THIS FAR IS GOD

It is the mercy of God that has brought you this far.
From the first month of this year to this moment is the grace of God.
God owes no one, but all owe the perfect God.
He is a caring Creator.
Psalm 150:6 admonishes all, “Let everything that has breath
praise the Lord.”
Indeed, everyone standing this far should praise God at every moment, not only at the breath of life.
Praising and thanking God will provoke a favorable lifting from God.
God deserves praising and thanking Him.
God is a jealous God whose attention is the antidote to jealousy.
God wants all to seek Him diligently.
One who seeks God diligently will find God.
One who does not seek God diligently will not find God.
Proverbs 7:15 encourages, “So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you.”
It is the love of God that you are alive at this time of the year.
John 3:16-17 testifies to the love of God for all, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” 
The point is that God invested so much in all while all extends so little to Him. 
All year long to the moment standing, the Lord God bestows upon you, how much have you extended to Him?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 records, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…”  
At this time of the year, let the desire to live more for the glory God become of you. 
Allow your expectations to change from material gain to walking in the ways of God. 
Deuteronomy 5:33 states, “You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.” 
Walk more in the ways of God, seeking God first. 
Seeking God will no doubt fulfill every one of your desires as the year runs into the coming year.
Live to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:33-34) 
A better way to seek God is by praising and thanking God.
Make the moment to be of praising and thanking God.
Maintain what His word says to attain His promises.
In the word of Moses to the children of Israel, there is a testimony of the loving care for His children.
The loving care for His children states, “The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.” (Deuteronomy 1:30-33) 
God, the unchanging changer, remains consistent with His love for His creation. 
The same way God cares in the Bible days is still the same today. 
The book of John 3:16 also testifies to His love, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 
Indeed, there is nothing a father needs to do for the salvation of his children that God has yet to do. 
God is a good and caring God.
When was the last time you acknowledged the consistent love of God for you? 
Are you serving and walking in the word of God inconsistently? 
Despite the inconsistency before God, God continues to be consistent in His mercy. 
If you will take a moment, ask for His forgiveness; thank Him for His unswerving patience in listening and forgiving all your shortcomings and wicked ways. 
God is worthy of all honor and adoration. 
Seeking God at a convenient time is not seeking Him consistently. 
Ask God for intervention in every area of your life that does not glorify His name.
Ask for the mercy of God not to miss out on His promise for your life. 
This far to be alive is God.

WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE

The desire for wisdom, understanding, and knowledge will increase living for the glory of God.
God delivers His own when called on, and He acknowledges.
The children of Israel, in time of their challenge, cried out to God. 
God looked upon them.
Exodus 2:25, “And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them…”
In this challenging time, one that calls on Him, that looks upon Him shall experience the move of God, answering His people.
Instability is the core of the challenges of today.
However, call upon God to experience stability, not to be a victim of the challenges.
Isaiah 33:6 says, “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.”
God treasures it when living by the fear of God is the character of one with wisdom and knowledge.
It is wisdom, understanding, and knowledge that are not separated, being possessed, that will enable one not to live unstable in the challenges of instability.
Are you one with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that is rooted in the word of God?
ALWAYS ASK FOR WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE
Three things not to stop asking from God are wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.
WISDOM is the instruction of God. 
1 Corinthians 1:30 records wisdom, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God…”
UNDERSTANDING is giving attention that is listening to the word of God.
KNOWLEDGE is the application of wisdom. 
Knowledge is having wisdom, then with an understanding of having the edge in life endeavors. 
Are you a believer in having or not having wisdom, understanding, and knowledge not to perish, a life of waste?
Hosea 4:6 clearly states, “My people perish because they lack knowledge.”
Wisdom and understanding are the evidence of knowledge.
Pages of the Bible emphasize wisdom and understanding as the key to having a knowing edge.
For example, Proverbs 4 records the importance of wisdom and understanding.
PROVERBS 4:1 “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.”
PROVERBS 4:5, “Get wisdom! Get understanding!”
PROVERBS 4:7, ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
The wisdom of God is in place for one who will give self to gain the understanding for the application of knowledge. 
However, many do not understand the word (wisdom) of God.
A lack of understanding is a listening disability.
Jesus points it out in John 8:43 when He asked and answered rhetorically, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.”
Understanding is crucial to living as a believer, not just knowing about answering as a believer.
In this challenging world, one who does not have the wisdom (word) of God and does not have the understanding to navigate knowing God is able in all areas of life is bound to perish.
John 8:45 records the word of Jesus, “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.”
All should consciously strive to grow as believers to gain wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, not to perish as having a life of waste.
In the place of wisdom and not to have a knowing, lack of understanding is the issue. 
One with wisdom will have the understanding to live a life of knowing edge.
THE WORD OF GOD IS A SECRET NOT A STORY
Lack of understanding is engaging the word of God as a story instead of the word of God as a secret.
No one engages the word of God as a story to become exposed to the power of God.
Psalm 91:1 points to the word of God as the secret, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
For example, knowing the killing of Goliath by David as a story and not knowing the secret David demonstrated will not be exposed to the secret of killing giants that militates against one.
David went against Goliath against the discouragement of King Saul, requesting David be young and not with war experience as a soldier to fight Goliath.
The understanding of the secret for David to go against Goliath was rooted in his testimony of being able to kill both a lion and a bear. 
Above all, the secret of David was in his word to excel God, “Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (1Samuel 17: 45)
In his testimony, he claimed victory in striking and taking off the head of Goliath for the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
Understanding the secret in the word of God is to gain a knowing edge to the glory of God.
With understanding is to keep focus on God alone.

LIVE LIFE TO GAIN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

The documentation of the life of Joseph is an example of gaining the presence of God.
The word of God is God, the presence of God.
What is it so challenging denying one not to know to give self to the word of God, the presence of God?
One that gives self to the word of God to live by the word of God is in the presence of God.
Joseph gave himself to the word of God when he did condone no bad as he reported to his father. Joseph gained the attention of God. (Genesis 37:1-2)
He gains the presence of God.
Genesis 39:2 records, “The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man…”
Evil plans against Joseph failed, and he was successful.
One living the word of God will gain the presence of God and cannot be presentable as a victim of evil plans.
The idea to kill Joseph by his brothers failed, and all the evil plans could not stand.
His brothers attempted to discolor him. 
The pit of lack could not hold him down.
Genesis 37:23-24 records the evil plan of his brothers, “So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.”
The presence of God was with Joseph, and the evil plan against him failed.
Out of wickedness, the brothers of Joseph sold him as a slave.
Genesis 37:27-28 records evil towards Joseph, “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.”
The presence of God could not depart from Joseph.
In Egypt, Joseph, a slave, became the prime minister of the land.
Joseph had the presence of God because he lived by the word of God.
Pray that you will be able to live by the word of God to gain and retain the presence of God.
The documentation of the disobedience of Jonah is an example of failure to gain and retain the presence of God.
The word of God is God. (John 1:1)
The entrance of the word of God is obedience for the obedient to carry the presence of God.
A failure to obey is an absence from the presence of God.
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. (Jonah 1:3)
To be careless with the word of God is reckless to become wrecked in the life journey.
Disobedience to the word of God shall set one for self-destruction.
Jonah placed himself in the position of untimely death, but the mercy of God delivered him.
The disobedience of Jonah is the evidence not to allow the entrance of the word of God, holding against the word into the heart.
What is holding you not to open for the entrance of Jesus, the word of God to occupy you?
Revelation 3:20 records Jesus wanting to gain entrance to occupy all that will open for Him, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Ask God that you will live obediently to His word for His presence to gain and occupy your life.
Ask not to live carelessly with the word of God that promotes a reckless life that wrecks the life journey.
Jonah placed himself in the position of untimely death, but the mercy of God delivered him. Ask for the mercy of God for your deliverance from any place of destruction you have engaged.
What is holding you not to open for the entrance of Jesus, the word of God to occupy you? Ask against whatever is one shutting down shall not have a place over your life.
Unlike the documentation of Joseph and Jonah, failure to gain the presence of God, one that is tied down physically or spiritually, is possible for such not to gain the presence of God in life.
The donkey and the Colt tied down could not carry the presence of God until the word of Jesus released them for Jesus to enable the donkey to engage the presence of God.
When Jesus and His disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples in Matthew 21:1-3, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
Ask against whatever is holding you from gaining the presence of God, and begin to lose its grip over your life.
Ask that any force physically or spiritually with an attempt to deny your availability for the word of God to occupy you, to gain the presence of God, shall become permanently terminated.

LIVE BY THE WORD OF GOD

Luke 17:15-16 documents that God awaits the offering thanks for His doing that is of His goodness.
Luke 17:15-16 records, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
God awaits the return of the heart one with thanks.
Psalm 150:6 states, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” The word of God demands praising God at breath, meaning every moment.
From the beginning of the year to the present moment, calls for meaningful thanks to God.
This moment, return to express praiseful thanks to God.
Give God a heartful thanks.
What is not of God following one consciously or unconsciously, with an attempt to deny one not living for God? 
The Spirit of anger followed Moses despite the calling of God upon his life.
The Spirit of anger could not excuse Moses to answer fully to the calling of God.
Moses killed an Egyptian to run away from the place of his birth.
At a time of the need for water, God commanded Moses to speak to the rock for water to the Israelites.
Moses obeyed the command of God, but with anger, he spoke to the people and struck the rock twice. 
Anger followed Moses to take over him in his answer to the calling of God.
Numbers 20:12 records the response of God to Moses, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
PRAYER
Ask that whatever it is following you, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, be permanently shattered and not have a place or accessibility in your life anymore.
Ask that whatever is not of God that you carry that is not of God be permanently terminated in the name of Jesus.
Ask against the impact over you from parents or grandparents to be separated from you forever in the name of Jesus. 
Whatever follows one, can be what one carries or is impactation.
The word of God will deliver from what is not of God in the life of anyone living by the word of God.
Living in disobedience to the word of God is evidence of departing from the presence of God.
Jonah 1:1-3 records, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”
The word of God is God, and none should walk outside of His presence.
Hebrews 3:12 states, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”
It is evil, unbelief to depart from the word of God and not be living for Him.
Ask that the mercy of God answer for you not to depart from the word of God, not to become a victim of having an evil heart.
The word of God is God, His presence.
Psalm 138:2 mentions that the word of God is above all His name.
Live by the word of God to experience the presence of God.
What is to experience by the word of God? 
Jeremiah 23:29 records, “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
Ask that the fire nature of the word of God burn off all that is not of God physically, spiritually, and emotionally in your life.
Ask that the natural hammer of the word of God break down and flat all that is standing against your life, denying you to move forward to the center divine assignment of your life.
Hebrews 11:29 states, “For our God is a consuming fire.”
What is it about the word of God?
Psalm 107:20 records, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
PRAYER
Ask that the word of God locate you, answering for deliverance from every form of destruction, not to become a victim of destruction in the name of Jesus. 
The word of God will gain entrance.
Psalm 119:130 states, “The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.”
PRAYER
Ask that the word of God gain entrance into your life, exposing every activity of darkness mounting around you or working against you become exposed as a failure.
From this moment, live by the word of God to be set in the right place and not in the wrong place at the right time.
Ask for the word of God to occupy you to live for the glory of God.

BE CONFIDENT IN THE WORD OF GOD

Have confidence in God alone.
What kind of a believer are you?
Live life by the word of God to claim His promise.
The believers quote or talk more of the word of God than walking by the word of God.
Abraham walked by the word of God to claim the blessings of God.
He directed his servant, “…The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way…” (Genesis 24:40) 
Take note, claiming the blessings of God is not by quoting the word of God, not living in the church, but living by the conditions in the word of God.
Abraham lived by the conditions in the word of God.
Are you walking by the WORLD or walking by the word of God?
Pray to live life by the word of God.
In praying, ask from God, not in doubt.
God as a jealous God is the evidence that He is a caring Father.
God is caring and approachable by questioning Him with faith but not with doubtful questions.
Moses, at his waiting on God, questioned God with faith: “…show me now Your way, that I may know You…” (Exodus 33:13) 
Knowing God is personalizing God as a father who cares to act for one who waits on Him.
God responds to Moses, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
Do you know God or know about Him?
It is not enough to know God by mouth but by the heart.
Seek God diligently, and live life for God to find Him.
God alone brought you this far.
The goodness and mercy of God have brought you this far. 
In challenging times, keep to the word of God (walking along with God).
Having patience rooted in faith should be the vehicle.
Challenging is troubling and should not prompt one to rely on anyone but God.
Proverbs 25:19 warns, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.”
Have confidence in God alone.
Trust and hope for the mercy of God to see you through this time, living life for the glory of God.
Meditate prayerfully that this month shall be for continual reliance on God in all endeavors. 
Relying on God provokes victory of God.
Relying on God is waiting on God.
There is no shame in waiting on God.
God acts for the one who waits for Him. (Isaiah 64:4)
Gain the attention of God by waiting on Him.
Psalm 25:3 states, “Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed…”  
Waiting on God endures a period of not knowing how long to get an answer from God. 
Waiting on God cannot be a waste of time. 
God will answer with yes, wait, or no.
In a time of waiting, among what to exercise as a believer are:
Be courageous; trust and hope; rest in the Lord; be patient for Him; do not fret; keep His way; let your soul wait silently.
Ask to be enabled to live by the word of God, waiting on God alone, which is the way not to be a victim of challenges.
One with wisdom and understanding shall have a knowing edge not to live a life of waste.
The challenge is inevitable, but one with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge shall be stable in the instability of the world.
Isaiah 33:6 testifies, “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times and the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.”
Do you know or know about having wisdom, understanding, and knowledge? 
Knowing wisdom is knowing security and the peace of God. 
1 Corinthians 1:30 records, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”  
With wisdom, fear not the challenging of time, evidence of one that fears God.
Know that: 
God is a good God.
God is a perfect God.
God creates all to live for His glory. (Revelation 4:11)
The goodness and mercy of God, His love for all, sent His beloved son.
The word of God states, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Luke 9:5)
God owes no one, but all owe God by living life by His word.
In His love, He commands all to hear Him.
To hear Him is in hearing and hearing Him the source of having faith.
Remember, faith comes by hearing and hearing.
All owe God to live life for God, not a life of waste that misses heaven.
Ask that God uphold you not to live a life of waste but to live for His glory.