Stand Your Ground

Lift every voice and sing His praise!  God is working in a mighty way today.  You are instrumental in the big picture that God is painting.  You may not be able to see how important your color is to the picture, but if you step back and look you will see that you were a key to the Master plan, that created a Masterpiece.  Never underestimate how important you are to helping someone overcome.

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. Proverbs 21:15

Good day to you all! I am praying for you whether you know it or not.  You are getting better by the day so let yesterday be the opening act for your today!  Smile, it makes the world better!

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream- Amos 5:24

In this world of ups and down and unknown turn outs it can be easy to give in to fear.  When the bills are due and the money is low, sometimes it can seem like a natural reaction to be fearful of what could possibly happen. God does not promise an easy road, but He does promise that He will be there with us every step of the way.  I want to encourage you on this day to stand your ground.  When you feel like fear has you unfairly profiled.  When the enemy has targeted you because of what you look like on the outside not having any idea of the kind of person you are on the inside.  When your faith is under attack, Dear Reader, stand your ground.

Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. Proverbs 24:24-25

Dear Reader, I know what it is like to be targeted.  I know what it is like to be walking along, minding my own business when I am falsely accused of being up to no good.  I want to tell you that when you are in step with God, you are out of step with the world.  So don’t be shocked when you are in the midst of doing good someone says that you are up to no good. Don’t worry about people that say you are up to no good because 9 times out of 9 they don’t know good.  Expect to be a suspect when you are in the scope of the vicious everything and everybody that looks different is suspicious.  I say to you  again, stand your ground. When you are being pursued because you are being accused and you have not done anything but try to walk in righteousness, don’t be afraid.  I tell you that the world will see you as being different when you follow God.  Jesus was hung from a cross because He was accused of trying to change the status quo. Jesus was merely trying to let those with the status know that those who had no voice would soon be heard.  Dear Reader don’t let the world tell you that you are strange, or that you don’t belong.  You stand boldly on the promise of God and stand your ground.  You tell the world that God’s law stands stronger than Florida’s law, and you stand your ground.  I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, but as for me and my faith I am going to stand my ground. I want to encourage you Dear Reader, to stand with me.

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

For Trayvon Martin

Let the Church Say Amen

There is power in your praise so when you don’t see a way out praise his name and watch the walls come down.  They is power in prayer so when you feel like the world won’t let you get on your feet, then the best thing for you to do is get on your knees.  There is power in His word, so when you feel like you need some good news, open up your Bible and get an instant message.  God loves you!

Good day to you all!  I am excited about today and what it has in store for you!  Smile through it all because there is a purpose to your struggle, and there is a blessing on the way!

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:20-22

I love Sunday morning!  When I reach Sunday there is a certain sense of accomplishment for me.  I have indeed made it through another week, by the grace of God.  The things that I wondered about on last Sunday, I have had the pleasure of watching God work them out over the last 7 days.  Yes, I love Sunday morning.  When I think about Sunday morning, I look at it as an end of a week or praise.  It is the end of a week or thanking God and giving Him the praise Monday through Saturday, and not on Sunday I am gathering with others to bring this week to a close.  I get a chance to hear a word preached and a lesson taught, and my soul is refueled and ready to take on whatever the week that is coming up has to offer.  Again I say, that I love Sunday morning!

Dear Reader I want to encourage you to have church every day!  This does not mean that you have to go to an actual church building every day, but you can praise God, with song and with words everyday!  Let the church be in your heart, and every day after God has spoken, let the church say amen! Don’t let Sunday be the only day that God hears from you.  Praise His name and thank Him for the blessings that He has bestowed upon you!  An attitude of gratitude with extend your longitude and change your latitude!  Try it and see!  You will not be disappointed!

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

Everything's Going to Be Alright

Pray for your enemies as well as those that are close to you.  If someone does not like you, and does not take the time to know you, then they are in need of prayer anyway!  Do not let anyone else’s opinion of you determine your opinion of you.  There are going to be people who can’t see what is inside of you, but remember that God saw the best in you when everyone else could only see the worst! It would not hurt if you say the best in you as well!

Good day to you all!  I am so happy to be on this road with you!  We shall make it to our destinations, but only if we hold on to faith and to each other!

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

Dear Reader I want to encourage you today to be strong!  You are in a unique place right now, because there is a miracle in the works for you.  Even though your current situation may not indicate that you are in the midst of a miracle, understand that there are miraculous circumstances that are working all around you that you are not aware of.  I tell you that the only thing keeping those things from manifesting in you is your faith or lack thereof.  I want you to breakthrough your suffering and be everything that God made you to be. For so long we have believed that we are limited by out surroundings and our circumstances.  For so long we have been under the impression that we were meant for recession.  We stay in a constant state of regrouping, rebuilding, restarting, and re-structuring, and sometime we forget to rejoice, rejoice, and again I say rejoice.  You are a star.  You may not be making movies, or you may not be a singer, but to someone you are a star whether you know it or not. You are a star and there is a miracle waiting to happen to you!  Be excited!

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved Psalms 55:22

Keep your head up in the midst of the storm.  I want to encourage  you to keep Jesus on the boat.  Jesus and His disciples went out on the water and as Jesus slept a might storm arose.  The disciples did not know what to do.  Think about that.  Jesus was on the boat, yet they frightened.  When Jesus woke up He told the storm, “Peace be still”, and the storm went away.  Again, I want to encourage you to keep Jesus on the boat. If you have the Lord in your heart a storm in your life does not have a chance

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Dear Reader I am wishing you peace, I am praying for your success!  If you are reading this message I want you to be blessed beyond measure.  I have one request , and one request only:  I want you to want the same thing for you!  I want you to have unshakable faith, and believe in an unshakable God, who has the ability to shake up your situation and turn everything around.  Don’t give up on you, because God has not given up on you!  Everything is going to be alright!  Believe it and it shall be so. 

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

Diff'rent Strokes

You are basking in triumph!  Make the most of today and it will be everything that God has intended!

“Now the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum; what might be right for you may not be right for some”-Diff’rent Strokes theme

I am wishing you a good and prosperous day!  I hope that today you see a miracle, and realize what God has in store for you!

 I have heard people say that they don’t like to watch the news because there is always bad news being reported. Sometimes it seems that people don’t have the  same moral’s that they used to have.  We always hear about a time when people could leave windows open and doors unlocked and feel perfectly safe.  When we watch what is going on in the word around us we realize that times have changed. If we were to really look at it we could say that the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for you, may not be right for some. The world can be cruel and sometimes it seems like the waters of turmoil and confusion can almost over take us.  Dear reader, I am here to encourage you on this  morning, when you feel like you are about to drown, just make some different strokes and call on God. Not only will you make it through the rough waters, you will land on the shores of peace and prosperity.

The Bible says that when you accept the Holy Spirit you are a new creature.  When you have the love of God in you, you will shine a little brighter and God’s favor will be on you. Don’t pay attention to what people say about you because in the portrait of your life it took different strokes to paint your picture. In your sea of trials and tribulation it took different strokes to get you through those waters.  When you thought that you wasn’t going to make it God provided some different folks with some different strokes to help get you through.

“It takes Diff’rent Strokes to rule the world”….Dear reader never take your eyes off of God because He never takes His hands off of you.  You are beautiful loved and blessed

Smile

John Reed

Overjoyed

There is sunshine in your smile so that means that you have the ability to make clouds move and change the complexion of someone’s day.  You are able to dry up the rain that has fallen in someone’s life.  Your laughter is like a cool breeze on a warm day.  With all of these gifts from God at your disposal why should you be sad.  On this day let your joy shine through so that you can change the world.  You look better when you smile, but you also make someone else better when you smile.

Good morning to everyone!  I pray that today has started in the way that you expected, if not be no dismayed.  Take encouragement in the fact that sometimes speed bumps in the road are meant to slow you down for your own good.  Stop signs are not permanent.  You are still on your way to victory, God just wants to get you there safely!

I think that it is important sometimes to stop and look around at what we have.  It is so easy to get caught up in what we want, and need.  Sometimes what we have goes straight to the back of our mind.  We want a new car, a new job, or a new home, and those could be more than wants, in some cases they are needs.  However, God has promised us that He will supply everything for us, so let us take a moment to look around and be overjoyed.  God has given you life!  God has given you the ability to make a living!  If you are reading this email, God has given you the ability to read!  If someone is reading this email to you, God has given you the ability to listen!  When we give God the praise for the little things in our life, please believe that the big things are on the way.

Dear Reader let your mouth be full of praise and your heart will be overjoyed!  You will still go through the rain, and everything may not be perfect, but when you  know that all things are working for you good, you can smile through it all.  When you know that no weapon that is formed to destroy you shall prosper you can smile in the face of adversity.  When there is everlasting joy in your heart you can wake up knowing that whatever the day has for you, God still has a watchful eye on you.  Happiness is temporary, but joy is forever.  God made you the way that you are on purpose.  There is not a spot or hair on your body that happened by accident.  Find joy in the mirror when you look upon the beauty that makes nature take a second look.  You are a masterpiece created by the Master and He has never made a brushstroke in error.  Yes, everything may not be perfect in your life, but I want to encourage you on this day to see the blessings that are around you and be overjoyed. Let your praises go up and your blessings will come down.

You are beautiful, you are loved, and you are blessed

John Reed

I want to be in THAT Number

When I see you, I know that I am looking at a miracle that only God could produce and deliver, and therefore your presence encourages and inspires me.  That is why no matter what day it is, I rejoice and give thanks for each one of you…its Tuesday so lets make the most of this day that the Lord has made.

Good Day To You ALL! Be a blessing on purpose because that was the purpose for your blessings.

I love football.  In my eyes there is nothing better than a Sunday morning church service and Sunday afternoon football. Football is not only a great sport, but it also produces some incredible stories.  The New Orleans Saints is one such story. The Saints amazing victory in the Superbowl is a testament to what you can accomplish if you have faith and don’t give up.

For the longest time, the Saints would never be a team that anyone would pick to win anything. At one point they couldn’t win the coin toss before the game. Some people gave up on them and even took the “S” off of the front of their name and called them the “Aint’s”.  It was tough to be a Saints fan. However, in the city of New Orleans there are those die hard Saints fans that refused to give up on their team.  They never doubted that their Saints would win, they were just waiting on the season that they could claim the victory.

On this day, I want to encourage you to hold on.  You are a Saint that has a cheering section in heaven.  Don’t worry about the fair weather fans that only cheer for you when you win, because you have a hard core, die hard fan that is Jesus and He is with you during your wins, and your losses.  You may not have reached your winning season yet, but one thing that the Bible has taught me is that when you are a Saint, you are never counted out.  People may try to take the “S” off and tell you what you “Aint”, but I want you to stand up and tell them what you are.  You are a child of the most high God, and there is nothing that you cannot accomplish with His favor.  It “Aint” over until God says its over, and when it comes to your season of victory God is just starting.  No one may have ever picked you to win anything, but I am telling you from experience when you are a Saint and on God’s team, victory is on the way. I am excited to be in that number with you, when God’s Saints come marching in.

Your storm is over and victory is on the horizon

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

You'll Get Over It

Let us celebrate this day because it is another day that we have been blessed to see happen!  Everything is new so let us learn to let go of what we have discovered is slowing us down, and causing us to be less effective.  Let today be the start of a new path, and I am praying that with each step you walk a little closer to the Master.  You are exactly where God wants you to be, but you have yet to go where God wants you to go! 

Good day to you all!  I am praying that each of you find the victory that you are seeking!  You are only one prayer away from a miracle.  Please believe that.

Sometimes we can speak a few words and say a whole lot.  I learned a long time ago to find God in everything, because He is constantly speaking. Don’t want to miss the message.  I have even learned to find something positive in the negative things that people speak.  I was going through a rough break up, and the last thing that the woman on the other end of the phone told me before hanging up in my ear was, “You’ll get over it”.  I have heard people say with cruelty to someone that was hurting, “You’ll get over it.”  I must admit that it was difficult to strip away the cruelty from the statement as it was posed to me.  However, I will tell you that there is a touch of God in that statement.

Dear Reader I am happy, you might as well say overjoyed to tell you today that, “You’ll get over it”.  I don’t mean it in the cruel and callous way that it was thrown at me and my broken heart.  I mean it with love because when you have God on your side, You will get over it.  Your enemies may have put a mountain right in front of you, but I want to tell you that Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell may as well have been singing gospel when they stated, “Ain’t  no Mountain High Enough”,  because when you have God on your side, you will get over it.  It don’t matter what your “it” is.  God is the difference between heartbreak and joy, failure and success, sanity and losing your mind.  Dear Reader I am proud to say that she was right on that day, because not only did I get over it, I conquered it, I moved past it, can’t stand to be around it, and I have not missed it in the least.  Fear not because whatever the obstacle is, with God doing the heavy lifting, YOU WILL GET OVER IT.  After a while those mountains don’t ever seem tall any more.  Suddenly you are a mountain climbing expert because God has taken you over so many mountains that you have adjusted to the altitude and you have got your feet steady beneath you.  However I don’t just want to tell you to get over it, I want to share with you, how I got over.  The grace of God washed over me, and healed my every wound.  He touched my heart and made me whole.  God opened up the windows of heaven and He poured me out a blessing.  Be a blessing to someone else, and praise God that you are going to get over. Nothing is impossible if you re-think possible. (That’s AT&T’s line, but they will get over it)

You are beautiful, loved and blessed

John Reed

Stay Off the Salt

It is a wonderful day today because you are here and God has His hands on you!  Miracles do happen on Tuesday’s so keep looking up and never stop believing!

Good day to you all!  I hope that everyone is ready for a wonderful day.  I am blessed to be able to share it with you!

There is a certain amount of iodine that the human body needs in order to live.  It is a small amount, but without it in the blood stream we would not be able to live.  Most of the time we get that iodine from the food we eat because iodine can be found in salt. However, too much salt in our diet can damage our health.  For many people their doctor will tell them that if they don’t cut down on the salt they will have health issues.  At that point the patient has a choice, they can either live a strong productive life by staying off the salt, or they can keep doing what they are doing and have their life cut short.  It seems like an easy choice, but some people find it hard to change their diet because they fear they will miss the taste.

Dear Reader, I want to help you rejoice this morning!  I want to give you the secret to living a healthy spiritual life: stay off the salt.  Your spiritual salt is your anger, and your negativity, and your hurt.  By keeping this salt in your spirit it is keeping you from reaching the potential that God has for you.  I want to encourage you today to let go of those things, and believe me once they have left your tongue, you will not miss the taste. Your heavenly doctor is giving you an order to cut that salt out of your life, but you fear that you will miss the taste.  I want to tell you from experience, that forgiveness is a Healthy Choice. Once God has given you the sweet taste of His and grace and mercy you will not miss that salt any more.  Once your spirit is no longer weighed down with all of that excess weight, you will not miss that salt any more. Bring your blood pressure down, and know that when Jesus shed His blood He took the pressure off of you.

Some people are like clouds, once they move out of your life, you can see the sun a lot better, and your days are brighter.  Never let anyone or anything block you from the Son.

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

Love

It is a wonderful day to give God the praise!  It is a wonderful time to give thanks for the small miracles that happen every day!  God is smiling on you and is in control of your situation.  You are sitting on the edge of a miracle and you don’t even know it.  There is nothing that you cannot accomplish with God on your side!  Seek and ye shall find.

Good day to you all!  Keep your joy through all things, and you will shine as bright as the midnight star.

Every now and then I think about where I am and I smile.  I smile because where I am is a far cry from where I could be.  I stop and I thank God that I was delivered from situations that others did not make it out of.  I stop and I give Him the praise when I think of what could have gone wrong when I thought things were at their worst.  Yes, I smile when I look around and see where I am.  When I was facing being put out on the street, God stepped in and said “No”.  When my the people that I thought were friends lied on me and put me in harm’s way, God stepped in and said “No”.  Understand Dear Reader that when I stop and look at where I could be, where I am is not that bad.  My finances may not be what I want them to be, and I may not be as far along in my career as I want to be, but my praise is based on what God is doing, and what he is able to do. My praise is based on the fact that He promised me that He would be with me during the storms and that I am His child.

Dear Reader, I want you keep your mind and your heart focused on love.  I want you to think about the love that it took for someone to take the time to pray for you.  I could not have made it to where I am today without the prayers of others.  Someone is praying for you.  When you see a light in the darkness, someone is praying for you.  When you get a word right when you were thinking that silence was the only thing that that you could hear, someone is praying for you.  When you suddenly find strength when you thought that your weakness could not be overcome, someone is praying for you.  I am here to tell you that everything that I made it through in the first paragraph is because someone prayed for me.  So now I can be a witness in the second paragraph of the power of prayer.  Dear Reader you are loved.  Someone is taking the time out of their day and they are praying for you.  Take a moment and pray for someone, and take a moment and pray for yourself.  I know that sometimes it can be difficult, but God is able. You may not be aware, but someone right now is showing you love.  Dear Reader, someone is praying for you.

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

The Good Starts Now

Today is the start of a journey so when you are making your way through have no fear.  Don’t get distracted by the sideshows.  Remember that the stop signs are not permanent, and most of the time they keep you from getting run over.   Slow down for the speed bumps in life because if you don’t you may run into something that was meant to cross your path.  You have everything that you need to make a difference in someone’s life. 

Good day to you all!  I am excited about what today may bring, so don’ t let me be the only one excited! Take a moment today and thank God for the people that He has blessed you with!

I once again found myself in front of the television this weekend, and it seems that no matter what I was watching, on particular commercial kept following me.  I am pretty sure that you all have seen it at some point. Two guys are tailgating at a football game and looking at their cell phones.  Someone comes up and says to them, “Hey tickets just opened up on the 50 yard line!” The response from one of the men is, “I am going to pick them up from Will Call…that was so 50 seconds ago.” There is then someone that walks over and asks them if they heard about the football player that was injured and they inform the man that not only have they heard about it, but they are taping his ankle and getting him back into the game.  They then informed them that the news was 12 seconds ago.  I watched this commercial and began to think about how this actually can apply to our lives.

Dear Reader today I want to encourage you to continually progress.  I want you to be better every day.  Don’t dwell on past mistakes and failures.  Don’t worry about past criticism.  When someone tries to remind you of what you used to be, you can let them know, “That was 45 seconds ago!”.  When someone thinks that you are still the same person that you were before you were washed in the blood of Jesus, when they try to trap you in the same traps that you can let them know, “That was 2 days ago”.  God can turn your situation around instantly so within seconds your past is in the past.  You can start over right now because the past starts right now.  That means that you can move forward right now.  That means that if you want to change a bad habit you are one prayer away.  You don’t have to hold on to your past, and begin anew.  There is so much that God wants to put in your hands, but He cant do that if you are still holding on to the past.  When you let go you are opening up your hands to let God do more than you could ever imagine.  I appreciate you reading this message but it was so 45 seconds ago (smile)

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

How Sweet It Is

Keep your eyes on God and keep your feet moving.  Stay mission minded and don’t let anyone hold you back.  The funny thing about people that try to hold you back is that they want you to stay back with them.  Refuse to be anything less than your best.  God does not create less than average creations, so keep your thoughts and your dreams at hand because there is so much in store for you. You are exceptional!

Good day to you all!  Today is another chance for you to be the best you that you can be!  Don’t miss this golden opportunity to be the light that shines in someone’s midnight sky!  You are needed!

How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you
I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotion-Marvin Gaye “How Sweet It Is”

There are so many songs about love, but I must say that the above lyrics are some of my favorites.  Marvin Gaye was singing about the sweet feeling that you get when someone loves you.  He is singing the song specifically to a person who has been there when there were ups and downs. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a love to sing about.

I close my eyes at night
Wondering where would I be without you in my life
Everything I did was just a bore
Everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways-Marvin Gaye ‘How Sweet It Is”

Dear Reader I want to give you something to sing about on this day.  God’s love for us is the sweetest love there is.  I say again, God’s love for us is the sweetest love there is.  I say that God’s love is the sweetest because God’s love is deeper than we can imagine and more infinite than we could possibly understand. You may have known love but I can guarantee that you have never known love like this.  This is the type of love that is faithful.  This is the type of love that is everlasting.  This type of love is not jealous.  This type of love is patient.  God loved you so much that He sent His son down from Heaven so that He could take the form of a mortal man.  He was accused of crimes He did not commit.  He was treated like a criminal and hung from cross.  Just when death thought that it was all over, the sweetest part of His love unfolded.  Jesus got up from that tomb and defeated death and the grave so that we could have life.  How sweet it is to be loved by Him.  Dear Reader He is waiting on you to make that move towards Him!  I can tell you from experience How Sweet It Is to Be loved By Him!

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

The Wash

It is a wonderful day to give God the praise! Praise Him for the sun in the sky.  Praise God for the air that you are breathing!  Praise God for the life that you have!  If gratitude is your attitude, you will lengthen your longitude and elevate your latitude. Continue to walk with God, and put all faith in He that created you!  He loves you and wants to see you at your best.  Be a blessing on purpose because that is the purpose of your blessing!

Good day to you all!  I hope that you are having an awesome, awe inspiring week!  You have a miracle waiting on you to believe that it is there. Remember, the only thing that can cancel out a blessing is the lack of faith.  Try God, what do you have to lose?

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.  As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. John 9:1-6

Sometimes we blame ourselves for the situations that we get ourselves in.  I read a Facebook post once that said, “If bad things keep happening to you, then you must not be living right.”  This is a common misconception that dates back as far as the days of the Bible.  In the above verse the disciples are basically saying what the Facebook writer has said. The disciples made the observation that if this man is blind, his parents were either sinners, or it was he that sinned, and was being punished.  Whenever we find ourselves in a tough spot, it is not always the case that God is punishing us, or is upset with us.  Often we are in those situations because so that God can shine through us and our situation.  Our faith in God is what we must rely on whenever we find ourselves blind.  When we can’t see a way out, we are blind.  When we have more bills than money we may feel financially blind.  When it feels like we have more enemies than friends we may feel socially blind.  Then, just as we pray for things to get better we get mud in our eyes. Now, not only can we not see, but we feel dirty as well.

Dear Reader, I want to tell you that the best part of what you are going through is: the wash.  If you bring your blindness to Jesus, you may find that there is a little mud in your eye, but Jesus did not put it there so that you could be dirty, He put it there so that you would have a reason to go and get clean. You have tried to see the world with your own eye, now try wash out this mud and be amazed at what you see!  If we are obedient and faithful, when we are washed clean we will come home seeing.  I don’t know about you Dear Reader, but I need my sight.  Don’t let anyone tell you that because of who you are you are supposed to go through hard times.  Don’t let anyone tell you that because of where you are from you are supposed to be in love with poverty and violence.  God is working through you and through your situation so that when you make it out you won’t have any doubt that it was nothing but God.  When you have faith it is an eye opening experience. When you seek God out in those situation in which you cannot see, you will find that your spiritual eyes will have a certain clarity.  When you immerse yourself in a pool of faith, will come out with a new perspective and new sight. When God changes your situations and gives you that sight that you have been longing for, for so long, people won’t  even recognize you.  The change will do you good! When they ask you how did you make it out, you can tell them without a doubt that it was the one and only Jesus.  Yes, Dear Reader you will make it through the darkness and the mud.  Have faith and make a change for the better.  I will see you on the other side of your wash.

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

I'm Focused Man

God has opened up a window and is ready to pour out a blessing on you!  Are you ready to receive it or have you been in your situation for so long that you don’t believe it?  Let the words from your mouth be filled with praise and I promise that everything that you do will be backed by God’s power!  There is power in your praise so empower yourself everyday and the world will open up for you in ways that you have never imagined!

Good day to you all!  Don’t let the weather man dictate to you what kind of day you are going to have!  God can bless you in the rain, and when it’s partly cloudy with a chance of participation.  The Son never stops shining on us!

I have the intention today to make you smile.  I have a strong desire for you to feel the joy that God has planted inside of you. It is there today and everyday!  Today I want you to focus. I want you to focus on those things that are good, and make you smile.  Whether that is a memory, or a song, or maybe even a smell.  If there is something that can take you to a place that brings joy to your heart, I want you to focus because whatever you focus on that is what you will see.  If you want to see good things, focus on good things!  If you want to see a miracle, focus on the miraculous things that God has done in your life.  If you want to see love, focus on loving someone who needs love.  

Dear Reader today I invite you to break the bad habit of focusing all of you attention and your energy in the wrong areas of your life. You are in charge of your thoughts!  Happiness is a choice, and I want you to choose to be happy.  Don’t let anyone bury your joy under a pile of doubt.  Don’t let anyone highjack your dreams and hold them hostage by tying them up with self doubt.  I want you to stay mission minded.   I want you to move towards what God has for you!  Turn a deaf ear to anyone that would turn you around.  Don’t think that the enemy will give up on trying to bring your attention to the negative.  There will be a relentless pursuit of the wallet in your mind to get you to pay attention to the bad times and the sad times.  Oh but when they do Dear Reader, I want you to take a second to let them know, I’m focused man.  If they persist you can give them Nehemiah 6:3 which says: And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”  Whenever you feel like your past is too great for you to overcome meditate on the words that Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14; Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Keep pressing forward and forget what lies ahead because your future is bright, and God is not done blessing you.  Stay focused!

You are beautiful, loved and blessed

John Reed

Who's The Boss

Your weeping may have endured for a night, but I promise you that joy comes in the morning!  God has worked a miracle into your treatment plan so don’t be surprised if when you are restored, you find yourself better than you ever have been.  You are an important part of someone’s life, and they need you to be at your best.  You are the harmony in the song that someone needs to sing. 

Good day to you all!  I want you to know that there is nothing in the world as important as your smile!  There is nothing in this world more powerful than your touch!  You have been empowered by God almighty to make a difference in the world in which you live!  There is your reason to smile for today!

We all have aspirations to be in charge of something.  Whether it be at our jobs, or maybe in our relationships, we often seek the respect and the responsibility of being a boss.  The idea of being in control, and having people that work under us is appealing to some. Sometimes people who are in that position lose sight of the people who work for them.  Position and power can lead to amnesia. They forget what it is like to be the worker. Often times they are so caught up in the money making aspect of what they are doing that they forget that without the workers there would be no money made.  We all need to feel appreciated.

Dear Reader, I would like to let you know that God is in charge.  I can tell you from experience that if you work for Him, He will make sure that you are paid well, and that you have a wonderful benefits package.  I want you to know that no matter where you work or what you do, the person that is over has limited power because he or she is just a human being just like you.  If you leave and go to another job, there will be another person who is in charge there. However, no matter where you go, there is one God who is in charge. I know that sometimes that person who has on the suit and sits in the big office can be intimidating.  I would like to encourage you to be respectful, but never forget who’s the boss.  If God is in charge of your life, you can walk in confidence past the suits and the offices. God will never lose sight of you because you are always in His eye! No matter what position someone gets promoted to, they will never be able to come close to the power of God! Whenever you feel intimidated I want you to remember Psalms 56:3-4 : When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Dear Reader take this with you and stand boldly on God’s promises!  Walk closer to God, and you will find out Who’s the Boss!

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed

Song of the Heart

You may not be in the place that you think you should be, but I promise you that God has you right were you need to be.  Take a look around and see how you can make your surroundings better.  Always try to leave a place in a better condition than when you arrived, that way when you come back you will always be welcome. You are exactly what someone needs to make it.  Be a blessing on purpose because that is the purpose of you blessing.

Good day to you all!  Let us March forward into the newness of this year!  There is someone that has been affected by your energy!  Make sure that the affect that you have is uplifting and encouraging!

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Psalms 100:1-2

You might make a different song, yes that's right it's true
That don't make anybody more or less as good as you
If you can feel the music that's all you really need
Then turn this party all the way out
Good time guaranteed- Prince “Song of the Heart”

I would like to invite you to sing that song that is in your heart.  I would like for you to know that you have a choice about what you think about and how you feel.  You are free to be happy, and stay happy.  You have the ability to have a positive effect on everyone and everything around you so let that song that is in your heart come out.  Don’t worry if you sing out of key, just let it out.  Today is the day that the Lord has made, so go ahead and rejoice and be glad in it. 

Look ... everybody makes mistakes
Oh yeah, not one or two (right!)
But that don't make the dirty little things they say about you true
(You tell 'em!)
Step aside little babies and watch me do my thing
I don't even need a good reason to do this
Listen to me sing- Prince “Song of the Heart”

Dear Reader, never let anyone tell you that the mistakes that you have made should somehow keep you from getting where you want to be.  Ask God to forgive you and forgive yourself and move forward.  There is no need to look behind you because the past is the past and there is nothing but good things in front of you. You are able to move mountains so don’t worry about the molehills that life may throw at you .  Be good, be better, be great!  You are the child of the ever loving God.  I say to you sing the song that is in your heart, and give Him praise for the things that he has done, and the things that He is doing in your life.  Things can only get better!

You are beautiful, loved, and blessed

John Reed