It’s Time – Pinch of Positivity

Spending Time with God

CJ Montgomery — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 07:00:49 +0000

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-8
Key Verse: Matthew 6:6

We are living in an age where everything is fast-paced. Most of us desire high-speed phone service, internet, and even transportation. It is almost rare for us to slow down and just take time for things we enjoy or things that are important. One of those important things is spending time with God. As Christians, we need to devote time to talk and listen to God so that we can strengthen our relationship with Him. These few verses in Matthew 6 talk about the importance of a private prayer life. While the contents of a well-rounded prayer will be covered in a later series, this devotion is to help you to understand the importance of private time with God.

One of the first things God cautions us not to do in this passage is to pray just to be seen (v.5). There are some people who only talk to God when they are in the public eye. They never truly acknowledge His existence on a day to day in their personal lives. However, they find it convenient to put on an act in front of others. God is not shunning those who pray in public, but He is shunning those who don’t pray authentically in public. The only one who should get glory from prayers is God. While it may feel good to have people approve of your prayers, you should redirect the glory to God. Remind those applauding you that it was He who was giving you the words to say aloud at the moment. If you decide to take the credit then you have received your reward. Earthly rewards cannot compare to the blessings God originally had in store for your obedience.

God wants you to have a private place to pray and commune with Him (v.6). You should set aside time every day to disconnect from the world so that you can connect with God. This looks different for everyone. For me, it can either mean getting up before others in my home or dorm to study God’s word and pray to start my day or isolating myself in the middle of the day to listen to instrumental gospel music and just pray about things that are on my heart. In those moments, I feel like I can be true self and cry out to God in a way that I often don’t feel comfortable doing when others are around. This also helped me to grow in my faith because I didn’t feel like people were judging me for not understanding the Word and I had to truly listen to God for direction.

Some days in my alone time, I prayed longer than others. It wasn’t to ramble, but I had to give God my all. God lets us know that we don’t have to pray for long periods of time because He isn’t impressed by our words (v.7). He wants us to say what we feel and then move on so that He can respond and act accordingly (v.8). We shouldn’t rush these moments or oversimplify them, but we should pray authentically to give God our all and not just follow what a timer says. God hears all of our prayers equally. He doesn’t put one person’s prayer higher because they quote scripture or use big words. He just wants us to talk to Him. The fact that you initiated a conversation with your Father who has been waiting to hear your voice means so much to Him. You don’t have to worry about making mistakes or not sounding intelligent. You are His child, and He wants to hear from you. Before long, you will realize that He has given you the words to say and those moments will become embedded in your day to day routine. You may be riding alone in your car or walking into your job or classroom and a conversation with Him may begin. Embrace it! He is waiting for you.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me time. Thank you for every single second, minute, and hour of life that you have allowed me to experience. Right now, I want to apologize for not spending time with you. However, I want to thank you for being patient with me. Help me to give you more time. Allow me not to brag about it but give you the glory for my transition. I love you and praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trusting God’s Timing

CJ Montgomery — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 07:00:49 +0000

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11

Key Verse: Acts 1:7

The internet allows us to have the answer to so many questions. We can figure out where the best restaurants are located. We can self-diagnose with medical sites. We can even know the temperature in another country. However, the internet cannot tell us one thing– when our next blessing is coming. It cannot tell us how to get through our specific trial. And, it cannot tell us when Jesus is coming back. For these and many other situations, we have to trust God’s timing. The Bible tells us that He is all-powerful and all-knowing. And, as much as it may test our faith, we have to believe that He has everything under control.

When Jesus appeared to His people after the resurrection, He spoke about heaven and gave them specific instructions on what to do (v.1-5). However, they were not concerned about those instructions they wanted to know when their blessing was coming (v.6). It is truly amazing how selfish we can be as humans sometimes. God will often give us a clear task to complete and the only thing we can focus on is our gain in the end. Instead of just saying “okay God,” we want to know when our situation will be handled. I know that there have been several moments in my own life when I heard God give me clear directions on my next move, but, because the trial in front of me had consumed my mind, I couldn’t help but ask “why?’ In some cases, I would try to bargain with God and say, “God if you get me out of this situation, then I will do what you have asked me to do.” However, God wants us to be obedient and just follow directions.

God has set times for us to be blessed by His own authority (v.7). All the money and power on earth does not compare to the authority and dominion of God. He does what is best for us at all times. Unsurprisingly, it is usually in our obedience that our deliverance or blessing shows up. We have to be willing to let God have His way in our lives. Whether we realize it or not God’s will is going to be done even if we are not a part of it because He can always find another willing vessel to help in His mission, but He wants to use you. It benefits us to be on God’s side because the fight is already fixed for us to win. I realize that it may be difficult to just follow the voice of God because He is not here in the flesh. Nevertheless, His word assures us that He is coming back (v.11). We should be excited and ready for His return even though we don’t know when it will be.

In the meantime, we have to walk in our purpose and wait on our blessing. It’s sort of like a planned pregnancy. God has put a purpose in us, and the world keeps giving us due dates. Some of us may even feel like our purpose is long overdue. Nevertheless, we still prepare. We create space (get rid of things that will harm our purpose) and get others excited (share our testimony) for what is to come. Then when it is born, it will add to our lives, and we won’t be able to take credit for it because it will all have been done on God’s time. God wants you to trust His timing. He knows that you have felt trapped in this season for a long time, but your obedience is still required. He is still here for you. He has planted something in you that not even you will be ready for. Trust him today. Prayer: Lord, thank you for planning my life out for me. Thank you for blessing me and giving me purpose. Help me to be obedient. Help me to not question your timing for things in my life. I know that you have a plan for me. Help me to align myself with your will and be okay with what it says for my life. Lord, I thank you and praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Time on Earth

CJ Montgomery — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 07:00:46 +0000

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Key Verse: Matthew 28:19

When Jesus rose from the grave, he gave the disciples very clear instructions on what they should be doing. Since we are the disciples of today, we should be following these guidelines as well. I know most of us have been trying to figure out what our purpose is on this Earth for a while now. We’ve been in and out of college, changed jobs, had our hearts broken then found love, bought homes and cars, and even gotten the chance to travel to new destinations. Unsurprisingly, none of these things made us feel like we were walking in our purpose. Well today God has sent me to you to tell you to stop overthinking your purpose during your time on Earth

One of the first things you should be doing during your time on Earth is following God’s directions (v.16). I know it sounds simple, but many of us have not yet done this. So, we constantly feel like we are lost or are not where we should be in life. God has told us where we are supposed to be, but, because we don’t like that area of town or a person that works at that establishment, we avoid it like the plague. Well, it’s time to stop avoiding that place and it is time to just go so that you can be in a position to be blessed.

The next thing you should be doing while you are on Earth is worshipping God (v.17). This is another simple action. We should make worship a priority. Worship is not just singing a song or saying scripture that you have committed to memory. Nor is it your offering or your service at your place of worship. While these are all great things to do, worship is loving God so much that you submit yourself to Him and allow Him to guide every aspect of your life. It means crying out to Him and remembering that your human deeds cannot compare to His almighty power.

Once you have completed these two actions, then you can go make more disciples. We cannot encourage others to honor God’s authority until we honor God’s authority in our own lives (v.18). How would it look if someone told you to follow Christ, a sinless person, and all you do is engage in sinful activities? It would be hypocritical, and it is part of the reason that many people today avoid the church. This does not mean that you must be perfect to make disciples, but it does mean that you must be willing to be obedient and submit those imperfections to God during worship. Through your obedience, God will be able to use you as a willing vessel.

Now that you have your task, you must understand what it means to make disciples. The first step is baptism (v.19). Baptism is an outward expression of what God has done inside of you. This is why you often see people rededicate their lives through baptism when they’ve been away from the church for a while. It is a way of showing those around you that the old sinful life has been washed away and you are now a new creature. After baptism, you teach them all of God’s commands. Yes, you! Your reading of this devotion now means that you have good news that you can share. Besides, you aren’t going to be doing it alone. God is with you (v.20). It goes back to step one of how to spend your time on Earth…follow God’s directions. God wants you to help others gain a relationship with Him because He does not find joy in seeing people perish. In fact, the angels rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10).

So, do not be discouraged if you aren’t where you thought you would be on Earth. God has given you clear instructions, and, as long as you are obedient to His way, you will reap your reward in heaven.

Prayer: Heavenly Father thank you. Thank you for taking the time to leave me instructions after you rose from the grave. Thank you for giving me a purpose. Help me to follow your directions, worship you, and make disciples. Use me for your glory Lord. I love you and praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Time to Get Started

CJ Montgomery — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 07:00:40 +0000

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:8-14

Key Verse: Jeremiah 29:11

Isn’t it so interesting that every time we are about to take a risk and follow our dreams an obstacle comes out of nowhere? Our hearts and minds are fixed on that goal and then…BAM! God wants you to know that everything is going to be okay. Stop planning so much and trust Him to make everything fall into place. If He has given you vision, trust that it will come to fruition.

God knows that there will be people on Earth trying to speak over your life and telling you what you should do (v.9). The things they say will all sound really nice and achievable. They might even tell you that they heard it from God. In many cases, God has not sent these people. God will often send us a vision and then send a person to confirm what He has said. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in the right direction. We often consider the spirit of discernment a “gut feeling,” but it’s actually God saying, “Nah fam that’s not for you.” Listen to it! God will place you where you need to be. Now is time for you to start trusting that He will come through on His word.

Jeremiah 29:11 is quoted so often, but we need to really unpack what it says. The verse opens with “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord.” The verse does not say declares your mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, pastor, teacher, or even next-door neighbor. The verse says, “declares the Lord.” God wants you to know that it is completely logical that other people will not understand the plans that He has for your life because those plans are not for them. The plans are for you. The verse then continues by giving us the reassurance that the plans that God has for us won’t harm us. Let me help paint the picture. Selling drugs to make ends meet is not a part of God’s plan for your life. Remaining in the abusive relationship with your partner who claims to love you is not a part of God’s plan for your life. Burying your emotions by engaging in sex, overeating, and lying is not a part of God’s plan for your life. The plans are to prosper you, give you hope, and a future. The previously listed actions often don’t help you prosper because they leave you feeling weak. The previously listed actions often don’t give you hope because they confine you to a life of dependency. The previously listed actions often don’t give you a future because they often cause you to end up dead or it creates a cycle for the next generation to struggle with. But, if you lean on the Lord you will see that His plan is good.

Moreover, you can find peace in the fact that God doesn’t leave you once He gives you the plan. He wants you to call on Him so that He can listen to your concerns (v.12). He knows that starting a new plan can be scary, but He is with you always. When you fully commit to Him, you will find Him waiting with open arms to help you accomplish things your mind cannot fathom (v. 13). He wants to rescue you from those fake plans. He wants you to be able to go back to all the people that doubted you would ever be anything and show them how powerful He is (v.14). They will not understand how you made it out, which means that only God can get the credit. It’s time to get started, my friend. God has a plan for your life that He is waiting for you to accept. I don’t know what that plan is, but I know that it was perfectly designed just for you. No more listening to false prophets. Turn your attention to the one who knew you before you were conceived and get started.

Prayer: Lord, today, I want to thank you for being the creator of time. Thank you for being the creator of the plan for my life. Help me to turn away from plans that don’t align with your will for my life. I also ask that You comfort me in the transition. I need you Lord because I am willing and ready to get started. I want to thank you in advance for what is to come on this journey. In Jesus’ name, Amen.