1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

In the Scripture, it wasn't fair for David to be put down by his family, but that didn't stop him from taking the throne. It wasn't fair for Joseph to be betrayed, sold into slavery, lied about, and put in prison. That didn't stop him from becoming the prime minister of Egypt. It wasn't fair for Moses to be born under a death threat and taken away from his family at an early age, but that didn't stop him from delivering the Israelites. 

Who says life has to be fair for us to fulfill our destiny? Too often we believe the lies that we've had too many bad breaks and too much unfairness to ever do anything great. It doesn't have to be fair for God to do something awesome. In fact, when it's not fair and life has tried to stop you, you need to give thanks, because God is about to show out the most. No bad break, no injustice, no disappointment, and no person can cancel God's plan for your life.

Father, thank You that You are able to take the most unfair circumstances and turn them around. Thank You that You are with me even through the hurts, the questions, and the disappointments. Help me learn to be thankful in every situation and keep moving ahead in Your plan. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

Genesis 50:20, NLT
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Joseph went through thirteen years of betrayal, slavery, false accusations, and imprisonment. He had many reasons to become bitter, but you never read that Joseph had a bad attitude. He understood the principle that everything he was experiencing was serving God's plan, including the bad breaks and unfair things. After Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream and was made prime minister of Egypt, he even declared that the very harm his brothers meant for him was instrumental and necessary to getting him to the throne and his destiny of saving their lives. 

Are you upset about something that's actually serving His plan? God will use people who are against you to move you into your purpose. God uses the bad breaks, the delays, the setbacks, and the injustices to move you into your destiny. The things you don't like, and the things that are taking longer than you thought, are serving His plan. Keep reminding yourself that it's not working against you, it's working for you. It will lead you to new levels.

Father, thank You that what so often looks and feels like trouble is really Your hand moving me toward Your purpose. Thank You that it's going to lead me into a new level of my destiny that I could never experience without it. I believe it's working for me, not against me. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(Hebrews 10:30, TLB)

For we know him who said, “Justice belongs to me; I will repay them.”

God has seen every unfair thing you’ve gone through, every person who did you wrong, every tear, every lonely night. He’s your heavenly Father, and He knows how to pay you back for what’s unfair. You don’t have to live worried because God is going
to make up for the wrongs that were done.

The prophet Isaiah says that when God pays you back, “He will give you a twofold
recompense.” That means God will pay you back double. In the Scripture, it wasn’t a coincidence that after all the heartache and pain that Job went through, he came out with double what he had before the testing of his faith. When you’re in an unfair situation, instead of getting sour, have a new perspective—that just qualified you for double. They meant it to harm you, but God is going to use it to promote you. When He pays you back, you’re going to come out loaded down with blessings.

“Father, thank You that You are still on the throne, and You are my vindicator. Thank You that You can bring me out of difficulties better off that I was before they showed
up. I believe that You are going to exceed my expectations and amaze me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” 

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(James 1:17, ESV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

It’s easy to look to people or to our job as our source. Yes, God uses people, jobs, and
contracts, but they are not the Source. They are simply resources that the Source uses. If you’re seeing anything or anyone other than God as your source, when something happens to that something or someone, you’ll think, “What am I going to do? My source has been cut off.” No, the Source is just fine. God is still on the throne. That good gift may come through people, but it came from your heavenly Father. Your salary or contract may come through a connection, but it came from God. 

That’s why you don’t have to play up to people at work or compromise to get a good break. You’re not at the mercy of the economy, or who likes you, or what your boss
does. People are not your provider; God is your provider. God has all kinds of
resources He can use.

“Father, thank You that You are my Source. You are constantly working, constantly showing me Your goodness with every good gift that comes into my life. I want to live
today with an attitude of thankfulness and gratefulness. I will not take Your goodness for granted. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(Luke 17:1, HCSB)

He said to His disciples, “Offenses will certainly come.”

Jesus didn’t say that offenses might come to us. He didn’t say that if you’re kind, if you pray and quote the Scriptures, you’ll be exempt from grumpy people and people who
cut you off in traffic. He said offenses will certainly come. You will have opportunities on a regular basis to get upset, to argue, to become offended and bitter, and to try to pay people back. That word “offense” comes from a Greek word that means “to bait,” referring to the bait that’s used to lure animals into a trap. When you’re tempted to be offended, when someone is critical, rude, condescending, or says something derogatory to you, recognize that the enemy is trying to deceive you into his trap. He’s saying, “Come on, get upset. Argue with them and tell them off.” Instead of letting it upset you, say, “No, thanks. I’m not taking the bait. This is just a distraction. I’m going to enjoy this day and keep my peace.”

“Father, thank You that I can guard my heart and keep it free from all the negative things that try to bait me to let them enter in. I declare that I will not allow offenses to get inside and make me upset and bitter. I declare that I’m not taking the bait, and I’m keeping my peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

Ruth 1:20–21, NIV

Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.

After Naomi first lost her husband in death and then her two married sons, she was so
discouraged that she tried to change her name from Naomi, which means "my
joy," to Mara, which means "bitter." She was telling people, "I'm bitter. I'm broken. My dreams are shattered. Just let me live in my pain." Sure, she had suffered through deep losses, but that didn't mean God was finished with her. God ultimately turned her circumstances around, and she went on to see her best days. 

Have you changed your name, so to speak, to Mara? Are you living bitter and negative, thinking and rethinking about everything that didn't work out? What you've gone through may have been difficult and painful, but God knows how to bring good out of it. Do yourself a favor and go back to being who God created you to be. God didn't
change your name. He still calls you blessed, prosperous, favored, healthy,
strong, and victorious. Go back to your original name.

Father, thank You for promising me grace for every season, and You won't allow me to go through more than what I can handle. Thank You that You will bring good out of
the unfair things that I've gone through. I will not change my name from what
You call me. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(1 Kings 20:28, NIV)

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and  you will know that I am the LORD.’”

The Israelites defeated the army of King Ben-Hadad on the top of a mountain. One of his assistants said to him, “Their gods are the gods of the hills. That’s why they
were stronger than us. If we fight them in the valleys, we will certainly
defeat them.” So Ben-Hadad attacked the Israelites in the valley. God said to
the Israelites, “They think I’m just the God of the mountains and not the
valleys. I will help you defeat them to show them that I am the God of both.”

When we’re on mountain, getting good breaks and life is good, we know God is with us. But sometimes when we’re in the valley, we think, “God, where are You? Why is this happening to me?” Be encouraged. Our God is also the God of the valleys. David
says, “He’s a very present help in times of trouble.” When you’re in the valley, God is right there with you, a very present help.

“Father, thank You that You are God of both my mountains and my valleys. Thank You that when I am in the valleys, You will show out that You are my Lord. I believe and
declare that You are my very present help in any time of trouble. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.”

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(Genesis 30:27 28, NKJV)

And Laban said to him, Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake. Then he said, Name me your wages, and I will give it.

For many years Jacob worked for his father-in-law, Laban, who lied to him, cheated him, and treated him unfairly. Jacob could have walked away in anger, but he took the high road and kept being his best, and Laban's livestock increased abundantly because of the favor on Jacob's life. But when Jacob finally decided to leave, Laban begged him to stay, offering him whatever wages he wanted. You may have people who haven't kept their word to you. They don't value who you are. Don't be offended. Be a Jacob and keep doing the right thing. They may discount you now, but there will come a time when they recognize they are blessed because of you, and they'll do anything to keep you. When Jacob left, he was not only a very wealthy man, but he left with the respect and the honor that he wasn't given for many years. God is your vindicator. If you stay on the high road, He'll make it up to you.

“Father, thank You that You see everything that has happened to me. Thank You that I can let go of every unfair thing and forgive quickly before bitterness can come in. I declare that You are my vindicator, and You will make my wrongs right. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(1 Peter 5:7, TLB)

“...Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you...”

Worry is a thief that steals your joy, your energy, and your sleep at night. You don’t make good decisions when you’re worried. You weren’t created to be constantly worried about your health, upset about your job, or stressed out over a friend who had been rude. Your mind needs a break. You weren’t designed to carry all that load. You have to turn your cares over to God.

David had all kinds of opposition and enemies coming against him. He could have lived upset and worried, but he understood this principle: “The Lord is my shepherd. He leads me to restful waters.” David was saying, “The way I keep my sanity and protect my peace on a regular basis is to go down to the still waters. I empty out all the worry and anxiety.” He let his mind rest. It can be chaotic all around you—traffic, people, problems, drama—but on the inside, in your spirit, you’re at rest.

“Father, thank You that You are my good shepherd who leads me to restful waters. I turn my cares over to You, knowing I can’t carry this load on my own, but You can and will on my behalf. I declare that I am resting in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company

(Revelation 12:10, NLT)
“For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.”

Some people will try to define you by your mistakes. They’ll stick labels on you, reminding you of the times you failed, the times you compromised, the times you didn’t measure up. When you go through one bad season, don’t be surprised if people say, “God’s not going to bless you. You gave into temptation. You’re divorced. Your business failed.”

Don’t let people label you. They can’t stop what God has ordained for your life. The only person who can stop you is you. If you believe the lies from the accuser of the brethren, that will keep you from your destiny. You may have failed, but you’re not a failure. That was a moment in your life, that was one season, and it doesn’t determine your future. You can’t stop others from putting a negative label on you, but you can take it right off. “I’m not defined by my mistakes. I’m defined by what God says about me. I am forgiven. I am redeemed. My failures are in my yesterday.”

“Father, thank You that there are no negative labels that can stick to those who are in Christ Jesus, and that includes me. Thank You that I am not defined by my mistakes and failures, but I am defined by what You say about me. I am forgiven and redeemed and free from condemnation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” Gud 

Send us a text

Pastor Ricardo and Nuvia McCalla and company