Embrace the 'new' and the good that God has for you!

The Lord says: 

"Taste and see My goodness in your life going forward. But you need to let go of the 'old' and what you have moved on from in your life, and embrace the 'new' that I have for you now. Let there be such a release in your spirit and your soul right now. For what I have in store ahead of you will be good!" 

The Lord says further: 

"Begin to cast down every word and every work sent by the enemy against you. Begin to cast down everything sent by the enemy to pull you back to the 'old' of your life. But this is your time to embrace all the good and the 'new' that I have for you ahead of you. This is your time to secure and receive all the good that I have for you, by faith." 

I heard the word 'embrace' two times here. I believe this is the key word for us now: 'Embrace'. To embrace what? To embrace all the 'new' and the good that God has for you!

This word 'embrace' can be traced back to two Latin words, 'in' and 'bracchium', literally meaning 'in the arms (of)'. 

This word 'embrace' can also mean 'to surround, to encircle, to hold closely (especially with great affection)'. 

This works both ways: You embracing the Lord, and the Lord embracing you! 

One way to describe the goodness of God in your life is to picture the Lord's arms wrapping around you, surrounding you, encircling you, and holding you closely and lovingly in His embrace! And in His embrace, you can rest secure!

Deuteronomy 33:12 (NIV) says, "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders." 

This expression 'rests between His shoulders' can be understood as 'being in the embrace of God'. 

Deuteronomy 33:12 (The Message) puts it this way: "God's beloved; God's permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home." 

See the word 'encircled' here? Encircled by God all day long! Encircled by the goodness of God all day long! All the time! And the best news is whatever happens around you in the world, your God is always 'at home' in your life! Always present in your life! Always here for you! All the time! 

Psalm 34:8 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' 

Psalm 34:8 (Amplified) puts it this way: 'O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.' 

The word 'good' here is 'towb' in Hebrew. It can mean 'good (in the widest sense)'. In other words, 'good in every way'. This word 'towb' can also mean 'beautiful, bountiful, sweet, gracious'. 

So, taste and see that the Lord is beautiful to you, the Lord is bountiful to you, the Lord is sweet to you, and the Lord is gracious to you! And let this goodness of God be poured into your life right now! 

Psalm 23:6 (Amplified) says, 'Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.' 

Beloved of God, surely what's beautiful, what's bountiful, what's sweet, and what's gracious shall follow you all the days of your life! Make this declaration upon your life right now!

Psalm 31:19-20 (Amplified) says, 'How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of man! In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots and conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.' 

You see, the goodness of God in your life encompasses all aspects of your life. God even shows His goodness in your life by sheltering you from the plots and conspiracies of man, or even from the strife of tongues!

Psalm 107:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.' 

This is another aspect of the goodness of God. He satisfies whatever that is lacking in your life. He fills what is empty in your life. He fills you with hope. He fills you with joy. And of course, He fills you with His unfailing love. When everything else in the world fails, the Lord's love for you never fails. And that is the assurance of the Lord for your life right now. 

Declare that the Lord is altogether good in your life! 

He knows how to work things out for good for you! 

He knows how to turn your sorrow into joy! 

He knows how to turn whatever that's bad in your life into something good! 

And whatever the enemy throws at you, the Lord will know how to turn things around for you! 

Amen!

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You can count on the goodness and faithfulness of God!

The Lord says for this time:

"Count on My goodness and faithfulness in your life. Yes, even in the midst of the situation around you and the situation that you see in the world right now. Look to Me, for I am still your faithful God. My faithfulness towards you has never changed." 

The Lord wants you to know today that He is still your faithful God, and He will still be. So, trust Him that He will continue to show Himself faithful in your life and in every situation you face in your life. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) says, 'But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.' 

The word 'faithful' here is 'pistos' in Greek, which can also mean 'trustworthy, sure, truthful'. As you can see here, the Lord isn't just your faithful God, but He is also your trustworthy, sure, and truthful God!

From this word 'pistos' here, notice that 'to be faithful' is 'to be truthful'. You see, He is a God who cannot lie. Hebrews 6:18 (NKJV) says, '...in which it is impossible for God to lie...' Like a relationship between husband and wife, one cannot say he or she is faithful unless he or she is truthful. The same it is with God, whom the Scripture says is the Bridegroom, and we His bride. 

The word 'establish' here is 'sterizo' in Greek. This word can mean 'to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, to set you resolutely in the right direction'. So, to establish you is to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, and to set you resolutely in the right direction. And of course, 'to guard you' is 'to watch over you, to preserve you, to be on guard for you'. And that's who God is to you, beloved, no matter what happens around you or what happens in the world around you. 

You can personalize this verse to yourself: "The Lord is faithful to me, and the Lord establishes me, and the Lord guards me from the evil one." You can say this again and again. Amen! 

You may have heard the teaching about your faithfulness to God, and there is definitely a place for such. But today, the Lord is talking about His faithfulness towards us. It's a two-way relationship between you and God, God and you. He is faithful to you, and you are faithful to God. In fact, He is still our steadfast and unchanging God, even if at times we may have been unfaithful to Him. Why? Because He is a God who is patient towards us, even in our weaknesses and unfaithfulness. We thank God for that. We thank God for His mercy and grace towards us. 

Beloved of God, if you may, read both 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians in a time like this. These two books are not just about you being faithful to Him and He is faithful to you, but these two books also speak of our time now, the end-time, and how we can prepare for the return and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

You see, we don't want to set date of the Rapture and the return of the Lord. Why? Because the Scripture says that 'of the exact hour and day, no one knows, except God the Father'. We don't want to overstep God's Word. But we can prepare our lives. We can prepare ourselves by living holy lives, ready for Him any time. Why? Because He can return at the hour we never expect. 

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, "But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." And then, in Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus said further, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

So, according to 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, what can you do in a time like this? 

1. Continue to receive His love and be abound in His love

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

2. Continue to receive His sanctification and walk in holiness

For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8).

3. Focus on your God-given calling and God's vision for your life

For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner; not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13).

4. Be sober, watchful, and vigilant 

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep (i.e. 'slumber in our spirit'), as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8).

5. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

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You can experience the goodness of God!

In recent days, I was reflecting on the goodness of God in my life. I felt I needed to declare the goodness of God in this time and season, as many people are feeling hard-pressed and feeling down, even sometimes for no apparent reason. In fact, I've been ministering to many such people recently. Now, this is something spiritual. 

So, in a time like this, I want to declare in the spirit that the Lord is altogether good! 

Yes, no doubt, I do have my share of challenging times in different seasons of my life too, but what I know is the Lord just knows how to deliver me and rescue me. All the time! Every time! In every season of my life! He is so real!

So, whatever your past may be, let it go to the Lord. Let the bygones be bygones. There is a fresh anointing being released upon you right now. You can have a fresh new start!

Give thanks to the Lord that whatever that's past, the Lord has forgiven you, and the Lord has fresh new things in store ahead of you! 

This is your time to be set free from your past, whatever that past may be! And this is your time to begin walking in the realm of the fullness and the goodness of God! 

To start off with, let's go to Psalm 23:6. Here, David wrote: 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' 

You see, 'all the days'! Not 'some days'. Not 'a few days'. But 'all the days'! 

The word 'goodness' here is 'towb' in Hebrew. It can mean 'good (in the widest sense), good things, bountiful, beautiful, favor, kindness, pleasantness, sweetness, gladness'. In short, all of the goodness of God! 

Another beautiful psalm that David wrote is Psalm 34. Here, he wrote about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. This word 'good' here is the same word 'towb'. Let's read Psalm 34:8 now. 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good ('towb'); Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' 

In other words, he was writing about experiencing the goodness of God in real ways! 

Yet another beautiful psalm composed by David is Psalm 136. Here, he declared the goodness of God as first and foremost in his thanksgiving unto the Lord! 

Let's look at Psalm 136:1-5 now. The word 'good' here is, again, the same word 'towb'. 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good ('towb')! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever.' 

Notice in Psalm 136 here, David put 'the goodness of God' at the very top, and only then, he wrote about 'God of gods', 'Lord of lords', 'God who alone does great wonders', and 'God who by wisdom made the heavens'. You know what that means? David had this revelation that God is first and foremost good, and only then, He is the Lord of all things, the Lord of signs and wonders, and the Lord of wisdom. But first and foremost, God is good! 

That's the revelation that David had, that God is good, in spite of whatever he may be facing at that time! 

You see, the enemy will always try to downplay the goodness of God. And he will do whatever he can to stop you from seeing, and believing, and experiencing the goodness of God in your life. Why? Because he knows how powerful God's people can be when they have this revelation of the goodness of God, like David did! 

The enemy certainly doesn't want to see many "Davids" in this world, i.e. those who not only have the revelation that they are God's beloved, but also the revelation that God is indeed good in their lives! 

Yes, we must admit that David had his share of troubles and challenges in life as well. But, instead of wallowing in all these, he chose to trust in the goodness of God, as you can see from the psalms you've read just now. David went on to become arguably the greatest king ever lived in the history of Israel!

What are the good things in your life that you can give thanks for? Having a good family. Having good friends. Having good health. Having good career. Having financial freedom. Or there must be something good in your life that you can give thanks for at the moment. Surely, there must be something good in your life! Now, focus on those 'good'! 

Don't get me wrong here. This is not about a 'feel-good message' that denies the reality. No! But what I'm saying here is, in spite of all those troubles around you, or all those bad news around you, you can still choose to see that the Lord is indeed good in your life! And let this goodness of God grow in your life, and in every aspect of your life! 

Don't just look at the 'big things'. How about those smaller things in life that you can give thanks for? Give thanks for your home. Give thanks for your bed. Remember, there are many people in this world who don't even have a good bed to sleep on. In other words, they are homeless and sleeping on the streets. Give thanks for the food on your table. Remember, someone out there may not even have such.

There are so many things for you to give thanks for, if you really look around you. Ask the Lord to show you the many other good things in your life, no matter how small or insignificant you think these may be. 

Begin to thank your way to more and more good things that are coming, instead of falling into the enemy's trap of blaming your way to more and more doom and gloom in your life. Begin to give thanks to God for the smaller things in your life, and bigger things will certainly come your way! Try it, and you'll be amazed how this works! Yes, David did! And you are next!

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your fresh anointing for us right now. We thank You that You want us to look ahead and receive the many more good things that You want to give to us. We are now therefore set free from our past, and we begin to walk in the realm of the fullness and the goodness of God. We declare new and exciting times are ahead of us, in spite of all those bad news that we hear around us. Indeed, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

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Receive the never ending supply of His goodness

I have a funny and interesting dream the other day. It's so vivid that I literally woke up smiling. In the dream, me together with my wife Sharon were seated at a table together with two other family members. We were being served round after round of different foods. It's like a never ending flow and supply of foods. What's interesting is that some of these foods I've never seen, heard, or tasted before in my life. The shapes and the tastes were out of the world! 

As I was praying about the dream, and as I was asking the Lord if there's any meaning to the dream, the Lord spoke: "Receive the never ending supply of My goodness!" 

He then said to share this message. So here am I, sharing this message to you! 

I believe 'food' here in this dream is just symbolic of 'the goodness of God' flowing in our lives. So, it's not just about food per se, but in every other area of our lives. 

Right now, I want to declare upon you that there's a never ending flow and supply of the goodness of God in your life! 

What is the key to receiving this never ending supply from heaven? How can we walk in this supernatural realm of never ending supply from above? 

The answer is simple: Whatever He says, you do! I repeat: Whatever He says, you do! Yes, even if you initially don't understand why He says what He says. And even if it sounds funny, absurd, or illogical to your mind, or never been done by others before!

Some may ask, "Where is the Scriptural proof?" 

Let's look at what happened during a wedding banquet in Jesus' days while He was on earth. Let's go all the way to John chapter 2. 

John 2:1-3 says, 'On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."'

Beloved, whatever situation you may be facing right now, be it in the ministry, in your career, in your business, or in any area of your life, your God is not dead. He is very much alive in your situation. Invite Him into your situation. Just as the host here invited Jesus to the wedding, you can invite Him too. 

Let's go further. Look now what Mary (Jesus' earthly mother) said to the servants in the wedding banquet. This is our key verse for today. John 2:5 says, 'His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."' I repeat: "Whatever He says to you, do it." 

Whatever predicament you may be facing right now, and whatever difficult situation or challenges you may be facing right now, whatever He says, you do it! There's just no way that He doesn't know what to do, or have no idea how to help you, whatever your situation may be. After all, He is all-knowing. He is an omniscient God. Nothing, no matter how small a matter is, can escape His attention. He will tell you what to do and show you a way, where there seems to be no way. So, take heart, and be encouraged.

John 2:6-8 says, 'Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece....' For your info, the six waterpots were used for the Jewish ceremonial washing. These were waterpots used for washing. 'Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.' 

You see? Whatever Jesus said, they did! Yes, even if it's unconventional. As far as I am concerned, in the ministry and in the journey of my life, there are many things that the Lord told me that's unconventional. I followed, and I see the hand of the Lord. I see myself prospering. I tasted the goodness of God time and time again. So, I have no doubts in sharing what I've shared today.

Jesus was showing the "blueprint" and the "how to" in the situation at the wedding banquet. Now, every situation is unique. And for this specific situation in John chapter 2, the Lord also gave a very unique "blueprint". What we can learn here is that we are to seek God for His specific blueprint for our unique situation as well. No two persons or situations are exactly the same. That's how God made us. We are unique. We are special. 

John 2:9-10 says, 'When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"' 

You see? Water turned to wine! It's a miracle! Now, 'wine' speaks of 'the good things in life, the goodness of God'. How about 'water'? 'Water' speaks of 'the Spirit of God'! What does this symbolize? As you receive from the Spirit of God, it is the Spirit of God that leads you to good things! I repeat: It is the Spirit of God that leads you to good things! Just as what you've seen here in John chapter 2! 

Taste and see that He is good! He is a good provider! Not just in one area of your life, but in every area of your life! Not just materially, but in every aspect of your life, even in the area of wisdom, in the area of favor, and in many other areas of your life! 

So, ask, and you shall receive. Seek Him, and you will find the answer. Whatever 'delay' you may be facing at the moment, or whatever area that you are 'stuck' at the moment, take heart. Seek Him. You will find your "blueprint". If you have not seen much headway or breakthrough in your life, don't be disheartened. Keep looking to the Lord. Keep seeking Him. There's no way He will not tell you, if you earnestly seek Him. 

How to receive from Him? Shut off for a while from the hustle and bustle, and the noise of this world. Spend time exclusively with Him. Just you and Him. Spend time digging in the Word. Spend time praying in the spirit. I recommend at least one hour non-stop at one time. Many things will become clearer. You shall receive His blueprint as to what to do next in your life, and what decision you should be making going forward. 

John 2:11 says, 'This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory...' I repeat: Manifested His glory! 

Yes, He is the same - yesterday, today, and forever! He manifested His glory in that situation in John chapter 2. Even now, He is the same God! He can manifest and show you His glory - in His unique way, and in the unique situation that you are facing at the moment! 

So, take heart. Believe in Him. Believe that He is a good God. Believe in the goodness of God in your life. Like the waterpots used for washing, your part is to allow Him to cleanse your life, and wash you white as snow. Clear your life before Him. Wash your hands. Wash your hearts. Stay innocent in Him. Stay pure before Him. Be found in obedience to Him, His instructions, and His words. And you shall hear Him! He will show you His glory! He will show you what is to come! He will show you where you should be headed for! He will show you the right decisions to make! He will show you the way you should be going! That's for sure! It works every time in my life. And I want to believe the same for you. 

In cross-reference about 'the goodness of God', which is our topic today, and 'to taste and see that He is good', one of my all-time favorite psalms that I meditate on a lot is Psalm 34, a psalm of David. Let's read Psalm 34:1-2, 'I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.' 

Yes, bless the Lord! Not just in good times, but also in challenging times! Bless the Lord at all times! And praise Him continually at all times, whether in a time of celebration, or whether in a time when you face challenges in your life! This is the secret of David. There's no question about his life as a worshiper of the Lord. And not just that, his soul did not boast about himself, his own strength, or his own ability; but his soul made its boast in the Lord! 

'The humble shall hear of it and be glad.' Indeed, those who humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, God will give grace. It means He will know how to supply you with His goodness. He will come and help you. Not by your own strength and ability, but by His strength and ability. And those who live their lives this way, they shall be glad! That's what David wrote here in Psalm 34!

Psalm 34:4-6 says, 'I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.'

This was a psalm of David when he himself was going through a difficult situation at that time in his life. He was escaping from the pursuit of King Saul who was after his life. He was seemingly 'stuck' at that time, with seemingly no headway in his life at that time. But instead of being discouraged, and instead of complaining, he looked to the Lord. He sought the Lord. 

So beloved, if you are in the same situation, like you are 'stuck' now, and you are still waiting for what's next in your life, this message is for you. Take heart. There will be an answer. If you keep seeking the Lord, like David sought the Lord, the Lord will hear you. The Lord will show you the answer. 

No matter what you may be facing right now, no matter how 'stuck' you feel at the moment, and no matter what breakthrough you've been seeking, there's an answer coming! Just do not limit how God is going to do it for you. Continue to seek Him. Continue to praise Him. Continue to bless His name at all times! 

Psalm 34:7-10 says, 'The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want (or lack) to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.' 

The word 'good' here is 'towb' in Hebrew. It can mean 'good in the widest sense, good things (in every sense of the word), pleasant, favor, bountiful, beautiful, cheerful, wellness, sweetness, goodness, gladness.' As you can see here, this word 'towb' has a wide meaning, and it speaks of every good that comes from the Lord. Not just good things, but all the goodness of God in every sense - tangible and intangible, seen and unseen, spiritually and physically. Hallelujah!

I want to declare upon you right now: The goodness of God be upon you! I say it one more time: The goodness of God be upon you! 

Believe, and you shall receive! I also want to declare upon you that all things are going to work out for good to you, even though at the moment, you may be feeling 'stuck'. Yes, He will turn things around for you. He will know how to turn the adverse situation you are facing into a favorable situation for you. Just don't try to figure out how He's going to do it. Because He is an unlimited God. And He works in ways we can never fully understand with our limited minds. Just like how Jesus turned water into wine using the waterpots! 

Beloved, continue to put all your trust in Him. He will know how to manifest His glory. He will know how to show you His glory. Amen! 

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your goodness in our lives. We declare Your goodness in our lives. No matter what adversity in life we may be facing at the moment, we choose to look to You and seek You. You have spoken that there is no lack for those who fear You. If you can turn water into wine, You can turn things around for our situation too. You are a miracle-working God, and there is no one like You. We trust You and we bless Your name at all times, just as David Your beloved had done. In Jesus' name. Amen."

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Expect the goodness of God in your life!

As I was seeking the Lord in preparation for the second half of this year 2023, these words somehow dropped on my thoughts: "Expect the goodness of God in your life!"

The Lord then said: "As My people enter the realm of My goodness and My victory, tell My people to guard what they think, and guard what they speak!"

The Lord said further: "Commit your thoughts and your spoken words to Me, and I will establish you. Do not be conformed to the ways and to the patterns of this fallen world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. As you look to Me, I will cause you to see and understand the many things that the world cannot see and understand. I will show you My will and My way. I will show you what is to come." 

Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.' 

Yes, 'present your bodies' here includes 'present your mind and your mouth'. It includes what you think, how you think, what you speak, and how you speak. 

The word 'prove' here is 'dokimazo' in Greek. One of the definitions of 'dokimazo' is 'allow'. In other words, 'that you may allow what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God happening in your life'. And that's what happens when you allow your mind to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, renewed by the Holy Spirit, and not to be conformed to the ways and the patterns of this fallen world, i.e. how this fallen world thinks, or rather, how this fallen world makes you think! 

Romans 8:5-7a (NKJV) says, 'For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God...'

The word 'carnal' here is 'sarx' in Greek. It can be defined as 'of the flesh'. In other words, the person's mind is unrenewed in his or her way (or pattern) of thinking. That's what it means by 'carnal mind' here, i.e. the unrenewed mind that is still conforming to what is 'of the flesh'. The person thinks and sees things in the way (or pattern) of this fallen world, instead of how God thinks and how God sees. 

Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV) says, 'Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.' 

The word 'meditate' here is 'logizomai' in Greek. It can mean 'think, impute, conclude'. It means 'keep thinking about all these things', or 'keep putting it into your mind continuously'. In other words, 'what you think continuously', 'what you regard continuously', 'what you put into your mind continuously', 'what you remind yourself continuously', or 'what you conclude in your mind continuously'. And that's what 'logizomai' means here! 

Let's move on to your spoken words now, i.e. 'what you say to yourself', 'what you say to the situation around you', or 'what you say into the spiritual realm'. Never underestimate the importance of your spoken words! 

Proverbs 18:20-21 (NKJV) says, 'A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.' 

It means if a person loves to speak death, or loves to speak negativity, they will have it! But if a person loves to speak life, loves to speak what God says, or loves to speak what is agreeable with what God says in His Word, they will also have it! In other words, death and life are in the power of what you say! You see, words are powerful! And especially so in the spiritual realm! The enemy knows that! Therefore, you as a beloved of God must know the importance of your spoken words! In other words, what you say into the spiritual realm, or what you say to yourself, is what you see happening in your life in the physical realm! 

Proverbs 15:3-4 (NKJV) says, 'The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.' 

The word 'wholesome' here is 'marpay' in Hebrew. It can mean 'healing, remedy, cure'. It means a wholesome tongue or a wholesome word that you speak can bring healing, remedy, and cure in whatever situation that you are facing!

The word 'perverseness' here is 'sehlef' in Hebrew. It can mean 'distortion, vicious, crooked'. So, do not allow yourself to speak words that worsens your situation! Many people in this world often use their mouths to complain and speak about all the negative things and bad things that are happening in and around their lives. And you know what? Unfortunately, they get what they say! 

There may be people who think I'm teaching nonsense here. They may say I'm teaching people to escape from reality. No, my friend. I'm not teaching you to escape from reality. I'm teaching you that in spite of what's happening in and around your life that is not good, you can change it with God's Word! You can use God's Word, the sword of the Spirit, to change your life! You can change your life by how you think and what you say out! It is likened to a sword! It can be used to slay any 'giant' or power of darkness that comes against you! 

So, instead of dwelling in negativity, why not speak God's Word upon your life instead? And why not speak God's Word upon your situation instead? Now, of course the change that you want to see may not happen immediately. It may take time. But it will happen! Just do not limit how God is going to do it! 

Keep thinking how God thinks! Keep speaking how God speaks! That's how you're going to be aligned with 'what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God in your life'! And that's how you're going to taste and see more and more that the Lord is indeed good in your life! Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Taking a fresh new step forward!

The Lord says this is the time to take a fresh new step forward! Yes, decide to consciously step forward in your life, and walk in all the blessings that the Lord has meant for you this year! 

Indeed, this is a year to walk in your God-given destiny! This is a year for a fresh new start in your life! This is a year to advance and move forward in your life! You see, each of us has a specific and unique God-given destiny and a God-given path in life. Walk in it! Focus on it! 

Today, we are going to talk about the blessings of the Lord; that comes from the Lord, and not from man. 

In 2 Corinthians 1:19-20, Paul wrote, 'For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us - by me, Silvanus and Timothy - was not yes and no, but in Him was yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.' 

The word 'promises' here is 'epaggelia' in Greek. It means 'a divine assurance of good'. In other words, an assurance that the Lord will know how to bring His promises to pass. And one of His promises for your life is you walking in the blessings of the Lord! 

Numbers 23:19 says, 'God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?' 

See the words here: 'Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?' Remember just now, we were talking about 'a divine assurance of good'. It means a divine assurance that the Lord is good to you and the Lord will keep all His promises for your life! But you've got to believe in it! Believing, you shall receive. Amen! 

Here in Numbers chapter 23, the background is that there was this person called Balak (the king of Moab at that time), and Balak wanted to hire a prophet (or rather, a diviner) to curse Israel, so that they (the Israelites) could be defeated in a battle. So, Balak asked Balaam to curse Israel. Yet Balaam (or in fact, any other diviner) could not curse Israel. You know why? Because God had not cursed them! You see, no one could 'bribe' God to curse Israel! 

Now, it is the same for you today. You are the spiritual Israel! No one (and no work of darkness) can put a curse on you, if the Lord has spoken that you are blessed! That's how powerful your God is! And that's why it is so important today to consciously decide to walk in all of God's blessings. You are blessed! And that's what the Lord is saying to you right now: You are blessed! 

So, how to walk in such blessings? Keep your focus on the Lord, and not focus on anyone (or the enemy) that tries to discourage you! Be led and be taught by the Holy Spirit who knows you better than anyone else on earth! Listen to His guidance, heed His guidance, and even heed His correction along the way! And you'll be sure to walk in the fullness of what the Lord has in store for you on this earth! 

Some people may say, "Don't talk about blessings too much!" But you see, your Abba Father in heaven is like a good parent! Will a good parent on earth not want to see their children being blessed? No way! Every good parent will want to see their children doing well in their life, walking in the blessings, and not walking into trouble, sorrows, lack, or damnation! Now, the same it is with how your Abba Father in heaven sees you! He is a good Father! He is a good God! He wants to see you blessed! I say it one more time: He wants to see you blessed! Make no mistake about this, and let no one talk you out of this!

Therefore, beloved, I declare that in His time, He will make all things beautiful for you! You are going to see with your own eyes the promises of God coming to pass in your life! If God has spoken, God will see to it that it shall come to pass, as long as you keep your focus on Him, yield to Him, and obey His instructions! 

At this point of time, we want to declare the blessings of the Lord that you can receive from Deuteronomy chapter 28. 

Deuteronomy 28:1 says, 'Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.' 

How do you apply this into your context? How do you apply this into your personal life? It simply means no matter what 'shaking', 'storm' or 'turbulence' that may happen around you in this world, you are high above all these! You are like an eagle soaring above all these! And this is one of the blessings that the Lord wants you to believe and receive!

Deuteronomy 28:2 says, 'And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God...' 

The word 'blessings' here in Hebrew is 'berawkaw', and it can mean 'presents, gifts, liberty, peace, prosperity, and every form of good that comes from the Lord'. So, let us be ready to receive all these blessings this year! We are going to declare these, and we are going to receive these. Amen!

Deuteronomy 28:3-6 says, 'Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground, and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle, and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.' 

Whether you are living in a city, or whether you are living at the countryside; and whether you are at home, or whether you are outside your home; the Lord is with you! And of course, these blessings bring together peace and favor of the Lord as well; wherever the Lord leads you, and whatever the Lord puts in your heart to do! 

Deuteronomy 28:7 says, 'The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face. They shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways.' 

The number 'seven' in Hebrew can mean 'perfect, perfectly'. In other words, the enemies have got to flee from you, and there's no other choice for them! 

Deuteronomy 28:8 says, 'The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand. And He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.' 

How do you apply this in your context? Wherever the Lord puts you, or whichever land the Lord puts you in each time and season, the Lord will know how to command His blessings on you! 

The word 'command' here is 'tsawvaw' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to appoint, to ordain, to set in order, to put things into place, or to send a messenger to cause it to happen'. You see, the Lord can even send an angel to cause things to happen for you! And of course the Lord can also use human beings - at the right time, at the right place - even in ways that you have never expected! 

Deuteronomy 28:9-10 says, 'The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord (YHWH), and they shall be afraid of you.' 

It means they will not want to play a fool with you, and they will not dare to play a fool with you! They know if they 'touch' you, they are 'touching' the Lord! Why? Because the presence of the Lord is with you, and the fear of the Lord (i.e. the reverence of the Lord) surrounds you! 

Deuteronomy 28:11-12 says, 'The Lord will grant you plenty of goods, the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in this season. The Lord will bless all the works of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.' 

This is in the context of an agricultural society those days. But this can apply in your context too, whatever the Lord puts in your heart to do on earth! The Lord your God is more than enough for you, and He will know how to provide well for you! He will know how to open the right doors for you, and He will know how to set up divine appointments for you! In fact, you are so blessed that you shall lend, but you shall not borrow!

Deuteronomy 28:13-14 says, 'The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only and not be beneath; if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.'

Indeed, the Lord your God is more than enough for you! He is your El Shaddai, the Mighty God! And you do not need to look to the right or to the left, or to go after other gods to serve them!

As an apostolic people, we break new grounds. We open the way. We may be in the world, but we are not of the world. We walk in the heavenly ways. We walk in the heavenly resources. And that's how we can set an example to the people around us in this world. And they will say, "Hey, this person is so different! This person is so different from the worldly ways!" 

So, with all these declarations, and with all these verses from the Scripture that we have declared today, believe it, receive it, and consciously decide to walk in it this year! You shall see it coming to pass! You shall see it coming to reality in your life! 

As for me and my family, we truly believe in all that we have declared today! And we believe that we are going to walk into more and more of the goodness and the blessings of the Lord! We want to believe the same for you. Amen! 

Let us pray: "O Lord God, You have spoken today that this is the time to step forward and walk in all the blessings that You want to give to us. We want to heed Your words today. We do not want to look to the left or to the right, but we want to focus on You. Because You are the Source of true blessings, real blessings, heavenly blessings, that no one else on this earth can give to us. As a Good Father in heaven, it is Your will that we walk in all these blessings! Because You want the very best for each and every one of us on this earth. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

A time to declare the goodness of God!

The Lord says: "This is the time to declare the goodness of God, in spite of all the challenges or problems that you see in this world." 

Beloved of God, whatever your situation may be, and whatever your challenges, problems or issues that you may be facing at the moment, the Lord wants you to declare the goodness of God over your life. You are going to see a huge difference. Things are going to start turning around for you!

By the way, we are not teaching you to be in denial of any problem or issue that you may be facing on earth. But we are teaching in spite of all these, you can remember the goodness of God and you can declare the goodness of God! 

It means if you have nothing good to say, just say of the goodness of God, just speak of the goodness of God, and praise the Lord instead. Remember Proverbs 18:21 says, 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue...' So choose life! Choose to speak God's words! Choose to speak what God says!  

Can I declare to you right now that you are going to experience and see some pleasant surprises soon? Yes, receive this by faith. Just don't try to figure out how it's going to happen. But the Lord will make it happen.

Let's get back to the goodness of God. I'm going to declare to you some Bible verses on the goodness of God. You can declare it together. 

First and foremost, my favorite, is Psalm 34:8 (NKJV) that says, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' I've taught you about this word 'good' in Hebrew, 'towb', some time ago. So I'm not going to repeat it. But I'm going to share with you by revelation in plain English what does it mean by 'the Lord is good'. But before that, let's go to the next Bible verse. 

Another one of my all-time favorite Bible verse is Psalm 23:6 (NKJV) that says, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' Let's believe that as a beloved of God, surely, certainly; not maybe, but surely goodness and mercy shall follow you some days of your life? No, the Bible says all the days of your life! It means not even one day is forgotten by God all throughout your life! Do you see that? 

This is another wonderful Bible verse on the goodness of God. It's Psalm 27:13 (NKJV) that says, 'I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.' You see, not only you remember the goodness of God and declare the goodness of God, but you also believe the goodness of God! You know what, many Christians do not experience much of the goodness of God simply because they do not believe fully. They doubt about the goodness of God. But as for you, you fully believe. Believing, you shall receive. And you are going to start seeing exactly that happening in your life. It will be translated into your everyday life right before your eyes. Amen! 

Next Bible verse is Exodus 34:6 (NKJV) that says, 'And the Lord passed before him (Moses) and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth...' Here, the Lord is showing to us that He is abounding in goodness, and not just in truth. Indeed He is a good God! So, no matter what happens around you, or no matter what happens in your past, in your life, nothing takes away the truth that the Lord's goodness is abounding in your life right now. And all things will work together for good to those who love Him. 

I know some of you may be asking: "Then why did this happen to me?" or "Why did that happen to me?" Let's not look behind you. Let's not look at that past. The past is past. Let the bygones be bygones. But the Lord wants you to look forward and look ahead right now. Yes indeed, it's like a morning dew. It's fresh. It's new. Look forward to the many new things in your life. Look forward to the many good things in your life. And that's what God wants you to see your life at the moment. 

As I've written just now, I wanted to share with you in plain English what does 'the goodness of God' mean. Here it is. The goodness of God shows that He wants to bring joy and blessings to us. Not just that, He is a generous God who will not withhold any good thing from us. In other words, God is good, just like a good father. A good father will always want to bring joy and blessings to his children. A good father will always be generous to give us good things. He will not withhold any good thing from us. And what more the Lord who is the Heavenly Father, Abba Father, our Daddy in heaven! 

So beloved of God, don't let the devil talk you out of this! Every time the devil or somebody tries to cause you to doubt the goodness of God, always look back to the Word of God! Just like how Jesus responded to the devil, Jesus said, "It is written..." So, always go back to what God says, and not what the devil says or what man says. "It is written..." Look back to the Word of God! Because the Word of God is the Word of truth! Amen! 

Our Abba Father in heaven is a Good Father! Somebody say, "Good Father!" It doesn't matter what people say about who our God is, but as far as you and I are concerned, our Abba Father in heaven is a Good Father! Because the Bible says so!

Prayer: "Father God, we thank You for being a Good Father to us. We thank You for You always work all things together for good for us. We thank You for seeing us as precious and worthy of Your love. We thank You for how You sent Jesus to die for us on the cross, so we may have life, and have it more abundantly. There are so many reasons to thank You, Father. We receive Your love today. We receive all the good that You want to give to us today. We receive all this with gladness of heart. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Expect God to do great things in your life this year!

The Lord says: "You may have heard things are going to get worse on earth. But as for you My beloved, look to Me and put your trust in Me. Do not allow yourself to be afraid or be dismayed. In fact, expect Me to do something big in your life this year! Because I am releasing My super abundant grace and favor upon you, in spite of what is happening around you on earth."

Hallelujah!

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) says, 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...' 

Whose power is this? His power! God's power! He who does great miracles! He who does great and marvelous things beyond our limited imagination! This word 'power' here is 'dunamis' in Greek, and it can mean 'miraculous power, miraculous ability, miraculous strength, mighty (wonderful) work'. 

So, in spite of whatever that's happening around you in this world, the Lord your God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think of, according to His 'miraculous power, miraculous ability, miraculous strength, mighty (wonderful) work' that works in you! 

Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition) puts it this way, 'Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]...' 

Hallelujah! 

Here, you see that the Lord your God is able to carry out His purpose and do super abundantly far over and above all that you even dare to ask or think of! He is an infinite God, and He is setting you free from your finite way of seeing things, and into the realm of His infinite, super abundant power that is at work within you!

Psalm 31:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues.' 

You see, in spite of whatever that's happening around you in this world, the Lord has reserved for you His goodness, laid up for you His goodness, and prepared for you His goodness, if you trust in Him and fear Him! And no evil, no evil man, can touch you or take away the goodness of God from you! 

Isaiah 64:3-4 (NKJV) says, 'When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, the mountains shook at Your presence. For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.' 

He will know how to act for you, and He will know how to do great, marvelous things for you who wait on Him and hope in Him! In fact, He has begun to work behind the scenes for you, even if you can't see it with your finite, physical eyes yet!

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) says, 'And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus'. 

Not according to your finite mind, not according to the scarcity on earth, but according to the riches of His glory, His heavenly realm, His heavenly economy! 

This word 'riches' here is 'ploutos' in Greek, and it can mean 'fullness (of His wealth and possession), abundance'. And it's not just about material things, but more importantly the abundance of His wisdom and favor - heavenly wisdom and heavenly favor! 

So, people of God, are you expecting all that mentioned above to happen in your life this year? Are you expecting God to do great things in your life this year? You should be!

Your part today is to ask! Ask for all the above! Ask, and you shall receive!

Now that's what happened to Moses in Exodus chapter 33. At that point of time, Moses was very disappointed and frustrated with his situation. He was at a seemingly dead-end road, and he didn't know what to do anymore. And that's when he asked God. Exodus 33:18-19 (NKJV) says, 'And he (Moses) said, "Please, show me Your glory." Then the Lord said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."' 

Notice when Moses asked, "Please, show me Your glory", the Lord then answered, "I will make all My goodness pass before you..." You know what? The Lord has pleasure in showing you His glory by showing you His goodness! That is how God shows His glory! One way that God shows His glory is by manifesting His goodness in your life! And in Christ, you can receive!

This word 'goodness' is 'tuwb' (from the word 'towb') in Hebrew, and it can mean 'good in the widest sense, beauty, gladness, good pleasure'. Do you see that? The Lord has pleasure in sharing His goodness with you, His gladness with you, and the beauty of His glory with you! It's very much like a good earthly father who would want to share all the goodness with his beloved children. And how much more your Abba Father, your Heavenly Father? 

So, don't miss this time and season. This is your time and season to ask, believe and receive. Never let any naysayers talk you out of this! Never let the devil talk you out of this!

In Mark 11:24-25, Jesus Himself said, 'Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him...' 

Jesus was saying when you ask, ask believing, ask in faith! But do not limit God. Do not think that when you ask like that means like that, and that is how God's going to answer you - like that means like that! Never limit God. God can answer you even in ways that you cannot imagine possible. God can answer you in His sovereign way. It may not necessarily be in the way that you thought it's going to be answered. And that makes things so exciting, and that's what walking by faith means!

Of course there's one area that Jesus also mentioned whenever you ask and pray, "...if you have anything against anyone, forgive him..." Never let unforgiveness hinder what you ask from God. Never let unforgiveness hinder the goodness of God from manifesting in your life. Let go and release those who hurt you. Like a river, let forgiveness flow. As you receive forgiveness from the Lord, let this forgiveness flow in you and flow to others. Learn to let go. Learn to forgive others. And that's how you can walk in greater and greater measure of God's glory and God's goodness!

In Exodus 34:10, the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you." 

Here's the background to this verse: God's covenant with the people was being renewed after Moses had made the two new tablets of stone for God to write on. But before that, Moses broke the first two tablets of stone in frustration and disappointment, after seeing his people forgetting God, forgetting what God had spoken through him, and seeing that they began to worship the golden calf. It broke his heart. So, in his frustration and disappointment, he broke the first two tablets of stone that God had asked him to make. 

At that time, seemingly at a dead-end road, not knowing what to do anymore with his people, and not knowing what to do anymore with his life, Moses asked and pleaded God, "Show me now Your way!" (Exodus 33:13) and "Show me Your glory!" (Exodus 33:18) Moses also said, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here!" (Exodus 33:15) It means if God's presence does not go with him, he will not go any further. 

Beloved of God, are you currently in a situation like Moses at that time? Broken, disappointed, frustrated, not knowing how to go about anymore, not knowing what to do anymore? 

Take heart. The Lord loves you. The Lord sees what you are going through, just as He saw what Moses went through at that time - his disappointment, his frustration, not knowing what to do and how to go about anymore, seemingly at a dead-end road. 

The Lord will show His glory by manifesting His goodness to you, if you look to Him today. Just as He did for Moses, I want to believe from the bottom of my heart that He will do the same for you. He will show you the way. He will lead you and guide you from here. You need not be afraid or be dismayed. There's an answer for you. Amen.

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to tap into the goodness of God?

As I was seeking the Lord, the Holy Spirit spoke this to me: "In the midst of the chaos and sorrows in the world, remind My people of the goodness of God." 

So here am I writing to you about the goodness of God and how do you tap into the goodness of God.

By the way, the expression 'tap into' means 'to access a resource, to connect with a resource'. In the context here, this 'resource' is of course God Himself!

There may be a lot of bad news or troubling news in the world nowadays, but in spite of all these, the Lord is still a good God, and He is good toward you who believe! That's what Paul wrote in Romans 11:22 that says, 'Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness.' 

In the context of this verse, 'severity' here applies to those who have unbelief. But how about you who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? The goodness of God! And this goodness is toward you who believe! And that's exactly why Jesus Christ is (and will always be) good news to you! 

Therefore, focus not on the chaos and sorrows in the world, but focus on the Lord and His goodness in your life! And no matter what happens around you in the world, assure yourself that you can keep looking to Him and trusting in Him - that He will continue to be good to you all the days of your life!

David knew and understood this long before our time. And that's what he wrote in Psalm 23:6 that says, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...' and in Psalm 34:8 that says, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.' This word 'good' here is 'towb' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'good (in the widest sense), beautiful, pleasant, or sweet-natured'.

So, how do you tap into the goodness of God?

1. Remember God's Word (about His goodness) - never let His Word (about His goodness) depart from your eyes.

2. Meditate on God's Word (about His goodness) - speak and declare His Word (about His goodness) to yourself, so your ears will hear.

There are plenty of Bible verses that speak about the goodness of God. Here are some:

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You... (Psalm 31:19)

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100:4-5)

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness (Psalm 107:8-9)

Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way (Psalm 25:8-9)

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord... (Psalm 27:13)

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth... (Exodus 34:6)

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34)

You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst (Nehemiah 9:20)

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7)

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17)

Personalize each of these verses for yourself till it becomes part of your life. Believe and receive each of these verses by faith. And you'll begin to see more of the goodness of God happening in your life. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

God is turning the tide for you!

Words from the Lord:

"I am turning things around for you! I am turning the tide for you! Whatever others have meant evil or harm against you, I will turn it around for your good. Look to Me, and watch how I will bring this to pass."

"For I am your treasure. For I am more than enough for you. And I am looking at the hearts, to see if anyone would put Me at the centre of their lives, and to see if anyone would seek Me first above all else. For these are the people I am going to manifest Myself to and these are the people I am going to turn things around for them." 

The definition of 'turning the tide' is 'to reverse an unfortunate situation into something good'. 

Therefore, no matter what the enemy or anyone had meant evil or harm against you, this is the time to look to the Lord, because He will know how to turn things around for your good.

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph said these to his brothers who had sold him as slave many years earlier, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." 

At that time, there was a severe famine all over the lands, and Joseph's brothers had to come to Egypt to buy food, as there was not enough food in Canaan where they were residing.

Look at these series of events that eventually led to Joseph being reconciled with his brothers in Egypt:

- If Joseph was never sold as slave by his brothers to the Midianites, he would never have ended up in Egypt (Genesis 37:28)

- If Joseph never ended up in Egypt, he would never have been sold to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh (Genesis 39:1)

- If Joseph was never sold to Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife would never have falsely accused him of rape (Genesis 39:17)

- If Joseph was not falsely accused of rape, he would never have been put in prison (Genesis 39:20)

- If Joseph was never put in prison, he would never have interpreted the butler and baker’s dreams (Genesis 40:8)

- If Joseph never interpreted the butler and baker’s dreams, he would never have interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41:15)

- If Joseph never interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream, he would never have become prime minister, second in Egypt only to the Pharaoh (Genesis 41:40)

- If Joseph never became prime minister, he would never have wisely prepared for the severe famine to come (Genesis 41:48)

- If Joseph never wisely prepared for the severe famine, then his father and brothers in Canaan would never have come to Egypt and would have died in the severe famine (Genesis 41:57)

People of God, for each of us, we too have our unique situation on earth, and not necessarily be exactly like what Joseph had gone through. But whatever your unique situation may be, take heart in this message from the Lord today that He isn't dead, and He knows exactly how to turn things around for you, if you look to Him. Amen.

Prayer for you today:

"O Lord God, You are turning things around for Your beloved. You are turning the tide for Your beloved, no matter what they have gone through recently. Whatever man or the enemy meant evil or harm against Your beloved, You can turn it around for their good. 

Therefore right now, we look to You as our treasure. You are more than enough for us. We put You at the centre of our lives, and we put You first above all else. We draw near to You, and You will draw near to us. We know there's so much more that You want to show to us, as we look to You and put all our trust in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen."

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Why is giving thanks so important?

Ephesians 5:20 (NKJV) says, 'Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...' 

Some people may say, "What if I have no reason to give thanks?" It is understandable, especially in perilous and challenging times like these, or if a person is facing a health problem or financial problem. In situations like these, it is hard to give thanks. But what does the Bible say? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) says, 'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you'. 

Philippians 4:4-7 (NKJV) says, 'Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus'.

The word 'thanksgiving' here is 'eucharistia' in Greek, which means 'gratefulness/gratitude (as an act of worship, well-pleasing to God)', from the words 'eu' (well, good) and 'charis' (grace, favor, forgiveness). You see, your thanksgiving to God is in effect an act of worship, well-pleasing to God!

Therefore, never underestimate the power of giving thanks! Because when you start giving thanks (in spite of whatever you face in this world), something good happens, and you will see good changes in your life (even in your situation)! Believe and receive this by faith!

These are 5 ways (or reasons) why giving thanks is so important:

1. Giving thanks causes you to remember His goodness
Psalm 106:1 (NKJV) says, 'Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever'.

2. Giving thanks causes you to appreciate who God is in your life
Psalm 107:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy'.

3. Giving thanks causes you to experience God's presence in deeper ways
Psalm 100:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name'.

4. Giving thanks causes you to triumph over despair and discouragement
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place'.

5. Giving thanks causes you to be relieved from stress and health problems
Psalm 30:11-12 (NKJV) says, 'You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever'.

For details of this message, click here to listen to the preaching. 

Declaring and experiencing the goodness of God

The Lord says,
"Talk to My people about My goodness! Let them taste and see that I am good! Let this month be a month My people declare and experience more and more of My goodness!"

Wow! What a month we are entering into! A month to declare and experience more and more of God's goodness! Therefore, whatever 'ugliness' or 'pains' that had happened to you in the previous months, this is your time to be set free from these, and this is your time to walk into the realm of God's goodness!

To start off with, let's go to Psalm 23:6, and here, David wrote, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever'. The word 'goodness' here is 'towb' in Hebrew, and it means 'good (in the widest sense), good things, 
bountiful, beautiful, favor, kindness, pleasantness, sweetness, gladness'.

Another beautiful psalm that David wrote is Psalm 34. Here, he wrote about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good ('towb'). In other words, he was writing about experiencing the goodness of God in real ways! Let's read Psalm 34:8 now, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' Hallelujah!

Yet another beautiful psalm composed by David is Psalm 136, and here, he declared the goodness of God as first and foremost in his thanksgiving unto the Lord! Let's look at Psalm 136:1-5 now,
'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good ('towb')!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever.'

Notice in Psalm 136, David put the goodness of God at the very top, and only then he wrote about 'God of gods', 'Lord of lords', 'God who alone does great wonders', and 'God who by wisdom made the heavens'! You know what that means? David had this revelation that God is first and foremost good ('towb'), and only then God of gods, Lord of lords, God of signs and wonders, and even God of wisdom!

You see, the enemy will always try to downplay the goodness of God, and he will do whatever he can to stop you from seeing (and believing) the goodness of God in your life! Why? Because he knows how powerful God's people can be when they have this revelation of the goodness of God, like David did! The enemy certainly doesn't want to see many 'Davids' in this world, i.e. those who not only have the revelation that they are God's beloved, but the revelation that God is good in their lives! Yes, we must admit that David had his share of troubles in life too, but instead of wallowing in these, he chose to trust in God's goodness, as you can see from the psalms above! David went on to become the greatest king ever lived in the history of Israel, hands down!

People of God, what are the good things in your life (that you can give thanks for)?

Having a good family? Having good health? Having good friends? Having good career? Having financial freedom? Maybe one of these? Or there must be something good in your life that you can give thanks for at the moment!

Don't just look at the big (wow) things! How about those smaller things in life (that you can give thanks for)? 

Examples: Nice bed, nice pillow, nice bolster :) 

Remember, there are many people in this world who don't even have a good bed to sleep on. In other words, they are homeless and sleeping on the streets!

Why not ask God to show you the many other good things that you are currently tasting and seeing in life (no matter how small or insignificant you think these may be)? Why not begin to thank your way to more and more good things that are coming, instead of falling into the enemy's trap of blaming your way to more and more doom (and gloom) in your life?

To sum it up: Begin to give thanks to God for the smaller things in life, and bigger things will certainly come your way! Try it, and you'll surely be amazed how this works! David did, and you're next. Amen!

God is good to you in the widest sense!

Psalm 34:8 (NKJV): Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

The word 'good' in this verse is 'towb' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'beautiful, bountiful, cheerful, wellness (health), favor, kindness, grace, prosperity, wealth, welfare, pleasure, sweetness'. As you can see, this word 'towb' speaks of God's goodness for you in the widest sense! In other words, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good to you in the widest sense!'

Psalm 34:9-10 follows: 'Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing'. The word 'good' here is also translated as 'towb' in Hebrew. So, in other words, those who seek the Lord shall not lack any of God's goodness ('towb') in the widest sense. Hallelujah!

Note: 'To fear Him' in this context is 'to have a deep reverence and respect for Him, knowing that He is the One Great, 'All-possible', and Almighty God who loves and cares for you'. As a child of God, you can therefore put all your trust in Him when you look to Him and seek Him.

Let's go on a little further. Psalm 34:11-12 then says, 'Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?' Again, this word 'good' is also the same word 'towb'. You know what? Those who seek Him, listen to Him (as the sheep listens to the Shepherd's voice - John 10:27), and desire 'life' (He is the way, the truth, and the life) shall see His goodness ('towb') in the widest sense. In cross-reference, Psalm 91:16 says, 'With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation'.

Let's now move on to Psalm 23:1. It says, 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want'. While the young lions may still lack and suffer hunger (Psalm 34:10), those who look to Him and trust Him (as sheep to the Shepherd) 'shall not want', and of course, 'shall not be found wanting'!

As you look to Him as your Shepherd (YHWH Raah), Psalm 23 then ends with this promise: 'Surely goodness ('towb') and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life; and you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever' (see Psalm 23:6). Amazingly, the word 'follow' here in Hebrew actually means 'to run after, to chase, to pursue, or to hunt after'! So, I can paraphrase Psalm 23:6 this way: 'Surely His goodness ('towb') and mercy shall run after you, chase you, pursue you, and hunt after you all the days of your life'!

Just study the life of David and you'll see the evidence. Even at some of his lowest ebbs of his life, God's goodness still never failed to 'hunt after' him (wherever he escaped to) in spite of whatever Saul tried to do to him. From his very hiding in the Adullam cave (1 Samuel 22:1), he then raised up an army among the distressed, those who were in debt, and the bitter of soul (1 Samuel 22:2-5), and eventually went on to become the King of Judah! Note: 'Cave' here speaks of 'a refuge that was not to be, out in the cold', whereas 'Judah' speaks of 'celebration, praises, worship'.

People of God, whatever your situation may be at the moment, like David, you too are not meant to be in the 'cave' for long, but you are meant to be in 'the land of Judah'! 

Elsewhere in the Bible, the same word 'towb' is also mentioned in Exodus 33:18-19. Here, Moses said to the Lord, "Please, show me Your glory." The Lord then answered, "I will make all My goodness ('towb') pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you." Notice the word 'all' here? 

Do you see it clearer now? Indeed, God is good to you in the widest sense! And not just that, His goodness ('towb') also goes before you (Exodus 33:19) and after you (Psalm 23:6). Hallelujah! 

"But, pastor, this is too good to be true! You are just preaching a 'feel-good' message that sounds pleasing to the ear!" No, I'm just preaching the unadulterated Word of God, as it is. 

People of God, God's goodness begins with you seeking Him and trusting in Him, instead of men or organizations. In turbulent, uncertain, and changing times like this, believe that you can still 'taste and see' that the Lord is good to you (in the widest sense), because the truth is your God hasn't changed, and His Word for you hasn't changed either. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

So, let's take Him at His Word, and as it is, no matter what you see happening in the world today. Blessed are you indeed, because Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." Believing, you'll have it. Amen!