Words of Encouragement.

Today I read the book of Philippians and there were so many things that struck me.
Struck me because this was exactly what God wanted me to hear today.
Things that were so relevant to my life at this point.
There is something about His words that are irreplaceable. They provide healing and wisdom like no other words.

"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return." - Philippians 1:9-10.

This is my desire for everyone. My desire is for each and everyone of you to dive in deep with God. To want to know more about him and to keep growing in His ways and in His words. To walk closer to Him, hand in hand. Truth is that I've realized that sometimes in order to grow we need to be stripped away of everything else. Of things that may have meant a lot to us - friendships and relationships especially. But it's only because God wants all of us. He wants every crevace of our hearts. Every portion of our hearts. He wants us to focus our eyes on Him wholeheartedly.

"No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." - Philippians 3:13

It is so easy to focus on what was. How it was. How things were. How you were. What you did wrong. What others did wrong to you. But the past is the past. With God, it is always a new, clean slate. We need not to focus on our mistakes anymore but to look ahead towards the future. Towards a new version of you that has become righteous by His Grace. In His Grace alone are we made blameless again. EMBRACE GRACE. Let us not look back with regrets but see them as lessons that we can learn from. Lessons that we can carry on with us as we strive for the future. As we strive step by step with God by our side. Your mistakes will make you strong.

"But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." - Philippians 3:16

As God continues to take you forward into a new and deeper relationship with him, HOLD ON. Hold on so tight because you don't want to fall back into your old ways. Into the cycle of your old ways. A change has happened in your life... Hold onto this because the enemy will try to work triple time. Triple time to pull you back, usually using your heartstrings. Strip those things away and hold on to God.

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again --- rejoice!" - Philippians 4:4

No matter what situation you find yourself in --- good or bad, be thankful because God is taking you through it. There is always a reason as to why you find yourself in the situation that you are in.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

God wants you to communicate with him. He wants to hear your voice. He wants to speak to you and give you peace. Give you peace for your worries, give you peace in the midst of a broken heart and give you rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. He wants to protect you and guard you with this peace. Isn't this the greatest thing? God already knows what we need even before we ask.. He just wants us to ask. And think about how many blessings he wants to pour out... but he wants to hear our voices calling out to him. Our voices speaking with Him.

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

God is going to give you strength in those moments when you are the weakest. In those moments where you think you cannot get by, God is will you always. ALWAYS. With Him, nothing is impossible.

I hope & pray that for each and everyone of my brothers and sisters.... that they will grow in increasing amounts of faith because this is God's desire. His desire is to walk closely with Him... and my desire for all of your lives is to continually grow and trust in His ways. God is going to do great things where we are at. The enemy has been working overtime to try to make our foundation crumble... BUT, it's time to rebuild.

Let us start from our lives first. Let us rebuild and return back to the basics. And then, he will strengthen our friendships and relationships by rebuilding them on the solid foundation only found in HIM.

Halleluyarrrr.

- Signed, sealed and delivered...