There is no question that the enemy is not happy about this simple but profound message from the Lord.

After I finished typing the words given to me. . .I was about to depress the save button when the entire teaching disappeared.  That has never happened to me before … so I know that we’re about to create some turbulence in the heavenlies and the enemy is not happy that one of his favorite tactics is about to be exposed.

Here’s what the Lord directed me to tell you. . .

The Lord wanted you to know that. . .

"Anything that can get you down is above you."

He said, "Tell my children that. . .

". . .if debt can get them down, it's above them.

". . .if lack can get them down, it's above them.

". . .if sickness can get them down, it's above them.

". . .if lack of a proper job or position can get them down, it's above them.

". . .if addiction to anything can get them down, it's above them.

". . .if rebellious children can get them down, they're above them.

". . .if the lack of customers or clients in their business is getting them down, it's above them.

". . .if what's happening politically in this country and around the world is getting them down, it's above them.

". . .if an unfaithful spouse can get them down, then the problem is above them.

This morning, I felt the Lord directing me to encourage you in your struggles. It was like He said to tell you that you may be down, but take heart . . . encourage yourself in His Word.

Are you feeling down or out? Well… get ready cause You’re Coming Up.

My fine wife, Bev, and I understand being down. We’ve been there several times. Working together like we do, we’ve both lost our jobs at the same time . . . more than once! We could have been down for the count . . . BUT God.

That’s right, no matter how far you’ve been down or what evil has come against you . . .God is well able to bring you up and out.

Proverbs 24: 15,16 in the Message Bible warns anyone who comes against His own:

“Don't interfere with good people's lives; don't try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.”

When it seems there is no hope. . .He is your hope.

Fortunately, that’s all you need.

Psalm 31:24 in the King James Version says:

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

Nothing just happens automatically.

No vision. . .no matter how divinely inspired is self-fulfilling.

No calling. . .no matter how needed is ever fulfilled on its own.

No goal. . .no matter how excellent is ever accomplished without effort.

Every purpose birthed in the heart of man will require specific steps of faith and action.

It’s one thing to talk about being successful or even becoming a millionaire but it is entirely another thing to take the steps necessary to achieve the position God envisions for you in His Word and in the world.

To improve your position in life. . .to increase your possibilities for success. . .you must rely upon the Word of God and demonstrate a willingness to implement certain Biblical strategies.

Proverbs 24:3-4 in The Living Bible says:

Have you ever had someone say. . . “I’ve been thinking about you.”

While we assume those thoughts are good. . .we have no idea what they’re thinking or how long they even thought about us.

There is a pick-up line that single men sometimes use on single women. It goes like this.

“Girl, I’m so tired. . .because you’ve been running through my mind all day.”

By the way ladies, if a man ever uses that line on you. . .be flattered but quickly ask him. . .if he has a job. . .does he have a five-year plan for the future. . .if he doesn’t answer “yes” to both those questions. . .leave him in the rearview mirror of your life.

On a spiritual level. . .God does bring people to our minds. . .people he wants us to pray for.

In this teaching, I want to talk about someone who thinks about you 24/7.

1 Peter 5:7 in The Living Bible says:

One of the biggest reasons many Christians don’t enter into the fullness of God’s Word is that they read the Word of God as a spectator.

It is no doubt a fascinating collection of people, stories, miracles and events. . .but it’s much more. It is alive and interactive when we apply it to our lives.

In reading a red-letter edition of the Bible you will find that Jesus asked over 173 questions during His earthly ministry. While I found the number of questions Jesus asked interesting. . .I found why He asked them. . .profound.

God asked questions. . .because He wanted His listeners to think. . .it facilitates the learning process in each of us.

As I was studying this a few days ago, my fine wife, Bev and I agreed to reduce the number of questions to seven. . .for the purpose of this teaching. Seven. . .do you find that an interesting number?

Number one…what do you think?

Without a doubt. . .one of the best learning methods is to ask questions. After all, this technique was utilized by the greatest teacher of all. . .our Lord and Savior.

There are at least four recorded instances where He said to His disciples “what do you think?” He also asked “how think ye”, “won’t he” as well as other word choices to involve the disciples in the parable and to provoke their thinking.

2 Peter 3:9 says:

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

As I was reading this verse. . .God stirred in me to make a statement and then ask you and me a question. . .which He wants us to ponder before we answer.

First, here’s the statement. . .God is not slack concerning His promises and neither should we be.

Second, here’s the question? Are we spiritual slackers?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines slacker as:

“Moving slowly; sluggish; lacking in activity; not busy.”

When it comes to activating and appropriating His promises into our daily life. . .God does not want us moving slowly. A lack of spiritual activity on our behalf will most certainly be a subject of conversation on Judgment Day.

Did you know that the way we perceive God can keep us from knowing the truth about Him? It’s true.

Your perception of a person, even if it is wrong, will keep you from seeing him or her as they really are. That is the reason I make this statement:

You will have the God you perceive.

I encourage you to write down those seven words and get them engrafted into your spirit.

You will have the God you perceive.

Understand this is true in all aspects, however, since we teach finances, we will approach the financial side.

If you perceive Him as a poor God, you will always think He is trying to get money from you. But when you understand He is a rich God, you will realize His principles are designed to get money to you.

Your perception of God and His relationship to your financial status will cause you to see Him in one of two ways: He will be either Jehovah Needy or Jehovah Jireh.

According to the Bible, God is Jehovah Jireh and is ready and able to prosper and abundantly bless you beyond all you can imagine or think.

He is not Jehovah Needy, standing with His hand out trying to get all you have for his own selfish need.

Are you at a turning point in your life?

Do you need to change from living in lack to walking in abundance?

Do you need to experience the healing touch of Jehovah Rapha?

Do you need to see your long-lost family members born-again and proclaiming Jesus as the Lord of their lives?

Is your spirit ready to embrace a turning point moment?

1 Thessalonians 1:9 in The Living Bible says:

“For they keep telling us about the wonderful welcome you gave us, and how you turned away from your idols to God so that now the living and true God only is your Master.”

People who experience turning points do so for typically two reasons. They become inspired to change … or the more common, they experience a life-changing circumstance (loss of a job) or a catastrophic event (divorce, health challenge etc.) that forces them to change.

Reaching a turning point in our lives. . .normally involves three things.

First, a message we’ve heard. . .that provoked our thinking.

For sports fans this is an exciting time of the year.

The high school, college and professional football seasons are getting underway.

Major league baseball is just a month or so away from the World Series which I hope the New York Yankees win. Of course, that’s my personal preference.

When we think of champions. . .we think of those who win sports titles. . .either as a team or through individual efforts.

It is not easy to become a champion. . .it takes determination. . .practice. . .exercise. . . discipline and, yes. . .commitment to never give up, give in, back up, back down, sit down, quit or walk away until victory is achieved.

God has given each of us the heart of a champion far beyond the field of athletic endeavor. Much like most earthly fathers who want their children to be champions in whatever they undertake. . .our Heavenly Father desires for you and I. . .His children to win in the game of life.

By the way, if you didn’t have an earthly father to root you on for whatever reason … you do have a heavenly Father who is in your corner during every bout. He wants you to come out swinging to put every obstacle in your rear view mirror and excel in life.

The old saying that it’s darkest before the dawn is certainly true in a natural sense. It’s pitch black outside as I was led to Matthew 13:23. . .it’s not a subject that I’d planned to write about. After all, this particular scripture is quoted by every preacher/teacher who ever taught about sowing, reaping and the hundredfold.

But God gave me a different approach to the verse. . .He wanted me to write about the seven keys to a Matthew 13:23 and your hundredfold harvest.

Matthew 13:23 says:

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

1.         Where does the seed you sow come from?

In the parable of the sower there are three verses (Matthew 13:19,22,23) where we’re told that the sower received seed.

The question is where did the sower receive seed from?

2 Corinthians 9:10 in the Amplified Bible gives us this answer:

“And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [ which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity].”

God provides seed to the sower.