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 well, but absolutely exhausted, even though I had almost a full week off of work. However, it's been a really good week, ever since we picked my dad last Wednesday, it's been non-stop. He already has a new cell phone, and e-mail address. For those of you who would like to get in touch with him, his e-mail address is gfenwickjr@yahoo.com. He's doing well, getting acclimated with everything, but he's a very smart man, so it's not hard for him to catch on. We've already had two parties, one on the day he came home, and the other on Saturday, to celebrate my birthday and his homecoming. It was nice, good company, great food, and plenty of cake. Yesterday, we were able to share our testimony at Church, and that was awesome, some of our family members came by, and it was a very, very, nice service. I thank God for Reverend Laura and Pastor Russ it was a great day! For the most part we've been eating like crazy, so we both need to get back into the gym before we blow up. Overall, I'm getting to know my dad like never before, and that is priceless. My Grandmother is still in the hospital battling Pneumonia, so please keep her in your prayers, she’s doing well, just trying to rest and get rid of the infection, so she could go home. She's had so many people who love her stop by that the excitement tires her out. I'll stop by briefly tonight to check up on her, to make sure she's doing okay. Thank you for your continued prayers, and have a wonderful day; God bless!

Today's scriptures are about dominion over all things. Idols are powerful things, and we all have them at one time or another. It's written in Exodus 20:2-6: “I am the LORD your God... “You hall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. These verses of scripture sums up what I would say about today's scriptures. God is the Alpha and the Omega, the God above all Gods, and as Christians we're expected to put Him on the throne of our lives. However, sometimes we get caught up in the world's ways, and forget Who is really in control. Idols are not only carved statues, but they can be a number to things such as, your spouse, children, a beloved vehicle, or that rising career that you've worked so hard to achieve. Basically, anything that takes top priority over God's work is considered an idol. God's will always consist of something that will strengthen the kingdom of God. We must find a way to use our gifts and talents to work for Him. We ought to learn how to balance our earthly relationships with our relationship with God. We should make sure we're taking the time out to study and pray, as well as to worship with fellow Christians in some type of way. We all experience times in our life where we get "too busy" for God. Especially those of us who raise a family, work, and go to school. Not to mention trying to have a social life, and take time out for yourself. In today's society, it's so easy to go home and fall straight into bed at the end of the day, and not think twice about our study, prayer, and meditation time. However, this is a very dangerous thing, and we must do our best to stay centered with God, because the devil plays on that. He waits to attack when we lose that connection with God. I find that if I'm not constantly talking to God, then I feel lost. He's a very prevalent part of my life, and when I go two or three days without taking some time out just for Him I notice it. I get a little more irritable with people, overwhelmed with life, and just plain lose my peace. The moment I get back to Jesus, through prayer, the Word, and meditation, my peace is fully restored. I can now look at life through the eyes of a child of God, and not through the eyes of the flesh. I read this famous quote a few weeks ago for the first time, and it's so simple, but it makes so much sense, "Today is a gift, that's why it's called Present". Each day God allows us on His earth is a gift, and we must use each day to glorify Him. Please make it a habit to take some time out to spend with God today, whether it's before you start your day in the morning, before you end it at night, or both. No matter when you decide, just know that God yearns this closeness with us, as much as we should with Him. If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, pray and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and to come into your heart as Lord and Savior. He's waiting to hear from each of us, every day. My favorite verse today is: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455103&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=5408289&ct=7319653

I love you!