HAPPY FRIDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). I'm doing well, looking forward to the weekend. I have a lot of pending plans, but none set in stone. I'm okay with just staying in, doing some cleaning, and reading my book. I just received the book Push, written by Sapphire There’s new movie based on the book named Precious. The movie was co-produced by Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey, starring Monique. The previews look very good, and I can't wait to read the book. Please pray for my Grandma Delores, she's doing well, she just had a doctors appointment today, because she haven't been able to eat. I need to start cooking for her again, because she usually eats my food. Thanks for your prayers, and have a wonderful weekend!
Today's scriptures are about the blood of Jesus. I always wondered why God chose bloodshed as atonement for our sin. My theory is because blood is the most important thing our body needs to survive. It's responsible for transporting oxygen and water, regulates our body temperature, balances our pH levels, removes toxins, and regulates the electrolytes in our body. It essentially keeps us functioning properly and without it we couldn’t survive. It seems that God choose animals to be sacrificed, because they were pure and sin free, and we needed something as pure and vital as blood to wash away our sins. Jesus was the only perfect, pure human being. He was never corrupted by sin; perfect from birth. He is the Son of the Most High God, and His blood was so valuable, it cleansed the sins of ALL mankind forever. Because of Him we're washed clean of sin. He was an unblemished lamb, created to take on the sins of the world, and I thank God for Him. In some religions, Jesus is said to be merely a Prophet, He's not seen as the Savior. Others believe that you could get into Heaven because of your good works, and Jesus’ blood isn’t a requirement. The bible says, no man shall come to the Father unless by the Son (John 14:6). You must first believe that Jesus is Lord, and that He died on the cross, rose on the third day, and now sits on a throne in Heaven, at the right hand of God. Once we confess that we believe, we must be baptized with water, to symbolize the washing away of our sins, by the blood of Jesus Christ. We also should have what some call Holy Communion regularly, to recognize the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for us. He started this tradition at the last supper. It's written in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25: ...that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” This is a very important sacrament that we shouldn't take lightly as He warns us in verses 28-30: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. This means life or death to us. The blood of Jesus is a precious Gift, which makes us perfect in God's eyes. God sees us through a veil of sorts, where all He sees is His loving righteous children when He looks at us, not the dark and vile sins we’ve committed. Through Jesus are sins are forgiven and wash away forever. He loves us unconditionally, and He does whatever it takes to make us happy. Jesus paid with is life, for us to have that privilege, and I urge you not to take it for granted. Examine yourself, and thank God for Jesus' sacrifice. Do you understand how precious the blood of Jesus really is? If you don't, pray and ask God to give you the wisdom to understand the blessings and gifts you have. He shows His love for us everyday, and it's evident, when we're open to receive it. You have been chosen to have life through the blood of the lamb! If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please say that prayer right now, He's waiting on you. My favorite verse today is: Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454981&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959747
I love you!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY THURSDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, just a little tired, following my first night back in the gym. It was a disaster, I felt like I had smoked an entire pack of cigarettes when I was on the treadmill. I know not to have a weekend like that again; it was like I pushed myself back to the beginning. I have to go through the first week all over again, I even gained 4 pounds. Now I can't eat anything but salad and fruit for the next week or so. I have a refrigerator full of leftovers that I can't eat. I hate wasting money like that. You are welcome to it, come raid my fridge this weekend, because I'm on strike! Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about finding Salvation. We all know the story of Jesus Christ, and how God gave Him as a living sacrifice. He came to save us from the penalties of sin, which includes the ultimate consequence, an eternity in hell. Through God's grace, salvation is free to all who asks, and receives it through Christ. The keywords here are “ask” and “receive”, which are action verbs. God has known our every move before we were even born, so there's no need for us to go to Him as if He's just any human being. We can't hide anything from Him, because He knows our thoughts before we think them. Jesus helps those of us who genuinely wants to be righteous. Jesus said: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10). When I ask people if they're saved, they often reply, "saved from what?” Most of us view salvation as a free pass to Heaven, but it's much more than that. Jesus came to give us life, not only eternal life, but life here on earth as well. Romans 6:22-23 says: But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I don't know about you, but if I have to be a slave, I'd rather it be a slave to God. I know how much He loves me, and to prove His love, He gave His son to die for my sins. Sin causes nothing but strife, heartache and pain. Just take a moment to think about it. Some times it'll give us enjoyment at that instant, but there's always dangerous repercussions. When Jesus enters our heart we began the transformation from sin to righteousness. We are required to follow the guidance of our Holy Spirit. Subtly, He'll start to make us aware of sin through conviction, and when we're convicted, we should be quick to repent, and try our best to refrain. Eventually, when we take heed of our Spirit's guidance, we'll start to sin less and grow more. On the other hand, we could ignore the Spirit’s warnings to repent, until that voice becomes null, and we become slaves to the flesh. If we don't confess our sins, then God's hands are tied, and we're open to the penalties. The moment was ask, "forgive me of my trespasses", and go forth to with the intention to sin no more, we're free, thanks to Jesus. This is not an open invitation to recklessly sin, as so many of us think; this is a privilege that shouldn't be taken for granted. This gift allows us to live a life full of peace and happiness. God has a perfect plan for our lives, and He's ready and willing to guide us every step of the way. It's up to us to fall in line. However, bringing our flesh into submission isn't easy, but it is possible with Jesus' help. He has already done the hard part, and all we have to do is seek His wisdom. Wisdom is more priceless than anything else we could ever acquire on earth. Righteousness should be our main goal, and we need to put forth every effort to get as close to it as possible. Perfection is something we'll never achieve, as long as we're in the flesh, but righteousness is something we need to work on everyday. You know what I learned just this morning? I’ve learned that our relationship with God needs to be nurtured every single day. Yesterday, I battled to stay on course, and as I casted my cares upon the Lord, my day got better, and I ended it with a smile on my face. Of course, when I woke up this morning, the battle started all over again. I'm thinking, "come on now, I just got over this yesterday...", and my Spirit said to me, "yesterday is gone, tomorrow has problems of it's own, you could only focus on today". That's when the light bulb went off! I was drawn to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6), when I first reentered my walk with God, and verses 25-34 got me through some tough times, but I'll leave you with verses 33-34: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Don't allow the enemy to cheat you out of your inheritance, through Jesus Christ. You can be righteous, but you have to seek Him to find out how. It's up to us to change; He will not do it for us, but help is readily available. My favorite verses today are: We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2 Peter 3:13-14)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454980&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959741
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, just a little tired, following my first night back in the gym. It was a disaster, I felt like I had smoked an entire pack of cigarettes when I was on the treadmill. I know not to have a weekend like that again; it was like I pushed myself back to the beginning. I have to go through the first week all over again, I even gained 4 pounds. Now I can't eat anything but salad and fruit for the next week or so. I have a refrigerator full of leftovers that I can't eat. I hate wasting money like that. You are welcome to it, come raid my fridge this weekend, because I'm on strike! Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about finding Salvation. We all know the story of Jesus Christ, and how God gave Him as a living sacrifice. He came to save us from the penalties of sin, which includes the ultimate consequence, an eternity in hell. Through God's grace, salvation is free to all who asks, and receives it through Christ. The keywords here are “ask” and “receive”, which are action verbs. God has known our every move before we were even born, so there's no need for us to go to Him as if He's just any human being. We can't hide anything from Him, because He knows our thoughts before we think them. Jesus helps those of us who genuinely wants to be righteous. Jesus said: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10). When I ask people if they're saved, they often reply, "saved from what?” Most of us view salvation as a free pass to Heaven, but it's much more than that. Jesus came to give us life, not only eternal life, but life here on earth as well. Romans 6:22-23 says: But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I don't know about you, but if I have to be a slave, I'd rather it be a slave to God. I know how much He loves me, and to prove His love, He gave His son to die for my sins. Sin causes nothing but strife, heartache and pain. Just take a moment to think about it. Some times it'll give us enjoyment at that instant, but there's always dangerous repercussions. When Jesus enters our heart we began the transformation from sin to righteousness. We are required to follow the guidance of our Holy Spirit. Subtly, He'll start to make us aware of sin through conviction, and when we're convicted, we should be quick to repent, and try our best to refrain. Eventually, when we take heed of our Spirit's guidance, we'll start to sin less and grow more. On the other hand, we could ignore the Spirit’s warnings to repent, until that voice becomes null, and we become slaves to the flesh. If we don't confess our sins, then God's hands are tied, and we're open to the penalties. The moment was ask, "forgive me of my trespasses", and go forth to with the intention to sin no more, we're free, thanks to Jesus. This is not an open invitation to recklessly sin, as so many of us think; this is a privilege that shouldn't be taken for granted. This gift allows us to live a life full of peace and happiness. God has a perfect plan for our lives, and He's ready and willing to guide us every step of the way. It's up to us to fall in line. However, bringing our flesh into submission isn't easy, but it is possible with Jesus' help. He has already done the hard part, and all we have to do is seek His wisdom. Wisdom is more priceless than anything else we could ever acquire on earth. Righteousness should be our main goal, and we need to put forth every effort to get as close to it as possible. Perfection is something we'll never achieve, as long as we're in the flesh, but righteousness is something we need to work on everyday. You know what I learned just this morning? I’ve learned that our relationship with God needs to be nurtured every single day. Yesterday, I battled to stay on course, and as I casted my cares upon the Lord, my day got better, and I ended it with a smile on my face. Of course, when I woke up this morning, the battle started all over again. I'm thinking, "come on now, I just got over this yesterday...", and my Spirit said to me, "yesterday is gone, tomorrow has problems of it's own, you could only focus on today". That's when the light bulb went off! I was drawn to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6), when I first reentered my walk with God, and verses 25-34 got me through some tough times, but I'll leave you with verses 33-34: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Don't allow the enemy to cheat you out of your inheritance, through Jesus Christ. You can be righteous, but you have to seek Him to find out how. It's up to us to change; He will not do it for us, but help is readily available. My favorite verses today are: We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2 Peter 3:13-14)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454980&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959741
I love you!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another hump day. I'm doing well, looking forward to another weekend. I had a wonderful holiday weekend, although I ate way too much. I have to put in some extra work in the gym over the next few days, because I also have lots of leftovers, (lol). I enjoyed spending time with family and friends. I was off of work yesterday, and I got some much-needed rest, and got caught up on my movies. Now it's back to business as usual, but I'm not complaining because I only have a 3-day workweek, and my brother is out of school for the summer, so I don't have to get up at 6am, unless I want too. Praise God! I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well, please share any leftovers and/or pictures with me, I'd surely appreciate them. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about the Lord, our refuge. The word refuge is defined: A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble. The bible never says that life would be perfect, and that God would deliver us from all trouble that comes our way. I don't think we understand what our purpose in this life really is. Too many of us give up in important situations, and times in our lives, when we ought to fight. We don't like pain, we'd rather find away to be delivered from it, then to find a way to endure and overcome it. My little brother has been saying "Pain builds Character", everyday for the past couple months. I was wondering why he keeps repeating that, today, God answered that for me. I think this is an important attitude to have towards life. Too often we're looking for a "quick fix, or a "easy way out" of our problems, instead of looking for the lessons in it, and relaying on God to bring us through it with peace. I guarantee, as Christians everything we go through in life is for your own good. Remember when our parents used to say that? Our Parents were trying to help us build character, and a good foundation of responsibility. There are also times when we seemingly don't do "anything wrong", but we're being punished anyway. God wants us to rely on Him for our every want, need, and desire. He wants to be our refuge, and our strength. In all actuality He's the most dependable, unwavering part of our lives. When we think of fallout shelters that are built to protect us in storms, they’re built to withstand much more than your average home. Most are built underground, with concrete and brick, instead of the average cost effective wood of an average home. Nothing could compare to the relief only God could offer in times of trouble. He works in a number of ways, including sending good friends or family members in our lives to offer cheer, or a shoulder to lean on. This is support to get us through everyday life, like your average house. But when a storm comes, God is our fallout shelter. The most effective way to stay connected is through prayer, study, and meditation. This is where we "seek ye first the Kingdom of God". We learn His ways; we talk to Him, and listen to Him. This is important in our Spiritual growth, because this world will knock us down if we allow it. We have to build, and maintain a strong relationship with God Himself. We put more effort into building relationships with our spouses, friends, and family members, than building a relationship with God. It doesn't take much to please Him, He just wants fellowship and He'll do the rest. Isn't it good to know that God is our refuge? Now that you have this information, what does it mean to you? It gives me peace in knowing that I don't have to go through life alone. There are times we could be going through tribulations, and be surrounded by people who love us, and still feel alone. Most of the time these people can’t relate to what we're going through, they can't feel what we feel, but Jesus lives on the inside of us, He knows what's in our heart. Only He could truly give us that inner peace that allows us to hold our head up high, and continue to praise Him. Are you using your pain to build character, or are you playing the victim? If you need help, you need to come out of the rain and ask Him to help you rebuild. Will you build your house on a solid rock, or in the sand (Matt 7:24-27)? When you’re going through trouble, be careful not to rely on temporary solutions, such as drinking, drugs, medication, abuse to yourself or others, and try not to lose yourself in other people, and only depending up their help. Please be sure to go to the Creator of all things, because He's the only light at the end of the tunnel, for it is written: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28). The truth that too many people miss is that God isn't going to force Himself on us. He waits for us to come to Him and ask for His help, that's another beauty of free will. I don't know how many times I've said, "I'm waiting on God", but never asked Him for help, so I continued to wait until I did. If you're going through a storm right now, then today's devotional should be really good news for you. God isn't trying to hurt you on for the sake of hurting you; He’s building character. It's up to you to go to Him ask these few questions; first ask for help to endure the situation, and then ask why. It’s okay to ask God why, actually I recommend it, for healthy growth. If you don't know Jesus, then you're alone, and that void in your heart will be there until you fill it with the Holy Spirit, through the love of Jesus Christ. Prayer will change your life! My favorite verse today is: Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (Jerimiah 33:11)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454979&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959733
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another hump day. I'm doing well, looking forward to another weekend. I had a wonderful holiday weekend, although I ate way too much. I have to put in some extra work in the gym over the next few days, because I also have lots of leftovers, (lol). I enjoyed spending time with family and friends. I was off of work yesterday, and I got some much-needed rest, and got caught up on my movies. Now it's back to business as usual, but I'm not complaining because I only have a 3-day workweek, and my brother is out of school for the summer, so I don't have to get up at 6am, unless I want too. Praise God! I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well, please share any leftovers and/or pictures with me, I'd surely appreciate them. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about the Lord, our refuge. The word refuge is defined: A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble. The bible never says that life would be perfect, and that God would deliver us from all trouble that comes our way. I don't think we understand what our purpose in this life really is. Too many of us give up in important situations, and times in our lives, when we ought to fight. We don't like pain, we'd rather find away to be delivered from it, then to find a way to endure and overcome it. My little brother has been saying "Pain builds Character", everyday for the past couple months. I was wondering why he keeps repeating that, today, God answered that for me. I think this is an important attitude to have towards life. Too often we're looking for a "quick fix, or a "easy way out" of our problems, instead of looking for the lessons in it, and relaying on God to bring us through it with peace. I guarantee, as Christians everything we go through in life is for your own good. Remember when our parents used to say that? Our Parents were trying to help us build character, and a good foundation of responsibility. There are also times when we seemingly don't do "anything wrong", but we're being punished anyway. God wants us to rely on Him for our every want, need, and desire. He wants to be our refuge, and our strength. In all actuality He's the most dependable, unwavering part of our lives. When we think of fallout shelters that are built to protect us in storms, they’re built to withstand much more than your average home. Most are built underground, with concrete and brick, instead of the average cost effective wood of an average home. Nothing could compare to the relief only God could offer in times of trouble. He works in a number of ways, including sending good friends or family members in our lives to offer cheer, or a shoulder to lean on. This is support to get us through everyday life, like your average house. But when a storm comes, God is our fallout shelter. The most effective way to stay connected is through prayer, study, and meditation. This is where we "seek ye first the Kingdom of God". We learn His ways; we talk to Him, and listen to Him. This is important in our Spiritual growth, because this world will knock us down if we allow it. We have to build, and maintain a strong relationship with God Himself. We put more effort into building relationships with our spouses, friends, and family members, than building a relationship with God. It doesn't take much to please Him, He just wants fellowship and He'll do the rest. Isn't it good to know that God is our refuge? Now that you have this information, what does it mean to you? It gives me peace in knowing that I don't have to go through life alone. There are times we could be going through tribulations, and be surrounded by people who love us, and still feel alone. Most of the time these people can’t relate to what we're going through, they can't feel what we feel, but Jesus lives on the inside of us, He knows what's in our heart. Only He could truly give us that inner peace that allows us to hold our head up high, and continue to praise Him. Are you using your pain to build character, or are you playing the victim? If you need help, you need to come out of the rain and ask Him to help you rebuild. Will you build your house on a solid rock, or in the sand (Matt 7:24-27)? When you’re going through trouble, be careful not to rely on temporary solutions, such as drinking, drugs, medication, abuse to yourself or others, and try not to lose yourself in other people, and only depending up their help. Please be sure to go to the Creator of all things, because He's the only light at the end of the tunnel, for it is written: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28). The truth that too many people miss is that God isn't going to force Himself on us. He waits for us to come to Him and ask for His help, that's another beauty of free will. I don't know how many times I've said, "I'm waiting on God", but never asked Him for help, so I continued to wait until I did. If you're going through a storm right now, then today's devotional should be really good news for you. God isn't trying to hurt you on for the sake of hurting you; He’s building character. It's up to you to go to Him ask these few questions; first ask for help to endure the situation, and then ask why. It’s okay to ask God why, actually I recommend it, for healthy growth. If you don't know Jesus, then you're alone, and that void in your heart will be there until you fill it with the Holy Spirit, through the love of Jesus Christ. Prayer will change your life! My favorite verse today is: Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (Jerimiah 33:11)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454979&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959733
I love you!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY FRIDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek. I'm doing well, looking forward to the holiday weekend. Memorial Day celebrates all of the Soldiers that gave their lives for the freedom of our country. I don't think that people realize the significance of that anymore; we just see it as an extra day off. I'm grateful for the people that put their lives on the line so that I could have democracy, and I thank God for them. I pray for their families and friends, and pray that we take a moment to reflect on that. Enjoy the barbecues, swimming pools, and family fun this weekend as well. I’ve been talked into barbecuing at my house on Monday afternoon, nothing big, I just wanted some of those stuffed burgers, they're the best! Just some quiet time with friends, relaxing and getting ready for the next week. If you're in the neighborhood, and are hungry, feel free to stop by. Have a wonderful weekend, be safe, and whatever you do, do it for the Lord!
Today's scriptures are about God given peace. Peace, Love, and Happiness are additional things that Jesus died to give us. He didn't come to give us a "problem free" life, but He came to give us the inner peace to endure the roller coasters of life. When we focus on God and His promises, we have no room for anything else. Peace is also determined by preparations. We should already know that we're born with a sinful nature, and our flesh is weak. Because of that, we should get prepared as soon as we wake up in the morning, by putting on the full armor of God, and allow Him to lead the way. I don't know about you, but I'm the most peaceful, when I know that God is in control. Going back to the Parent/Child analogy, as children, we saw our parents as superheroes of sorts, to us there wasn't anything they couldn't do. We didn't have a care in the world because we had Faith that our parents would take care of us. We only worried about nominal things like a broken big wheel, or what Santa would bring us for Christmas. I was watching a group of children not to long ago, and I noticed how happy and peaceful they were. They skip for no reason, or would fall asleep in their parent’s arms without a care in the world. I often say, "I miss my youth", and I urge children today not to rush to grow up, and enjoy the peace of being children. We should have trust in God the way we trusted our earthly parents when we were young. Any loving parent will go to great lengths to protect their children. We are "children of God", and we should have peace in knowing that He loves us unconditionally, and sin no longer separates us, because of Jesus’ sacrifice. When we fall, He picks us up, and dusts us off. He comforts us when we hurt, and He teaches us everything we need to know for our Spiritual growth. He gave us Jesus not only for Salvation, but also as a role model. Inner peace is something that will grow stronger, as we grow in our Faith walk. Unfortunately that's just human nature. Trust in Him is a necessity in building inner peace. When we have fear and worry, we basically don't trust God. We don't trust God because we don't know the true Him. We naturally don't know how to trust anyone but ourselves, and until we open our hearts to the love of Jesus, we will continually go through life in strife and confusion. How could you achieve inner peace? The first step would be to "Cast your cares upon the Lord"; He'll handle any burden you have. Confess your sins and repent daily, because sin equals strife. Pray without ceasing, and meditate daily, this keeps your communication with God open. Love your neighbor as you love yourself; step outside of you, and bless someone daily, even if it's a prayer, holding a door, or paying a compliment. Study the word of God daily, the bible is filled with recipes for peace; all of God's promises and commandments, to ensure we have the tools to live a Righteous life. Trust in the Lord, and know that He'll never leave nor forsake you; please don't allow any of your past earthly relationships dictate the most important relationship in your life. Lastly, surround yourself with positive and encouraging people; the saying "misery loves company", is very true. I was lead to read Colossian 2 last night, and I wanted to share verses 6-10 with you: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. You have the Power of God in you! All you need to do is ask, seek, and knock, with Faith and He'll be right there. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and he'll use anyone or anything to take away your peace. No matter what's going on in life, keep Faith in God, and have faith in knowing that through the blood of Jesus Christ all things will be given to you! My favorite verse today is: These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. (John 16:33)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454974&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959719
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek. I'm doing well, looking forward to the holiday weekend. Memorial Day celebrates all of the Soldiers that gave their lives for the freedom of our country. I don't think that people realize the significance of that anymore; we just see it as an extra day off. I'm grateful for the people that put their lives on the line so that I could have democracy, and I thank God for them. I pray for their families and friends, and pray that we take a moment to reflect on that. Enjoy the barbecues, swimming pools, and family fun this weekend as well. I’ve been talked into barbecuing at my house on Monday afternoon, nothing big, I just wanted some of those stuffed burgers, they're the best! Just some quiet time with friends, relaxing and getting ready for the next week. If you're in the neighborhood, and are hungry, feel free to stop by. Have a wonderful weekend, be safe, and whatever you do, do it for the Lord!
Today's scriptures are about God given peace. Peace, Love, and Happiness are additional things that Jesus died to give us. He didn't come to give us a "problem free" life, but He came to give us the inner peace to endure the roller coasters of life. When we focus on God and His promises, we have no room for anything else. Peace is also determined by preparations. We should already know that we're born with a sinful nature, and our flesh is weak. Because of that, we should get prepared as soon as we wake up in the morning, by putting on the full armor of God, and allow Him to lead the way. I don't know about you, but I'm the most peaceful, when I know that God is in control. Going back to the Parent/Child analogy, as children, we saw our parents as superheroes of sorts, to us there wasn't anything they couldn't do. We didn't have a care in the world because we had Faith that our parents would take care of us. We only worried about nominal things like a broken big wheel, or what Santa would bring us for Christmas. I was watching a group of children not to long ago, and I noticed how happy and peaceful they were. They skip for no reason, or would fall asleep in their parent’s arms without a care in the world. I often say, "I miss my youth", and I urge children today not to rush to grow up, and enjoy the peace of being children. We should have trust in God the way we trusted our earthly parents when we were young. Any loving parent will go to great lengths to protect their children. We are "children of God", and we should have peace in knowing that He loves us unconditionally, and sin no longer separates us, because of Jesus’ sacrifice. When we fall, He picks us up, and dusts us off. He comforts us when we hurt, and He teaches us everything we need to know for our Spiritual growth. He gave us Jesus not only for Salvation, but also as a role model. Inner peace is something that will grow stronger, as we grow in our Faith walk. Unfortunately that's just human nature. Trust in Him is a necessity in building inner peace. When we have fear and worry, we basically don't trust God. We don't trust God because we don't know the true Him. We naturally don't know how to trust anyone but ourselves, and until we open our hearts to the love of Jesus, we will continually go through life in strife and confusion. How could you achieve inner peace? The first step would be to "Cast your cares upon the Lord"; He'll handle any burden you have. Confess your sins and repent daily, because sin equals strife. Pray without ceasing, and meditate daily, this keeps your communication with God open. Love your neighbor as you love yourself; step outside of you, and bless someone daily, even if it's a prayer, holding a door, or paying a compliment. Study the word of God daily, the bible is filled with recipes for peace; all of God's promises and commandments, to ensure we have the tools to live a Righteous life. Trust in the Lord, and know that He'll never leave nor forsake you; please don't allow any of your past earthly relationships dictate the most important relationship in your life. Lastly, surround yourself with positive and encouraging people; the saying "misery loves company", is very true. I was lead to read Colossian 2 last night, and I wanted to share verses 6-10 with you: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. You have the Power of God in you! All you need to do is ask, seek, and knock, with Faith and He'll be right there. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and he'll use anyone or anything to take away your peace. No matter what's going on in life, keep Faith in God, and have faith in knowing that through the blood of Jesus Christ all things will be given to you! My favorite verse today is: These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. (John 16:33)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454974&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959719
I love you!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY THURSDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, looking forward to going out and enjoying the sunshine today. I had to put my truck in the shop for some bodywork, so I'll be driving a rental car for the next few days. They were supposed to give me a vehicle that's comparable to mine, but a Saturn Vue is not quite what I had in mind. It's cheaper on gas, which is a very good thing. I filled the tank with $26, I could get used to that, but I know I'll miss Bertha in a few days she’s my girl. I have to get her all fixed up, she's been riding around scarred for too long. I pay you have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about God's strength in us. Do you consider yourself a pretty strong person? Not just physically, but mental, and emotionally? I've been told that about myself, and most of the time I believed it. I started to believe even more when Alicia Keyes came out with the song, "Super Woman". When I first heard it, I thought it described me perfectly; my favorite part of the song is, "Even when I'm a mess, I still put on my vest, with an S on my chest, oh yes, I’m Super Woman". God works perfectly in our weakness, to strengthen us, and the people around us. He has brought me through some rough moments in life, and I'm sure it could've been much worst, however, He always gave me the strength to endure them. Then there were times when I was at my lowest and my weakest points, when I was too weak to smile, I realize now, that those were the times where I refused to acknowledge His place in my life. I never relied on Him for strength at the moments I needed Him the most; I thought I could do it on my own. He hates pride, and I was one of the proudest women you'll ever know. Every time I tried to be Super Woman, without asking for His strength I failed miserably. Our Heavenly Father always knows exactly where we should be in life, and He makes sure we get to that point. It's by His strength that we're able to accomplish the things we do in everyday life. How many times have you come through seasons in your life, that leave you thinking, "I don't know how I got through that?" Today we learn, without a doubt, where our strength comes from. Jesus, the most powerful human being that ever walked this earth, now lives inside of us. We have mighty power through His Name. Whenever we're down, or feeling lost, we should rely on His strength to pull us through. God loves us, and He will never let the righteous fall, unless we do not trust Him for strength. Independence is wonderful in certain instances, as long as we know that we need God every step of the way. We need Jesus just as much as we need air to breath. He's our lifeline; it's only through Him that we could do things that may otherwise seem impossible. I have yet to move a mountain, but I believe I could, if God called me to do that. The enemy will feed us all types of lies, and that's what draws us into stress and fear. The verse that got me out of depression is, "I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me". That's the same phrase that helps me get up to work another day, after working 16 hours the day before, only getting 3 hours of sleep, and ready to do it again. The moment I feel like I can't go another step, I pray and ask for more strength, and it's like this supernatural burst of energy comes along. God's strength is available to all of us, through Christ Jesus. I hear people say all the time, "they're not good enough, and God is still working on them", and they think that their prayers aren't answered because of the things they've done in the past. Squash that mentality today! No matter who you are, or what you've done, God's strength is automatically in you, if you've accepted Jesus as your Savior. We can't get through life with perfect peace, without the supernatural strength that comes from Jesus. I try to reflect on my life, and look at the lower points, and I always notice how God brought me out. I take note of the permanent smile on my face, and I thank Him. I take note of the times where everyday it was a struggle just to get out of the bed, and I notice those were the times when I completely shut God out. Reflection is good, but dwelling on past mistakes is not so good. Being proud of the new person God has created in you is good, but bring a proud person is not so good. Remember God is a jealous God, He wants all of our love and focus, and He’ll do whatever it takes to keep us in His will, because He knows what’s best for us. Praise Him for the strength He gives you daily, and if you're feeling weak right now, go to Him with Faith, asking for strength, and thanking Him for what He's done in your life so far. He loves all of us, and He strengthens His children through Christ. Are you a child of God through Christ? If you're not sure, then we need to pray together, I would love to anytime. Always remember, He meant all things to work together for our good, so even when things seem dark, it’s really meant to result in light. Be sure to use His strength, it’s a part of the free gift we call Grace. My favorite verses today are: Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10-)
ENOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454973&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959713
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, looking forward to going out and enjoying the sunshine today. I had to put my truck in the shop for some bodywork, so I'll be driving a rental car for the next few days. They were supposed to give me a vehicle that's comparable to mine, but a Saturn Vue is not quite what I had in mind. It's cheaper on gas, which is a very good thing. I filled the tank with $26, I could get used to that, but I know I'll miss Bertha in a few days she’s my girl. I have to get her all fixed up, she's been riding around scarred for too long. I pay you have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about God's strength in us. Do you consider yourself a pretty strong person? Not just physically, but mental, and emotionally? I've been told that about myself, and most of the time I believed it. I started to believe even more when Alicia Keyes came out with the song, "Super Woman". When I first heard it, I thought it described me perfectly; my favorite part of the song is, "Even when I'm a mess, I still put on my vest, with an S on my chest, oh yes, I’m Super Woman". God works perfectly in our weakness, to strengthen us, and the people around us. He has brought me through some rough moments in life, and I'm sure it could've been much worst, however, He always gave me the strength to endure them. Then there were times when I was at my lowest and my weakest points, when I was too weak to smile, I realize now, that those were the times where I refused to acknowledge His place in my life. I never relied on Him for strength at the moments I needed Him the most; I thought I could do it on my own. He hates pride, and I was one of the proudest women you'll ever know. Every time I tried to be Super Woman, without asking for His strength I failed miserably. Our Heavenly Father always knows exactly where we should be in life, and He makes sure we get to that point. It's by His strength that we're able to accomplish the things we do in everyday life. How many times have you come through seasons in your life, that leave you thinking, "I don't know how I got through that?" Today we learn, without a doubt, where our strength comes from. Jesus, the most powerful human being that ever walked this earth, now lives inside of us. We have mighty power through His Name. Whenever we're down, or feeling lost, we should rely on His strength to pull us through. God loves us, and He will never let the righteous fall, unless we do not trust Him for strength. Independence is wonderful in certain instances, as long as we know that we need God every step of the way. We need Jesus just as much as we need air to breath. He's our lifeline; it's only through Him that we could do things that may otherwise seem impossible. I have yet to move a mountain, but I believe I could, if God called me to do that. The enemy will feed us all types of lies, and that's what draws us into stress and fear. The verse that got me out of depression is, "I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me". That's the same phrase that helps me get up to work another day, after working 16 hours the day before, only getting 3 hours of sleep, and ready to do it again. The moment I feel like I can't go another step, I pray and ask for more strength, and it's like this supernatural burst of energy comes along. God's strength is available to all of us, through Christ Jesus. I hear people say all the time, "they're not good enough, and God is still working on them", and they think that their prayers aren't answered because of the things they've done in the past. Squash that mentality today! No matter who you are, or what you've done, God's strength is automatically in you, if you've accepted Jesus as your Savior. We can't get through life with perfect peace, without the supernatural strength that comes from Jesus. I try to reflect on my life, and look at the lower points, and I always notice how God brought me out. I take note of the permanent smile on my face, and I thank Him. I take note of the times where everyday it was a struggle just to get out of the bed, and I notice those were the times when I completely shut God out. Reflection is good, but dwelling on past mistakes is not so good. Being proud of the new person God has created in you is good, but bring a proud person is not so good. Remember God is a jealous God, He wants all of our love and focus, and He’ll do whatever it takes to keep us in His will, because He knows what’s best for us. Praise Him for the strength He gives you daily, and if you're feeling weak right now, go to Him with Faith, asking for strength, and thanking Him for what He's done in your life so far. He loves all of us, and He strengthens His children through Christ. Are you a child of God through Christ? If you're not sure, then we need to pray together, I would love to anytime. Always remember, He meant all things to work together for our good, so even when things seem dark, it’s really meant to result in light. Be sure to use His strength, it’s a part of the free gift we call Grace. My favorite verses today are: Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10-)
ENOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454973&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959713
I love you!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful "hump day". I'm doing well, looking forward to the weekend, so I could catch up on some rest. It's been a long week, and I'm only halfway through it. Thank God for Holiday weekends, whew hoo!!! The pools and the beaches will open, and the summer is finally kicking up. It seems like we skipped spring altogether this year, it's been down in the low 50's over the last few days, almost like late fall. I would love to visit the Outerbanks of North Carolina this summer season. Ever since I saw the movie Nights of the Rodanthe, I've been anxious to view the beautiful treasures that are down the road from us, here in DC. It'll be a welcomed changed from Ocean City, MD, and VA Beach, VA. If you have any information, or suggestions on the best times to go and places to stay, please let me know. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about self-control. Yesterday we learned about the fact that God is responsible for perfecting our Spirit, and today we learn our part in our Spiritual growth. God has given us free will, and we have the ability to choose to do right or wrong. He has our entire lives mapped out for us, but it's up to us to take the roads He's set forth for us. Temptation is everywhere, especially in the flesh, so we must be careful to practice self-control. Wisdom is all we need to get through a life pleasing to God. In my young life, I've experienced, and witnessed a lot of things, and I've come to the conclusion that life will either make you, or break you. Depending on how strong your will and Faith is, you'll either sink or swim. Life on earth will have no mercy for you, because the Prince of darkness rules. If Jesus suffered the way He did, what more could we expect? It's not okay to use the "Life is hard" excuse for your shortcomings, because life is hard for everyone, in one way or the other. It is the people who practice self-control that make it through life with fewer issues mentally and physically. It is those people who have Faith in God and in them, that become successful in everything they do. God warns us to be watchful of our enemies, because they're lurking in the dark, waiting for a chance to destroy us. I know this may sound a bit extreme, but it's the truth. We all have our weaknesses, whether it’s a bad relationship, drinking, drugs, gossip, envy, money, eating, etc. It's important to flee from the people or things that could bring us to bad places in life. There's a natural order to life, and there are a few things we could do to ensure positive mental and physical health. My first, and foremost, import view on life is the fact that "it's not always about you". This life is about loving God with all of our hearts and soul, and loving our neighbors, through spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must also take care of ourselves physically, because Jesus lives inside of us, and our bodies are His temples. Most importantly, is having a healthy prayer life, praying openly and often, with faith, because God is listening, and He doesn’t like double mindedness. You must discipline yourself to have an consistent prayer life, because it's so easy to skip our talks with God, and the more we lose focus on Him, the more open we are for the enemy’s attacks. We have people like Bill Gates, which invented Microsoft, the most advanced computer software in the world. He could’ve only accomplished what he did by focusing, studying, and mastering the art of designing computer software, and he worked very hard at perfecting it. He still works very hard to innovate his products every day, because technology keeps growing, he cannot stop now, or he’ll fall behind. He has to have discipline, because he wouldn't be where he is without it. Read the book of Job in the bible, he went through hell, and lost every living thing he loved, and he still kept Faith in God. It took discipline for him not to break under the pressure. It took him learning who God is, in order to believe in Him as much as he did. The ultimate display of discipline is Jesus Christ, He had all the power in the world, and was tempted by the devil every step of the way. The devil offered Him kingdoms, and riches that surpasses anything any of us could imagine, but Jesus stayed the course. He said in John 12:27-28: "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" These are the words of a disciplined man! Jesus said I don't want to do this, but I am, because my main priority is completing God's will for my life. The reality of life is, we reap what we sow. A lack of disciple brings chaotic results, which is why God constantly warns us to walk in the Spirit, because the Spirit is perfect, and that's the only way for us to overcome the world. Jesus gave up His life to give us an awesome opportunity at peace, happiness, and joy. Now it's time for us to step outside of ourselves, and put on the full Amour of God, and take on our duties as extraordinary people of God. If you don't know Jesus as your Saviors you're open to all of the attacks of the enemy, I urge you to take a moment to say that simple prayer accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and pray to God and ask for the strength and the wisdom master the art of self-control. My favorite verses today are: I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454972&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959709
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful "hump day". I'm doing well, looking forward to the weekend, so I could catch up on some rest. It's been a long week, and I'm only halfway through it. Thank God for Holiday weekends, whew hoo!!! The pools and the beaches will open, and the summer is finally kicking up. It seems like we skipped spring altogether this year, it's been down in the low 50's over the last few days, almost like late fall. I would love to visit the Outerbanks of North Carolina this summer season. Ever since I saw the movie Nights of the Rodanthe, I've been anxious to view the beautiful treasures that are down the road from us, here in DC. It'll be a welcomed changed from Ocean City, MD, and VA Beach, VA. If you have any information, or suggestions on the best times to go and places to stay, please let me know. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about self-control. Yesterday we learned about the fact that God is responsible for perfecting our Spirit, and today we learn our part in our Spiritual growth. God has given us free will, and we have the ability to choose to do right or wrong. He has our entire lives mapped out for us, but it's up to us to take the roads He's set forth for us. Temptation is everywhere, especially in the flesh, so we must be careful to practice self-control. Wisdom is all we need to get through a life pleasing to God. In my young life, I've experienced, and witnessed a lot of things, and I've come to the conclusion that life will either make you, or break you. Depending on how strong your will and Faith is, you'll either sink or swim. Life on earth will have no mercy for you, because the Prince of darkness rules. If Jesus suffered the way He did, what more could we expect? It's not okay to use the "Life is hard" excuse for your shortcomings, because life is hard for everyone, in one way or the other. It is the people who practice self-control that make it through life with fewer issues mentally and physically. It is those people who have Faith in God and in them, that become successful in everything they do. God warns us to be watchful of our enemies, because they're lurking in the dark, waiting for a chance to destroy us. I know this may sound a bit extreme, but it's the truth. We all have our weaknesses, whether it’s a bad relationship, drinking, drugs, gossip, envy, money, eating, etc. It's important to flee from the people or things that could bring us to bad places in life. There's a natural order to life, and there are a few things we could do to ensure positive mental and physical health. My first, and foremost, import view on life is the fact that "it's not always about you". This life is about loving God with all of our hearts and soul, and loving our neighbors, through spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must also take care of ourselves physically, because Jesus lives inside of us, and our bodies are His temples. Most importantly, is having a healthy prayer life, praying openly and often, with faith, because God is listening, and He doesn’t like double mindedness. You must discipline yourself to have an consistent prayer life, because it's so easy to skip our talks with God, and the more we lose focus on Him, the more open we are for the enemy’s attacks. We have people like Bill Gates, which invented Microsoft, the most advanced computer software in the world. He could’ve only accomplished what he did by focusing, studying, and mastering the art of designing computer software, and he worked very hard at perfecting it. He still works very hard to innovate his products every day, because technology keeps growing, he cannot stop now, or he’ll fall behind. He has to have discipline, because he wouldn't be where he is without it. Read the book of Job in the bible, he went through hell, and lost every living thing he loved, and he still kept Faith in God. It took discipline for him not to break under the pressure. It took him learning who God is, in order to believe in Him as much as he did. The ultimate display of discipline is Jesus Christ, He had all the power in the world, and was tempted by the devil every step of the way. The devil offered Him kingdoms, and riches that surpasses anything any of us could imagine, but Jesus stayed the course. He said in John 12:27-28: "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" These are the words of a disciplined man! Jesus said I don't want to do this, but I am, because my main priority is completing God's will for my life. The reality of life is, we reap what we sow. A lack of disciple brings chaotic results, which is why God constantly warns us to walk in the Spirit, because the Spirit is perfect, and that's the only way for us to overcome the world. Jesus gave up His life to give us an awesome opportunity at peace, happiness, and joy. Now it's time for us to step outside of ourselves, and put on the full Amour of God, and take on our duties as extraordinary people of God. If you don't know Jesus as your Saviors you're open to all of the attacks of the enemy, I urge you to take a moment to say that simple prayer accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and pray to God and ask for the strength and the wisdom master the art of self-control. My favorite verses today are: I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454972&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959709
I love you!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY TUESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying your day. I'm doing well, still a little tired from Sunday's event. It was non-stop work the entire week before the event, as usual. I was scheduled to work yesterday, but my body said no way! I was so tired; I slept until at 3pm, and could've slept much longer. The event itself was wonderful! I thank God for all of the people that came out to help me, they gave their all. The event was perfect; I couldn't have imagined a better setup. The food, atmosphere, decor, music, and guest were all divine. I thank God for moving through me, and my family and friends, as only He could've orchestrated. I've been so excited about it since Sunday, and it couldn’t have been better. I want to thank everyone that came out to support me, and I love all of you. I would also like to wish a happy birthday to Dwight, and all of the other May birthday's I may have missed. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about our cleansing through Christ. We're growing everyday, because of our Salvation through Christ. Though his death, we're made into new creatures, and washed of all unrighteousness. When we confess and repent of our sins, it's like taking a shower for our souls. We're washed thoroughly, and everyday, our Souls get cleaner and cleaner. Just imagine a Scientist finding a 2000-year-old artifact, the first thing they’ll need to do is clean it up, but avoid damaging it. It may take years, but they take their time cleaning and restoring everyday, until it's in a perfect condition. It may not be perfect to you and me, but it is to the person that determines how beautiful it should be. Some of us would look at that artifact, and think "wow that's an old piece of metal", but a history major my think, "Wow that's the most beautiful piece of art I've ever seen". That's similar to the way God works on us. He's cleansing us everyday, and in His eyes, we're a perfect work of art. We start out dirty from years of sin, heartache and pain, and He slowly washes and renews us, until we're perfect. Not the world’s idea of perfect, but His. Other people may look at us as if we're a mess, but who are they to judge? Our personal status, bank account, careers, etc. has nothing to do with how God is cleansing us from the inside out. Even we don't see it sometimes, because we could be very hard on ourselves because of our failures, because we think we should be doing better than we are in life. We build up these goals and compare ourselves to other people without any guidance from God, and we become upset and angry when we fail. In all actuality, we're not in complete control of our growth, God is. We're supposed to seek ye first the kingdom of God, which plants the seeds, and it’s up to Him to grow and nurture it. The enemy will have us believe that we're unworthy of God's cleansing, because we're just too filthy, that's why it's important for us to let go and let God. I know for me, I'm learning how to let go of my inhibition, and allow God to lead, because I'm the type of person that always wants to be in control. I'm very independent and self-sufficient, and I'm really hard on myself. I always say, I'm my worst critic, I want all or nothing, and that's not the way God works. Everything works together in His perfect timing, including our cleansing. I used to smoke cigarettes, and I tried to quit three times before I actually stopped. The last time I tried, I prayed and asked for God's strength, but the first two times, I had made it up in my mind that I didn't want to smoke anymore. It wasn't about me, I wasn't in control of that, but as soon as I relinquished the control to God, I stopped cold turkey, and get sick whenever I'm around cigarette smoke, so I know through Him, I’ll never pick it up again. Continue to work on bettering yourself, however pray and ask for God's discernment when doing so, because He's in control of the cleansing department. Things that may seem like our flaws may very well be our strengths in His eyes. Don't be so hard on yourself, because if you "Cast your cares on the Lord", put in your best efforts to change, and repent often, God will take care of the rest, that's what He does. Even if you stumble, that's all a part of His divine plan for your life as well. He loves you more than you could ever imagine, just pray and ask for wisdom. I'm going to leave you with my favorite prayer, "God grant me the serenity to change the things I can, accept the things I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference". This is the most important attitude to have in life, humble yourself enough to allow God to be in control, don't let Jesus' death be in vain when it comes to your life. If you haven't accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, I'm urging you to do that right now. My favorite verse today is: I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. (Jeremiah 33:8)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454971&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959705
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying your day. I'm doing well, still a little tired from Sunday's event. It was non-stop work the entire week before the event, as usual. I was scheduled to work yesterday, but my body said no way! I was so tired; I slept until at 3pm, and could've slept much longer. The event itself was wonderful! I thank God for all of the people that came out to help me, they gave their all. The event was perfect; I couldn't have imagined a better setup. The food, atmosphere, decor, music, and guest were all divine. I thank God for moving through me, and my family and friends, as only He could've orchestrated. I've been so excited about it since Sunday, and it couldn’t have been better. I want to thank everyone that came out to support me, and I love all of you. I would also like to wish a happy birthday to Dwight, and all of the other May birthday's I may have missed. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about our cleansing through Christ. We're growing everyday, because of our Salvation through Christ. Though his death, we're made into new creatures, and washed of all unrighteousness. When we confess and repent of our sins, it's like taking a shower for our souls. We're washed thoroughly, and everyday, our Souls get cleaner and cleaner. Just imagine a Scientist finding a 2000-year-old artifact, the first thing they’ll need to do is clean it up, but avoid damaging it. It may take years, but they take their time cleaning and restoring everyday, until it's in a perfect condition. It may not be perfect to you and me, but it is to the person that determines how beautiful it should be. Some of us would look at that artifact, and think "wow that's an old piece of metal", but a history major my think, "Wow that's the most beautiful piece of art I've ever seen". That's similar to the way God works on us. He's cleansing us everyday, and in His eyes, we're a perfect work of art. We start out dirty from years of sin, heartache and pain, and He slowly washes and renews us, until we're perfect. Not the world’s idea of perfect, but His. Other people may look at us as if we're a mess, but who are they to judge? Our personal status, bank account, careers, etc. has nothing to do with how God is cleansing us from the inside out. Even we don't see it sometimes, because we could be very hard on ourselves because of our failures, because we think we should be doing better than we are in life. We build up these goals and compare ourselves to other people without any guidance from God, and we become upset and angry when we fail. In all actuality, we're not in complete control of our growth, God is. We're supposed to seek ye first the kingdom of God, which plants the seeds, and it’s up to Him to grow and nurture it. The enemy will have us believe that we're unworthy of God's cleansing, because we're just too filthy, that's why it's important for us to let go and let God. I know for me, I'm learning how to let go of my inhibition, and allow God to lead, because I'm the type of person that always wants to be in control. I'm very independent and self-sufficient, and I'm really hard on myself. I always say, I'm my worst critic, I want all or nothing, and that's not the way God works. Everything works together in His perfect timing, including our cleansing. I used to smoke cigarettes, and I tried to quit three times before I actually stopped. The last time I tried, I prayed and asked for God's strength, but the first two times, I had made it up in my mind that I didn't want to smoke anymore. It wasn't about me, I wasn't in control of that, but as soon as I relinquished the control to God, I stopped cold turkey, and get sick whenever I'm around cigarette smoke, so I know through Him, I’ll never pick it up again. Continue to work on bettering yourself, however pray and ask for God's discernment when doing so, because He's in control of the cleansing department. Things that may seem like our flaws may very well be our strengths in His eyes. Don't be so hard on yourself, because if you "Cast your cares on the Lord", put in your best efforts to change, and repent often, God will take care of the rest, that's what He does. Even if you stumble, that's all a part of His divine plan for your life as well. He loves you more than you could ever imagine, just pray and ask for wisdom. I'm going to leave you with my favorite prayer, "God grant me the serenity to change the things I can, accept the things I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference". This is the most important attitude to have in life, humble yourself enough to allow God to be in control, don't let Jesus' death be in vain when it comes to your life. If you haven't accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, I'm urging you to do that right now. My favorite verse today is: I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. (Jeremiah 33:8)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454971&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959705
I love you!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY FRIDAY!
I pray all is well with you, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). I'm doing well, looking forward to this beautiful sunny day, however the allergies are kicking up, after the heavy rains last night. It's go time, I’m getting ready for Sunday's event, and becoming more and more excited as the days progresses. God has been working throughout this entire week, I'm so grateful for all of the people who have offered to come out and help put this event together. I hope to see most of your there, this Sunday at 5pm, it'll be the event of the year, trust me! Get further details at www.divinecuisineepc.com, and click on the ‘Menu Tasting’ link. Either way, have a wonderful weekend!
Today's scriptures are about victory through death. Death is a sullen subject to talk about. When I think about it, I think sadness, pain, and mourning, however it's the exact opposite. The more we mature in our Faith walk we'll understand the significance of it. After all, it will happen to each of us, that's the one thing that none of us can change. Today we learn that earthly death is a good thing, if you've received Jesus Christ as your Savior. We just learned yesterday about the trials and tribulations of this world, and how hurt and pain is expected. Well when we reach heaven, we'll be free of any sickness or disease; there will be no more sorrow or pain, no more bills or bad debt, etc. We will live an eternity in absolute bliss. Jesus prepares a place for us in the Kingdom of God (John 14:2-4), as soon as we confess our belief in Him. It's written that we are God's children forever. God said "no one could ever pluck us out of His hands". With that information, there's no need to fear death. I'm not saying rush toward it; but be at peace, because you have Salvation through Jesus Christ. It's natural when we lose a loved one, to feel sorrow and pain, because we have to deal with the fact that we'll never see them again. The selfish part of us wants that person to stay here with us, because we need them. In all actuality, if they received Salvation through Jesus Christ, they're doing much better than we could ever do here on earth; so don't mourn for them too long. In a lot of cultures, a funeral is a true celebration of life, people have parties, and rejoice in the fact that their loved ones have finally be reunited with our Heavenly Father, and remember them. Especially if that person suffered from horrible dieses like AIDS, Cancer, Lupus, heart dieses, etc. Mourning is a natural process, because we lose someone near and dear to us, and it's written in several places in the bible that God blesses those who mourn, because He understands. However, we must understand that we have a job to do for God. We're representatives of Jesus Christ, and through us, we can help save our brothers and sisters from an eternity in Hell. If we become recluse, and allow our loss to hold us down, then we're not doing the job that God has put us on this earth to do. We could find our strength in Jesus. He faced a horrible death, and He went through it for us. Death was never an issue for Him, because He knew what awaited Him when He reached heaven; I'm sure He got his strength from that. That's also where we should get our strength. If you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you've overcome death through His death and resurrection. There's no need to fear the unknown, because as of today, you have more ammunition to fight against the enemy's lies, through our scriptures. Ignorance is something that we should all strive to overcome on a daily basis. It's time to take charge of your fears. There's nothing that any man could do to us, it's written in Hebrews 13:16: So we may boldly say: “ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” There's no need to fear anything anymore, it's time to live your life. Ask all things through prayer and supplication, and they will be given to you. Live your life everyday, with purpose and strength in Jesus Christ, because death is evident and unpredictable, don't waste another minute second-guessing your purpose, let go and let God. However, be mindful not to test God. If you don't believe Jesus to be your Savior then you have much reason to worry, because you face an Eternity in hell, which will be torture forever. To most unbelievers, they don't believe that, but I wouldn't test God if I were you, if you want to be freed from sin, and confident about your Eternal destiny, then Jesus, and gaining wisdom, is the only way to do that. I urge you not to wait another day, because tomorrow isn't promised to any of us. My favorite verse today is: He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25:8)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454967&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959667
I love you!
I pray all is well with you, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). I'm doing well, looking forward to this beautiful sunny day, however the allergies are kicking up, after the heavy rains last night. It's go time, I’m getting ready for Sunday's event, and becoming more and more excited as the days progresses. God has been working throughout this entire week, I'm so grateful for all of the people who have offered to come out and help put this event together. I hope to see most of your there, this Sunday at 5pm, it'll be the event of the year, trust me! Get further details at www.divinecuisineepc.com, and click on the ‘Menu Tasting’ link. Either way, have a wonderful weekend!
Today's scriptures are about victory through death. Death is a sullen subject to talk about. When I think about it, I think sadness, pain, and mourning, however it's the exact opposite. The more we mature in our Faith walk we'll understand the significance of it. After all, it will happen to each of us, that's the one thing that none of us can change. Today we learn that earthly death is a good thing, if you've received Jesus Christ as your Savior. We just learned yesterday about the trials and tribulations of this world, and how hurt and pain is expected. Well when we reach heaven, we'll be free of any sickness or disease; there will be no more sorrow or pain, no more bills or bad debt, etc. We will live an eternity in absolute bliss. Jesus prepares a place for us in the Kingdom of God (John 14:2-4), as soon as we confess our belief in Him. It's written that we are God's children forever. God said "no one could ever pluck us out of His hands". With that information, there's no need to fear death. I'm not saying rush toward it; but be at peace, because you have Salvation through Jesus Christ. It's natural when we lose a loved one, to feel sorrow and pain, because we have to deal with the fact that we'll never see them again. The selfish part of us wants that person to stay here with us, because we need them. In all actuality, if they received Salvation through Jesus Christ, they're doing much better than we could ever do here on earth; so don't mourn for them too long. In a lot of cultures, a funeral is a true celebration of life, people have parties, and rejoice in the fact that their loved ones have finally be reunited with our Heavenly Father, and remember them. Especially if that person suffered from horrible dieses like AIDS, Cancer, Lupus, heart dieses, etc. Mourning is a natural process, because we lose someone near and dear to us, and it's written in several places in the bible that God blesses those who mourn, because He understands. However, we must understand that we have a job to do for God. We're representatives of Jesus Christ, and through us, we can help save our brothers and sisters from an eternity in Hell. If we become recluse, and allow our loss to hold us down, then we're not doing the job that God has put us on this earth to do. We could find our strength in Jesus. He faced a horrible death, and He went through it for us. Death was never an issue for Him, because He knew what awaited Him when He reached heaven; I'm sure He got his strength from that. That's also where we should get our strength. If you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you've overcome death through His death and resurrection. There's no need to fear the unknown, because as of today, you have more ammunition to fight against the enemy's lies, through our scriptures. Ignorance is something that we should all strive to overcome on a daily basis. It's time to take charge of your fears. There's nothing that any man could do to us, it's written in Hebrews 13:16: So we may boldly say: “ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” There's no need to fear anything anymore, it's time to live your life. Ask all things through prayer and supplication, and they will be given to you. Live your life everyday, with purpose and strength in Jesus Christ, because death is evident and unpredictable, don't waste another minute second-guessing your purpose, let go and let God. However, be mindful not to test God. If you don't believe Jesus to be your Savior then you have much reason to worry, because you face an Eternity in hell, which will be torture forever. To most unbelievers, they don't believe that, but I wouldn't test God if I were you, if you want to be freed from sin, and confident about your Eternal destiny, then Jesus, and gaining wisdom, is the only way to do that. I urge you not to wait another day, because tomorrow isn't promised to any of us. My favorite verse today is: He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25:8)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454967&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959667
I love you!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY THURSDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, excited to get back to the kitchen tonight. I got to check one thing off of my list last night, I'm so grateful for that. My Grandfather was moved from the hospital back to the nursing home, which is very good news, thank you for your continued prayers. It's been yet another busy day, and busy is good. It's weird that we've started getting busier by the end of the week, when before it was the other way around. Enjoy your evening!
Today's scriptures are about our earthly journey. People could be cruel; even starting as children. I think about how kids are teased, and picked on, from kindergarten all the way through college. This is why we have tragedies like the Virginia Tech and Columbine shootings. We're born with sinful natures. Realistically, the world will chew you up, and spit you out, if you let it. That's why it’s so important to depend on God for our peace, joy, and happiness, because no human being could truly give us that. Some people have good hearts, and good intentions, but they're still prone to hurt us. People you'd never expect, like you're parents, spouse, or siblings, could be the ones that hurt us the most. Jesus warns us through the accounts of His life, that we’ll overcome this world through Him, but for us to be prepared for what it has to offer. I remember hearing the Pastor say at church, "we're in this world, but we're not of it". When I was lost, I could never figure out what he meant. I have a very big heart, and I open it very easily to anyone, and people will prey on that. I've been hurt to the core, because of my giving nature, but it's because of the God in me, that I'm quick to forgive, and always moving forward now. I’ve also hurt others as well; I’m by no means perfect. Who am I that I could just breeze through life, never having experienced any heartache or pain? Many hated Jesus; people tried to kill him more often than anyone else. He was spit at, mocked, beaten, and ultimately killed, just because of who He was. Who was He? He was the Savior, the perfect Lamb of God, which walked this earth strengthening mankind. He never committed a sin, and He gave to everyone He came in touch with. He didn't even have a home of His own, and He made it His life to travel, on foot, and spread the word of God. He gave us His life so that I could have one. Now I have God to go to, in His Name. I could simply ask God for what I need, and He's there to provide. Through Faith, I could work miracles, and I could honestly say, compared to Jesus' life, I haven't had it so bad. Once we realize that life happens, we'll be able to maintain our peace, or in other words, live above the world. Just turn on CNN, MSNBC, or FOX News, and you'll see 24 hours worth of bad news, terrorism, and dieses scares. The only thing that will help us overcome all that we face is our relationship with God. That's the only way Jesus got through what He had to endure. He stayed in God's presence, and He even prayed for His enemies. When they were beating Him, He said "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do". We're supposed to work toward thinking like Jesus. Evil influences are expected in the world. When we allow ourselves to be consumed by sin, we're open to all types of evil. I'll close today with Ephesians 5:1-7: Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. Paul warned us, because he was blessed and highly favored, but he also suffered a great deal, however, he never let it steer him from his destiny. I'm urging you to spend some time daily in the Word; it'll allow you the wisdom to understand your power. If your life is in all types of turmoil right now, it's time to get to know Jesus. Through Him, God will give you the strength to overcome your obstacles, peace and wisdom, to help others do the same. My favorite verses today are: Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454966&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959623
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, excited to get back to the kitchen tonight. I got to check one thing off of my list last night, I'm so grateful for that. My Grandfather was moved from the hospital back to the nursing home, which is very good news, thank you for your continued prayers. It's been yet another busy day, and busy is good. It's weird that we've started getting busier by the end of the week, when before it was the other way around. Enjoy your evening!
Today's scriptures are about our earthly journey. People could be cruel; even starting as children. I think about how kids are teased, and picked on, from kindergarten all the way through college. This is why we have tragedies like the Virginia Tech and Columbine shootings. We're born with sinful natures. Realistically, the world will chew you up, and spit you out, if you let it. That's why it’s so important to depend on God for our peace, joy, and happiness, because no human being could truly give us that. Some people have good hearts, and good intentions, but they're still prone to hurt us. People you'd never expect, like you're parents, spouse, or siblings, could be the ones that hurt us the most. Jesus warns us through the accounts of His life, that we’ll overcome this world through Him, but for us to be prepared for what it has to offer. I remember hearing the Pastor say at church, "we're in this world, but we're not of it". When I was lost, I could never figure out what he meant. I have a very big heart, and I open it very easily to anyone, and people will prey on that. I've been hurt to the core, because of my giving nature, but it's because of the God in me, that I'm quick to forgive, and always moving forward now. I’ve also hurt others as well; I’m by no means perfect. Who am I that I could just breeze through life, never having experienced any heartache or pain? Many hated Jesus; people tried to kill him more often than anyone else. He was spit at, mocked, beaten, and ultimately killed, just because of who He was. Who was He? He was the Savior, the perfect Lamb of God, which walked this earth strengthening mankind. He never committed a sin, and He gave to everyone He came in touch with. He didn't even have a home of His own, and He made it His life to travel, on foot, and spread the word of God. He gave us His life so that I could have one. Now I have God to go to, in His Name. I could simply ask God for what I need, and He's there to provide. Through Faith, I could work miracles, and I could honestly say, compared to Jesus' life, I haven't had it so bad. Once we realize that life happens, we'll be able to maintain our peace, or in other words, live above the world. Just turn on CNN, MSNBC, or FOX News, and you'll see 24 hours worth of bad news, terrorism, and dieses scares. The only thing that will help us overcome all that we face is our relationship with God. That's the only way Jesus got through what He had to endure. He stayed in God's presence, and He even prayed for His enemies. When they were beating Him, He said "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do". We're supposed to work toward thinking like Jesus. Evil influences are expected in the world. When we allow ourselves to be consumed by sin, we're open to all types of evil. I'll close today with Ephesians 5:1-7: Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. Paul warned us, because he was blessed and highly favored, but he also suffered a great deal, however, he never let it steer him from his destiny. I'm urging you to spend some time daily in the Word; it'll allow you the wisdom to understand your power. If your life is in all types of turmoil right now, it's time to get to know Jesus. Through Him, God will give you the strength to overcome your obstacles, peace and wisdom, to help others do the same. My favorite verses today are: Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454966&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959623
I love you!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful hump day. I'm doing well, getting more and more excited everyday (as you could tell). I got some of my Kailua Pig Spring rolls done last night. It was a little sketchy at the beginning, because I'm doing mini spring rolls. They weren’t looking too attractive, but when I fried a few, and they turned out perfect and delicious. Tonight I'll finish up that batch, as well as make some shrimp and veggie mini spring rolls. I love being in the kitchen, but it's hard trying to juggle a full-time job with hours right in the middle of the day. God is in control, so I know it'll work out perfectly. Please pray for my Grandfather, he’s in the hospital with heart trouble, as well as my strength throughout the week. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about putting our faith and trust in God. If we're confessed Christians, why do we still worry? That's a very interesting question, that no one has the full answer to but God. In my opinion, the number one reason would be our relationship with Him, or lack there of. He doesn't like us to be double-minded and confused, because He's given us many resources to build strong Faith. He's given us salvation through Jesus Christ, and a helper through the Holy Spirit. Ways to know how to use these very important lifelines are building a good prayer life, and studying the bible. Prayer and meditation goes hand and hand. I was taught as a child that prayer was a way to make my petitions known to God, as well as thank Him for the blessings I've already received. I hadn't learned how important it is to "listen to God", until recently. We're in fellowship with God, which is essentially a relationship. When we pray, we're having a conversation with Him, and it shouldn't be a one-sided conversation, but many of us make it that way. We can gain confidence in our prayers, and an ability to listen to God, by getting to know Him. Jesus is not only our Savior, but also a true role model. It's written, all over the gospels, how much Jesus went to the wilderness alone to pray. It's also written that He meditated and fasted when faced with big decisions. In doing this, He was waiting on God to give Him the answers He'd been looking for. God always answered His prayers, not only because He was His son, but also because He had unwavering Faith. When we read through the New Testament further, we learn that there were many followers of Jesus that always received answers to their prayers. These people were no different from you and me. The number one reason why our prayers aren't answered is because of our lack of Faith. We'll pray to God and ask Him for something and in our hearts we don’t believe He'll give it to us. The reasons for that are sin, and the devil’s lies. He’s going to continually tell us that we're not worthy of God’s love, or we don't deserve the things we ask for, and we start to believe that, because we notice that our prayers are going unanswered. God love us "flaws and all", He just wants us to ask for forgiveness of and repent for our sins, so we could move forward. Don't allow sin to block your blessings, Jesus paid dearly for that not to happen. Other reasons for unanswered prayers are our lack of focus, not being prepared for what we're asking, or it's just not in the will of God. How do we get sure answers to our prayers, or know what to pray for? Based on today's scriptures we need to pray everywhere, be true worshippers, forgive people who sin against us, cry out to Him with passion and total dependence, and stay strong in His promises. That sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. When we were saved, He began to renew in us righteousness. He started to prune our lives, to get rid of the old trash, and He stays connected to us, at all times, through Jesus. Is there something that you want or need that you've been praying on, that you feel is in God’s will for your life? Before you go to bed tonight, get on your knees and pray, just the way that Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:5-14). After your prayer, pick up your bible, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and read a passage of scripture that stands out to you, [could be one verse, or a whole chapter]. Next, sit completely quiet, focus on nothing and listen to God. Meditation could be hard at first, but you have to continually work on it. Start with 5-10 minutes, and work your way up to as long as it takes to hear a word from God. Just as any earthly relationship, communication is key, when it comes to strengthening our relationship with God. How would we know what His will is for our lives if we don't diligently seek Him? Unfortunately, if you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior, you cannot ask anything of God. Accepting Jesus is the first and most important step, after then, God will answer every request you ask with Faith (that's in His will). Don't take my word for it; try Him out. My favorite verse today is: Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454965&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959627
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful hump day. I'm doing well, getting more and more excited everyday (as you could tell). I got some of my Kailua Pig Spring rolls done last night. It was a little sketchy at the beginning, because I'm doing mini spring rolls. They weren’t looking too attractive, but when I fried a few, and they turned out perfect and delicious. Tonight I'll finish up that batch, as well as make some shrimp and veggie mini spring rolls. I love being in the kitchen, but it's hard trying to juggle a full-time job with hours right in the middle of the day. God is in control, so I know it'll work out perfectly. Please pray for my Grandfather, he’s in the hospital with heart trouble, as well as my strength throughout the week. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about putting our faith and trust in God. If we're confessed Christians, why do we still worry? That's a very interesting question, that no one has the full answer to but God. In my opinion, the number one reason would be our relationship with Him, or lack there of. He doesn't like us to be double-minded and confused, because He's given us many resources to build strong Faith. He's given us salvation through Jesus Christ, and a helper through the Holy Spirit. Ways to know how to use these very important lifelines are building a good prayer life, and studying the bible. Prayer and meditation goes hand and hand. I was taught as a child that prayer was a way to make my petitions known to God, as well as thank Him for the blessings I've already received. I hadn't learned how important it is to "listen to God", until recently. We're in fellowship with God, which is essentially a relationship. When we pray, we're having a conversation with Him, and it shouldn't be a one-sided conversation, but many of us make it that way. We can gain confidence in our prayers, and an ability to listen to God, by getting to know Him. Jesus is not only our Savior, but also a true role model. It's written, all over the gospels, how much Jesus went to the wilderness alone to pray. It's also written that He meditated and fasted when faced with big decisions. In doing this, He was waiting on God to give Him the answers He'd been looking for. God always answered His prayers, not only because He was His son, but also because He had unwavering Faith. When we read through the New Testament further, we learn that there were many followers of Jesus that always received answers to their prayers. These people were no different from you and me. The number one reason why our prayers aren't answered is because of our lack of Faith. We'll pray to God and ask Him for something and in our hearts we don’t believe He'll give it to us. The reasons for that are sin, and the devil’s lies. He’s going to continually tell us that we're not worthy of God’s love, or we don't deserve the things we ask for, and we start to believe that, because we notice that our prayers are going unanswered. God love us "flaws and all", He just wants us to ask for forgiveness of and repent for our sins, so we could move forward. Don't allow sin to block your blessings, Jesus paid dearly for that not to happen. Other reasons for unanswered prayers are our lack of focus, not being prepared for what we're asking, or it's just not in the will of God. How do we get sure answers to our prayers, or know what to pray for? Based on today's scriptures we need to pray everywhere, be true worshippers, forgive people who sin against us, cry out to Him with passion and total dependence, and stay strong in His promises. That sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. When we were saved, He began to renew in us righteousness. He started to prune our lives, to get rid of the old trash, and He stays connected to us, at all times, through Jesus. Is there something that you want or need that you've been praying on, that you feel is in God’s will for your life? Before you go to bed tonight, get on your knees and pray, just the way that Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:5-14). After your prayer, pick up your bible, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and read a passage of scripture that stands out to you, [could be one verse, or a whole chapter]. Next, sit completely quiet, focus on nothing and listen to God. Meditation could be hard at first, but you have to continually work on it. Start with 5-10 minutes, and work your way up to as long as it takes to hear a word from God. Just as any earthly relationship, communication is key, when it comes to strengthening our relationship with God. How would we know what His will is for our lives if we don't diligently seek Him? Unfortunately, if you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior, you cannot ask anything of God. Accepting Jesus is the first and most important step, after then, God will answer every request you ask with Faith (that's in His will). Don't take my word for it; try Him out. My favorite verse today is: Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454965&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959627
I love you!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY TUESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful day. It looks like the rain has stopped for today; the sun is shinning beautifully, and I thank God for it. I'm doing well, just a little sleepy today. I was able to cut down my workout last night, but it still wasn't enough, I'll see what I can do tonight. It's an early day at the office, but I have everything I need to finish my spring rolls and get beef patties done tonight. The Kailua Pig is done; the rest is pretty easy, just a little tedious. Thank you for your prayers, and I'm grateful for this opportunity. Have a wonderful day; be sure to enjoy the sunshine!
Today's scriptures are about Love. Love can be such a controversial subject, because it's so versatile, and there are so many types of love, or ways to love. However the Love of God is often described as Agape, which is one the Greek words for love (we’ll touch on a few today). When using the term in the biblical sense, it means God's unconditional love. It's partly defined in Wikipedia as: divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful. Other types of love are: Eros, which is a romantic type of love, it doesn't have to be on a sexual level, but it’s more than a Philia type of love. Philia is a friendship type of love, which includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. Storge love is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Lastly, Thelema is the desire to do something, to be occupied, or to be in prominence, e.g. my love for food and cooking. Love is love when it comes from God, and all of these different strings of love are all contingent to the Love of God. He loves us unconditionally, there's nothing that we could do or say, that could make Him ever stop loving us, because God is love. He sacrificed Himself, to bring us closer, and to make sure we have all that we need and any righteous thing that we desire. He wants us to love Him with the same Agape love He shows us. We could also love Him other ways like storge and philia, because He does give us the affection of a parent, and at times as a friend, who's closer than a brother. I've always said that I don't think anyone could truly know how to give, or receive the Eros type of love, until they experience God's love within them. It's hard to share something you've never experienced. We're made in His likeness, and we have that natural sense of love, but we don’t always know how to show it. We naturally love our parents, siblings, and our children, but that love isn't unconditional. I've seen it happen many times before, because some parents and children don't love each other, and brothers and sisters walk around like they're sworn enemies or strangers. Also, when men and women get married, and they profess they’re undying love for each other, but abuse happens. These things are possible because we haven't experienced God's love, or we haven't sought Him out. He always loves us, but do we always love him? Jesus did say in Mark 12:29-31 that this is the "first of all commandments... love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." What do we need to do to experience, and give, that type of Love? First and foremost, we need to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." You need to say a prayer, confessing the fact you're a sinner, and asking for forgiveness. Then you must repent (feel remorse) for your sins, and ask Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. This is the first, and most important act of love, but it doesn't stop there. Now we're entering into our Faith walk, which is our growth process, because we start off as babes in Christ. God showers His love on us, and we must be humble enough to be open to His will for our lives. We must seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and then He'll start revealing His wisdom to us, through His grace. Eventually, our hearts will be filled with so much love, that we start to share it with others, and people will start to see it in us. It's just like the Mary, Mary song, when people start to notice that huge change in you, just tell them "It's the God in Me". Just because you're a professed Christian, doesn't mean that you've experienced the love that God is going through great extents to show you. Open up to Him right now, He's waiting to love you, and He'll surround you with people that will do the same, but you have to rely on Him to send them to you, and not choose them for yourself. Ask yourself a few deep questions: Do you love God? Do you know that God loves you unconditionally? Do you love the people around you unselfishly? and How do you show your love? God is unlike any human being, He'll take you just as you are, and He’s waiting on you. My favorite verse today is: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1 John 4:11)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454964&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959641
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful day. It looks like the rain has stopped for today; the sun is shinning beautifully, and I thank God for it. I'm doing well, just a little sleepy today. I was able to cut down my workout last night, but it still wasn't enough, I'll see what I can do tonight. It's an early day at the office, but I have everything I need to finish my spring rolls and get beef patties done tonight. The Kailua Pig is done; the rest is pretty easy, just a little tedious. Thank you for your prayers, and I'm grateful for this opportunity. Have a wonderful day; be sure to enjoy the sunshine!
Today's scriptures are about Love. Love can be such a controversial subject, because it's so versatile, and there are so many types of love, or ways to love. However the Love of God is often described as Agape, which is one the Greek words for love (we’ll touch on a few today). When using the term in the biblical sense, it means God's unconditional love. It's partly defined in Wikipedia as: divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful. Other types of love are: Eros, which is a romantic type of love, it doesn't have to be on a sexual level, but it’s more than a Philia type of love. Philia is a friendship type of love, which includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. Storge love is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Lastly, Thelema is the desire to do something, to be occupied, or to be in prominence, e.g. my love for food and cooking. Love is love when it comes from God, and all of these different strings of love are all contingent to the Love of God. He loves us unconditionally, there's nothing that we could do or say, that could make Him ever stop loving us, because God is love. He sacrificed Himself, to bring us closer, and to make sure we have all that we need and any righteous thing that we desire. He wants us to love Him with the same Agape love He shows us. We could also love Him other ways like storge and philia, because He does give us the affection of a parent, and at times as a friend, who's closer than a brother. I've always said that I don't think anyone could truly know how to give, or receive the Eros type of love, until they experience God's love within them. It's hard to share something you've never experienced. We're made in His likeness, and we have that natural sense of love, but we don’t always know how to show it. We naturally love our parents, siblings, and our children, but that love isn't unconditional. I've seen it happen many times before, because some parents and children don't love each other, and brothers and sisters walk around like they're sworn enemies or strangers. Also, when men and women get married, and they profess they’re undying love for each other, but abuse happens. These things are possible because we haven't experienced God's love, or we haven't sought Him out. He always loves us, but do we always love him? Jesus did say in Mark 12:29-31 that this is the "first of all commandments... love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." What do we need to do to experience, and give, that type of Love? First and foremost, we need to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." You need to say a prayer, confessing the fact you're a sinner, and asking for forgiveness. Then you must repent (feel remorse) for your sins, and ask Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. This is the first, and most important act of love, but it doesn't stop there. Now we're entering into our Faith walk, which is our growth process, because we start off as babes in Christ. God showers His love on us, and we must be humble enough to be open to His will for our lives. We must seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and then He'll start revealing His wisdom to us, through His grace. Eventually, our hearts will be filled with so much love, that we start to share it with others, and people will start to see it in us. It's just like the Mary, Mary song, when people start to notice that huge change in you, just tell them "It's the God in Me". Just because you're a professed Christian, doesn't mean that you've experienced the love that God is going through great extents to show you. Open up to Him right now, He's waiting to love you, and He'll surround you with people that will do the same, but you have to rely on Him to send them to you, and not choose them for yourself. Ask yourself a few deep questions: Do you love God? Do you know that God loves you unconditionally? Do you love the people around you unselfishly? and How do you show your love? God is unlike any human being, He'll take you just as you are, and He’s waiting on you. My favorite verse today is: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1 John 4:11)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454964&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959641
I love you!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY MONDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek. I'm doing great, well rested, and looking forward to a week filled with hard work, and food! I'm so excited about getting started on the festivities. I put my Kailua Pork in the oven this morning, it'll slow cook all day, and then I'll put together my Kailua Pork Spring rolls tonight. I'll hopefully have the beef patties, and empanadas done by the weeks end. These are things that'll come straight from the freezer to the oven fairly easily on Sunday. The biggest challenge is getting to the gym at least 3 nights this week, so I won't be thrown off, we'll see how it goes. Please pray for my strength, focus, and determination. God has blessed me with a truly special give, and I’m grateful for it. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about staying in righteousness. Jesus is due to return to the earth, to receive all of God's children and take us to Heaven for all eternity, any day now. We will never know when, but we know He will. Through Him we're saved, but we still need to maintain a level of righteousness here on earth. We need to refrain from sin, to receive our blessings, and to live a peaceful life. Once we accept Jesus, we make a commitment to become a new creature, and we must put off the old things, and strive toward creating a new attitude toward life. This should be an attitude of living to please God. We must step outside of ourselves, and the pleasing our flesh, and commit to pleasing Him first. He has a way of doing things, and He has predestined our lives, and each of us is put here to complete a certain task. Righteousness is a way of life, we must take on the fruits of the Spirit: …love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22). Read those words individually, and ask yourself what they mean. If need be, go to www.dictionary.com and look them up. These are the characteristics of Jesus, and we’re supposed to be “like-Christ”. What's most important to you in life? Most of us will answer, my children, my husband, building a good career, helping others, family, etc. God wants to be the MOST important thing in our lives. There's nothing more important than completing His will. When we're focusing on Him, everything else will fall into place. Our relationships, career, children, etc. will all be the best they could possibly be, because He will never let the righteous fall. He warns us to separate ourselves from sin, and anything that my cause us to sin. There will be times when our souls may feel disturbed, and we'll lose our peace. At these times we should sit back and wonder what's going on. Some people call it stress and some call it depression. These are the times we need to evaluate our lives, because more often than not, the problem is some unresolved sin. We must work on bringing our flesh into submission, because there is a price for everything. We reap what we sow, and cannot have true, undisturbed peace, while in sin. The bible is full of warnings for us to flee from sin, because it is the number one reason we disconnect from God. Paul sums up what I'm trying to say in Ephesians 5:8-14: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “ Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Wow, this is a very simple passage to live by. When we think of it like this, it makes sense. You can’t put ice cream in the oven, and expect it to come out the same, because some things just don’t mix. As Christians, we cannot mingle with darkness, because we’ve been brought into the light; there will be a major disconnect somewhere. The first step to take is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Once you do that, the refining process starts. Don't forget you don't have to do it alone, you have the Holy Spirit helping you along the way, and you can always pray without ceasing in Jesus name. Don't let another day slip by without Jesus, because you don't know the day, nor the hour when He will return, don't you want Him to say, "well done good and faithful servant" to you? My favorite verses today are: Little children, abide in him that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him (1 John 2:28-29).
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454963&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959641
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek. I'm doing great, well rested, and looking forward to a week filled with hard work, and food! I'm so excited about getting started on the festivities. I put my Kailua Pork in the oven this morning, it'll slow cook all day, and then I'll put together my Kailua Pork Spring rolls tonight. I'll hopefully have the beef patties, and empanadas done by the weeks end. These are things that'll come straight from the freezer to the oven fairly easily on Sunday. The biggest challenge is getting to the gym at least 3 nights this week, so I won't be thrown off, we'll see how it goes. Please pray for my strength, focus, and determination. God has blessed me with a truly special give, and I’m grateful for it. Have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about staying in righteousness. Jesus is due to return to the earth, to receive all of God's children and take us to Heaven for all eternity, any day now. We will never know when, but we know He will. Through Him we're saved, but we still need to maintain a level of righteousness here on earth. We need to refrain from sin, to receive our blessings, and to live a peaceful life. Once we accept Jesus, we make a commitment to become a new creature, and we must put off the old things, and strive toward creating a new attitude toward life. This should be an attitude of living to please God. We must step outside of ourselves, and the pleasing our flesh, and commit to pleasing Him first. He has a way of doing things, and He has predestined our lives, and each of us is put here to complete a certain task. Righteousness is a way of life, we must take on the fruits of the Spirit: …love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22). Read those words individually, and ask yourself what they mean. If need be, go to www.dictionary.com and look them up. These are the characteristics of Jesus, and we’re supposed to be “like-Christ”. What's most important to you in life? Most of us will answer, my children, my husband, building a good career, helping others, family, etc. God wants to be the MOST important thing in our lives. There's nothing more important than completing His will. When we're focusing on Him, everything else will fall into place. Our relationships, career, children, etc. will all be the best they could possibly be, because He will never let the righteous fall. He warns us to separate ourselves from sin, and anything that my cause us to sin. There will be times when our souls may feel disturbed, and we'll lose our peace. At these times we should sit back and wonder what's going on. Some people call it stress and some call it depression. These are the times we need to evaluate our lives, because more often than not, the problem is some unresolved sin. We must work on bringing our flesh into submission, because there is a price for everything. We reap what we sow, and cannot have true, undisturbed peace, while in sin. The bible is full of warnings for us to flee from sin, because it is the number one reason we disconnect from God. Paul sums up what I'm trying to say in Ephesians 5:8-14: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “ Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Wow, this is a very simple passage to live by. When we think of it like this, it makes sense. You can’t put ice cream in the oven, and expect it to come out the same, because some things just don’t mix. As Christians, we cannot mingle with darkness, because we’ve been brought into the light; there will be a major disconnect somewhere. The first step to take is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Once you do that, the refining process starts. Don't forget you don't have to do it alone, you have the Holy Spirit helping you along the way, and you can always pray without ceasing in Jesus name. Don't let another day slip by without Jesus, because you don't know the day, nor the hour when He will return, don't you want Him to say, "well done good and faithful servant" to you? My favorite verses today are: Little children, abide in him that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him (1 John 2:28-29).
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454963&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959641
I love you!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY FRIDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you’re enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). I’m doing well, TGIF! It’s been a really long, but short week [if that makes sense]. I went through another week of struggling to get my schedule in order. I can’t seem to get to the gym at a reasonable time. I’m in there until after midnight some nights. I’m working on it; I have to get disciplined. It’s going well, they say the pain stops after a few weeks, and I think they’re right (who are “they” anyway? Lol). It’s getting a lot better, and I’m gaining more energy, so it’s all worth it. My Uncle Elroy’s funeral is tomorrow, 10:00 am, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church, in northwest DC. Please pray for my family through this time of grievance. The website www.bible.com wasn’t working all day, that’s what took me so long getting the devotional written today, I apologize for the delay. Have a wonderful weekend, and I wish all of the mothers, a Happy Mother’s day!
Today’s scriptures are about taking the good with the bad. Every once and a while God will allow us to receive stripes, as a means of discipline, to get our focus back on Him, help others around us, or to give us wisdom. We’re assured that All things work together for our good. There are many times when life will feel grim, where the pressure will seem too much to bare, but God has promised that He will glorify us, and will be glorified Himself, through our trials. It’s most important that when we’re receiving our stripes, we go to Him for the strength required to survive it. Through these tests, God is preparing us for the next season in our lives. We should stay filled with Spirit, through the rough times. We should surround ourselves with loving and supporting people. We need to stay in the Word of God, focusing on His promises to us. If we feel like we can’t get through it alone, then we need to seek Godly counsel. It’s very important to stay away from any negativity. Sin opens the door to the enemy’s attacks. A worldly person cannot understand the spiritual, so going to your best friend, that isn’t saved, could be a dangerous thing. Especially, if that person isn’t happy in their own lives, it’ll be like the blind leading the blind. We sometimes get caught up in this mentality of what we think we deserve to have, and that could be dangerous as well, because we’re children of God. If our parents allowed us to do or have anything that we wanted, we would be in a world of trouble. Our parents did what was best for us, and it often seemed to us, like it was the end of the world. Their actions, though maybe painful at the time, could have very well saved our lives. God is on a much higher level than our parents, He knows our future, and He protects us from the things that will harm us, and corrects us when we’re wrong, to help us avoid falling into sin. We’re mere mortals, we don’t know what’s really best for us. The only way we will know exactly what we need is by seeking God’s guidance, and listening to our Holy Spirit. We should be humbled enough to realize that we don’t know it all. It took me years to understand that about myself (and I’m still working on it). Ask anyone that really knows me, and they’ll tell you, I always have to be in control, and I need to have the answers to everything. I mean if I’m trying to prove a point, I’ll go above and beyond, to let you know that I’m right. That could be a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good in a way that I can’t just take your word for it; I have to see it for myself. It’s bad because, I can’t just take you word for it; I have to see it for myself. I didn’t always understand that people may experience different things in life, and they might just be smarter than me, on certain subjects, and that’s okay. When I first started my job in Technical Support, I would ask my manager for help with an issue, and he would tell me exactly how to solve a problem, I would question everything that he said, until I saw for myself that it worked. I could’ve saved my client and me a lot of time, had I just trusted that he knew what he was doing. This is how a lot of us are with God. I understand that it’s hard to have Faith in the unknown, so God puts us through all of these difference obstacles to prove His love to us. He puts us through certain things so we could be strong enough to handle the blessings He’s going to bestow upon us. It’s written, “to much is given, much is required…” The more the devil sees our blessings coming, and our peace restored, the more he’s going to tempt us to stray. Before God blesses us with things, He must refine us, by putting us through the fire, in hopes that we’ll come out pure, and be able to resist the temptations of the world. As well as use our blessings to complete His work. If life is hard for you right now, you’re going through a storm, and it’s all about the season your in. Be sure to seek God right now, so you’ll gain the wisdom He’s attempting to give you. If you don’t know Jesus, then accepting Him as your Savior is the only way to overcome adversity with peace and understanding. He’s only a prayer away, and He’s waiting on you to answer His call on your life. If you don’t know how to start, please let me know, I’ll be happy to pray with you. It’s so important to strengthen your prayer life, because you’ll never know what He wants from you until you ask, and listen. My favorite verses today are: Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:42-43)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454960&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959627
I love you!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY THURSDAY!
I pray all is well, and you're enjoying your Friday eve. I'm doing well; grateful we're almost through the workweek. I'm excited about preparing for the tasting next week. A lot still needs to be done, and I'm still looking for people to volunteer to help do some prep this weekend, and to cook, and serve next week. If you're free I could use your help. My dad's motion was filed yesterday; please keep him in your prayers. I attached a very nice poem that a friend of mine sent me this morning, this is very near and dear to my heart, my story is somewhat similar to his. Thank you for all of your help; have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about trusting in the Lord no matter what's going on in the world. In today's world, it's very important for us to stay grounded in Christ's deliverance, because things are in such turmoil. I don't watch the News often because it could be very depressing. If they're not talking about the bad economy, and the grim outlook on America's financial future, it’s about the Swine flu, or terrorism. If we rely on Jesus, we won’t have to worry about half of the things people of the world experience, when we walk upright. It’s said on the News the swine flu is a pandemic, who knows what the lesson is behind this, but I know if I wash my hands often, and take normal precious to avoid it, I will not be a victim of it, in the Name of Jesus. Some people allow fear to control their lives so much that they'll walk around with sterile masks on, with no threat of being infected. God has every day of our lives mapped out, and it's important for us to carry on fearlessly, to complete the tasks He's set out for us. As His children, we must walk with confidence in knowing that the blood of Jesus is our strength. No matter what is going on around us, or in our own lives, God is in control. If we're in danger, we must immediately call on the God, and ask for protection in the Name of Jesus. No man should be able to dictate what God has setup for us. I don't know about you, but if someone was trying to sell me a product, and they're not confident in that product themselves, why would I buy it? Being afraid of everything, and panicking when unforeseen events arise, isn't a good representation of a child of God. This reminds me of the story written in Matthew 8:23-27, when Jesus was on the boat with His disciples a bad storm hit, He was below deck sleep, while the other men was panicking and trying to hold the ship together. They asked Jesus how He could sleep at a time like that. Jesus answered, "O you of little Faith", rebuked the winds, and went back to sleep. I could only imagine how powerful that must've been. It's written in verse 27: So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Christ lives in us, and we're representatives of Him. When trouble arises we have the power, in His name, to literally calm seas. Whatever you ask, by Faith, you will receive. The devil controls some of us through fear, worry, anger, and anxiety. The only way we could break his hold over us is through Faith in Jesus. When you read through the Gospels, you see some of the amazing things Jesus has done, and He was always quick to point out that, by Faith, we could do these things too. We also have account of His disciples, whom went on healing, and committing miracles in His Name, after His resurrection. They were no different than you and me; they did all of those things through Faith. Our Faith could move mountains, so what reason do we have to worry? We're blessed and highly favored, and we're friends of God. Don't allow fear to hinder your growth in life. The only way to overcome our fears is to face them. In the words of Joyce Meyers, "do it afraid". Joyce mentioned in her teaching series on fear that it's natural for us to have feelings of fear, but we mustn’t act on those feelings. We must push forward through the feelings, with Faith that God will see us through, because He will. You ever been so afraid of something, but did it anyway, and when that task was done, you found out it wasn't that bad after all? We're more than conquerors through Christ; things are never as bad as the devil will have them appear. You may be holding back on accepting Jesus as your Savior, because you're afraid of what He'll think of you, or failing Him. I urge you to accept Him today; I can guarantee that it's not as bad as it seem. People put labels on Christians, but those people label everyone. The best thing to do is keeping your eyes on God at all times, and allowing Him to give you that peace that surpasses all understanding. My favorite verses today are: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. (Psalms 46:1-3)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454959&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959623
I love you!
I pray all is well, and you're enjoying your Friday eve. I'm doing well; grateful we're almost through the workweek. I'm excited about preparing for the tasting next week. A lot still needs to be done, and I'm still looking for people to volunteer to help do some prep this weekend, and to cook, and serve next week. If you're free I could use your help. My dad's motion was filed yesterday; please keep him in your prayers. I attached a very nice poem that a friend of mine sent me this morning, this is very near and dear to my heart, my story is somewhat similar to his. Thank you for all of your help; have a wonderful day!
Today's scriptures are about trusting in the Lord no matter what's going on in the world. In today's world, it's very important for us to stay grounded in Christ's deliverance, because things are in such turmoil. I don't watch the News often because it could be very depressing. If they're not talking about the bad economy, and the grim outlook on America's financial future, it’s about the Swine flu, or terrorism. If we rely on Jesus, we won’t have to worry about half of the things people of the world experience, when we walk upright. It’s said on the News the swine flu is a pandemic, who knows what the lesson is behind this, but I know if I wash my hands often, and take normal precious to avoid it, I will not be a victim of it, in the Name of Jesus. Some people allow fear to control their lives so much that they'll walk around with sterile masks on, with no threat of being infected. God has every day of our lives mapped out, and it's important for us to carry on fearlessly, to complete the tasks He's set out for us. As His children, we must walk with confidence in knowing that the blood of Jesus is our strength. No matter what is going on around us, or in our own lives, God is in control. If we're in danger, we must immediately call on the God, and ask for protection in the Name of Jesus. No man should be able to dictate what God has setup for us. I don't know about you, but if someone was trying to sell me a product, and they're not confident in that product themselves, why would I buy it? Being afraid of everything, and panicking when unforeseen events arise, isn't a good representation of a child of God. This reminds me of the story written in Matthew 8:23-27, when Jesus was on the boat with His disciples a bad storm hit, He was below deck sleep, while the other men was panicking and trying to hold the ship together. They asked Jesus how He could sleep at a time like that. Jesus answered, "O you of little Faith", rebuked the winds, and went back to sleep. I could only imagine how powerful that must've been. It's written in verse 27: So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Christ lives in us, and we're representatives of Him. When trouble arises we have the power, in His name, to literally calm seas. Whatever you ask, by Faith, you will receive. The devil controls some of us through fear, worry, anger, and anxiety. The only way we could break his hold over us is through Faith in Jesus. When you read through the Gospels, you see some of the amazing things Jesus has done, and He was always quick to point out that, by Faith, we could do these things too. We also have account of His disciples, whom went on healing, and committing miracles in His Name, after His resurrection. They were no different than you and me; they did all of those things through Faith. Our Faith could move mountains, so what reason do we have to worry? We're blessed and highly favored, and we're friends of God. Don't allow fear to hinder your growth in life. The only way to overcome our fears is to face them. In the words of Joyce Meyers, "do it afraid". Joyce mentioned in her teaching series on fear that it's natural for us to have feelings of fear, but we mustn’t act on those feelings. We must push forward through the feelings, with Faith that God will see us through, because He will. You ever been so afraid of something, but did it anyway, and when that task was done, you found out it wasn't that bad after all? We're more than conquerors through Christ; things are never as bad as the devil will have them appear. You may be holding back on accepting Jesus as your Savior, because you're afraid of what He'll think of you, or failing Him. I urge you to accept Him today; I can guarantee that it's not as bad as it seem. People put labels on Christians, but those people label everyone. The best thing to do is keeping your eyes on God at all times, and allowing Him to give you that peace that surpasses all understanding. My favorite verses today are: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. (Psalms 46:1-3)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454959&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959623
I love you!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another hump day. You know how I feel about Wednesdays, so we're moving on. I'm doing well, just getting harder to stay focused when I’m so tired. This weekend is mother's day, and I'm trying come up with a really nice and unique present for my mom. I was listening to the radio, and they said we spend something like 1.8 billion dollars in the US, on flowers, on mother's day. That's crazy! I don't think I've ever given my mother flowers on mother's day, but I could understand the numbers, and that's not including the flower people that stand on the street corner and sell them (lol). I need to get out there and sell me some flowers! I think my cousin is having a barbecue; I'm looking forward to that. If you have a really cool gift idea, please let me know. Have a wonderful evening!
Today's scriptures are about the most important subject of our lives, salvation through Christ. I was just sitting here thinking how often these types of scriptures come up. Jesus should be the main subject when discussing salvation, because He's the key. In the Old Testament, sinners had it rough. There wasn't a Savior, they had to endure the wrath of God, and live their lives separated from Him, because of sin. There were only a select few that He chose to spread His message. Burnt offerings were the only way to be forgiven of sins. I couldn't imagine living in the Old Testament times, because I desperately need the blood of Jesus to cleanse my sins. I thank God for Him everyday. Some of us don't realize how fortunate we are to have Salvation through Jesus Christ. Because of God's grace, we're fortunate enough to be made righteous. We're able to commune with God Himself, without the burden of sin. We're able to go to Him anytime, day or night, and ask anything, and He'll answer us, without us having to take an animal to the synagogue, and talk to the High Priest, and have him pray for us. When Jesus died on the cross, He brought never-ending life to His followers. As we read yesterday, God will grant all good things we ask, when we walk upright. The only way to truly be righteous is through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. We have a guaranteed place in Heaven; we're free from sin, worry, and anxiety, because there's nothing any human could do to us that will take away our salvation. That alone should give us peace. I've started reading the story Ruth and Naomi, and I learned a lot from this very short book of Ruth in the bible. Naomi's husband and two sons died, and Ruth was Naomi's daughter-in-law. Naomi told both her daughter-in-laws to go back home to their families, and she would return to her hometown. Ruth refused to leave Naomi, and went home with her. Pastor Richard, my old Pastor from Portland, preached a sermon series on the life of Ruth, which lasted at least 4 weeks. He explained the importance of Ruth's loyalty to Naomi, and how the Faith God instilled in her, to have in this woman, had lead her to ultimately gain great wealth and prestige. I know Ruth wasn't following Naomi because of what she may be able to do for her, but it was out of the love and great concern she had for her. This story could be used to teach so many different lessons, and in my opinion it could be a parable or analogy of today's subject as well. We're going to go through growing pains in our Faith walk, but we have to stay faithful to our love for Jesus, no matter what it may bring. We cannot love God and have fear. Our comfort is in the blood of Jesus. We should know deep down in our hearts that He would never leave us. We should be as Ruth was to Naomi, and never leave Him either. Ruth told Naomi in 1:16-17: "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." We should have this much fervor in our relationship with Jesus! Let Him know, no matter what is going on in you're life, you should stay near and trust Jesus. He loves us no matter what we do; do you love Him enough to stay by Him no matter what? If you don't know Him, get to know Him. He gave His life so you wouldn't have to. He died to give us peace, love, happiness, and most importantly, Eternal life. My favorite verse today is: The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. (Isaiah 42:21)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454958&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959623
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another hump day. You know how I feel about Wednesdays, so we're moving on. I'm doing well, just getting harder to stay focused when I’m so tired. This weekend is mother's day, and I'm trying come up with a really nice and unique present for my mom. I was listening to the radio, and they said we spend something like 1.8 billion dollars in the US, on flowers, on mother's day. That's crazy! I don't think I've ever given my mother flowers on mother's day, but I could understand the numbers, and that's not including the flower people that stand on the street corner and sell them (lol). I need to get out there and sell me some flowers! I think my cousin is having a barbecue; I'm looking forward to that. If you have a really cool gift idea, please let me know. Have a wonderful evening!
Today's scriptures are about the most important subject of our lives, salvation through Christ. I was just sitting here thinking how often these types of scriptures come up. Jesus should be the main subject when discussing salvation, because He's the key. In the Old Testament, sinners had it rough. There wasn't a Savior, they had to endure the wrath of God, and live their lives separated from Him, because of sin. There were only a select few that He chose to spread His message. Burnt offerings were the only way to be forgiven of sins. I couldn't imagine living in the Old Testament times, because I desperately need the blood of Jesus to cleanse my sins. I thank God for Him everyday. Some of us don't realize how fortunate we are to have Salvation through Jesus Christ. Because of God's grace, we're fortunate enough to be made righteous. We're able to commune with God Himself, without the burden of sin. We're able to go to Him anytime, day or night, and ask anything, and He'll answer us, without us having to take an animal to the synagogue, and talk to the High Priest, and have him pray for us. When Jesus died on the cross, He brought never-ending life to His followers. As we read yesterday, God will grant all good things we ask, when we walk upright. The only way to truly be righteous is through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. We have a guaranteed place in Heaven; we're free from sin, worry, and anxiety, because there's nothing any human could do to us that will take away our salvation. That alone should give us peace. I've started reading the story Ruth and Naomi, and I learned a lot from this very short book of Ruth in the bible. Naomi's husband and two sons died, and Ruth was Naomi's daughter-in-law. Naomi told both her daughter-in-laws to go back home to their families, and she would return to her hometown. Ruth refused to leave Naomi, and went home with her. Pastor Richard, my old Pastor from Portland, preached a sermon series on the life of Ruth, which lasted at least 4 weeks. He explained the importance of Ruth's loyalty to Naomi, and how the Faith God instilled in her, to have in this woman, had lead her to ultimately gain great wealth and prestige. I know Ruth wasn't following Naomi because of what she may be able to do for her, but it was out of the love and great concern she had for her. This story could be used to teach so many different lessons, and in my opinion it could be a parable or analogy of today's subject as well. We're going to go through growing pains in our Faith walk, but we have to stay faithful to our love for Jesus, no matter what it may bring. We cannot love God and have fear. Our comfort is in the blood of Jesus. We should know deep down in our hearts that He would never leave us. We should be as Ruth was to Naomi, and never leave Him either. Ruth told Naomi in 1:16-17: "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." We should have this much fervor in our relationship with Jesus! Let Him know, no matter what is going on in you're life, you should stay near and trust Jesus. He loves us no matter what we do; do you love Him enough to stay by Him no matter what? If you don't know Him, get to know Him. He gave His life so you wouldn't have to. He died to give us peace, love, happiness, and most importantly, Eternal life. My favorite verse today is: The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. (Isaiah 42:21)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454958&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959623
I love you!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY TUESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying your day. I'm doing well, a little tired but blessed. I need to start managing my time better. Once I get in the house, it's so hard to get back out to go to the gym. I need to take my friend's advice, and pack my bag, and go directly from work. That'll get me in and out in by reasonable time. The yard sale turned out really nice at the church, from what I heard (I didn't stay), and the burgers I made were a huge success. The jury is still out on the banana bread, but I wasn't impressed with it myself. I don't like to bake, because I'm too impatient, and it showed in the finished product for Saturday's event. I have to bake a little more to get accustomed to it. The best thing is, the event itself was very successful, and our church needed the funds, and it allowed the community to know that we're there. I've come to love the Fairfax Christian Church, please keep them (us) in your prayers.
Today's scriptures are filled with God's promises to help us avoid fear and worry. This verse sums up questions about answered prayers (in my opinion): No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11). Notice the part that I highlighted? I think we get the entire process twisted around. Now that we have Jesus as our Savior, and the Holy Spirit as our Helper, walking upright is not that difficult to do. Yes we're here on earth with temptations and a weak flesh, however, we're made righteous through Jesus, and we're expected to live as such. We have control over what we do. We could choose good or evil, but out of our love and respect for God, we should try to always choose “good”. God is a good God, and He treats us with a love greater than our parents. We're taught to fear Him, what does that mean to you? To me, I fear what He may think of me, as well as my punishments for the things I do wrong. I know that He destroyed all of mankind at one time; I also know He sacrificed His only son, and I could only imagine how passionate He is about what He wants me to do in this life. So thus, I fear stepping out of line, and disappointing Him. I fear the hurt and pain that I'll put myself through, because of disobedience. It's written that God answers those who fear Him, it’s because our fear is out of love for Him. I feared my mother, because I always wanted to make her proud, and I didn't want the punishment that came with disobeying her, that's similar to my feelings about God. As long as we have that type of attitude, we'll try our best to live an upright life. We'll go the extra mile to repent when we sin, because we're remorseful for breaking God's trust. Jesus gave up a lot for us; God blesses us everyday, even though we sometimes don't do anything for Him. He's always there for us, so there's no need to worry or fear anything. The worry and the fear come from guilt, and feelings of inadequacy. Why do we believe it when the devil feed us those lies? It's because of a lack of knowledge, and sin, that clouds the use of our Holy Spirit. A friend of mind just summed up this entire devotional in one sentence without even knowing it, she said, "Whatever you believe you will receive, you will receive; God is that simple, He's not a secret". Hallelujah! When the enemy gets us to believe that we're inadequate, and feeling guilty about our past sins, it makes us shy away from God, and we lose Faith in His promises. We stop Him asking for things, we walk around filled with shame and sin, and we become just as any other lost soul. I'm begging you today to snap out of it, if that's your attitude or mindset. God loves you, because you're His child! He'll never leave you because you've made mistakes in the past. He'll never condemn you, and He's waiting to bless the upright. Once you confess your sins and repent, you're then upright! The only thing that holds us back from having whatever right things we ask from God is sin. My friend is right, He's that simple, some people will have you believe that Christianity if so hard. That’s the thing with different organized religions. God's main goal is to have us walk the life that He's setup for us, and complete the tasks at hand. Jesus walks with us the entire way, so we should never want for anything. I urge you to stop listening to the lies of the world, and start living by the promises of God. We have a role to play in it, we could somewhat control the amount of blessings we receive, and the suffering we endure. Ask not, receive not, oh ye of little Faith! Do you understand how much God loves you? If you don't know Jesus, get to know Him today, so you could start on the journey of your Faith walk. If you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, but don't quite know what that means, grab the bible, and ask your Holy Spirit to lead you along the way, or find a Faith filled, bible based church. Life is what you make it, you get out of it what you put in, and you are whatever you think you are. Allow God to be gracious to you. My favorite verse today is: Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Have faith in God. (Mark 11:22)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454957&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.4943197/k.9362/Today_on_Radio.htm
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959615
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying your day. I'm doing well, a little tired but blessed. I need to start managing my time better. Once I get in the house, it's so hard to get back out to go to the gym. I need to take my friend's advice, and pack my bag, and go directly from work. That'll get me in and out in by reasonable time. The yard sale turned out really nice at the church, from what I heard (I didn't stay), and the burgers I made were a huge success. The jury is still out on the banana bread, but I wasn't impressed with it myself. I don't like to bake, because I'm too impatient, and it showed in the finished product for Saturday's event. I have to bake a little more to get accustomed to it. The best thing is, the event itself was very successful, and our church needed the funds, and it allowed the community to know that we're there. I've come to love the Fairfax Christian Church, please keep them (us) in your prayers.
Today's scriptures are filled with God's promises to help us avoid fear and worry. This verse sums up questions about answered prayers (in my opinion): No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11). Notice the part that I highlighted? I think we get the entire process twisted around. Now that we have Jesus as our Savior, and the Holy Spirit as our Helper, walking upright is not that difficult to do. Yes we're here on earth with temptations and a weak flesh, however, we're made righteous through Jesus, and we're expected to live as such. We have control over what we do. We could choose good or evil, but out of our love and respect for God, we should try to always choose “good”. God is a good God, and He treats us with a love greater than our parents. We're taught to fear Him, what does that mean to you? To me, I fear what He may think of me, as well as my punishments for the things I do wrong. I know that He destroyed all of mankind at one time; I also know He sacrificed His only son, and I could only imagine how passionate He is about what He wants me to do in this life. So thus, I fear stepping out of line, and disappointing Him. I fear the hurt and pain that I'll put myself through, because of disobedience. It's written that God answers those who fear Him, it’s because our fear is out of love for Him. I feared my mother, because I always wanted to make her proud, and I didn't want the punishment that came with disobeying her, that's similar to my feelings about God. As long as we have that type of attitude, we'll try our best to live an upright life. We'll go the extra mile to repent when we sin, because we're remorseful for breaking God's trust. Jesus gave up a lot for us; God blesses us everyday, even though we sometimes don't do anything for Him. He's always there for us, so there's no need to worry or fear anything. The worry and the fear come from guilt, and feelings of inadequacy. Why do we believe it when the devil feed us those lies? It's because of a lack of knowledge, and sin, that clouds the use of our Holy Spirit. A friend of mind just summed up this entire devotional in one sentence without even knowing it, she said, "Whatever you believe you will receive, you will receive; God is that simple, He's not a secret". Hallelujah! When the enemy gets us to believe that we're inadequate, and feeling guilty about our past sins, it makes us shy away from God, and we lose Faith in His promises. We stop Him asking for things, we walk around filled with shame and sin, and we become just as any other lost soul. I'm begging you today to snap out of it, if that's your attitude or mindset. God loves you, because you're His child! He'll never leave you because you've made mistakes in the past. He'll never condemn you, and He's waiting to bless the upright. Once you confess your sins and repent, you're then upright! The only thing that holds us back from having whatever right things we ask from God is sin. My friend is right, He's that simple, some people will have you believe that Christianity if so hard. That’s the thing with different organized religions. God's main goal is to have us walk the life that He's setup for us, and complete the tasks at hand. Jesus walks with us the entire way, so we should never want for anything. I urge you to stop listening to the lies of the world, and start living by the promises of God. We have a role to play in it, we could somewhat control the amount of blessings we receive, and the suffering we endure. Ask not, receive not, oh ye of little Faith! Do you understand how much God loves you? If you don't know Jesus, get to know Him today, so you could start on the journey of your Faith walk. If you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, but don't quite know what that means, grab the bible, and ask your Holy Spirit to lead you along the way, or find a Faith filled, bible based church. Life is what you make it, you get out of it what you put in, and you are whatever you think you are. Allow God to be gracious to you. My favorite verse today is: Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Have faith in God. (Mark 11:22)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454957&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.4943197/k.9362/Today_on_Radio.htm
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959615
I love you!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY MONDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek (for most). I'm doing well, still recouping from a long weekend. I didn't get much rest, but I did enjoy time spent with family and friends. My uncle Elroy Fenwick passed away on Saturday afternoon, he was sick with Prostate cancer for the past few years. I mentioned him in my devotional last week, asking for prayers, now I need you to pray for my family. My Grandmother lost her twin sister, brother, and now her son, all in the last 2 years. Please pray for her and my granddad's strength to get through this, and for their health. Thank you for your love and support.
Today's scriptures are about how God is constantly there for us. God is often referred to as Omniscient, which means He has all knowledge; Omnipotent, which means He has all power; and Omnipresent, which means He's in all places all the time. Could you imagine that? I loved the movie Bruce Almighty, where Jim Carey's character was given the opportunity to be God for a short time. That's almost how I would imagine it is for God. But in all actuality, we cannot begin fathom the enormity of Him. He created all things, and we're like a speck in the universe, yet He cares a great deal about each of us. He will never be too busy for us, or turn His back on us. We're the ones that often turn our backs on Him. Most times we allow the enemy will put false guilt or shame on us, and make us believe that God has condemned us. That's absolutely false, please be adamant in maintaining your relationship with God. He wants to be everything to us. When Jesus enters our hearts, there's no going back to the dark side. Even when we backslide in sin, He's right there to forgive us. Even when we totally mess up, and hurt those around us, He's there to fix it. When we doubt Him, or live in un-forgiveness, He's willing to forgive us. A relationship with God is the most important relationship is to have. I'm not referring to merely being saved. I'm talking about being in a healthy relationship with Him. Which is give and take, not just take. Get to know Him for who He is. No matters if you’re happy, sad, depressed, angry, or content, talk to Him. Listen to Him, the Holy Spirit was given to us for a reason, He's a very important part of our lives, and we should be listening at all times. Repent for our sins, it's not enough to just ask for forgiveness, but we must try our best to live righteously. Sin is a huge reason why things happen in our lives, that God will not save us from, because of the disconnection due to sin. We all will experience some type of disconnection with God on our parts, just as some of the Authors of today's verses did, because we’re only human. However, they still urge us to keep the Faith, and know that God will uplifts us, keeps us safe from harm, and avenges us. He will continually love us, with no lapse in communication on His part. He hears our voices whenever we cry out to Him, and He answers all of our prayers. He always makes sure we know He's there, whether it’s by a warm feeling, or through the people in our lives. How wonderful is the Name of Jesus? We're free because of Him, free to live, love, laugh, cry, fall, and get back up, and try it all over again. We're encouraged to ask, seek, and knock, forgive, love, and share with others. If we're made in His likeness, and He is love (1 Cor. 13), what are we? Hatred, envy, strife, bitterness and anger don't come from God. There are times when we'll experience those things, but He urges us to let them go, and trust Him to be our strength. Trust is the key word here. Those of us that have been hurt or disappointed in the past, we tend to lose our trust in everyone, especially God. It's times to redirect that trust from you, and put it in God. Life would be so much better if you trust in Him wholeheartedly. There is no better relationship to have, then to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. I could testify to that, I couldn't write about Him everyday, if I don't experience His love. We all do, but sometimes we're not paying attention to see it. Take everyday and love Him, and you'll begin to realize how much love He shows you daily. If you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, then you don't have a relationship with God. Jesus is the truth, the light, and the way; no man comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and start to accept God's love. My favorite verse today is: Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. (Jeremiah 32:17)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2454956&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5131179&ct=6959609
I love you!
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