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, enjoying my day off. I actually slept past noon, and ate a big bowl of Cap'n Crunch for breakfast/brunch. I'm looking forward to the rest of the weekend. I'm up and ready to go out and face the world, but I could very easily stay in, and watch movies all day. None the less, duty calls! I have a few things to do, and Grandma has been waiting patiently for her bread pudding. My grandmother is doing well, but she's still having trouble with her stomach, so please continue to pray for her. Enjoy your weekend, and whatever you do, do it for the Lord.

Today's scriptures are about our God of Grace and mercy. If you compared your life with Jesus, how would yours measure up? Personally speaking, I’m nowhere near the servant that I should be, if I compare myself to Him. However, God loves me just as much as He loved Jesus. God works with us, hence the reason for Jesus’ sacrifice; to give us a chance to be redeemed. He's very patient, because He understands our life in the Human flesh, but at the same time, He's given us every tool we need to live a righteous life. Sin is in some senses inevitable. When you think of the Ten Commandment (Exodus 20): Thou shalt not have higher gods, make carved images (statues) to idol or worship, take the Lord's Name in Vain, commit murder, adultery, steal, bare false witness against your neighbor (lie on anyone), covet your neighbor's house, and thou shalt keep the Sabbath day holy, and honor your mother and father. We were taught most of these principles growing up, and we know the consequence behind breaking them. There are earthly repercussions, as well as Spiritual. Yet, even though we know the right things to do, we've all broken some of these commandments, and still do. When we do break them, why don't we confess, ask for forgiveness and repent? Did you know that sin no longer has to be a hindrance in our relationship with God? Jesus cleared us from the eternal penalty; however, we'll still be punished for our sins. We have no excuse to blatantly sin, but we still do. Then we question when things are going wrong in our lives. How many times have you heard the phrase "you reap what you sow"? It's written all through the bible, to let us know that everything we do has a consequence. When you take a moment and think about it, life isn't that hard after all, the answer is here in Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap; in other words you get out of it what you put into it. Paul said in 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. Now that you know these things, will you make a conscious effort to change your sinful ways? The worst thing we could do is try to justify our sinful ways by saying "everyone else is doing it", or "this is just the times we live in, things have changed from the biblical days", because that's a slap in God's face. All He wants us to do is admit that we've done wrong, and humble ourselves enough to ask for forgiveness. The Word of God is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. If you don't believe it, look around at the state of the world today, you have examples of disobedience all around you. God is slow to anger, longsuffering, and quick to forgive, but He will not be mocked. He understands mistakes, and the things that we try hard to overcome, but it’s still a battle, He's just waiting on us to ask for deliverance, and He'll give it to us. The only thing we need to understand is the fact that He's always there, waiting to be gracious to us, and forgiveness is a free gift by the blood of Jesus; by God's grace we're healed. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior then you will pay the eternal price for sin, as well as the earthy prices, so I strongly urge you to say that prayer right now. I'm always here if you want to talk and/or pray together, I'll do my best to help. My favorite verses today are: If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. (Psalms 130:3-4)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455030&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=5283727&ct=7162565

I love you