“I will never forget years ago, as I was reading a book, that one thing stood out to me: the man said if you want to preach, then preach to yourself. Amen. And I thought, yes, so true, because how many of you know that everyone wants to preach something to everyone else except themselves? Amen. We always preach and judge, and in turn, we are not to be judging anyone (Matthew 7:1-3). Not ever. But again, we live in this world, and it’s hard at times not to judge or pass an opinion, because that is what we do, and very fast at that. Amen.

But back to the preaching to yourself thing. I thought, well, that is really smart, to say the least, because God and His relationship with us all is a personal one. Amen. He speaks to us in that still, small voice. Amen. Telling us what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t be doing. Amen. In those moments, the choice lies in our hands as to what we choose to do. Amen. So for me, it’s like in those moments of the Lord speaking to us, it is also the moment that we need to be preaching to ourselves, because the word of God, when it’s in you, springs up in those moments of life where we are being tempted and tried, as the Bible says, by fire (1 Peter 1:7). At times, it does feel like fire. Amen. But when we rise up and begin to preach to ourselves, declaring God’s word over us, and over our choices and decisions that we are about to make, that is how we win. That is how we grow personally with Christ. Amen.

Because we all want to move forward in life, and we all want to grow. Amen. And be all that we should. But when we are obedient and follow through with the word over us and our lives, and we choose to turn away and not continue doing the things in life that we already know God doesn’t want us to be doing, then we move forward. We grow. Because it isn’t about people and what we try to show them, it’s about the Lord and what He alone knows of us. Amen. When we are listening to Him, because He needs to know we will hear and listen, and more than that, obey Him, then He opens up another door (Revelation 3:8). Another level, if you must. Amen. And we go to the next phase of our lives with Him. Amen.

So again, preach to yourself. Speak God’s word over you and your life. Listen to the word and what it says, not what the world says, because the world is full of lies and deceit. But God and His foundation are true blue. It is living and breathing. Praise the Lord. So hear it and follow through. Be obedient to the Lord, moving in His grace for you and your life, hearing His voice and obeying it always. Even if everyone else is doing whatever, you choose to be what God wants. You choose to be the one that continues on, even if you are the only one. Amen. You continue to follow the path, walking hand in hand with our Father. Praise the Lord. Because what God needs from you is for a reason. You have been equipped and you have been called, and His anointing is on you and your life (Luke 4:18). But you must hear and listen, follow through, and walk that narrow pathway (Matthew 7:13-14). For the word says that when we are obedient, we will eat the fruit of the land (Isaiah 1:19-20). Amen. So rise up and preach that word to yourself. Speak to yourself, and claim and declare it all for you and your life. Amen. Be the best that you can for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. For it is in His name, Jesus’ name, that I do ask and pray. Amen and Amen.

Be blessed today, my dear sweet friends, and remember wherever you go and whatever you do, be a light for our Father. Much love to you all, Mandi