If life has taken a major detour to an unwanted destination, I encourage you to open the “Owners Manual” God has given to you in His Word. You’ll find divine destiny that will straighten out your course and expand your horizon!

The Gospel comes in two forms: words and actions. I recall what Henry Ford, the great auto industrialist, said to the preacher after one Sunday morning at church. “Preacher, that was a great message, but if you worked for me I’d fire you.”  “Why??” the preacher asked.  Ford replied, “You prepared us all for action, but left us with nothing to do.”

Those who love God’s wisdom and consider it the principal thing will experience it as a river of blessing, a never-ending source of fulfillment.

How is wisdom transferred?

When David’s mighty warriors first joined him they were just a rebellious band of malcontents. After spending a few years with David, however, they were hailed as giant killers!

In every situation of sickness and disease we have three witnesses. One of those witnesses is the Word of God. God’s Word is the truth that He speaks about your situation.

The second witness is what your senses are telling you about the symptoms you’re experiencing.  The pain is “declaring” that the sickness and diseases are not healed, the symptoms are still present and that the Word of God is not true.

The third witness we have is the sick person. That sick one has the opportunity to place his or her testimony alongside the Word of God and refuse to take the testimony of the pain or the symptoms—declaring that “by the stripes of Jesus, I AM HEALED!”

on the day of salvation, I helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.”

When was that day of salvation? Not today, not tomorrow, but two thousand years ago He was nailed to that cross for you. What does that say for us? That that was the acceptable day of salvation. And that day of salvation has never ended, because it was a one-time sacrifice for all people, for all history, and for anyone who would call upon His name!

“…And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:22).

Jesus is saying that there is a force inside the heart. It is a force so powerful that even a natural obstacle as large as a mountain cannot withstand its power. This power is called heart-faith, and every day people are using it for either their benefit or their destruction.

Faith is as natural to the heart as air is to the lungs. Most people think it is something only for the super spiritual or saintly, but in reality all of us have it. Where we put it in action will determine our future outcome to our joy or dismay.

What counter-force will short circuit this power? Doubt. When doubt is operating in your heart then fears rise and sleep is lost. Nervousness, sickness and anger spring up, causing wrong decisions with bad consequences. Keep doubt out by using your words to keep your dreams alive!

The sweet life is simple when you’re sincere. It’s wonderful to be doing something today that I started doing 30 years ago, enjoying it more today than ever before. It’s a wonder to wake up every morning feeling like there is important work to be done on the earth, knowing every bit of your energy will be needed. You get cleaned up and ready to go for Big Kingdom Business every day.

God has done a marvelous thing for human beings! He has attached His eternal value to everything we do. We are not measured by others opinions of what we do…only by our attitude in a desire to please Him and serve others as we do it.

The top industrialist can carry this attitude as well as the most humble street cleaner. The most popular TV preacher can do it as well as the quiet country pastor who no one may know. When connected to deity, Jesus said even the giving of a glass of water is not unnoticed. That energizes me to think that everything counts. Jesus is not looking at what you have… but what you do with what you have.

Today as you start off with your first cup of coffee, don’t start complaining about what you don’t have. Don’t put off life until a future time when you look more blessed. Enjoy the moment! Make the most of it with a sincere joy in your heart that you have another day on earth to do good, knowing that it counts for eternity!

London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior. As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg made it clear that he planned to replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

“Forget about the repairs,” the buyer said. “When I buy this place, I’m going to build something completely different. I don’t want the building, I want the site.”

Compared with the renovation God has in mind for us, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we recognize that we are purchased by the blood of Christ, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17).

He makes all things new! All He needs is the site and the permission to build!

Deep in the quiet of the soul, when the sun sets over the last mountain range and the warmth of the day slowly dissipates into cool breezes that chill the sweat from your day’s labor, you hear His voice whisper “I WILL PROVIDE.”

At the end of the day, when the clamor of ideas has quieted and the energy of people’s interaction is spent, you stand alone with only your thoughts and the mission before you. It is in this moment you hear His voice, “I WILL PROVIDE.”

The “how” is in His Hands.

You wake up each morning like a diligent farmer ready to milk the cows, feed the chickens, and plow the fields. You do the natural, and let Him do the “super” so your life has a supernatural flavor to it. Paul’s conviction becomes your conviction when he says, “The Lord shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). You are resting with no evidence, no sign, and no prophetic word. Faith arises in your heart as sure as the sun comes up in the morning. All is well, “I WILL PROVIDE.”

Today you must find your place of rest in Him and in His Word. The days may change. Government may change. The economy may change. But you do not change, knowing that He said, “I WILL PROVIDE.”

Examine your life today. In what areas are you not hearing the Lord say, “I WILL PROVIDE”? Believe, and He will be faithful to His Word.

James is telling us to have a supernatural response when he writes, “My brethren, COUNT IT ALL JOY when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4  NKJV emphasis mine).

There is no joy in bills that are not paid.

There is no joy in supply lines that look cut.

There is no joy in sickness or pain shouting for attention.

This is when we COUNT IT ALL JOY. We decide to give a different response than the natural mind wants to give. We decide to laugh when others cry, to sing when others moan, and to expect good things when others just see dark clouds ahead. What can produce this type of response?

You know something the world does not know. You know that God is greater than the fallen, broken world. You know that God is good and a friend to those in time of need. You know that you have a name above every name that heaven responds to. You know that you have a destiny on earth to fulfill and a place far greater you are going to. You know you have a promise recorded in a book for all to see that guarantees God’s presence in your life and a witness within you that He truly does live in you.

You have a supernatural experience called the new birth when your sin nature was removed and God’s very Spirit and nature was given you. This happened when you decided to believe what He had said concerning His son Jesus. This miracle was just the beginning of a miracle lifestyle based on His Word, His sacrifice, His plan, His presence, His power, and your decisions.

This is how you can COUNT IT ALL JOY when you face the fallen world full of defeat, destruction, and despair!