Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're Friday eve. I'm doing well, but was just a little grouchy this morning. I'm sleepy, it's raining, and the traffic was a nightmare. It took me 45 minutes to travel 2.5 miles, because of a new construction project that has closed down several lanes. I don't think the will construction ever ends, they’re at one stretch of the highway or another, and it puts a lot of strain on commuters. I try to look at it like this, at least they're attempting to do something to try and alleviate the traffic situations, but it seems like it never stops. I try to grin and bear it, but this morning it got under my skin; what can you do about it. Please keep me in prayer for my meeting tomorrow, pray that I get exactly what I need to get the book done. I'm also looking forward to Saturday's program at Pilgrims Baptist Church, I hope to see you there, it starts at 9am. Have a wonderful weekend, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about relying on God for strength. Life happens. There's nothing we can do to avoid its ups and downs, but we do have God as our Rock. We should build our lives around Him, because He gives us a strong foundation. Life should have some type of structure, and that structure begins with a foundation. Where we build our foundation is what matters the most. Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” My dad told me years ago that God must sit on the throne of our lives, and Jesus sits at His right hand. I had heard that in Church before, but I can still remember the visual I imagined when dad said it. I learned that we should always put God first in our lives and try to live like Jesus lived. It's because of Jesus that we can wear a Crown of righteousness, so the key to living a peaceful life is to do everything with God in mind. We're to ask Him for guidance to get through each day, and He should influence our every decision. This gives us strength to withstand the trails and tribulation we may face. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22) In saying this, he gave us the responsibility for living righteous, because so often we leave that type of life to people who are in leadership positions. We are fellow citizens of the household of God, and it’s us up to us to build upon that. We learn the ways of God from our leaders, but it's ultimately up to us to follow those ways as individual. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand.... (Psalms 91:1). We will face trails, and some of us will be hit harder than others, but trouble will come. I think of the story of Job; he was a righteous man, but when God allowed him to be tested, He stood firm on God's promise, and relied on Him to get through it. God gives us the strength that we need to endure, but when we lose sight of Him, we lose strength. The worst thing we could do is turn to the world, because we start to build a flimsy foundation, which is only temporary. If you're going through a storm right not, stand firm on God, because He's our rock. He offers protection, comfort, and deliverance, but we must look to Him to receive it. If you don't know Jesus, then you don't know God. God is the foundation, Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone, and so if you don’t have them, what do you really have? The prayer is simple, confess your sins, invite Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, and then receive His love. Once that's done, start to build on His Living Word. It may take some time, and sometimes you might need to tear some things down and start over, but no matter what falls around you, that foundation is still strong to support you in everything you do. My favorite verse today is: The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. (Psalms 28:7)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455120&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=5492525&ct=7532563

I love you!