Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

A highlight of the weekend was the play I saw entitled "The Child Support Man" on Saturday, at the Soul Factory in Forestville, MD. This church is beyond contemporary, but they are real on every level. I like the way they relate to the lost sheep, by allowing them to understand that being lost is only okay, if you're trying to find your way home. There's no condemnation at this church, but simply an open arms policy. I love that concept, and I truly enjoyed the play, because it touched on so many serious issues about relationships, broken homes, the Family Judicial system, and the affects broken homes have on children. I highly recommend you see it, I know it’ll be playing again this coming weekend, and the tickets are reasonably priced (check out their website http://www.thesoulfactory.com/). Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about walking in the ways of God. Everyone who looks at you sees God. Did you know that you are a representative of Him; His love, His will, His mercy, His grace, His artistic abilities, and so much more! You must wear that crown with honor, respect, and integrity, because the salvation of your fellow man depends on it. There is always someone watching you, because you’re peculiar people. You ever notice a person who’s in love, especially new love? They have this glow about them, and they’re smiling from the inside out. Just imagine how you radiate when you’re in love with God. There’s this certain glow that you get, and people notice. When you build a strong relationship with God by spending time with Him, and learning His ways, He begins to fill you with His spirit of joy, and it gives you this sparkle even a lost man can’t ignore. People should feel Him when they’re in your presence, hear Him when you speak, and see Him when they look into your eyes [which are said to be the windows to your soul]. Knowing this, you must be careful how you carry yourself, because you can be an asset or a hindrance to the Kingdom. There’s always a lost sheep trying to find its way home, and we have the power to either guide them home, or lead them astray. The only thing worse than being ignorant, is being misinformed.
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we’re making a vow to God. We’re ultimately vowing to surrender to Him, and allow Him to be Lord of our life. When we follow through with that vow, He begins to work on us from the inside, by immediately filling us with the His Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit is a “Gentleman”, and will allow us to ultimately make our own choices, so in all essence we must surrender. God loves us, and He simply asks that we treat people the way we want to be treated, respect Him and ourselves, and ultimately love Him and everyone around us. So when you’re walking down the street, shopping in the mall, having a conversation, or anything else, people should know that you’re a child of God, by the way you interact. Just as when Jesus walked through the land, the people knew that there was something different about Him, although some didn’t know exactly what, but they knew He was special. They could tell, just by the way He interacted and spoke, exactly who He was, “the Son of the Most High God”. Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24). Please don’t use God’s grace, including His generous gift of forgiveness, as justification to conform to the world. I know firsthand how easy that could be. If you love God, and are interested in knowing how to take the first steps to being conformed into Righteousness, take the God quiz today. My favorite verse today is: The God of peace, ... make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455334&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547

PS

I’m going to leave you with this Psalm of David” (NIV):

Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.