbucks dark roast guy, just sayin’.

In Mathew 26:27, Jesus was having communion with His disciples the night before He was crucified. I’ve read this verse many times, but not long ago, the last part of the verse jumped out at me. He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them and said, “Drink all of it”. What makes this phrase so significant is what He said in the next verse, “for this is my blood”. That’s powerful. He’s saying for us to take and receive all and everything that blood represents…Total and absolute forgiveness of every sin, past, present and future. The gift of righteousness. Divine health for your physical body. All the provision you’ll ever need. Strong, healthy and enjoyable relationships. Drink all of it, it’s good to the last drop. Don’t drink half of it or some of it, drink ALL of it. Jesus paid for it all with His blood. Freely He gave, freely receive.

Grace Period

John 1:17 " For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ"

A grace period is "a period of time after a deadline for an obligation, during which a late fee or other action that would have been taken as a result of failing to meet the deadline is waived”. In the world's system, after the grace period, payment is eventually due. In God's system, penalties and payment are completely waived, forever! According to John 1:17, that time is now. Because of the finished work on the cross, we are living in God’s “grace period” now and forever. We are no longer under the law, we are under grace. Our debt has been paid in full with the blood of Jesus.

We are in the greatest time in history, the "age of grace", where favor is given without working for it, without earning it. With "open doors" of great opportunity that we didn't even ask for. Jesus said it's a time when the free favors of the Lord profusely abound (Luke 4:19, AMPC), a flash flood of God's goodness immersing us in a life of fulfillment. On this Resurrection Sunday, give thanks to God for the "nearly too good to be true news", the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for living in God’s grace period now and forever.

Take the High Road

John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

To “take the high road” means to do the right thing even though it’s not popular or easy. Jesus IS the high road. Let me explain…

In John 17 Jesus is praying for us, believers. In verse 14, He said that we are not of the world, even as He is not of the world. That’s great news, this world has no power over us. In verse 15, He prays that the Father should not remove us from this world, but that He should keep us from the evil one. Again, this world and the evil one has no power over us. Awesome. And then in verse 24, Jesus prays that we would be where He is. Wait. What? Aren’t we where He is now, joint heirs with Christ, seated with Him in heaven? Yes, our born-again spirit is where He is (as He is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17). But it’s our minds that also need to be where He is that we might “behold His glory”. We need to take the high road in our thinking and not try to bring him down to our way of thinking. We need to come up to His way of thinking. We need to come up to His way of living, healing, acting, loving, and prospering. It’s time to take the high road!

God Works the Night Shift

Psalm 127:1-2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it, unless the Lord guards the city the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early or retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors ; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep"

We have a family friend that works from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning. How different it must be for them to go to work while everyone else is going to sleep. There are multitudes of people in hospitals, the airlines, the military, and factories that are working while we're sleeping. God made our bodies with an inner clock that prompts us to sleep at night while it's dark. It must be quite an effort for them to adjust their normal sleep patterns.

Psalm 127 may be my favorite Psalm, because the writer, Solomon, received wisdom from God when he was sleeping. After all, what can be more restful than sleeping. Here's an encouraging word for people who work all day and night…unless God builds your business, you labor in vain. Do you believe that? If you're going to bed late, waking up early, can't sleep, and are full of worry and anxiety, it is in vain! "Painful labors" is a Hebrew idiom for worry.

"He gives to His beloved even in his sleep". While you sleep, God goes out ahead of you and prepares things for the coming day. God works the night shift! While you're sleeping, He's working. Then as dawn breaks, everything's ready for you. So, how should you wake up every morning? Thanking God, and saying "I can't wait to see the day You have prepared for me!" God is saying to all of us, "Don't believe everything depends on you!" Let's let God work behind the scenes on our behalf, day and night.

Good Things Come to Those Who GO

1 Samuel 16:1 – “Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go…for I have provided...”

You’ve heard the phrase good things come to those who wait. I agree, but sometimes good things come to those who GO! In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel was mourning for Saul who he had anointed to be king. But God had made a change. We have trouble sometimes with change.

The Lord said “How long are you going to mourn?” Perhaps God is asking you the same thing, or maybe, “How long are you going to live in regret?” Or, “How long are you going to try to relive the past?” Before you have a chance to answer, He declares “Fill your horn with oil and go”. There’s your answer. There’s your mandate.

In the same breath, He says, “For I have provided”. Two thirds of GOD is GO. Good things are waiting for you as you go. Have you ever tried to pick up spilt milk? You can’t. Stop trying.

I believe this message is for many people who are stuck in the past, or even stuck in the present. He’s saying to you today…”How long are you going to live in the past when I’ve moved on? I’m sending you. It’s time to make a change. Get going! I have provided!” Take a step forward. It’s your time for new beginnings.

Don't Let Fear Shut You Up

John 20:19-20  "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord." 

Why were the doors shut?  "For fear of the Jews".  Fear will always try and shut you up, close you in, and restrict you in every way.  It will try to stop you, keep you from moving forward, and from breaking free of all limitations. But be encouraged, fear did not stop Jesus when He found His disciples gathered together, behind closed doors, and it can't stop you. He came and stood in the midst of their fear.    

And what was the very first word the resurrected Jesus said to His frightened disciples?  In our English bibles, it says "peace be with you", but our Lord would have spoken in Hebrew.  He would have used the word shalom.  Shalom is taken from the root word shalam, which means, “to be safe in mind, body, or estate.” It speaks of completeness, fullness, or a type of wholeness that encourages you to give back. 

"Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side."  These were the receipts of His payment for their shalom, and of His guaranteed peace.  Jesus paid the price for your shalom. You don't have to be full of worries and cares.  For every fearful and threatening situation in your life, you can declare the same thing that Jesus said to His disciples, "shalom".  Fear can't shut you up, unless you let it.  So don't let it.  Shalom. 

Are You Supply Minded?

1 Corinthians 15:10 “…I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”

When you wake up in the morning do you think about all the demands that you have for the day? Are you stressed out about an upcoming meeting? How about that big project you’re working on? Is your mind racing about all that needs done? Are you feeling pressured and overwhelmed and exhausted?

If your answer is yes to any of the above, you are “demand minded”. You’re depending on you-you-you. You see, grace is all about supply, and the Law is all about demand. God wants us to be supply minded not demand minded.

Being supply minded is all about what Jesus is doing in and through you. It’s about His power, His supply. In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul says “I labored more abundantly than they all...” If he stopped there, it would be all about stress and pressure and demand. But thank God he didn’t stop there. He went on to say “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”! Not only does Jesus give you the grace to do what He has told you to do, He also rewards you for using the grace that He gave you.

So today, I want you to stop and ask yourself, “Am I supply minded or demand minded?” Then ask the Lord, “What have I been doing in my own strength?” When He shows you, quickly say “Lord, I turn these things over to you right now”. Then rest, and be confident in His inexhaustible supply of grace within you to do all that He’s called you to do.

Beware of Weapons of Mass Distraction

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves”

The definition of distraction: an object that directs one’s attention away from something else. Distractions are weapons from the enemy designed to redirect our focus. For example…

A “wolf in sheep’s clothing” is described in one of Aesop’s Fables when a wolf dressed himself in a sheepskin and mixed among the sheep in the countryside and preyed upon the sheep for his daily meal. His disguise fooled the shepherd and the sheepdogs until the night he was herded into the sheepfold overnight. The next day a “sheep” was chosen for slaughter for a special feast and guess which one was chosen? Yes, the “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

The moral of the story? Don’t judge things based on outward appearance. Never allow yourself to be deceived by first impressions. Be attentive to small details and most importantly be led by the Holy Spirit. Never be so distracted that you muffle that still small voice. The Holy Spirit shows you things to come. He is your Guide inside who leads, guides, and directs you to the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Beware of “weapons of mass distraction”.

Who's Who or Who?

Philippians 2:9 “Wherefore, God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name”

A week or two ago, probably the greatest quarterback who ever played the game of football retired. During his 22 years in the league, Tom Brady won 7 out of 10 visits to the Super Bowl (losing two of them to the NY Giants) and holds every passing record that there is. The point of discussion all week among sports media was, “Is Tom Brady the greatest quarterback who ever played, or is he the best football player who ever played?” In other words, is Brady the greatest in a group of “Who’s Who” of football or is he the greatest of all time?

Well, Philippians 2:9 tells us there is only one name that is above all other names, and it’s the name of Jesus. He’s not amongst a list of “Who’s Who”, He is the Who. There is no one else in His group. No one else compares. He’s Lord of lords and King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15). Jesus’s name is far above all other names not only on the earth but in the heavens and even below the earth (Phil. 2:10). He’s in a class all by Himself, praise God, and there will never be another like Him, ever.

Three, Two, Won

2 Corinthians 2:14 “Now thanks be to God which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place”

It’s awesome to be undefeated! The only team with an undefeated season in pro football that went on to win the Super Bowl was the Miami Dolphins in 1972. The New England Patriots came close in 2007 with a perfect record but ended up losing in the Super Bowl. Now every year when a team starts to win every game, people compare them to the 1972 Dolphins and then, invariably, they lose a game. Until their record is beaten, the celebration continues for the 1972 Miami Dolphins players.

In 2 Corinthians 2:14, in the King James version, it says, “Thanks be to God which always causes us to triumph….” Most every other translation says “Thanks be to God Who always causes us to triumph “. I believe the King James is the most accurate because it attributes our thanksgiving and praise to God as the action that always causes us to triumph. Would you like to “always” triumph, would you like to be undefeated? Then fill your heart and mouth with thanksgiving and praise to God!

2022: The Year of Finishing Grace

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”

Last Sunday, the Buffalo bills seemingly had their playoff game won with 13 seconds left. You could see players hugging each other congratulating each other right before they kicked off with 13 seconds left in the game. But instead of doing a squib kick (a kick that rolls down to the person receiving so he must field it and run with it and use up the time), they kicked off and the receiver let it go in the end zone and no time went off the clock. Well, in those 13 seconds the Chiefs went down the field, scored, tied the game, and eventually won in overtime! The Bills didn’t finish strong. They took victory for granted and as they say, didn’t play “whistle to whistle”.

Did you know that God has created you to be a strong finisher? Almost everyone is excited to start things…a new diet, a new exercise regimen, a new idea, new business, a new family. However, most people start strong but not many finish strong.

In Hebrews 12:2, Jesus is called the Author, which means He has started a good work in us. But He is also called the Finisher of our faith. God wants you to finish the things He started in you. The 2022 Vision at Faith Fellowship Ministries is “The Year of Finishing Grace”. The key to finishing strong is mentioned in the first few words in Hebrews 12:2, “looking unto Jesus”. “Looking” is in the continual present tense, which means to look and keep looking. In 2022, stay focused, don’t let people or circumstances distract you. Look and keep on looking to Jesus, Who is the Author and Finisher of your faith, and the dreams and promises He’s given you. Play “whistle to whistle”!

KNOW Jesus, KNOW Peace

Acts 12:7 NLT “Suddenly there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said “Quick, get up, and the chains fell off his wrist”

I can’t begin to imagine what the conditions must have been like for Peter while he was in the dungeon prison. The “aroma” was the stench of sewage that drained from the upper compartments. The “music” was the groans of prisoners being beaten. But Peter was so full of peace that the angel found him sleeping amid such horrendous conditions. He had to strike Peter on his side to wake him, that’s pretty amazing when you think about it.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He too was asleep in a ship amid a raging storm out at sea with His disciples. Like Peter, when you KNOW Jesus, you KNOW peace. But conversely, where there’s NO Jesus, there’s NO peace. To know means to be close to, to be intimate with, not casual, not distant, not an acquaintance. Jesus is the answer for you today, the answer for the times we live in. Know Jesus, Know peace.

Anger is One Letter Away from Danger

Ecclesiastes 7:9 “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger rests in the lap of fools”

Some of you may remember the fight that broke out between two hockey dads after a practice in 2002. In a fit of rage, one dad brutally punched another dad and killed him. After the case was tried, one juror said, “when he was on top of the other man, he had the right to stop. But rage of mind took over in him. And that’s why it all happened this way”. The dad got 6 to 10 years in federal prison. This is a sad but helpful illustration of “anger is one letter away from danger”.

God’s word says, “anger doesn’t bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:20), and “in your anger do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26), and “let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19). Unbridled anger or rage can cause us to say or do things that we will deeply regret. In Galatians 5:22-23, the last fruit of the Spirit mentioned is self-control. In our born again spirit, God has given us everything we need to restrain ourselves from making huge mistakes. So, when anger or rage are stirring within you, take heed to the Word, do not be quickly provoked, don’t be a fool. Your anger is one letter away from danger.

Actor or Reactor

1 John 2:27 – “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” Living Bible Translation

Do you make decisions based on godly wisdom or let your circumstances and people’s opinions dictate your course of action? Are you led by the Spirit or by your flesh? Do you act or react? If you want to walk in victory, it’s imperative that you allow the Holy Spirit to teach you “everything you need to know”.

Just to be clear, as for “so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true”, the Lord sets gifted people in the body of Christ to instruct us and bring us to perfection (Ephesians 4:11-13). So, this scripture isn’t saying we don’t need others’ insights and can’t benefit from what they have to say. But it is saying that all of us as believers have our own personal Teacher in the person of the Holy Spirit who has anointed us to understand and know the truth. We need to show up at class and let our personal Teacher instruct us. *

So, don’t just react to situations in your life, act on the wisdom you receive from the Holy Spirit. The King James version of this scripture says the Holy Spirit teaches us all things. All things include relationships, your future, raising children, finances, and everything else we need to know. He leads us by the presence or absence of peace on the inside. Listen to the Guide inside to lead and direct you. Be an actor, not a reactor.

*Excerpt taken from the Andrew Wommack Living Commentary

You Are Accepted

Ephesians 1:6-7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace. To the praise of the glory of His grace wherein you are accepted in the beloved“

Have you tried your best to please God today? No? Good, Jesus never did either. He already knew He was pleasing to God. In Matthew 3:17 God said, “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased”. This was before He performed one miracle, ministered to the multitude, or went to the cross.

The same is true for every believer in Jesus. The moment we are saved, we are His beloved child, well-pleasing to Him, and accepted. Before we ever do a thing. The meaning of the word accepted in this context is “highly favored”. Not only are we accepted by God, but we are surrounded by His favor. So, read Ephesians 1:6-7 again, but make it personal…In Christ, I have redemption through His blood, I have forgiveness of sin (past, present and future), and by His grace I am accepted, and I am highly favored. Amen.

The War is Over

Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men”

Peace on earth, good will (favor) towards men. What powerful words spoken by the heavenly host praising God on the night that Jesus was born. This peace is not peace between men, but this peace is between God and man. This is the greatest news ever spoken. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, being born as a man, became sin for all mankind. Jesus took all the punishment, all the curse upon Himself when He died on the cross. God is no longer angry at men because of sin, He has sworn that He wouldn’t be angry anymore. That means that from God to man, the war is over! Let’s make this personal…there is now peace between you and God. As you celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, you can know that God is no longer angry at you. So, join all the heavenly host and rejoice and be glad, the war is over! Merry Christmas!