Forward by Faith

Ex 14:15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

There are times in our life when things come along and cause us to stand still rather than moving forward. In today’s passage the Lord told Moses to stop praying and get moving. Prayer has a vital place in our lives. But there is also a place of action. Sometimes we know what to do, but we pray for more guidance as an excuse to post pone doing it. If we know what we should do, then it is time to get moving and move forward by Faith.

The Word of God is filled with people that came from different backgrounds, training, personalities and ways in which they served God. But they had one thing in common: They all believed God’s promises and did what He told them to do. They were men and women of faith, and God honored them because they believed His Word. God has not changed, and the principle of faith has not changed.

What seems to have changed is the attitude of some of God’s people: Some no longer believe God and act by faith in His promises. God’s promises never fail, but we can fail to live by the grace of God and not enter into all that he has promised for us. God has “brought us out that He might bring us in” but too often we fail to enter in because of unbelief. (Heb 3:19).

Living faith always leads to action. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” ~ James 2:26

It is impossible to live by faith and ignore the Word of God and prayer. “Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper (2 Chron 2:20, NKJV). There has not failed one word of all His good promise.

The Australian coat of arms pictures two creatures; the emu, a flightless bird, and the kangaroo. The animals were chosen because they share a characteristic that appealed to the Australian citizens. Both the emu and kangaroo can move only forward, not back. The emu’s three-toed foot causes it to fall if it tries to go backwards, and the kangaroo is prevented from moving in reverse by its large tail.


Today, you may be feeling like you are in a helpless situation, not able to move forward because of fear. There may be a desperate cry from your heart due to your present circumstances. God is not a temporary retreat. He is our eternal refuge and can provide strength for any circumstances. His power is complete; and victory is certain. He will not fail to rescue those who love him.


It has been well said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence. Three essential for moving ahead by faith and claiming all that he has for us: The Word of Faith, The Walk of Faith, and The Witness of Faith. What lies ahead of us is far greater than what lies behind us. Go forward. God Loves You and So do I…….Pastor Tammy

A Good Friend

 Prov 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

To find a good friend you must first show yourself to be friendly. A life without friends is a life less than God intended for us. Since we are created in His image, we must make and maintain friendships. Loneliness is rampant. Many people today feel cut off and alienated from others. There are times of being in a crowd that just makes people more aware of their isolation. People need friends who will stick close, listen, care and offer help when it is needed in good times and bad. It is better to have one such friend than a dozen superficial acquaintances. Friends are precious and few. The only way to have a friend is to be one." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The first time we see friendship in action is in the book of Genesis. God created Adam and saw that it was not good that man should be alone, so he brought Eve to Adam. God had fellowship with Adam and Eve. This is a good illustration early on of true friendship. We can find true friendship affords us comfort even in our times of trouble. Even when Adam and Eve sinned and were disobedient in the Garden of Eden, God still demonstrated his love to them and set a plan in motion to redeem them to himself.

Friends share good things with each other. Good friends are warm and stable. Good friends will resolve their conflicts by forgiving and getting forgiveness. Good friends admit wrongs, apologize for being wrong, and forgive wrongs. Good friendship is also sacrificial. Friends will sacrifice for each other because they love each other. We are to love one another as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. Good friends:

• Good friends listen to one another

• Good friends are approachable

• Good friends are dependable

• Good friends are trustworthy

• Good friends care about one another

Part of being a good friend is being willing to listen rather than just talk. This takes time and effort but if you can make time just to listen to others and respect what they have to say, then it's a sign of a good friend. Can your friends approach you? Are you willing to make yourself available on short notice? When the going gets tough can your friends depend on you? If a friend tells you something personal can we be counted on to keep their confidence? Or do you go and tell everyone at the first opportunity? People need to know that they can trust a friend with important information. A good friend is both trustworthy and reliable. A good friend avoids speaking badly about others or spreading rumors in order to hurt them? Do you defend friends when you hear others gossiping about them? The sign of a good friendship is when you can be totally honest with the other person, without them being offended because they know you have their best interests at heart.

In the words of a well known hymn “What a friend we have in Jesus” - All our sins and grief’s to bear, and what a privilege to carry everything to God in Prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share, Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in Prayer. This Easter season Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends." He gave his life; it was not taken from him! After his death and his burial, Jesus rose from the grave. What a friend we have in Jesus. To the world you may be just one person; but to one person you might be the world ~ Brandi Snyder. God loves you and so do I…. Pastor Tammy

If you cant trace His Hand; just trust His Heart

I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." GOD's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you.(Jeremiah 29:10b-14-the msg)

Why is trusting God so difficult at times? The bible tells us to Trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding. (Prov 3:5) Still, most of us have difficulty trusting God at least at one point or another in our walk with Him. There are many reasons why we find trusting God difficult.

There are times in our life when things will happen and we wonder where is God? Does he not know or understand what is happening to us? As a pastor, I have experienced a mother whose only child was murdered. There was yet another family whose only child was about to be taken away from them because they had no place to stay. Both families found it difficult to trust God in their hour of greatest darkness. I remember standing outside of the location where the mother’s son was killed and we were praying to God. Our prayer was simple, God, we do not understand why you allowed this to happen, But we trust you. We know that you are too wise to make a mistake. You see we could not trace his hand in these events, but we trusted his heart.

Many of us want life to make sense. The truth is there will be times in your life when life makes no sense at all! How can a parent who has done all the right things still have a child who turns to drugs? What about the person who has dedicated 20 years to a company and one day unexpectedly this job is gone?

God works on a different timetable than our minds comprehend. Many of us want what we want, when we want it and most of the time that is NOW! It is difficult to trust in a plan that requires us to surrender all control. In order to trust in God, you must totally surrender your will, your ideas, your desires, and your future in to God's hands. If you don't believe that God loves you fully and really does have your best interests at heart and desires the very best for you, trusting Him is going to be extremely difficult. God is calling us to believe what seems impossible. Ask him to help you believe.

Most of us have a tendency to claim trust in God. However, at the first sign of any difficulty or trial, we think that God must not love us because He is allowing this difficulty to happen. The trial is exactly what God is using to test the level of trust that we have in Him. This is not for His benefit but for ours. This is to show us the true accuracy of our trust meter. Things are always the most difficult when we can't see the other side of our troubles

I received an email from a friend which simply said: "I will handle all your problems today. God" And here are a few reminders that if you can’t trace his hand, just trust His heart:

• Believe in God.

• Believe in God's abilities.

• Believe in God's willingness to help you through a tough time

• Believe God can and will work things out for good

The Scripture reminds us that God will show up and take care of us. He has a plan for our lives, plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, to give you the future you hope for. God encourages us to call on him and when we pray he will listen. When we come looking for Him, he promises we will find Him and we will not be disappointed. “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. (1 Chronicles 28:20). If you can’t trace his hand; just trust his heart. God Loves You and so do I……Pastor Tammy

Letting Go Of Things

Phil 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

You have too much stuff! Why don’t you get rid of some of these things? That was the words of one of my sisters to my mother who was in the midst of moving. In all honesty, my mom had accumulated a lot of things over the years. Some things were out dated; others she no longer used but held on to them anyway. In any event, my mother was not willing to let go of her “things”

We find the Apostle Paul focusing on an absolute willingness to let go of some things. He discarded his heritage, lineage, former legalism, past zeal and his self righteousness. Paul so narrowed his focus that he discarded not only the things he once counted for gain; but he counted everything as garbage for the sake of obtaining Christ.

Letting go is one of the hardest lessons in life. In life, there are many things that we need to let go of. We have to let go of situations, things, memories, and even ourselves. It's easy to form an attachment to people and things. When you've formed an attachment to people and things, it can be a very painful experience and feeling when you realized that it's time to let go. Even the mere thought of not having that person or thing in your life just squeezes your heart in pain.

However, there are times where you or that person has changed to the extent that it's necessary to let go of the relationship or friendship, so that each of you can fulfill your life path. Letting go of your past and memories are also extremely hard. Even though old memories can be tormenting, yet you might hold on to the past and refuse to move forward. However, by refusing to let go of the painful past, it'll serve as a roadblock to love.

Letting go of your old self and the process of letting the new you emerge can be one of the scariest experiences in your life. But by leaving behind your old self and taking a leap of faith into the unknown, it might just reveal what you are truly capable of becoming.

Ephesians 4:22-23 says: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Paul tells the Ephesians to leave behind the old life of sin now that they are followers of Christ. The Christian life is a process. Although we have a new nature, we don’t automatically have all good thoughts and attitudes when we become new people in Christ. Phil 4:13 says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Today, if you find it difficult to let some things go, you might not be able to do it in your own strength, but the word states we can do all things through Christ. We can be content in all circumstances no matter how severe they are through Christ; but we cannot be content in any circumstance apart from Christ.

My mother eventually agreed with my sister and threw a lot of things away. In doing so she found that some of the things she initially thought she could not live without; really did not matter after all. Today, I encourage you to let go of all bitterness, anger, resentment, evil speaking and un-forgiveness.

Prayer: Dear Lord: Today, help me to let go and let God. Amen….. God Loves You and so do I…. Pastor Tammy

Keep Your Head Up

Ps 30:5 weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Being a Christian does not mean a life without sorrow or troubles. There are many things that cause us to weep. It does not mean that expression of sorrow is a sign of weakness. The man or woman of strong faith will experience sorrow. Each of us will have a night time experience. But joy comes in the morning.

Eccl 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. Darkness is a convenient environment for wickedness and it is a period where weeping and grumbling takes place. Night of darkness represents weeping. The morning represents joy.

Whatever your situation might be today, know that it will not go on forever. What is it that causes you distress and grief? What brings you mental anguish and pain? What is it that keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep? The text says: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Many of us have suffered with one disappointment after another. Many families are being torn apart by “moral failure”, loss of employment and income. Some have lost family members due to death. Someone may be weeping over a broken or lost relationship. I lost a family member just this past week. Losing a loved one is never easy.

Godly sorrow heals, but unnatural sorrow makes the wounds deeper and fills the heart with pain. Natural sorrow gradually helps us put life back together again, but unnatural sorrow tears things apart, and keeps them that way. When you sorrow in a natural way, you learn to face and accept reality; but unnatural sorrow isolates you from reality and makes it difficult for you to adjust to the demands of life. True sorrow enables us to experience the comfort of God; but unnatural sorrow blinds us to God’s comfort and seems to give us, instead, the condemnation of God: there is a growing feeling of guilt instead of an experience of grace.

Jesus is the strongest Man who ever walked on this earth, and He wept openly! It's ok to cry. It's ok to cry over our own pain and it is ok to cry over the pain of others. Jesus openly wept when he met Mary & Martha shortly after Lazarus died. First, there was His great sense of compassion. He hurt to see others hurt. His emotions were pushed to the limit by witnessing the sorrow of Mary. Those with compassion are able to "weep with them that weep" and all Christians ought to have this ability (Romans 12:15).

Jesus tells us in St. John 16:22 that the joy he gives no man can take it from us. David uses the night to show us that our weeping is temporary, the night isn’t going to last. As you face the pains and heartaches and mistreatments of life, it is only by complete confidence in the goodness and plan of God that you can overcome. The things that could destroy you can become building blocks on the journey of faith as you look for the hand of God in all circumstances of life. Keep your head up. 1 John 5:4 - "This is the victory that has overcome the world our faith" …..God Loves You and so do I….Pastor Tammy

Does Anybody Really Care?

Neh 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

“Ask me if I care!” The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that’s the essence of inhumanity.” George Bernard Shaw put those words into the mouth of the Rev. Anthony Anderson in the second act of his play The Devil’s Disciple.

Nehemiah was the kind of person who cared. He cared about the traditions of the past and the needs of the present. He cared about the hopes for the future. He cared about his heritage, his ancestral city, and the glory of his God.

Nehemiah broke down and cried when he heard that Jerusalem walls still had not been rebuilt. Why did this upset him? Walls mean little in most present day cities, but in Nehemiah’s day they were essential. Nehemiah was deeply grieved about the condition of Jerusalem. After his grief he poured out his heart to God and looked for ways to improve the situation.

Fast forwarding to the events of our time, prior to the 7.0 Earthquake that struck Haiti; not much attention was given to Haiti. Haiti is one of poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Eighty percent of residents live in poverty, according to the CIA World Fact Book. Thousand of people have been killed and countless buildings crushed in Haiti. Haiti earthquake was so dangerous because the medical infrastructure was already almost nonexistent in Haiti. Aid workers are facing countless critical medical needs for the millions, who have been affected by the widespread destruction, said by officials. Deadly diseases develop in a few days without access to clean water or sanitation.

Like large doors, great life-changing events can swing on very small hinges. Some people prefer not to know what’s going on, because information might bring obligation. “What you don’t know can’t hurt you,” says the old adage; but is it true? In a letter to a Mrs. Foote, Mark Twain wrote, “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.” But what we don’t know could hurt us a great deal! “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” Closing our eyes and ears to the truth could be the first step toward tragedy for us as well as for others.

Nehemiah revealed a caring attitude in four different ways.


1. He cared enough to ask


2. He cared enough to weep


3. He cared enough to pray


4. He cared enough to volunteer

There has been a great outpouring from many countries, celebrities and everyday people to support Haiti during this time of adversity. Like Nehemiah let us care enough to ask what can I do, weep with those who are weeping, pray for those who are experiencing difficulty and volunteer to help where we can.

When God puts a burden on your heart, don’t try to escape it; for if you do, you may miss the blessing He has planned for you. If God is going to answer prayer, He must start by working in the one doing the praying! He works in us and through us to help us see our prayers answered.

God is still looking for people who care, people like Nehemiah, who cared enough to ask for the facts, weep over the needs, pray for God’s help, and then volunteer to get the job done. “Here am I, Lord—send me!” ~ God Loves you and so do I…… Pastor Tammy

The Greatest Christmas Gift

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


The greatest gift on Christmas Day does not come in a box, it comes from the heart. This gift can transcend even death. Sometimes this gift might not cost you much at all and at other times it might cost you everything. While we know that we should give this gift to all there are some that make giving this gift difficult at times. This gift is Love. Instead of spending money we don’t have; to please people who could care less; why not give the gift of love this holiday season.


Love expresses itself in many forms. 1 Corinthians 13 describes love this way; Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,


Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.


Love is a very powerful force. Jesus came to this earth because the Father has love for each of us in his heart. The word of God declares we are his workmanship. God loves us. We did not earn it. We cannot lose it. And there is nothing we can do to stop him from continuing to love us. The scripture tells us that God so loved this world that he gave. He is our primary example of what love is. He gave his all, he gave HIS son.


I leave you with these parting thoughts found in the lyrics of a song performed by The Temptations: Give Love on Christmas Day ~ “People making list, buying special gifts, Its time to be kind to one and all, Its that time of year when special friends are so dear, And you wish you could give more than just presents from a store, Why don’t you give love on Christmas Day”….. God Loves you and so do I…. Pastor Tammy

Finishing Your Course With Joy

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Single-mindedness is a quality needed by anyone who wishes to do God’s work. Today I began reflecting on how much passion, enthusiasm and energy I had when I first began my Christian race in 1986. It took me some time to realize that God has a unique plan and purpose for all our lives. And that each of us must step up to life with purpose, and vision to fulfill these God given tasks.

Our purpose and life is directly linked to our relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You cannot and will not find your purpose outside of a life committed to Christ. When we make a commitment we become single minded in our focus to that commitment. Whether it’s in marriage, our families, employment or a quest for a healthier lifestyle, we have a single focus.

The Apostle Paul was a man totally devoted to Christ through all situations, seasons, and circumstances. His life reveals his commitment to serving the Lord. He served with humility, with tears and with many trials. I can identify with the apostle Paul; there have been times, when I have had to serve in humility. I wanted to say some things that may have been considered unkind or not “Christian”, but I held my peace. There were other times when I served with tears and great opposition.

Early in my walk with Christ, I went through a period where people tried to make me doubt my identity. I was told many reasons why women could not and should not be a pastor. Being a babe in Christ, I took those issues to the Lord in prayer. And one day the Holy Spirit revealed a passage of scripture to me Gal 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” That forever settled in my heart any concerns I may have had.

Life has not been easy and will at times throw you a curve, storms will come and strong winds may blow, but each of us must decide how we will finish our course. We can live a life full of anger, bitterness, unforgiveness and regret or we can finish our course with Joy. Real joy comes when we are not so consumed with ourselves, but when we can make a difference in the lives of others.

Paul did not count his life dear unto himself. His life was not for him to use and do as he pleased, not for earthly comfort or pleasure. His life was for Christ. His life was a precious and valuable possession of the Lord. Ps 17:8 “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” Each of us is as the apple of God’s eye and like Paul we have to make the decision to consecrate and dedicate our lives back to the One who gave us life in the first place.

Paul finished his course and ministry not because he had to, but because he chose to. And he did so with joy. Ralph Sockman says “Love is the outreach of self towards completion”. Finish your course with joy. God Loves you and so do I….Pastor Tammy

Enough is Enough

Numbers 11: 15 “If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I've seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here." (The Message Bible)

I have seen enough; I’ve had enough. These were the words of Moses, a man chosen by God to lead the children of Isreal out of the land of Egypt. This statement is made after hearing one complaint after another from the people. The people complained about their misfortunes and how life was so hard for them. In other words, they complained about their problems instead of praying to God about them. They complained about the lack of meat or the things that they did not have. We can all find things to complain about; let’s try and find some things to be thankful about.

Moses was a very meek man. The word meekness means strength that is under control. But sometimes, even the strongest person gets weak. After hearing the people continually complaining and whining, it began to affect Moses. Moses went to God and asked him why was he treating him this way? What did he do to deserve this? Why was all this responsibility on his shoulders? He began to rehearse to God what the people were saying to him. Finally, he said I can’t do this by myself, it is too much.

Perhaps today you may be feeling like Moses. You want to know what did you do to deserve what has happened? And where is God in the midst of all this adversity? God is always with us, his goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. Ultimately, we must all come to the conclusion that Moses did; I can’t do this by myself; it is too much. We need the Lord’s help to make it through each and every day. With the changes in our economy, the job loss, the stress in marriages and just the financial strain alone you may want to throw in the towel. You might even be saying enough is enough, but don’t quit.

When we complain to one another nothing is accomplished. But when we take our concerns, our dreams and desires to the Lord much can happen. Ps 62:8- Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (niv) I want to encourage you today, to pour out your hearts before God.

Prayer can release our tensions in times of emotional stress. When we trust God to be our rock, salvation and defense it changes our entire outlook on life. Prayer will change things. True relief does not come when the problem is resolved because more problems are on the way. True relief comes from an enduring hope in God’s ultimate salvation.

Prayer: Lord I do not understand why you have allowed this trouble to beset me. I have exhausted all my possibilities for changing my situation and circumstances and found that I am powerless to change them. All things are not possible with man, but all things are possible with you. In the face of discouragement, disappointment and anger I choose to believe your word, that if God is for me who can be against me. It is with patient endurance, steady and active persistence that I run the race, the appointed course that is set before me. I know that if you bring me to it, you can bring me through it. I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. In Jesus name, AMEN…… God Loves you and so do I….. Pastor Tammy

Stay Focused

Ps 108:1- O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

What is your focus today? Are you willing to focus your thoughts and energies on God’s blessings and upon His will for your life? Or will you turn your thoughts to other things? As I arose this morning, I found a lot of distractions bidding for my attention. There are times before we can get out of bed; our minds are racing with all the things that we need to do or get done for the day.

Too often, we allow the worries of everyday life to overwhelm our thoughts and cloud our vision. What we need is a clearer perspective, a renewed faith, and a different focus.

I woke up thinking about my mother who has some very serious health issues that she is facing. My heart was heavy, because I knew in the natural there is not much I can do to help her. I begin to pray for her and in the midst of the prayer another situation arose that wanted my attention and begin to take my thoughts in a different direction. I finally sat down in a quiet place so I could focus.

Life will try to toss us to and fro, but we must fix our hearts today on God. This is not an option! I could not imagine living my life without God. I don’t expect him to make everything easy for me. And I do know that he will be there as I go through difficult times. He said in his word, I will never leave you or forsake you and I stand on that promise. God created us in His own image, and He wants us to experience joy and abundance. But, God will not force His joy upon you; you must claim it for yourself. You have to decide if the Joy of the Lord will be your strength today. When we focus on the frustrations of today or the uncertainties of tomorrow, we rob ourselves of peace in the present moment. But, when we focus on possibilities instead of roadblocks, our worries no longer bully us.

Ps 57:7- My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

To help me stay focused, I begin listening to some uplifting music and just begin to sing and give praise. As I began to do this my thoughts begin to change. My focus begins to change. The condition of your character is determined, to a surprising extent, by the direction of your thoughts. If you focus your thoughts and energies on positive matters your spirit begins to lift. But if you focus too intently on the distractions and temptations of our 21st-century world, you’re inviting problems.

Ps 112:7- He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

It is not difficult to look around our world and see that things are changing everyday. And a lot of the change is not good. A bank in Germany has declared by the year 2011 the houses in the U.S. will be worth half of what we owe on them. With all the layoffs, unemployment, foreclosures and a host of other woes, we have to remain focused on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Lord himself told us in John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Make up in your mind today that you are going to be of good cheer and stay focused. Our attitude makes all the difference. God Loves You and so do I…. Pastor Tammy

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

When the going gets tough, the tough get going !!!

Are you facing a tough situation? There is a word of encouragement for you today. We will look into the lives of 3 mighty men found in 2 Samuel 23: 8-12 and let us gain some perspective into the challenges and battles faced and how each of them responded.

The first mighty man, Adino, slew 800 men at one time with a spear. This tells me that there will be challenges that we will face in life that we may be able to deal with at once and defeat them. The Hebrew translation for Adino’s name means to be sharp or strong.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Sometimes you have to make up in your mind that you are going to have what God says you can have and you will not be intimidated because of the size or the number of the opponent. We no longer wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. One of the main attacks by the enemy is against the mind. If he can get you to think the situation is bigger than you are, he is hoping that you will back off, and not pursue your dreams and goals because the obstacles seem bigger than we are. But I have good news. We serve a God who is all powerful. He speaks and sets things in motion. He requires that we have faith and believe that With God all things are possible. So if you have a dream, a vision, a ministry, a work a goal you would like to accomplish in this life; remember With God, not without him, but with God all things are possible. We must make up in our minds that we will put on the whole armor of God and be prepared to fight if the Lord instructs us to do so. And if you are going to fight, then fight with all your might.

The second mighty man, is Eleazar. He is found fighting until he was so weary and his hand stuck to the sword. There are some fights in life that will make us become weary. But you cannot put down your sword. We must continue fighting and continue steadfast in the Word of God. Then the people came back and begin taking the spoils. You have to understand that some people are not going to stand with you as you are in the fight, but they will show up when the dust settles to collect the spoils. They show up when you no longer need any help.

The third mighty man is Shammah. Shammah came upon a piece of ground full of lentils. And the Philistines also came upon this same piece of ground. The people fled from the area, but Shammah stood in the midst of the ground defended the land. And the Lord was with him and he had a great victory. In each of these examples the Lord is the one who gives the victory.

Sometimes we have to fight for what you believe in even if you have to stand by yourself. Don’t look for everyone to stand with you or even be in agreement with your cause or your fight. Sometimes we spend too much time asking other people what they think instead of moving forward in the things of God. I am not saying that you should not listen to others; there is safety in the multitude of counselors, however sometimes we become too dependent upon what people say instead of what the Lord says. Be strong in the Lord and the Power of His Might. God Loves you and so do I……. Pastor Tammy