Excel in your calling!

Excel in your calling!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 9:22
But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Discover your calling! Find out why you were created and excel in it. You have a place, you have a specific calling and you have grace to fulfill your race. Discover where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to do.

Paul increased all the more in strength, that means He became better and better in what Jesus called him to do. He always kept learning, kept developing, kept improving and kept growing. Whether you are called as a preacher, businessman, doctor or an athlete, seek to excel in your calling. Become the best in your work and let excellence be your trademark. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13‭-‬14, ...but one thing I  do,  forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Being laser focused on the one who called you and on your calling results in excellence. Giving up everything you got for the one who loves you and for your calling results in excellence. Anything less than excellence is unacceptable! Thank the Lord for the success He gave you so far, but don't stay there, keep moving, keep going higher and higher. Become better and better, keep learning and keep improving. Stay rooted and grounded in the word, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, praise God with every breath you have and walk in love. This is your time!

Are you still casting lots?

Are you still casting lots?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 1:26
And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and later hanged himself out of remorse. Peter and the remaining disciples cast their lots to decide on who will take the place of Judas. This was before the Holy Spirit came upon them. You don't see Peter doing this anymore, after He received the Holy Spirit.

The church doesn't run by casting lots. The church is not a democracy, it's a kingdom run by the King and His name is Jesus. Many believer are still casting lots, in other words they are looking outside for directions and decisions. This results is deception and total confusion. When the Holy Spirit comes in you, all the directions, answers and counsel that you will ever need in life is within you. We are not outside in people. We are inside out people. God lives in us. We don't run after the solar system, the stars, the moon or the sun to guide us. We don't let trees, animals and winds influence our decisions as to what is yes and what is no. We live a higher life! We don't need astrologers and other so called prophets to lead and direct us. We have the Holy Spirit in us. The Teacher, the Guide and the Helper lives on the inside of you. Stop looking outside, start looking inside!

Stay rooted and grounded on the word of God and speak in tongues as much as you can. By doing so, you will make yourself sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide you, He will lead you, teach you and help you make right decisions all the time. Stop casting lots! Look within! Christ in you, the hope of glory!

"I look within to the Holy Spirit who lives in me for directions and for wisdom. I am not led by physical, worldly things, worldly practices and circumstances but I am led by the Holy Spirit and I live a triumphant life. I am word based and Spirit led. I am child of God."

The power of forgiveness!

The power of forgiveness!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Matthew 18:21‭-‬22
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

A believer cannot afford to be in unforgiveness. Jesus commanded us to forgive, not seven times but four hundred and ninety times. This simply means Jesus is telling us, do not entertain unforgiveness under any condition. Be an all time forgiver!

Unforgiveness will block your faith, will hinder your prayers, will nullify your confessions and you won't be able to receive anything from God. Unforgiveness opens the door to Satanic oppression. Refuse to be in unforgiveness. Choose to forgive. Forgiveness is a decision, it's an act of the will. Forgive by faith. Forgive because God forgave you. Know this, we broke God's law and were His enemies by nature, condemned and under God's wrath. But God forgave us and wiped out our transgressions because of His great love and by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

God has forgiven us our iniquities even when we didn't deserve it. We forgive simply because God forgave us. It's easy for you to forgive when you know how much God has forgiven you, how much He loves you. The love of God has been poured out in your spirit by the Holy Spirit. You can forgive any one, anywhere, anytime for anything they do because God's love is in you. The only question is, Will you? Yes, I will because God forgave me and therefore I forgive! I am an all time forgiver! Jesus is my Lord!

Reap your harvest!

Reap your harvest!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Mark 4:26‭, ‬29
And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

There is no field more fertile and better than the kingdom of God for your investments. Jesus said in Mark 10. 29,30 - whoever sows into the kingdom of God for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel will reap a hundred fold in this time.

Sowing and reaping is our responsibility. Multiplying the seeds sown is God's responsibility. As kingdom citizens, the kingdom of God must be our priority. Notice, not just sowing, reaping is also your responsibility. Verse 29 says, But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. God is not going to reap the harvest for you. You have to reap the harvest. We are living in the last of the last days, the harvest is ready. Start reaping the moment you sow. These are supernatural days! The sickle is your mouth.

Speak the verses you are standing on and expect your harvest, your hundred fold with praise and thanskgiving. Speak! Use your authority in the name of Jesus - Release angels to bring your harvest and bind demonic spirits from hindering or blocking your harvest. Tithe consistently. Sow consistently. Reap consistently. Your harvest is ready! Enjoy the blessed life!

Sea walk!

Sea walk!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Matthew 14:24‭-‬25
But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

The disciples were in the boat and were having a difficult time because the wind was against them. They saw Jesus walking on the sea. Isn't it amazing to know that Jesus walked on the sea, the same sea that was causing problems to the disciples?  Problems for some, opportunities for another.

How is it that some people have dominion over their problems while others struggle with the same problems? Some walk over their problems while others are tossed and carried away by their problems. Jesus came to show us how to live and He said, 'the works that I do, you will do also but greater works than these you will do.' Every believer is supposed to have dominion in life - which includes walking over their problems. When you read further, you will see Peter walking on the sea. You see, Jesus greatly desires for you to walk in dominion.

Jesus told Peter, 'Come' and when Peter stepped out on His word, He could walk on water. Walking on the word is walking in dominion. Believe what the word says. Speak what the word says. Do what the word says. Know that you have authority in the name of Jesus. Know that the mighty Holy Spirit lives on the inside of you. Walk over your problems! Look to Jesus and walk on the word!  Heaven and earth will pass away but the word of God will never pass away. This is your time!

Run your race!

Run your race!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

You are in a race. A race to fulfil God's plan for your life. We have great examples of the heroes of old who completed their race in God and we can learn from their lives so we can finish our race with joy. Hebrews 11 talks about some of the faith champions.

In running your race, identify every weight that is and that could pull you down and lay it aside. This is serious business. There is nothing more important than fulfilling God's will for your life. Refuse to yield yourself to sin which ensnares us. Refuse to be distracted. Refuse the principles of the world. Refuse the temporary pleasures of sin. Refuse to be offended. Forgive freely. Forgive quickly. Forgive now. Shake off the distractions and keep running! Never give up. His grace is sufficient, His love is limitless and His mercy endures forever.

Run your race fixing your eyes on Jesus. Study His life, His focus, the opposition He faced and His response, the temptations He overcame, His patience and His victory. Study Jesus, look to Him and run for He is our strength, our hope and our victory. You will not grow weary, you won't faint but you will finish your course with joy. Jesus is Lord!

"I fix my eyes on Jesus and run my race with holiness, excellence and joy. Lord, help me identify every weight that hinders me so I can lay it aside and run for your glory. I am yours Lord and for you alone I live."

God swore by Himself!

God swore by Himself!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Hebrews 6:13‭-‬14
For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

God is a giver. Since the beginning of times, all He wants to do is bless His children beyond measure. To show Abraham the seriousness of His counsel to bless him, He swore by Himself.

Think about this, since there was no one greater to swear by, God swore by himself. Why would He do such a thing? This is God's love! How much He desires to bless you! How much He loves you! He added His oath to His word to let Abraham and his seed know that God wants to bless them beyond measure. With this, there is no question, no doubt remaining about God's willingness to bless us. It's sad, so many people see God as one who takes away and steals the blessings. No one has been more misunderstood than God.

For you, God didn't even spare His one and only begotten son, Jesus. God's desire to bless us and His love for us moved Him to send Jesus to die for us so that every one who believes in Jesus would become the seed of Abraham and therefore a recipient of all the blessings of God. In Christ, you are the seed of Abraham and you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. God always wants to give you more than what you ask, think or imagine. God is good. God is love. God is light. God is for you and God loves you. Jesus is Lord!

"God loves me and greatly desires to see me blessed in every area of my life. I receive the blessings of God and I walk in it. Jesus is my Lord and I am the seed of Abraham. My Father loves me as much as He loves Jesus."