Miracle Mindset

 In this week's message, Pastor Steve Smotherman of Legacy Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, breaks down the difference between true justice and the false narrative of politically driven social justice. God alone can determine what is right and what is wrong, what is just or unjust.

 From Pastor Steve Smothermon Think about the Pledge of Allegiance, especially where it says, One nation under God. A beacon of light: Scripture teaches in Amos 3:3 How can two walk together unless they be agreed? God brought people from every nation of the world to make and create America — a place that would be a beacon of light to the world that God is real and that He sent Jesus to save us; a light that other nations would envy; a light that when a nation honors God, He will cause it, them to prosper; a nation like no other nation; one nation under God; “one nation.”

JUST A THOUGHT FROM PASTOR STEVE Contending for the Faith We must all contend for the faith, defend the faith (Jude 3-4). If we don’t, we will lose the freedom to worship our God the way He desires to be worshipped.

  True Freedom  Jesus said in John 8:32 NLT — And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. This is an incredible promise, especially if you need healing —whether the difficulty is an injury, illness, a financial hardship, a troubled relationship, or anything else.

Not My Will, But Thine When someone surrenders to someone or something, it means they have ceased resisting an enemy or opponent and have submitted to their authority. That is what God requires of us.

You may have heard the phrase, “hurting people hurt people.” There is so much brokenness in this world, and so many hurting people today. It is well known that those who have been emotionally damaged tend to inflict their hurt on others. People who have suffered abuse, at times, become abusers themselves. Those who have suffered under an alcoholic parent often cause their future family to suffer because they become alcoholics.

Fear can cause us to do and think the craziest stuff. It can cause us to doubt God and ourselves, to think the worst instead of the best, to see only the negative instead of what is going on in our lives that is positive, and to be overly hard on ourselves.

Designed by God Psalm 139 is a profound reminder of God's intimate knowledge and omnipresence in our lives. The psalm opens with a declaration of God's deep knowledge of the individual: "O Lord, you have searched me and known me." This knowledge is not just superficial awareness, but a profound, penetrating understanding of all our ways. The psalmist acknowledges that before a word is on our tongues, God knows it completely. This reveals a God who is not distant or disinterested but is deeply engaged with the intricacies of our lives, understanding our thoughts and actions better than we understand them ourselves.

Most of us carry a picture in our minds of how life is supposed to go. You try to make good decisions. You follow God. You try to live right. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you assume life will move forward in a predictable direction. You think, if I obey God, things will make sense. But sometimes life goes off script. The plan falls apart. The future you imagined disappears.

Sometimes God's answers don't arrive the way we imagine they should. We expect the obvious solution, the dramatic moment, or the strong and visible leader. But throughout Scripture, God often works through the unlikely and the overlooked so that His power is unmistakable. When the answer comes from a place no one expected, it reminds us that the victory didn't come from human strength but from God's hand.

Victory can make us loud, but compromise always grows quiet. Joshua 6 is walls falling and people shouting. Joshua 7 is funerals and fear. Nothing changed on the outside. The army was still strong. The promise was still true. The problem was buried under a tent. What we hide has a way of affecting more than just us. Hidden sin never stays hidden. It either comes out through confession or it comes out through exposure.

The most profound challenge of true obedience lies not in recognizing what is right, but in steadfastly standing for that truth when you find yourself alone or outnumbered. Consider the story of Caleb and the ten spies; they all witnessed the same beautiful land, tasted its abundant fruit, and encountered the same daunting giants. They unanimously acknowledged that the truth of God's promise was evident. However, when fear took center stage, doubts began to creep in, twisting reason in favor of retreat. Disobedience began to masquerade as wisdom, and the ten spies declared, “We can’t possibly conquer this land.” In stark contrast, Caleb boldly proclaimed, “Let's go at once!”

Conviction is one of the greatest gifts God gives us, even though it’s rarely comfortable. When the word of God exposes something in us, that uneasy feeling isn’t God pushing us away. It’s He drawing us closer. Conviction is not condemnation. Condemnation tells you who you are and leaves you stuck. Conviction shows you where you are and invites you forward.

From Pastor Steve Smothermon - Legacy Church - Albuquerque, New Nexico Expectation plus reality oftentimes results in disappointment. Expectations: Disappointment is the feeling of being unhappy because something that you hoped for or expected did not happen or because someone or something was not as good as you expected. If not addressed properly, disappointment will result in negativity, pessimism, and bitterness. It may result in our becoming critical of God because we will end up blaming Him for inaction or for not being fair in our time of need.

Written By Ken Hulsey Have you ever listened to a sermon and felt like the pastor was speaking directly to you? Have you ever felt like God was trying to tell you something? I had a similar experience a couple of years ago when I listened to a sermon by Pastor Steve Smothermon of Legacy Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico on YouTube. As Pastor Smothermon talked about his own life journey - from being a UPS driver in Tulsa, to attending Bible college, to becoming a pastor in Roswell, and eventually leading the thriving Legacy Church - I found myself drawing parallels to my own experiences. Just like him, I had complained and longed for something more at every stage, whether it was being unhappy in Albuquerque, griping about the politics and cost of living in California, or simply not feeling at home in Louisiana.

 In order to achieve anything in this life, we must be determined. Being determined is: having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it; having made up your mind that you are going to do something and that you will not allow anyone or anything to stop you; not being weak or uncertain. Purposefulness: The only way to see your dreams and desires come to pass is to be determined. It’s making up your mind about something and sticking to it. When you are determined, it increases your chances of being successful. If you stay focused and keep a good attitude, you will eventually see your hopes and dreams come to pass. Persistence: Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not: unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent (Calvin Coolidge). Passion: Whatever you do...

The Bible teaches us to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding. Highest relationship: So, what does it mean to trust God, to trust someone else? Trust is the highest relationship with others. It means to have confidence in, to be secure, to feel safe. It means you believe what they tell you. Worldly trust: In our society, it is hard to fully trust anyone or anything. Marketers are trying to get us to trust in their products. Politicians are trying to get us to trust them enough to vote for them. Spouses want to be trusted. Biblical trust: The Bible teaches us not to trust in man. Why? People will disappoint you; they will let you down. But God will never disappoint or let you down. Jeremiah 17:5 — This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.” So, we are not to put our trust in people, but in God. Now we do trust people. We have to at ti...

 God is willing to save you from the torment of sin and give you His peace and joy which is beyond human understanding.   Legacy Church 7201 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 Phone  (505) 831-0961 Website  https://www.legacychurchnm.com Check Out: Pastor Steve Smothermon - Legacy Church - "If I Had More, I'd Be Happier" ➝ Bad Mindset

I want to encourage you that whatever fast you do, finish it, complete it. Fleshly appetites: If this were easy on our flesh, then everyone would do it a lot more. If you have never fasted, it will amaze you how strong our fleshly appetites are — how much of a struggle it is to deny these fleshly appetites. It will take discipline, will power, and God’s Holy Spirit to help you. Push through; don’t give up. The bread of life: The Bible says we don’t live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The word of God will sustain you. So, while you are fasting, spend time — extra time — in prayer and reading your Bible. To him that believeth: Believe for something in your personal life — maybe a breakthrough in an area, maybe for a family member, maybe you need the wisdom of God. But believe for God to do something in your personal life. Then pray and believe for God’s Church (Legacy Church) to thrive and grow and reach more and more people with the gospe...

 We tend to hate testing and spiritual exercise that will strengthen our faith and make us stronger. If you can’t surrender with whatever you have right now, even if you get more, the situation won't change. Legacy Church 7201 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 Phone  (505) 831-0961 Website  https://www.legacychurchnm.com