HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
Today's scriptures are about punishments and rewards from God. Perfection is something that is virtually impossible to achieve for mankind, so you may ask yourself, "why even try?” The answer to that question lies in one word, Obedience. Do you think that commandments, rules, and regulations were put in place to torture us, or set us up for failure? These things meant for structure, and teach us how to live life with purpose, happiness, peace, and contentment. Remember, we are not in this world alone, and the enemy will stop at nothing to make our life miserable. In the cycle of life, no matter what you believe, you reap what you sow. No good deed goes unnoticed, and I know some of you may not agree with that, but just know that God is always taking notes and keeping count.
God is with us, in our heart at all times, and sees [and even foresees] everything we do. I'm almost at a maturity level, in my Faith walk, to understand that everything I do has a consequence, so whenever I experience hardship, heartache and pain, I immediately look for my part in what happens too me. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me examine myself, and He searches my heart, and reveals sin that I’ve yet dealt with, so that I can confess them, ask for forgiveness and repent. More importantly, I try to look for the lesson in it, and thank God for the opportunity to grow from those experiences. Now I know this sounds like a "text book" answer, and I must admit, I don't always think like this. There are times, just as we learned from the story of Job, that things don't always seems fair. I have moments where I question God, and that’s okay. Sometimes He allows us to sin, to chastise us, to give us wisdom. It's almost like a baby learning to walk, if they never fall down, then they won't appreciate the victory of getting back up and trying again. Sometimes we can't appreciate conquer without a defeat.
Today's subject reminds me of a famous quote, by Alexander Pope, "To err is human, to forgive divine". That is such a powerful statement! We were created from mere dust, and are simply human beings from the time we’re born, because God made us that way. Mistakes are expected, and even helpful to our growth, but blatant disrespect and sinning against God is something that isn't taken lightly. Nonetheless forgiveness is a divine gift from God, through Christ. When we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we're no longer merely "dust", but become children of God, and heirs to His throne. It's written: For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26) With that in mind, God understands, and forgives us of our sins. Because of Jesus, we'll never be condemned or utterly cast down due to sin, but we will be chastised, and there's a big difference. Our sin will never hold us back from being all that God created us to be, because of His divine grace.
Sin is a big deal in Christianity because it can cause death in so many areas of life, but rewards are just as prevalent, but not as often spoke about. God always rewards good deeds. I'm known as a very "optimistic" person, because I choose the see the good in everything, and I love being that way. In my opinion, we spend so much time comparing ourselves with the world that we fail to notice when we're being rewarded. We must choose to see God in everything! There are so many blessings that we miss we because we’re expecting something different. Remember life is all about checks and balances, and everything will equal out, especially when you delight yourself in the Lord. Take some time to count your blessings, and you'll see that you've been rewarded way more than you thought. God is such a good God, but always keep in mind that His ways are far above the ways of the world. Obedience affords you the ability to asks, seek, and knock, and He will always open doors for you.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, please take a moment to talk to God, and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Ask for forgiveness of your sins, and by the blood of Jesus, you'll be given the greatest reward you could ever receive, which is eternal life in Heaven, and a lifetime of forgiveness of your sins big and small. These things are free to ALL who come, humbled and ready to surrender your heart to Him. My favorite verse today is: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455378&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
I love you!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Today's scriptures are about becoming like Christ, throughout our Faith walk. What does it mean to be a Christian? There are so many different forms or branches of the “religion” Christianity, which in my opinion, allows people to easily get lost in its true meaning. Dictionary.com has several definitions of the word itself, but most relate to: following the teachings of, or believing in, Christ. My favorite definition of them all, is one word, "Christlike".
To get caught up in the different “sub-religions” of Christianity is something that I cannot get into today. I think being a believer in Jesus Christ is so far above the word "religion", because the word itself carries a lot of controversy. Some people advise never talk politics or religion with friends or family, because that's an easy way to lose a few (I somewhat agree with that statement). I could go on and on about the different belief systems, but in the end, there's only ONE truth. It's written: Jesus said... “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) There are always going to be lots of unanswered questions about Christianity, but you should never stop seeking the truth for yourself. Personally, I know Jesus Christ, because He lives in my heart. He's uplifted and strengthened me on days I thought I could no longer go on. He's spoken to me through His Word and Holy Spirit, and comforted me in times of trouble. He's rejoiced with me in great times of joy, and there are times when I literally feel His presence. So when asked why I’m a Christian, these are some my answers.
There's more to being a Christian than just inheriting your mansion in Heaven, it's a lifestyle. Although confessing Christ as your Lord and Savior is a huge step, it’s probably the easiest part of becoming Christlike. If you read the Gospels of Christ, you'll notice that Jesus' main concern was teaching the ways of God, and representing His Father well. He knew that He was a first hand look into Who God is, that's why He said "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father". When we confess that we are Christians, people see God through us. The lost are looking to be found, and some people get to a point in their life where they just need some answers. When God calls you, you almost feel like something is missing in your life, until you answer. You’ll keep searching for that missing piece, until you find Him. He places certain people in your life to show you the way to Him. He uses each of us, so we're warned throughout His Word, to be careful of what we do, because we never know when someone's watching. We can bring life or death to a lost person, so when we confess to be Christians our main goal is to shine His light to everyone around us, so don’t hide or be ashamed of who you are in Christ. Jesus said: “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light." (Luke 8:16)
This message is meant to convict, not condemn, so if you are not a "Christian", don't be afraid. God created the world, and everything in it. He knows that we're inadequate, weak, and frail in the flesh, because He created us that way. He created us to depend on Him. If He's called us to be one of His children, and commands us to follow the path of righteousness, He'll give us all that we need to stay on it, when we have Faith in Him to do so. Although Jesus (in the flesh) had all the power and might of God, He still relied on God to get Him through each day, because He realized the weakness of His flesh. When He needed help and strength He prayed and asked God for it. He's such a wonderful example on how to live a Godly life, how could we ever be ashamed to say that we're Christians? I wouldn't want to be like any other man that ever walked this earth, but Him.
Living a Christian life requires a change in mindset, because we're born in sin, with free will. We must learn and love the promises of God, and the ways and teachings of Christ, in order to get it right. The Holy Bible is the "living Word", so every time we pick it up, even to read the same verses over and over again, God is trying to show us something. Study the ways of Christ, and the things He’s done, and take on some of the same attitudes. Most importantly, put God at the head of your life, and always put Him first, and everything else will fall into place.
Being a light for Christ doesn't require you to be perfect or sin free, because no one is, but it does require you to strive to be, each day. If your only focus is on how you're going to please God, you'll see everything around you will prosper, without you even trying.
The first step to becoming a Christian is surrendering your life to God, and asking Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior. Once you've done that, let the journey begin. It feels good when you start to notice your transformation; all of the pain from the refinement is worth it. The key is changing your mindset to one of a great representative of Christ. My favorite verse today is: Christ ... shall change our vile body ... that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455373&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about becoming like Christ, throughout our Faith walk. What does it mean to be a Christian? There are so many different forms or branches of the “religion” Christianity, which in my opinion, allows people to easily get lost in its true meaning. Dictionary.com has several definitions of the word itself, but most relate to: following the teachings of, or believing in, Christ. My favorite definition of them all, is one word, "Christlike".
To get caught up in the different “sub-religions” of Christianity is something that I cannot get into today. I think being a believer in Jesus Christ is so far above the word "religion", because the word itself carries a lot of controversy. Some people advise never talk politics or religion with friends or family, because that's an easy way to lose a few (I somewhat agree with that statement). I could go on and on about the different belief systems, but in the end, there's only ONE truth. It's written: Jesus said... “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) There are always going to be lots of unanswered questions about Christianity, but you should never stop seeking the truth for yourself. Personally, I know Jesus Christ, because He lives in my heart. He's uplifted and strengthened me on days I thought I could no longer go on. He's spoken to me through His Word and Holy Spirit, and comforted me in times of trouble. He's rejoiced with me in great times of joy, and there are times when I literally feel His presence. So when asked why I’m a Christian, these are some my answers.
There's more to being a Christian than just inheriting your mansion in Heaven, it's a lifestyle. Although confessing Christ as your Lord and Savior is a huge step, it’s probably the easiest part of becoming Christlike. If you read the Gospels of Christ, you'll notice that Jesus' main concern was teaching the ways of God, and representing His Father well. He knew that He was a first hand look into Who God is, that's why He said "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father". When we confess that we are Christians, people see God through us. The lost are looking to be found, and some people get to a point in their life where they just need some answers. When God calls you, you almost feel like something is missing in your life, until you answer. You’ll keep searching for that missing piece, until you find Him. He places certain people in your life to show you the way to Him. He uses each of us, so we're warned throughout His Word, to be careful of what we do, because we never know when someone's watching. We can bring life or death to a lost person, so when we confess to be Christians our main goal is to shine His light to everyone around us, so don’t hide or be ashamed of who you are in Christ. Jesus said: “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light." (Luke 8:16)
This message is meant to convict, not condemn, so if you are not a "Christian", don't be afraid. God created the world, and everything in it. He knows that we're inadequate, weak, and frail in the flesh, because He created us that way. He created us to depend on Him. If He's called us to be one of His children, and commands us to follow the path of righteousness, He'll give us all that we need to stay on it, when we have Faith in Him to do so. Although Jesus (in the flesh) had all the power and might of God, He still relied on God to get Him through each day, because He realized the weakness of His flesh. When He needed help and strength He prayed and asked God for it. He's such a wonderful example on how to live a Godly life, how could we ever be ashamed to say that we're Christians? I wouldn't want to be like any other man that ever walked this earth, but Him.
Living a Christian life requires a change in mindset, because we're born in sin, with free will. We must learn and love the promises of God, and the ways and teachings of Christ, in order to get it right. The Holy Bible is the "living Word", so every time we pick it up, even to read the same verses over and over again, God is trying to show us something. Study the ways of Christ, and the things He’s done, and take on some of the same attitudes. Most importantly, put God at the head of your life, and always put Him first, and everything else will fall into place.
Being a light for Christ doesn't require you to be perfect or sin free, because no one is, but it does require you to strive to be, each day. If your only focus is on how you're going to please God, you'll see everything around you will prosper, without you even trying.
The first step to becoming a Christian is surrendering your life to God, and asking Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior. Once you've done that, let the journey begin. It feels good when you start to notice your transformation; all of the pain from the refinement is worth it. The key is changing your mindset to one of a great representative of Christ. My favorite verse today is: Christ ... shall change our vile body ... that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455373&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
I love you!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
Today's scriptures are about the proceeding of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus’ resurrection. We're each taught that when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we receive the Holy Spirit. To commemorate our Salvation, we're to be baptized by water, in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, to represent the cleansing of our sins. If you’re a new believer, what does all of this mean to you? The fact is that you're now a chosen Child of God, who has been given many gifts, including the gift of eternal life. What do you do in the meantime? You are washed with the blood of Jesus, and through Him you are made righteous, but God begins a transformation from your inside out. You're blessed with His Holy Spirit, who helps you make that transformation smoothly, and guides you along the way.
There is only one God, but He's broken up into the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Which all existed from the beginning of time. I was talking to a friend last night, and John 1 was brought up, this amazes me because the scriptures that were quoted, are so relevant to today's devotional (that's an example of how the Holy Spirit works!). It's written: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5) Jesus was the Word in the flesh, and He makes it possible for us to become children of God, after we were separated by the sin of Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is the light to an otherwise dark sinful world, and His Holy Spirit is the lamp to our path. Before Jesus was crucified He left us with this: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:15-18) Jesus said, "I will come to you", because He and the Holy Spirit were both one with God from the beginning of time. It's written: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Gen 1:26-7)
The Holy Spirit is as important to our life as Jesus, because He dwells in us, and helps us in every aspect. He's in our heart speaking to, and through, us all the time, even in our sleep. He searches our heart and helps us prays to God. He even prays through us, in a special language [which we call "speaking in tongues], that only He and God understand. He's that small still voice that tells us which way to go, in order to stay on the path of righteousness. Yet, He's also that sometimes-loud booming voice, which openly warns us against evil. He's that gut feel we get when faced with a tough decision, and He's our conscious and convicts us when we've sinned. He's our translator when we read the Holy Bible, and He's the reason it comes to life and pierces our heart. He's the author of these devotionals, because ask Him to use me, and write through me each day. I could go on and on about Who He is, and what He does for us on a daily basis, but I think you get the picture.
Invite the Holy Spirit to be a part of your everyday life, because that's what's required to stay in tuned with Him. When you awake, ask Him to lead you on the path of righteousness for that day, pick up the Word of God, and ask for clarity and instructions as you read. When you sin and feel conviction thank Him, confess those sins to God and repent. When you see someone that looks like they need a Word from the Lord, ask Him to Speak through you, to give them what God intended them to have. Each person who has confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior has these abilities so take advantage of them. Each day I strive to be a better person, and to strengthen my relationship with God, so I pray without ceasing, and consult my Holy Spirit throughout the day. That's all it takes to consistently grow in the Lord, as He intends for you to do.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then your journey must start there. Pray and confess your sins to God, and ask Jesus to come into your heart as Lord and Savior, and once that heart felt prayer is complete, you'll be blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. From there, find a church home, and be baptized as commanded by the Lord. Follow the bible as laid out for you, with the help of the Holy Spirit’s presence, it worked for me. Learn how to speak in tongues, to help you further feel the Holy Spirit’s presence; it works for me. My favorite verse today is: Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:13)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455371&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about the proceeding of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus’ resurrection. We're each taught that when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we receive the Holy Spirit. To commemorate our Salvation, we're to be baptized by water, in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, to represent the cleansing of our sins. If you’re a new believer, what does all of this mean to you? The fact is that you're now a chosen Child of God, who has been given many gifts, including the gift of eternal life. What do you do in the meantime? You are washed with the blood of Jesus, and through Him you are made righteous, but God begins a transformation from your inside out. You're blessed with His Holy Spirit, who helps you make that transformation smoothly, and guides you along the way.
There is only one God, but He's broken up into the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Which all existed from the beginning of time. I was talking to a friend last night, and John 1 was brought up, this amazes me because the scriptures that were quoted, are so relevant to today's devotional (that's an example of how the Holy Spirit works!). It's written: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5) Jesus was the Word in the flesh, and He makes it possible for us to become children of God, after we were separated by the sin of Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is the light to an otherwise dark sinful world, and His Holy Spirit is the lamp to our path. Before Jesus was crucified He left us with this: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:15-18) Jesus said, "I will come to you", because He and the Holy Spirit were both one with God from the beginning of time. It's written: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Gen 1:26-7)
The Holy Spirit is as important to our life as Jesus, because He dwells in us, and helps us in every aspect. He's in our heart speaking to, and through, us all the time, even in our sleep. He searches our heart and helps us prays to God. He even prays through us, in a special language [which we call "speaking in tongues], that only He and God understand. He's that small still voice that tells us which way to go, in order to stay on the path of righteousness. Yet, He's also that sometimes-loud booming voice, which openly warns us against evil. He's that gut feel we get when faced with a tough decision, and He's our conscious and convicts us when we've sinned. He's our translator when we read the Holy Bible, and He's the reason it comes to life and pierces our heart. He's the author of these devotionals, because ask Him to use me, and write through me each day. I could go on and on about Who He is, and what He does for us on a daily basis, but I think you get the picture.
Invite the Holy Spirit to be a part of your everyday life, because that's what's required to stay in tuned with Him. When you awake, ask Him to lead you on the path of righteousness for that day, pick up the Word of God, and ask for clarity and instructions as you read. When you sin and feel conviction thank Him, confess those sins to God and repent. When you see someone that looks like they need a Word from the Lord, ask Him to Speak through you, to give them what God intended them to have. Each person who has confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior has these abilities so take advantage of them. Each day I strive to be a better person, and to strengthen my relationship with God, so I pray without ceasing, and consult my Holy Spirit throughout the day. That's all it takes to consistently grow in the Lord, as He intends for you to do.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then your journey must start there. Pray and confess your sins to God, and ask Jesus to come into your heart as Lord and Savior, and once that heart felt prayer is complete, you'll be blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. From there, find a church home, and be baptized as commanded by the Lord. Follow the bible as laid out for you, with the help of the Holy Spirit’s presence, it worked for me. Learn how to speak in tongues, to help you further feel the Holy Spirit’s presence; it works for me. My favorite verse today is: Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:13)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455371&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
I love you!
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY TUESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this beautiful "terrific Tuesday". I'm doing well, it's good to be back home, but I must admit I'm missing the beach a little. I'm very blessed, and am ready to get back to working hard to achieve the goals set before me. I've been on hiatus for a while, just trying to deal with the huge shift of life, but I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. In my last few days of meditation, I found that it's time to step out of the “why me” and into the “why not me” attitude. God has given me everything I need to achieve His will, and that's all that matters. I keep hearing this voice saying, "Keep your eye on above". Then, I watched the movie "Inviticus" last night, and the last few lines from this poem, written by William Ernest Henley, read, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” which deeply touched my heart. I also heard a quote this quote: “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” ~Marcus Garvey. Wow, I’m so grateful for this message that God has given me, I now know what changes need to be made within me, and I wanted to share these quotes with you as well. When we have Jesus in our heart, that makes us strong and mighty, so we must have confidence in ourselves, because Christ lives in us, and He makes us who we are. Our level of Faith in our abilities through Christ, determines our future. I'd like to wish my sisters a happy birthday, Wanda's was yesterday and LaSheda's is today, I love you guys! Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!
Today's scriptures are about dying to self, and living for Christ. What does that mean to you? For years, when I was first saved, I heard people say, "you must die to self", but I never quite understood what that meant. Once I started studying the bible a little more I noticed how God worked in the lives of His chosen people. These men and women gave up their lives, and/or personal hopes and dreams to follow Him. When Gabriel came to Mary to relay the message from God, that she would become pregnant with a son, she surrendered right then and there. After all was explained to her it's written: "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38 NIV) Even though her family had planned to give her to Joseph as a wife, and they were supposed to build a life together, she didn't think twice about surrendering to God, and neither did Joseph. They both are a great example of “dyeing to self”.
Later, every one of Jesus’ servants left everything they had and followed Him. I noticed the bible often says Jesus had a "multitude" of people following Him. All of those people died to themselves to live in Christ, because they wanted to learn the ways of God. All that mattered to them was pleasing Him, which is a prime example of "Loving God with all of your heart". Now by no means am I telling you to quit your job and sell all you have, to join the ministry or do missions work, but if you feel that that's God's calling on your life then you have to do it.
When you confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, you're not only receiving "life" from Christ, but you're surrendering your own life to Him. You will begin to be transformed into a servant, but you have to be willing love Him with all of your heart. To die to self is to completely surrender. It means to no longer care about pleasing your flesh, and getting the "quick fix", or "instant gratification", but it's all about suffering with Christ, learning and doing what pleases God first. Jesus was the prime example of how to do that, that's why we must live in Him. He truly lived for God, and everything that He did, from the time He woke up in the morning, to the time He went to bed, was done with our Father in mind. Jesus lived to show us the love of God, so that we could have tangible proof of His grace, love, and mercy, as well as to pay our sin debt in full. It's written: If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. (John 14:7-10) Studying the life of Jesus is so important because getting to know the Son means knowing the Father as well.
I often write about Paul, because he's another person who died to his flesh, and truly followed Christ. He took his job as a teacher seriously, and taught from both viewpoints, the Saint and the Sinner. He could tell you first hand how it felt to be delivered for a life of strife. I love his passage entitled "Walking in the Spirit", which truly teaches us how to die to the flesh. He warns us about the dangers of living in the flesh, as well as the rewards of walking in the Spirit. Paul physically died devoted to Jesus Christ, but he begun to die to his flesh that day Jesus spoke to him on the Damascus road.
Paul explains: Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21) Now none things are of God, so if we practice any of them, we haven't fully died to self, nor completely live in Christ. We must take life one day at a time, and this journey one step at a time. Paul also said, "I die daily", teaching us to lay down our life for Christ each given day. Take a moment to examine yourself, and pray and ask God to help you die to yourself, and you’ll notice it happening more and more each day. To the flesh sin feels natural, but once you continue to focus on the Lord, it’ll begin to feel unnatural. I’m practicing it each day, and I see more improvement as time goes one. I urge you to try Him out!
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, please say that prayer now. If you're not sure of your Salvation or where you stand in Christ, take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455370&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
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this beautiful "terrific Tuesday". I'm doing well, it's good to be back home, but I must admit I'm missing the beach a little. I'm very blessed, and am ready to get back to working hard to achieve the goals set before me. I've been on hiatus for a while, just trying to deal with the huge shift of life, but I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. In my last few days of meditation, I found that it's time to step out of the “why me” and into the “why not me” attitude. God has given me everything I need to achieve His will, and that's all that matters. I keep hearing this voice saying, "Keep your eye on above". Then, I watched the movie "Inviticus" last night, and the last few lines from this poem, written by William Ernest Henley, read, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” which deeply touched my heart. I also heard a quote this quote: “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” ~Marcus Garvey. Wow, I’m so grateful for this message that God has given me, I now know what changes need to be made within me, and I wanted to share these quotes with you as well. When we have Jesus in our heart, that makes us strong and mighty, so we must have confidence in ourselves, because Christ lives in us, and He makes us who we are. Our level of Faith in our abilities through Christ, determines our future. I'd like to wish my sisters a happy birthday, Wanda's was yesterday and LaSheda's is today, I love you guys! Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!
Today's scriptures are about dying to self, and living for Christ. What does that mean to you? For years, when I was first saved, I heard people say, "you must die to self", but I never quite understood what that meant. Once I started studying the bible a little more I noticed how God worked in the lives of His chosen people. These men and women gave up their lives, and/or personal hopes and dreams to follow Him. When Gabriel came to Mary to relay the message from God, that she would become pregnant with a son, she surrendered right then and there. After all was explained to her it's written: "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38 NIV) Even though her family had planned to give her to Joseph as a wife, and they were supposed to build a life together, she didn't think twice about surrendering to God, and neither did Joseph. They both are a great example of “dyeing to self”.
Later, every one of Jesus’ servants left everything they had and followed Him. I noticed the bible often says Jesus had a "multitude" of people following Him. All of those people died to themselves to live in Christ, because they wanted to learn the ways of God. All that mattered to them was pleasing Him, which is a prime example of "Loving God with all of your heart". Now by no means am I telling you to quit your job and sell all you have, to join the ministry or do missions work, but if you feel that that's God's calling on your life then you have to do it.
When you confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, you're not only receiving "life" from Christ, but you're surrendering your own life to Him. You will begin to be transformed into a servant, but you have to be willing love Him with all of your heart. To die to self is to completely surrender. It means to no longer care about pleasing your flesh, and getting the "quick fix", or "instant gratification", but it's all about suffering with Christ, learning and doing what pleases God first. Jesus was the prime example of how to do that, that's why we must live in Him. He truly lived for God, and everything that He did, from the time He woke up in the morning, to the time He went to bed, was done with our Father in mind. Jesus lived to show us the love of God, so that we could have tangible proof of His grace, love, and mercy, as well as to pay our sin debt in full. It's written: If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. (John 14:7-10) Studying the life of Jesus is so important because getting to know the Son means knowing the Father as well.
I often write about Paul, because he's another person who died to his flesh, and truly followed Christ. He took his job as a teacher seriously, and taught from both viewpoints, the Saint and the Sinner. He could tell you first hand how it felt to be delivered for a life of strife. I love his passage entitled "Walking in the Spirit", which truly teaches us how to die to the flesh. He warns us about the dangers of living in the flesh, as well as the rewards of walking in the Spirit. Paul physically died devoted to Jesus Christ, but he begun to die to his flesh that day Jesus spoke to him on the Damascus road.
Paul explains: Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21) Now none things are of God, so if we practice any of them, we haven't fully died to self, nor completely live in Christ. We must take life one day at a time, and this journey one step at a time. Paul also said, "I die daily", teaching us to lay down our life for Christ each given day. Take a moment to examine yourself, and pray and ask God to help you die to yourself, and you’ll notice it happening more and more each day. To the flesh sin feels natural, but once you continue to focus on the Lord, it’ll begin to feel unnatural. I’m practicing it each day, and I see more improvement as time goes one. I urge you to try Him out!
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, please say that prayer now. If you're not sure of your Salvation or where you stand in Christ, take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455370&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
I love you!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night (Throw Back)
HAPPY TUESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful Terrific Tuesday. I'm doing well, enjoying the great wonders of God. As I sit back and listen to the rumble of the ocean, the cool breeze takes me mind to tranquility. It's amazing how that works, and how important it is to see God in everything, it makes you appreciate them more. Today I'm sharing a devotional that I wrote June of 2008; in going through these old devotionals, I notice how much I've grown in Christ, and I'm grateful! I've also noticed how much God has used me over the last few years, and for that I'm filled with much gratitude. I pray you get as much out of this as I do. Thanks for your prayers, and continued support. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!
Today's scriptures are about Jesus living in us. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, lives inside of each of us, Praise God! We were born in sin so our flesh is weak, and without Jesus, we're open to all of the evils of the world. When our flesh is in control, we're prone to sin. Have you ever looked at the world and wondered why it's in this state? It's because too many people on earth don’t know Jesus [or aren't saved], or have strayed away from God. When we're saved, we invite Jesus into our hearts, and He remains there, walking with us every day. The pressures of the world are there every day! We all have our weaknesses and triggers that can throw us over the edge, that's why it's so important for to stay focused and centered around Jesus Christ. Although we live in the world, we're no longer of the world, but we're of the Spirit, and that fact alone should bring us awesome peace! It’s written:(Rom. 8:31-37) It's refreshing to know that Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior, but He's our Friend; someone who goes to God on our behalf. He’s someone that loves us so much that He gave His life for us. It doesn't matter that we fall, or that we sometimes lose sight of Him, but what ily devotional, matters is that we continue to keep our Faith in Him, and "Love Him with all of our hearts and souls". A lot of people wonder about the answer to a peaceful happy life, the answer is Love! If you love Jesus you'll have Faith in Him. If you love your job, you'll work very hard to be good at it. If you love your family, you'll work hard at keeping it together and strong. God is Love! The fact that He gave us Jesus is enough proof. There are numerous people that don’t know how much God loves them, so they lose sight of Jesus’ presence. I know I used to be one of those people, I used to think that I was "too bad", and God was "too disappointed in me to care", but as I learn more about Him, I know that that isn't the God we serve. God loves all of us the same, no matter what. Before you make any decision in life, especially choosing right from wrong, make sure you always realize, Jesus lives inside of you, and is with you at all times. If you're not sure if Jesus is walking with you, pray and ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. Confess that you're a sinner, and ask for His forgiveness, and from that point on Jesus is and will continually walk with you. My favorite verse today is: I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455363&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful Terrific Tuesday. I'm doing well, enjoying the great wonders of God. As I sit back and listen to the rumble of the ocean, the cool breeze takes me mind to tranquility. It's amazing how that works, and how important it is to see God in everything, it makes you appreciate them more. Today I'm sharing a devotional that I wrote June of 2008; in going through these old devotionals, I notice how much I've grown in Christ, and I'm grateful! I've also noticed how much God has used me over the last few years, and for that I'm filled with much gratitude. I pray you get as much out of this as I do. Thanks for your prayers, and continued support. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!
Today's scriptures are about Jesus living in us. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, lives inside of each of us, Praise God! We were born in sin so our flesh is weak, and without Jesus, we're open to all of the evils of the world. When our flesh is in control, we're prone to sin. Have you ever looked at the world and wondered why it's in this state? It's because too many people on earth don’t know Jesus [or aren't saved], or have strayed away from God. When we're saved, we invite Jesus into our hearts, and He remains there, walking with us every day. The pressures of the world are there every day! We all have our weaknesses and triggers that can throw us over the edge, that's why it's so important for to stay focused and centered around Jesus Christ. Although we live in the world, we're no longer of the world, but we're of the Spirit, and that fact alone should bring us awesome peace! It’s written:(Rom. 8:31-37) It's refreshing to know that Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior, but He's our Friend; someone who goes to God on our behalf. He’s someone that loves us so much that He gave His life for us. It doesn't matter that we fall, or that we sometimes lose sight of Him, but what ily devotional, matters is that we continue to keep our Faith in Him, and "Love Him with all of our hearts and souls". A lot of people wonder about the answer to a peaceful happy life, the answer is Love! If you love Jesus you'll have Faith in Him. If you love your job, you'll work very hard to be good at it. If you love your family, you'll work hard at keeping it together and strong. God is Love! The fact that He gave us Jesus is enough proof. There are numerous people that don’t know how much God loves them, so they lose sight of Jesus’ presence. I know I used to be one of those people, I used to think that I was "too bad", and God was "too disappointed in me to care", but as I learn more about Him, I know that that isn't the God we serve. God loves all of us the same, no matter what. Before you make any decision in life, especially choosing right from wrong, make sure you always realize, Jesus lives inside of you, and is with you at all times. If you're not sure if Jesus is walking with you, pray and ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. Confess that you're a sinner, and ask for His forgiveness, and from that point on Jesus is and will continually walk with you. My favorite verse today is: I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455363&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
I love you!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night (Throw Back)
HAPPY MONDAY!
Today's scriptures are about God's wisdom. We get ourselves into trouble when we try to "make things happen", without first consulting God. God is the creator of all things, so He knows what's best for us. I've tried, for a long time, to "make things happen" in my life. I had the attitude, I can do all things, as long as I set goals for my life, and I work hard toward them, I'll be OK, I was partially right, however, I skipped a very important step. What I do now is first Seek God's plan for my life, when I feel like I have an answer from Him, I then set goals, and work hard to achieve them, all the while, seeking His guidance along the way. When I went to study the word last night, my bible was already opened to James chapter 3. I was drawn to this most: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18 NKJV). What I took from this chapter was the fact that we cannot say what "we" will be doing a year from now, because of what "we" have planned or want to do, especially if we planned with without seeking God. We don't know if we'll even be alive a year from now, however, we need to seek Wisdom from God, for guidance. I can tell you from experience, nothing, I mean nothing, will ever come out the way we planned them, if the plan doesn't come from God. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God", is a verse to live by. God is wisest, He will not lead us astray, it's so much easier to allow Him to guide us, instead of trying to do it ourselves, and keep getting hurt. He'll show us how to do it right the first time, all we have to do is ask Him. My favorite verse today, ironically, is: If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)
ENJOY (Today's scriptures and radio show)!
http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455362&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about God's wisdom. We get ourselves into trouble when we try to "make things happen", without first consulting God. God is the creator of all things, so He knows what's best for us. I've tried, for a long time, to "make things happen" in my life. I had the attitude, I can do all things, as long as I set goals for my life, and I work hard toward them, I'll be OK, I was partially right, however, I skipped a very important step. What I do now is first Seek God's plan for my life, when I feel like I have an answer from Him, I then set goals, and work hard to achieve them, all the while, seeking His guidance along the way. When I went to study the word last night, my bible was already opened to James chapter 3. I was drawn to this most: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18 NKJV). What I took from this chapter was the fact that we cannot say what "we" will be doing a year from now, because of what "we" have planned or want to do, especially if we planned with without seeking God. We don't know if we'll even be alive a year from now, however, we need to seek Wisdom from God, for guidance. I can tell you from experience, nothing, I mean nothing, will ever come out the way we planned them, if the plan doesn't come from God. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God", is a verse to live by. God is wisest, He will not lead us astray, it's so much easier to allow Him to guide us, instead of trying to do it ourselves, and keep getting hurt. He'll show us how to do it right the first time, all we have to do is ask Him. My favorite verse today, ironically, is: If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)
ENJOY (Today's scriptures and radio show)!
http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455362&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
I love you!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Today's scriptures are about God's relentless grace. I choose the word relentless to describe God’s grace because that's exactly what it is. As soon as we think that He's fed up with us, He comes right back, and showers us with love. I can only vouch for myself, but there are times when I make the same mistakes over and over again, and I think, "Okay, God is really angry with me now", then I go to Him in prayer, ask for forgiveness, and repent. I then ask Him to give me strength to overcome my weaknesses. All of a sudden I feel this warmth in my heart, as if I feel Him hug me, and whisper in my ear, saying everything’s going to be okay. Don't get me wrong, I am punished quickly for my sins, but once that punishment is done, and He forgives me that is the end of that.
God is similar to our earthly parents. In my opinion, the perfect father would be a man who prays for, molds, supports, and cherishes his family with all of his heart. His entire life is devoted to keeping them safe, providing for them, and nourishing the household. With any parent, it's your God given job to shape and mold your children into responsible, loving and caring human beings. You do that by offering your unconditional love, support, as well as discipline. A child will never learn the affects of bad choices if you excuse everything they do, continuously shower them with gifts, or overlook their bad behavior. At times, the punishment may need to be more severe than others, in order to teach them the ways of life. You never want your child to go out into the world ignorant to the repercussions of bad choices and decisions. You want to protect them, but not shelter them too much, where they never experience "real life" lessons. Punishments are as important as rewards.
God handles us with care, but is still firm when it's needed. He's tender and merciful because He is Love. Love is such a wonderful thing, just imagine how you feel when you look at a person and your heart gets warm, and the first thing that comes to your mind is "I love him or her". You can feel this way about anyone, your significant other, husband or wife, parent or grandparent, or even your children. That feeling comes from God. If we could love someone so much, just imagine how much He loves us. How many times have your child, niece or nephew, etc., done something that made you so mad that you just wanted to punish them? However when you see them, you can't help but love them. They may do something to make you laugh, hug you real tight, or give you the sad face and say, "I'm sorry", and you can't help but smile. God sees us in that way as well. Our trials and tribulations are normally allowed as refinement so that we can learn from our mistakes. Have you ever heard your parents say, "This will hurt me more than it hurts you"? I'm sure God feel that way when we sin against Him and He has to punish us. When we sin, we grieve His Holy Spirit, and so He waits patiently for us to come to Him and repent.
We have the ability to choose right from wrong, so we cannot get upset when we're merely reaping what we're sowing. As I mentioned before, it's okay to question God in periods of angst and turmoil; He welcomes that. Just know that you're not a victim of circumstance, but you're in a refinement period, and be watchful of the lessons that need to be learned in each situation. Paul reminds us of how to conduct ourselves as Christians, it's written: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:25-32 NIV)
Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have the ability to be forgiven of ANY sin that we commit. God wants us to confess our sins with a humbled and contrite heart, and ask of forgiveness. Repentance is the only requirement for forgiveness. He knows our heart, so when we're truly remorseful for our sins, then He will forgive us, and never count that sin against us again. You will be judged for the right and wrong decisions you've made on judgment day, but your place in Heaven is secure. Jesus died to give you that privilege, so don't allow false guilt to dictate your life. If you committed a sin ten years ago, and have humbly asked God to forgive you, you have been forgiven! If you're still carrying around the guilt of that sin, then you need to forgive yourself, because God has already forgiven you, and wants you to move on. Guilt is another form of bondage that the enemy puts us in. If you confessed and repented for your sin last night before you went to bed, then today you and God started over with a clean slate. When He looks at you, He's so very proud.
If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then I urge you to pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life today. Once you've said that prayer you are now a part of the Kingdom of God, and sin will never hinder you again, if you don't allow it to. If Jesus already lives in your heart, yet you haven't confessed and repented for you sins, and you feel the burden of it in your heart, then you can go to God and repent, and ask for forgiveness right now. If you need help with those prayers, feel free to contact me, or check out Dr. Stanley's God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:13)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455359&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about God's relentless grace. I choose the word relentless to describe God’s grace because that's exactly what it is. As soon as we think that He's fed up with us, He comes right back, and showers us with love. I can only vouch for myself, but there are times when I make the same mistakes over and over again, and I think, "Okay, God is really angry with me now", then I go to Him in prayer, ask for forgiveness, and repent. I then ask Him to give me strength to overcome my weaknesses. All of a sudden I feel this warmth in my heart, as if I feel Him hug me, and whisper in my ear, saying everything’s going to be okay. Don't get me wrong, I am punished quickly for my sins, but once that punishment is done, and He forgives me that is the end of that.
God is similar to our earthly parents. In my opinion, the perfect father would be a man who prays for, molds, supports, and cherishes his family with all of his heart. His entire life is devoted to keeping them safe, providing for them, and nourishing the household. With any parent, it's your God given job to shape and mold your children into responsible, loving and caring human beings. You do that by offering your unconditional love, support, as well as discipline. A child will never learn the affects of bad choices if you excuse everything they do, continuously shower them with gifts, or overlook their bad behavior. At times, the punishment may need to be more severe than others, in order to teach them the ways of life. You never want your child to go out into the world ignorant to the repercussions of bad choices and decisions. You want to protect them, but not shelter them too much, where they never experience "real life" lessons. Punishments are as important as rewards.
God handles us with care, but is still firm when it's needed. He's tender and merciful because He is Love. Love is such a wonderful thing, just imagine how you feel when you look at a person and your heart gets warm, and the first thing that comes to your mind is "I love him or her". You can feel this way about anyone, your significant other, husband or wife, parent or grandparent, or even your children. That feeling comes from God. If we could love someone so much, just imagine how much He loves us. How many times have your child, niece or nephew, etc., done something that made you so mad that you just wanted to punish them? However when you see them, you can't help but love them. They may do something to make you laugh, hug you real tight, or give you the sad face and say, "I'm sorry", and you can't help but smile. God sees us in that way as well. Our trials and tribulations are normally allowed as refinement so that we can learn from our mistakes. Have you ever heard your parents say, "This will hurt me more than it hurts you"? I'm sure God feel that way when we sin against Him and He has to punish us. When we sin, we grieve His Holy Spirit, and so He waits patiently for us to come to Him and repent.
We have the ability to choose right from wrong, so we cannot get upset when we're merely reaping what we're sowing. As I mentioned before, it's okay to question God in periods of angst and turmoil; He welcomes that. Just know that you're not a victim of circumstance, but you're in a refinement period, and be watchful of the lessons that need to be learned in each situation. Paul reminds us of how to conduct ourselves as Christians, it's written: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:25-32 NIV)
Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have the ability to be forgiven of ANY sin that we commit. God wants us to confess our sins with a humbled and contrite heart, and ask of forgiveness. Repentance is the only requirement for forgiveness. He knows our heart, so when we're truly remorseful for our sins, then He will forgive us, and never count that sin against us again. You will be judged for the right and wrong decisions you've made on judgment day, but your place in Heaven is secure. Jesus died to give you that privilege, so don't allow false guilt to dictate your life. If you committed a sin ten years ago, and have humbly asked God to forgive you, you have been forgiven! If you're still carrying around the guilt of that sin, then you need to forgive yourself, because God has already forgiven you, and wants you to move on. Guilt is another form of bondage that the enemy puts us in. If you confessed and repented for your sin last night before you went to bed, then today you and God started over with a clean slate. When He looks at you, He's so very proud.
If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then I urge you to pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life today. Once you've said that prayer you are now a part of the Kingdom of God, and sin will never hinder you again, if you don't allow it to. If Jesus already lives in your heart, yet you haven't confessed and repented for you sins, and you feel the burden of it in your heart, then you can go to God and repent, and ask for forgiveness right now. If you need help with those prayers, feel free to contact me, or check out Dr. Stanley's God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:13)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455359&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
I love you!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY THURSDAY!
Today's scriptures are about being redeemed by the Love of God through Christ. One of the best times in my life was when I finally realized how much God loves me. I have to admit, for a long time I had no clue. I just accepted the life I had, and the discontent that was in my heart. I always had a love inside of me that I couldn’t explain, so I sought a different truth. The Holy Spirit started nudging me when I was a teenager, and I knew that there was a great power within me, but I strayed, fell short, and made some costly mistakes [as I'm sure all of you have]. The best part about my testimony is the consistency of God. No matter how I strayed He was there to welcome me back home, with open arms. Whenever I cried out to Him in pain and sorrow, He comforted me. When I rejoiced and praised Him I could feel His presence. When I sinned I felt His conviction, which means that He never left my side. We I repented He forgave me, and when I prayed He answered. I know this all may sound like the "right things to say", but they're absolutely true.
God's love never fades or falters, that's why He's so full of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. A lot of times, when we fall short, and are bogged down we sin, we think that He's angry and doesn't want to hear from us, but that's far from the truth. There's nothing that happens in the life of the believer that God doesn’t either allow, or cause to happen. The enemy's main attack on us is guilt, and we often confuse it with conviction. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, to get us to repent, so that we won't be under that bondage. Sin will hinder our growth, and block our blessings, so warns us when we're on the wrong path. The enemy will make us feel so guilty that we often become ashamed, and that shame causes us to hide from, or cease to communicate with God. If you're in this place, or have been, I want you to understand that God loves you more than that. God will never turn is back on you for any reason. Salvation and forgiveness is available to all, even those who may have once despised, denied, or cursed Jesus. Think about it, God loved us so much that He had a child, raised Him as a perfect lamb, and sent Him to the cross to die like a common criminal, just to shed His blood, to atone for our sins. It doesn't matter who you are, you can, and will be redeemed when you ask, seek, and knock.
Today's scriptures started off with a verse from Jesus' parable, "The Prodigal Son" which is a popular biblical story. I think it's so popular because each of us was, is, will be, or know a "prodigal son". The story is about a man who had two sons, and when they came of age, the younger son asked if he could have his inheritance, to go out and travel the world. So the father divided money between the two sons, and the youngest son went into a far country and squandered all of this money, on all of the "fun" things like alcohol, rich foods, gambling, and women. While the older son saved his money, stayed at the farm, and helped his father build more wealth. So far, does this sound familiar? How many times have you went ahead of God, and stepped out of His will, because you thought you knew best?
After the younger son was broke and penniless, he took one of the lowest servant jobs, in a field feeding swine. He got so hungry one day that he considered eating some of the slop he was feeding to the pigs. Then it's written: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ (Luke 15:17-19) I can remember coming to a point like this in my life, where I'd hit rock bottom. It seemed like I had nothing or no one in the world, and that's the most horrible feeling you could ever feel in your lifetime. I felt helpless and hopeless, as I'm sure this young man did, but he finally realized the most important thing, his father would always be there for him, no matter what.
The young son headed back home, and his father saw him coming a ways down the road, so he dropped everything and ran down to meet him. He was so happy to see him that gave him a big hug and kiss! The father planned a big party for him, but when the older son come home to this party, and found out that it was for his younger brother, he became angry, and a little jealous. He confronted his father, and let him know how displeased he was, but his father answered him and said: "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32)
Wow, I can understand why this is such a powerful message. God is always proud of those of us who are like the older son, because He needs His "good and faithful servants", and your rewards will be great here on earth, and even greater in Heaven. At the same time, when we're lost and wrapped up in sin, He's helpless like the father in this story. He doesn't want to see us hurt, and suffering, because He loves us. That's way when we finally confess our sins and repent, He's quick to welcome us right back into His good graces. In no way forget that could never be too bad for God, because whenever you come to Him, He'll take you in, clean you up, and rejoice with you in your newfound freedom. So if you're in that place right now take a few moments to pray in Jesus' Name. Tell God that you're a sinner, and you want to change, and ask Him for guidance and forgiveness, and watch Him work in your life. If you've never confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you cannot come to God without Him. Take a moment to read the God Quiz, and I pray that you take that step today! My favorite verses today are: God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:8,10)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455358&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about being redeemed by the Love of God through Christ. One of the best times in my life was when I finally realized how much God loves me. I have to admit, for a long time I had no clue. I just accepted the life I had, and the discontent that was in my heart. I always had a love inside of me that I couldn’t explain, so I sought a different truth. The Holy Spirit started nudging me when I was a teenager, and I knew that there was a great power within me, but I strayed, fell short, and made some costly mistakes [as I'm sure all of you have]. The best part about my testimony is the consistency of God. No matter how I strayed He was there to welcome me back home, with open arms. Whenever I cried out to Him in pain and sorrow, He comforted me. When I rejoiced and praised Him I could feel His presence. When I sinned I felt His conviction, which means that He never left my side. We I repented He forgave me, and when I prayed He answered. I know this all may sound like the "right things to say", but they're absolutely true.
God's love never fades or falters, that's why He's so full of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. A lot of times, when we fall short, and are bogged down we sin, we think that He's angry and doesn't want to hear from us, but that's far from the truth. There's nothing that happens in the life of the believer that God doesn’t either allow, or cause to happen. The enemy's main attack on us is guilt, and we often confuse it with conviction. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, to get us to repent, so that we won't be under that bondage. Sin will hinder our growth, and block our blessings, so warns us when we're on the wrong path. The enemy will make us feel so guilty that we often become ashamed, and that shame causes us to hide from, or cease to communicate with God. If you're in this place, or have been, I want you to understand that God loves you more than that. God will never turn is back on you for any reason. Salvation and forgiveness is available to all, even those who may have once despised, denied, or cursed Jesus. Think about it, God loved us so much that He had a child, raised Him as a perfect lamb, and sent Him to the cross to die like a common criminal, just to shed His blood, to atone for our sins. It doesn't matter who you are, you can, and will be redeemed when you ask, seek, and knock.
Today's scriptures started off with a verse from Jesus' parable, "The Prodigal Son" which is a popular biblical story. I think it's so popular because each of us was, is, will be, or know a "prodigal son". The story is about a man who had two sons, and when they came of age, the younger son asked if he could have his inheritance, to go out and travel the world. So the father divided money between the two sons, and the youngest son went into a far country and squandered all of this money, on all of the "fun" things like alcohol, rich foods, gambling, and women. While the older son saved his money, stayed at the farm, and helped his father build more wealth. So far, does this sound familiar? How many times have you went ahead of God, and stepped out of His will, because you thought you knew best?
After the younger son was broke and penniless, he took one of the lowest servant jobs, in a field feeding swine. He got so hungry one day that he considered eating some of the slop he was feeding to the pigs. Then it's written: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ (Luke 15:17-19) I can remember coming to a point like this in my life, where I'd hit rock bottom. It seemed like I had nothing or no one in the world, and that's the most horrible feeling you could ever feel in your lifetime. I felt helpless and hopeless, as I'm sure this young man did, but he finally realized the most important thing, his father would always be there for him, no matter what.
The young son headed back home, and his father saw him coming a ways down the road, so he dropped everything and ran down to meet him. He was so happy to see him that gave him a big hug and kiss! The father planned a big party for him, but when the older son come home to this party, and found out that it was for his younger brother, he became angry, and a little jealous. He confronted his father, and let him know how displeased he was, but his father answered him and said: "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32)
Wow, I can understand why this is such a powerful message. God is always proud of those of us who are like the older son, because He needs His "good and faithful servants", and your rewards will be great here on earth, and even greater in Heaven. At the same time, when we're lost and wrapped up in sin, He's helpless like the father in this story. He doesn't want to see us hurt, and suffering, because He loves us. That's way when we finally confess our sins and repent, He's quick to welcome us right back into His good graces. In no way forget that could never be too bad for God, because whenever you come to Him, He'll take you in, clean you up, and rejoice with you in your newfound freedom. So if you're in that place right now take a few moments to pray in Jesus' Name. Tell God that you're a sinner, and you want to change, and ask Him for guidance and forgiveness, and watch Him work in your life. If you've never confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you cannot come to God without Him. Take a moment to read the God Quiz, and I pray that you take that step today! My favorite verses today are: God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:8,10)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455358&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
I love you!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
Today's scriptures are about God’s Word. The Word of God, also known as the Holy Bible, is our handbook for life. God created it so that His love and wisdom would never be far away. The bible holds all of the answers to life, great or small. It gives us a History lesson, which is very much relevant today. The Bible is also known as the “Living Word of God”, because it’s translated by the Holy Spirit, and each time we read it we get something different. God speaks to us through His Word, and gives us nourishment for our Spirit, which helps us grow and mature in our Faith walk.
This entire book is God’s truth, and was written and translated in my different languages and versions, by God, through many different men and women. I hear people say all the time that they don’t believe everything in the bible because it was written by man, but I’m here to tell you that that’s a dangerous belief system. Think about how God uses people, isn’t He capable of having His truth written in one book, for the greater good of all of us children?
Jesus was the greatest teacher of the Word of God. However, even He studied God’s Word. Throughout the Gospels of Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), He quotes scriptures from the Old Testament, which was written on scrolls, distributed and taught in churches throughout the land. Jesus sought the Word from a very young age. There’s an account in the book of Luke, where when He was a child, He had wondered off, and His parents were looking for Him frantically, because he had been missing for a few days. It’s written: Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. (Luke 2:46-50) Just as Jesus, we too must be about our “Father’s business”, but studying His Word is the only way to find out what that is. We must primarily concern ourselves with taking care of “God’s business”.
Jesus was the Word of God walking on this earth. He taught a new doctrine, or a new way of life. He spoke of Salvation and forgiveness of sins. He spoke of love, life, and the Holy Spirit. He taught from two perspectives, because He was both God and human. He shared things with us in a way that we could relate, because He had experienced what it meant to be human. He also experienced the awesome Love of God, and He wanted to share that with us as well. The New Testament of the bible is all about the love, grace, and mercy of God, because He introduced a new way of life, through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus’ way of teaching is a blend of the fear [or reverence] of God taught in the Old Testament, with the “Love God with all of your Heart” of the New. The most precious gift that God gave through Jesus was the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: “…the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)
In order to prosper in life you must become acquainted with the Word of God. Once you’ve accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you’re anointed with the Holy Spirit. His job is to connect you with God. Before you sit down to study the Word, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand, and to gain the Wisdom God intended to teach you through that study session. Each time you open the Bible God is trying to tell you something, you not only have to read it, but you have to listen with your heart. I can guarantee you that all you will discover is the truth and love of God. If when you pick up the bible it seems like a foreign language to you, I suggest finding a bible study group at your local church, or form one with family and friends.
If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you don’t truly know God. Jesus is the only way to open the gates of Heaven, so that you can experience God’s love, peace, and joy right here on earth. You’re either for Him or against Him. It’s written: Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:42-44) With that being said, examine your heart. Who is your father? If you love Jesus, and have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, then you’ve proclaimed God as your Father. Jesus is “the Word that became flesh”; He’s that promise of Salvation, and eternal life, so without Him it’s impossible to obtain. Pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life today! My favorite verse today is: The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455357&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about God’s Word. The Word of God, also known as the Holy Bible, is our handbook for life. God created it so that His love and wisdom would never be far away. The bible holds all of the answers to life, great or small. It gives us a History lesson, which is very much relevant today. The Bible is also known as the “Living Word of God”, because it’s translated by the Holy Spirit, and each time we read it we get something different. God speaks to us through His Word, and gives us nourishment for our Spirit, which helps us grow and mature in our Faith walk.
This entire book is God’s truth, and was written and translated in my different languages and versions, by God, through many different men and women. I hear people say all the time that they don’t believe everything in the bible because it was written by man, but I’m here to tell you that that’s a dangerous belief system. Think about how God uses people, isn’t He capable of having His truth written in one book, for the greater good of all of us children?
Jesus was the greatest teacher of the Word of God. However, even He studied God’s Word. Throughout the Gospels of Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), He quotes scriptures from the Old Testament, which was written on scrolls, distributed and taught in churches throughout the land. Jesus sought the Word from a very young age. There’s an account in the book of Luke, where when He was a child, He had wondered off, and His parents were looking for Him frantically, because he had been missing for a few days. It’s written: Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. (Luke 2:46-50) Just as Jesus, we too must be about our “Father’s business”, but studying His Word is the only way to find out what that is. We must primarily concern ourselves with taking care of “God’s business”.
Jesus was the Word of God walking on this earth. He taught a new doctrine, or a new way of life. He spoke of Salvation and forgiveness of sins. He spoke of love, life, and the Holy Spirit. He taught from two perspectives, because He was both God and human. He shared things with us in a way that we could relate, because He had experienced what it meant to be human. He also experienced the awesome Love of God, and He wanted to share that with us as well. The New Testament of the bible is all about the love, grace, and mercy of God, because He introduced a new way of life, through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus’ way of teaching is a blend of the fear [or reverence] of God taught in the Old Testament, with the “Love God with all of your Heart” of the New. The most precious gift that God gave through Jesus was the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: “…the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)
In order to prosper in life you must become acquainted with the Word of God. Once you’ve accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you’re anointed with the Holy Spirit. His job is to connect you with God. Before you sit down to study the Word, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand, and to gain the Wisdom God intended to teach you through that study session. Each time you open the Bible God is trying to tell you something, you not only have to read it, but you have to listen with your heart. I can guarantee you that all you will discover is the truth and love of God. If when you pick up the bible it seems like a foreign language to you, I suggest finding a bible study group at your local church, or form one with family and friends.
If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you don’t truly know God. Jesus is the only way to open the gates of Heaven, so that you can experience God’s love, peace, and joy right here on earth. You’re either for Him or against Him. It’s written: Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:42-44) With that being said, examine your heart. Who is your father? If you love Jesus, and have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, then you’ve proclaimed God as your Father. Jesus is “the Word that became flesh”; He’s that promise of Salvation, and eternal life, so without Him it’s impossible to obtain. Pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life today! My favorite verse today is: The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455357&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
I love you!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY TUESDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this gorgeous Terrific Tuesday! It was an absolutely exquisite day, as far as the weather is concerned. I usually don't get to be outside during the day but for an hour or so, as most working adults, but the one hour that I had was wonderful. We have to see God's beauty in everyday, but days like these give us more evidence of His love. Be sure to thank Him for another day, because it is a present. Many times we're so busy rushing to the next event, or even the next weekend, we fail to cherish each day (I'm talking to myself). Pray with me, Father God, thank you for life, love, loved ones, and all of your many wonderful blessings. Please forgive me for rushing through days, taking for granted each precious moment I have to spend with you. I pray for my brothers and sisters reading this right now, that you bless them with the wisdom to see you in everything, and a humble heart. Thanks for the good and bad, ups and downs, sunny and rainy days, because we know that you're in the mist of it all, and it will work together for our good. In Jesus' Name, AMEN! Well the Holy Spirit felt I needed to share that prayer with you, so pray it with a sincere heart. We should always serve Him with Praise on our lips, and thanksgiving and love in our heart. Enjoy the remainder of your day family, and be blessed!
Today's scripture are about the importance of continued prayer. Prayer is our primary means of communication with God. We must pray often making our and our neighbors’, supplications known. God is always waiting to hear from us, and He delights in blessing us with those things that we’ve asked for. He wants us to be happy and at peace, so prayer is how we’ll stay that way. When in prayer, we should pray with the Holy Spirit, and He searches our heart to make sure that we’re confessing any sins that we may have committed, as well as asking for the things we need to stay on God’s path. Continued prayer helps keep us convicted of sin immediately, as well as keep us aware of God’s presence, which will help us avoid sin altogether. Just as prayer is our main connection to God, sin is our main disconnection, so it’s important for us to repent for sins shortly after they occur.
I’ve found that when I start my day in prayer, the Holy Spirit is almost awakened inside of me, and He speaks to me more throughout the day. He keeps me aware of my surroundings, and helps me see clearly when my prayers are being answered, or the enemy is attempting to steer me off course. When I end my day in prayer, I’m able to properly thank God for the blessing of the day, and make supplication for the people I’ve encountered, or things that’s needed for the following day.
We must also take extended times to pray and meditate on God’s word. Although we have the Holy Spirit as our guide, we must also study God’s Word to gain the knowledge and wisdom to know what we should be praying for. Ignorance is a powerful thing, and we can miss out on many blessings because we don’t know God’s Word. So we must designate elongated periods of time for prayer. Some people have a prayer closet, or prayer room, that they use to escape from the world, and the noisiness of life, to spend quiet one on one time with God. Jesus used to leave all of His friends and followers behind, to have His special prayer time. He would spend this time in the presence of God, learning about, thanking, and praising God, making His supplication known. I can testify, that there’s nothing more gratifying then spending time with God detoxifying from all of the evils of the world. Fasting, meditation, studying His word, and praise all help in this process.
We must also pray for each other. Today one of my best friends suggested that we start a prayer line, so that we can all get together and pray with, and for, one another. This isn’t a new concept, but has been practiced for years. Even Paul asked his friends to pray for him, he wrote: Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. (Heb. 13:18) There’s power in numbers as well, so it’s important for us to pray together as a group. Jesus said: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18: 19-20) There’s great testimony and praise happening when people get together in the Name of the Lord, because He’s there in the midst of them.
The bible is filled with accounts of people in prayer, it could be found from cover to cover. Prayer is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, nor taken for granted. I can assure you that you have no real relationship with God if you don’t pray without ceasing, because you’re not communicating with Him. Prayer is as important as oxygen, without it you will suffocate and spiritually die. Jesus summed it up perfectly with one of my favorite passages in the bible: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10) I guarantee that the answer to receiving in abundance, peace, joy, happiness, and prosperity lies in these two verses.
Please don’t make the mistake of only praying when something is going wrong in your life, because you’re missing out on so much more. A lot of times when friends come to me with different problems, my first question to them is “Did you pray about it?”, and surprisingly the most common reaction is “I don’t know how to pray”. Jesus taught us how to pray in the most popular prayer in Christianity, “The Lord’s Prayer”. You probably could quote it verbatim, but have no idea what Jesus is teaching you. Take some time to read it, and stop after each verse and try to relate that sentence to your life today, and it’ll start making perfect sense to you. As always, if you need a prayer partner, please let me know.
Jesus is the key to having your prayers heard, without Him there is no connection to God. Praying in His Name is the stamp that gets our mail delivered. If you haven’t confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, then it’s said that that’s the first and only prayer that God will answer of yours. That one simple prayer is no joke, so please take some time and pray right now. For more information, you can check out Dr. Stanley’s God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455356&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
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this gorgeous Terrific Tuesday! It was an absolutely exquisite day, as far as the weather is concerned. I usually don't get to be outside during the day but for an hour or so, as most working adults, but the one hour that I had was wonderful. We have to see God's beauty in everyday, but days like these give us more evidence of His love. Be sure to thank Him for another day, because it is a present. Many times we're so busy rushing to the next event, or even the next weekend, we fail to cherish each day (I'm talking to myself). Pray with me, Father God, thank you for life, love, loved ones, and all of your many wonderful blessings. Please forgive me for rushing through days, taking for granted each precious moment I have to spend with you. I pray for my brothers and sisters reading this right now, that you bless them with the wisdom to see you in everything, and a humble heart. Thanks for the good and bad, ups and downs, sunny and rainy days, because we know that you're in the mist of it all, and it will work together for our good. In Jesus' Name, AMEN! Well the Holy Spirit felt I needed to share that prayer with you, so pray it with a sincere heart. We should always serve Him with Praise on our lips, and thanksgiving and love in our heart. Enjoy the remainder of your day family, and be blessed!
Today's scripture are about the importance of continued prayer. Prayer is our primary means of communication with God. We must pray often making our and our neighbors’, supplications known. God is always waiting to hear from us, and He delights in blessing us with those things that we’ve asked for. He wants us to be happy and at peace, so prayer is how we’ll stay that way. When in prayer, we should pray with the Holy Spirit, and He searches our heart to make sure that we’re confessing any sins that we may have committed, as well as asking for the things we need to stay on God’s path. Continued prayer helps keep us convicted of sin immediately, as well as keep us aware of God’s presence, which will help us avoid sin altogether. Just as prayer is our main connection to God, sin is our main disconnection, so it’s important for us to repent for sins shortly after they occur.
I’ve found that when I start my day in prayer, the Holy Spirit is almost awakened inside of me, and He speaks to me more throughout the day. He keeps me aware of my surroundings, and helps me see clearly when my prayers are being answered, or the enemy is attempting to steer me off course. When I end my day in prayer, I’m able to properly thank God for the blessing of the day, and make supplication for the people I’ve encountered, or things that’s needed for the following day.
We must also take extended times to pray and meditate on God’s word. Although we have the Holy Spirit as our guide, we must also study God’s Word to gain the knowledge and wisdom to know what we should be praying for. Ignorance is a powerful thing, and we can miss out on many blessings because we don’t know God’s Word. So we must designate elongated periods of time for prayer. Some people have a prayer closet, or prayer room, that they use to escape from the world, and the noisiness of life, to spend quiet one on one time with God. Jesus used to leave all of His friends and followers behind, to have His special prayer time. He would spend this time in the presence of God, learning about, thanking, and praising God, making His supplication known. I can testify, that there’s nothing more gratifying then spending time with God detoxifying from all of the evils of the world. Fasting, meditation, studying His word, and praise all help in this process.
We must also pray for each other. Today one of my best friends suggested that we start a prayer line, so that we can all get together and pray with, and for, one another. This isn’t a new concept, but has been practiced for years. Even Paul asked his friends to pray for him, he wrote: Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. (Heb. 13:18) There’s power in numbers as well, so it’s important for us to pray together as a group. Jesus said: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18: 19-20) There’s great testimony and praise happening when people get together in the Name of the Lord, because He’s there in the midst of them.
The bible is filled with accounts of people in prayer, it could be found from cover to cover. Prayer is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, nor taken for granted. I can assure you that you have no real relationship with God if you don’t pray without ceasing, because you’re not communicating with Him. Prayer is as important as oxygen, without it you will suffocate and spiritually die. Jesus summed it up perfectly with one of my favorite passages in the bible: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10) I guarantee that the answer to receiving in abundance, peace, joy, happiness, and prosperity lies in these two verses.
Please don’t make the mistake of only praying when something is going wrong in your life, because you’re missing out on so much more. A lot of times when friends come to me with different problems, my first question to them is “Did you pray about it?”, and surprisingly the most common reaction is “I don’t know how to pray”. Jesus taught us how to pray in the most popular prayer in Christianity, “The Lord’s Prayer”. You probably could quote it verbatim, but have no idea what Jesus is teaching you. Take some time to read it, and stop after each verse and try to relate that sentence to your life today, and it’ll start making perfect sense to you. As always, if you need a prayer partner, please let me know.
Jesus is the key to having your prayers heard, without Him there is no connection to God. Praying in His Name is the stamp that gets our mail delivered. If you haven’t confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, then it’s said that that’s the first and only prayer that God will answer of yours. That one simple prayer is no joke, so please take some time and pray right now. For more information, you can check out Dr. Stanley’s God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455356&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
I love you!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY MONDAY!
Today's scriptures are about prospering in the Lord. I believe the goal of every human being is to prosper and grow, because that's the cycle of life. When we have children we expect them grow up to be successful and productive human beings. When we were children, we had had dreams of what we wanted to be when we "grew up". We were full of fun and games, hope and expectations, and never thought that our dreams wouldn't come true. As we grew older, we started to realize the reality of life, and it became harder to focus. We were introduced to the evil and sin of the world, and then we slowly lost that childhood innocence, and quickly begin to test the waters, to experience life, and all that it has to offer.
We made mistakes, some good and some bad, which is to be expected, because that too is the way of life, but what made the difference was how we handled those mistakes, and the type of guidance we had. I believe we never really "grow up", because every day we're learning something new, and making different mistakes. I don't think that changes as we get older, I just believe our mistakes become few and far between, or less severe, depending upon how much we’ve learned from prior mistakes made. I don't care how "Holy" you become, you will still make mistakes, because that's how imperfect we are, in the flesh. The best thing about the God is that He loves us, and understands what we’re going through.
The most important thing about getting older and wiser is to never stop dreaming. When we became Christians, we started a new process of growth, and with Jesus, came a "Helper", to guide us along the way. Our daily scriptures started of with this, "The Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand" (Gen 39:3), which was pulled for a popular biblical story in the book of Genesis about Joseph (chapters 37-50). When I think about the life of Joseph and where he started, and where he ended it gives me such hope, because I know that I too am one of God's chosen, and will go on to prosper. Although his brothers hated Joseph, and they conspired to kill him, sold him into slavery, and he was falsely imprisoned, He never lost hope in the vision that God gave Him. He suffered heartache and turmoil for many years, but he was ultimately made a ruler of the land. Just as God said, and his brothers were forced to bow down to Him.
This story astonishes me, because it helps me see how God works. Joseph, and many others that came after him, always had options. He could've reacted so differently in each scenario. However, he always feared God, and lived to please Him, and that was what made the difference in his life. That's the only thing that will make a difference in our life as well. We must be men and women of integrity at all times. No matter how we're tested and tried. The enemy will do his best to tear us down, and that could be done through people, failures, mistakes, past hurts and pains, etc. However, we must take all of our adversity, and use it as fuel, to reach the greatness that God has in store for us. I could only imagine how hard it was for Joseph at times, and how many times he fell short, or became discouraged. Especially while in that ditch facing death, or in prison not knowing his fate, I wonder how many times he cried out to the Lord for strength.
As long as we stay in touch with God, we don't have to lose that child-like joy in our heart, because we know that when He's given us a dreams or goals, He's going to make sure that we reach them. I want you to know that by the blood of Jesus we are God's chosen ones. If you're reading this right now you have been chosen to do something great for Him. He has great rewards for you, throughout your journey, because He meant for each of us to prosper. We're not meant to follow the ways of the world, and suffer with unrest, and discontentment, but Jesus died to give us peace through all things. I challenge you to continue to dream today. Try to remember back to when you where a child, when things were so simple. With Christ, things can still be simple. At the same time have to actively seek the Father, stay in prayer, and seek wisdom in His Word. In Christ, it's always right there for us, all we have to do is be obedient, and reach out and grab it. There’s a reason why Jesus was born a baby, and had to grow, and didn't start His ministry until He was wise enough to complete God's will, the way He intended it to be. It's written at the end of Luke chapter two, which gives an account of Jesus in childhood: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)
If you feel like your stuck in one spot, yet you should be prospering, then I urge you to keep your focus on God. Spend each day with Him, acknowledging His presence and seeking His face. I know it's easier said than done, because I struggle with it from time to time, but I try my best to make sure I show Him that I love Him, even if it's just a thank you. A friend quoted this the other day, "some days are better than others", and that's another one of those short, common, yet profound quotes, that's true in the life of each believer. Don't allow those bad days discourage you, because God has plenty of good ones ahead. If you haven't accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, or aren’t sure where you stand in your Faith walk, then try taking Dr. Stanley's God Quiz today, it’ll give some much needed answers. My favorite verses today are: As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. (2 Chronicles 26:5)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455355&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about prospering in the Lord. I believe the goal of every human being is to prosper and grow, because that's the cycle of life. When we have children we expect them grow up to be successful and productive human beings. When we were children, we had had dreams of what we wanted to be when we "grew up". We were full of fun and games, hope and expectations, and never thought that our dreams wouldn't come true. As we grew older, we started to realize the reality of life, and it became harder to focus. We were introduced to the evil and sin of the world, and then we slowly lost that childhood innocence, and quickly begin to test the waters, to experience life, and all that it has to offer.
We made mistakes, some good and some bad, which is to be expected, because that too is the way of life, but what made the difference was how we handled those mistakes, and the type of guidance we had. I believe we never really "grow up", because every day we're learning something new, and making different mistakes. I don't think that changes as we get older, I just believe our mistakes become few and far between, or less severe, depending upon how much we’ve learned from prior mistakes made. I don't care how "Holy" you become, you will still make mistakes, because that's how imperfect we are, in the flesh. The best thing about the God is that He loves us, and understands what we’re going through.
The most important thing about getting older and wiser is to never stop dreaming. When we became Christians, we started a new process of growth, and with Jesus, came a "Helper", to guide us along the way. Our daily scriptures started of with this, "The Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand" (Gen 39:3), which was pulled for a popular biblical story in the book of Genesis about Joseph (chapters 37-50). When I think about the life of Joseph and where he started, and where he ended it gives me such hope, because I know that I too am one of God's chosen, and will go on to prosper. Although his brothers hated Joseph, and they conspired to kill him, sold him into slavery, and he was falsely imprisoned, He never lost hope in the vision that God gave Him. He suffered heartache and turmoil for many years, but he was ultimately made a ruler of the land. Just as God said, and his brothers were forced to bow down to Him.
This story astonishes me, because it helps me see how God works. Joseph, and many others that came after him, always had options. He could've reacted so differently in each scenario. However, he always feared God, and lived to please Him, and that was what made the difference in his life. That's the only thing that will make a difference in our life as well. We must be men and women of integrity at all times. No matter how we're tested and tried. The enemy will do his best to tear us down, and that could be done through people, failures, mistakes, past hurts and pains, etc. However, we must take all of our adversity, and use it as fuel, to reach the greatness that God has in store for us. I could only imagine how hard it was for Joseph at times, and how many times he fell short, or became discouraged. Especially while in that ditch facing death, or in prison not knowing his fate, I wonder how many times he cried out to the Lord for strength.
As long as we stay in touch with God, we don't have to lose that child-like joy in our heart, because we know that when He's given us a dreams or goals, He's going to make sure that we reach them. I want you to know that by the blood of Jesus we are God's chosen ones. If you're reading this right now you have been chosen to do something great for Him. He has great rewards for you, throughout your journey, because He meant for each of us to prosper. We're not meant to follow the ways of the world, and suffer with unrest, and discontentment, but Jesus died to give us peace through all things. I challenge you to continue to dream today. Try to remember back to when you where a child, when things were so simple. With Christ, things can still be simple. At the same time have to actively seek the Father, stay in prayer, and seek wisdom in His Word. In Christ, it's always right there for us, all we have to do is be obedient, and reach out and grab it. There’s a reason why Jesus was born a baby, and had to grow, and didn't start His ministry until He was wise enough to complete God's will, the way He intended it to be. It's written at the end of Luke chapter two, which gives an account of Jesus in childhood: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)
If you feel like your stuck in one spot, yet you should be prospering, then I urge you to keep your focus on God. Spend each day with Him, acknowledging His presence and seeking His face. I know it's easier said than done, because I struggle with it from time to time, but I try my best to make sure I show Him that I love Him, even if it's just a thank you. A friend quoted this the other day, "some days are better than others", and that's another one of those short, common, yet profound quotes, that's true in the life of each believer. Don't allow those bad days discourage you, because God has plenty of good ones ahead. If you haven't accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, or aren’t sure where you stand in your Faith walk, then try taking Dr. Stanley's God Quiz today, it’ll give some much needed answers. My favorite verses today are: As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. (2 Chronicles 26:5)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455355&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
I love you!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Today's scripture are about the glory of the Lord. The word Glory is defined: very great praise, honor, or distinction bestowed by common consent; renown. This word and our Lord Jesus Christ go hand and hand, because He deserves all the glory, honor, and praise. When we think about what He's done for us, and His love, glory should be the first thing that comes to mind.
The first time I read the Gospels of Christ, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in it's entirety, I was amazed and fascinated at how humble Jesus was (and still is). He taught with love, and always reassured us that we're loved children of God. He spoke the truth, and warned us of the predominance of sin, but never condemned anyone. He never judged a person because of his appearance, vocation, race, religion, or family background, but He saw people for who they where in their heart. He lived a menial life, with very few possessions, and worked day in and day out to strengthen the Kingdom God, for generations to come. It's because of Him that we not only have the option of being freed from sin, but we have the ability to be closer to God, and better understand His ways. Jesus taught in a way that was easy to understand, and He used "real world" examples, using parables that helped us better understand God's commands. He understood the plight of the weakness of man’s flesh, yet still lived in the Spirit. If you ever need guidance, or good advice all you need to do is pick up the Holy Bible, and read from the Gospels of Christ.
The thing I learned most from studying His life are the possibilities to completely stay in tuned with God, yet still live a peaceful life, despite my circumstances. He taught me the glory of contentment, and humbleness. I know that no matter what material possessions I own, or lack there of, I'm still cared for, and love by God. He taught me the glory of being grateful for life itself, and appreciating the small gifts that God gives us, in addition to the large. It's so important to understand that the along with our spirit, physical things in this world also transform and fade away with time, which includes our flesh, so we cannot get ourselves wrapped up into chasing false or temporary hopes and dreams. We must seek FIRST the Kingdom of God, and all of His Righteousness, and He’ll bless with everything we could ever want or need. We must be careful not to sacrifice our integrity for anything or anyone.
There are stories in the bible that follow the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we can also use to learn His glory, from the lives and teachings of His disciples. These are men who walked with Him physically and spiritually, made great sacrifice, and showed unconditional loyalty to His Name. Jesus choose the less likely leaders, so that we can greater see the testimony, or authenticity in His ability to save and transform. He glorified these men so that they could glorify Him, and spread that glory through lands and generations unknown. Who knew that Paul, a man who persecuted, beat, and crucified Christians would be one of His greatest teachers? Or Peter, who was just a fisherman that led a menial life, would go on to make such an impact. There were several others, like Matthew, Luke, Stephen, and John, who all signed up as soldiers in the Army of the Lord, because they were able to witness His glory first hand. I love the teachings of Paul, because he taught with such conviction and truth, but his message was always clear. He taught the importance of living in righteousness, and never turning our back on God, or each other. Paul believed in brotherly bond, because together, we'll shine so much brighter, and glorify God even stronger.
In the following passage Paul explains the difference between life with the glory of Christ, and life without it. Those of us, who believe in Jesus, no longer wear a veil, but can see clearly the love of God, through His Holy Spirit, so appreciate that, and be sure to continue to keep hope in the glory of Christ all the days of your life. It's written: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read (by the lost), a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:12-18)
Jesus made an awesome sacrifice for every living and breathing human being to have eternal life. He doesn't care who you are, or how much or what types of sins you've committed. So don't wait another day, pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life right now! If you need a prayer partner please let me know, I can be reached via e-mail anytime. My favorite verses today are: God ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
ENJIOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455352&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
I love you!
Today's scripture are about the glory of the Lord. The word Glory is defined: very great praise, honor, or distinction bestowed by common consent; renown. This word and our Lord Jesus Christ go hand and hand, because He deserves all the glory, honor, and praise. When we think about what He's done for us, and His love, glory should be the first thing that comes to mind.
The first time I read the Gospels of Christ, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in it's entirety, I was amazed and fascinated at how humble Jesus was (and still is). He taught with love, and always reassured us that we're loved children of God. He spoke the truth, and warned us of the predominance of sin, but never condemned anyone. He never judged a person because of his appearance, vocation, race, religion, or family background, but He saw people for who they where in their heart. He lived a menial life, with very few possessions, and worked day in and day out to strengthen the Kingdom God, for generations to come. It's because of Him that we not only have the option of being freed from sin, but we have the ability to be closer to God, and better understand His ways. Jesus taught in a way that was easy to understand, and He used "real world" examples, using parables that helped us better understand God's commands. He understood the plight of the weakness of man’s flesh, yet still lived in the Spirit. If you ever need guidance, or good advice all you need to do is pick up the Holy Bible, and read from the Gospels of Christ.
The thing I learned most from studying His life are the possibilities to completely stay in tuned with God, yet still live a peaceful life, despite my circumstances. He taught me the glory of contentment, and humbleness. I know that no matter what material possessions I own, or lack there of, I'm still cared for, and love by God. He taught me the glory of being grateful for life itself, and appreciating the small gifts that God gives us, in addition to the large. It's so important to understand that the along with our spirit, physical things in this world also transform and fade away with time, which includes our flesh, so we cannot get ourselves wrapped up into chasing false or temporary hopes and dreams. We must seek FIRST the Kingdom of God, and all of His Righteousness, and He’ll bless with everything we could ever want or need. We must be careful not to sacrifice our integrity for anything or anyone.
There are stories in the bible that follow the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we can also use to learn His glory, from the lives and teachings of His disciples. These are men who walked with Him physically and spiritually, made great sacrifice, and showed unconditional loyalty to His Name. Jesus choose the less likely leaders, so that we can greater see the testimony, or authenticity in His ability to save and transform. He glorified these men so that they could glorify Him, and spread that glory through lands and generations unknown. Who knew that Paul, a man who persecuted, beat, and crucified Christians would be one of His greatest teachers? Or Peter, who was just a fisherman that led a menial life, would go on to make such an impact. There were several others, like Matthew, Luke, Stephen, and John, who all signed up as soldiers in the Army of the Lord, because they were able to witness His glory first hand. I love the teachings of Paul, because he taught with such conviction and truth, but his message was always clear. He taught the importance of living in righteousness, and never turning our back on God, or each other. Paul believed in brotherly bond, because together, we'll shine so much brighter, and glorify God even stronger.
In the following passage Paul explains the difference between life with the glory of Christ, and life without it. Those of us, who believe in Jesus, no longer wear a veil, but can see clearly the love of God, through His Holy Spirit, so appreciate that, and be sure to continue to keep hope in the glory of Christ all the days of your life. It's written: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read (by the lost), a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:12-18)
Jesus made an awesome sacrifice for every living and breathing human being to have eternal life. He doesn't care who you are, or how much or what types of sins you've committed. So don't wait another day, pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life right now! If you need a prayer partner please let me know, I can be reached via e-mail anytime. My favorite verses today are: God ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
ENJIOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455352&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
I love you!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY THURSDAY!
Today's scriptures are about being constantly aware of Jesus’ return. The one fact of life is that we will not be here on earth, in the flesh, forever. Just as I wrote yesterday, one of two things will happen, either Jesus will return to receive all believers and take us home, or we will physically die. Nobody knows when either these things will happen, so Jesus urged us to always be watching, waiting soberly and expectantly for our reunion.
Jesus spoke this parable to Peter and some of His other disciples, it’s written: "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (Luke 12:35-40 NIV)
Peter went on to ask Jesus if this parable was meant for them (His disciples), or for everyone. Jesus explained, if the Master left certain servants in charge of taking care of the other servants, it’s best for them to be doing that when he returns. Jesus is basically saying if God has appointed you to be a leader on earth He expects you to fulfill those tasks, which was the whole point of giving you authority. If you do so, when He calls you home you’ll be appointed a great leader in Heaven. However, if you’ve been abusing the other servants, and spending most of your time sinning against Him, you will be severely punished. It’s very important for us to take each day and God’s will for our lives seriously, as if Jesus will be here any minute now. We should speak, act, and live pleasing to God at all times, making decisions with our Heavenly Father in mind.
Each day we arise, we’re a step closer to meeting Jesus face to face. When the time comes, will we be “drunk” and unable to focus, or will we be sober waiting eagerly? I’m learning to be aware of my every word and action, because I’ll eventually be judged for it. Not only that, but I’m responsible for the lives of so many others. The things I do, being a “Christian” [or representative of Christ], has the potential to persuade a lost or “younger Spirit” Christian to chose life or death. That’s the awesome burden each person who confessed Christ as Lord and Savior has, so when Jesus tells us to “be dressed and ready for service”, He means that literally and figuratively.
I’m going to leave you with the remainder of that parable, and some sobering information regarding your Faith walk. Life isn’t all about doing whatever, or sinning whenever you want, because you know He’ll forgive you, and you’ll live happily ever after. It’s written: That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:47-48 NIV) I pray that this helps you understand the reality of life as a Servant of Christ. Jesus wants you to live, and enjoy life, but you’re required to do it for the Love of God, in order to expect that same love and gratitude when you get to Heaven. Jesus said those who have been good servants, will be served by Him. Treat Him as you want to be treated, respecting Him enough to try to live righteously; everything has its rewards and consequences.
The first step to getting “dressed and ready” for Christ’s return, is a simple prayer. If you haven’t already, pray to God, confessing that you’re a sinner, and ask for forgiveness with a heart of repentance, then ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. I promise you, He’ll begin a good work in you, to help you get ready. If you have been covered in the blood of Jesus, but are having a hard time getting fully dressed, pray and repent, and serve God with love and thanksgiving. My favorite verse today is: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455351&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about being constantly aware of Jesus’ return. The one fact of life is that we will not be here on earth, in the flesh, forever. Just as I wrote yesterday, one of two things will happen, either Jesus will return to receive all believers and take us home, or we will physically die. Nobody knows when either these things will happen, so Jesus urged us to always be watching, waiting soberly and expectantly for our reunion.
Jesus spoke this parable to Peter and some of His other disciples, it’s written: "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (Luke 12:35-40 NIV)
Peter went on to ask Jesus if this parable was meant for them (His disciples), or for everyone. Jesus explained, if the Master left certain servants in charge of taking care of the other servants, it’s best for them to be doing that when he returns. Jesus is basically saying if God has appointed you to be a leader on earth He expects you to fulfill those tasks, which was the whole point of giving you authority. If you do so, when He calls you home you’ll be appointed a great leader in Heaven. However, if you’ve been abusing the other servants, and spending most of your time sinning against Him, you will be severely punished. It’s very important for us to take each day and God’s will for our lives seriously, as if Jesus will be here any minute now. We should speak, act, and live pleasing to God at all times, making decisions with our Heavenly Father in mind.
Each day we arise, we’re a step closer to meeting Jesus face to face. When the time comes, will we be “drunk” and unable to focus, or will we be sober waiting eagerly? I’m learning to be aware of my every word and action, because I’ll eventually be judged for it. Not only that, but I’m responsible for the lives of so many others. The things I do, being a “Christian” [or representative of Christ], has the potential to persuade a lost or “younger Spirit” Christian to chose life or death. That’s the awesome burden each person who confessed Christ as Lord and Savior has, so when Jesus tells us to “be dressed and ready for service”, He means that literally and figuratively.
I’m going to leave you with the remainder of that parable, and some sobering information regarding your Faith walk. Life isn’t all about doing whatever, or sinning whenever you want, because you know He’ll forgive you, and you’ll live happily ever after. It’s written: That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:47-48 NIV) I pray that this helps you understand the reality of life as a Servant of Christ. Jesus wants you to live, and enjoy life, but you’re required to do it for the Love of God, in order to expect that same love and gratitude when you get to Heaven. Jesus said those who have been good servants, will be served by Him. Treat Him as you want to be treated, respecting Him enough to try to live righteously; everything has its rewards and consequences.
The first step to getting “dressed and ready” for Christ’s return, is a simple prayer. If you haven’t already, pray to God, confessing that you’re a sinner, and ask for forgiveness with a heart of repentance, then ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. I promise you, He’ll begin a good work in you, to help you get ready. If you have been covered in the blood of Jesus, but are having a hard time getting fully dressed, pray and repent, and serve God with love and thanksgiving. My favorite verse today is: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455351&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
I love you!
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
Today's scriptures are about diligently working for Lord. Do you ever feel like the work will never been done? Almost like the old saying goes “if it ain’t one thing it’s another”, yet the lessons go on. I think of the times when Jesus sent His disciples, and other followers, out into the land, to share the “good news” of salvation. Their lives were all about work and sacrifice for the greater good of the Kingdom of God. These men knew what it was to truly surrender and let go of self, giving 100% of their all, to the work of God. They prepared themselves for a journey into the unknown, and took nothing with them but the Love of God, and the anointing that Jesus placed on them, which was more than enough. Before they left on their journey He said to them: “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10:2-3) Look around you, there are so many things that need to be done! The “Harvest surely is plentiful”, but there are too few people willing to step up and do something about it.
Most of us have great work ethics, and will work 10-12 hour days for a dead end job that we hate, but when God calls us to do His work, we always find excuses. It’s easier to find excuses, then to submit to a servant’s journey. Jesus told these men not to take anything with them, it’s written: Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. (Luke 10:4) He told them this to prove to them that as long as they’re laboring in His Name, for our Heavenly Father, their every need would be provided. God has always promised to supply our needs, so don’t use the excuses “I’m not smart, strong, or qualified enough to do what He’s called me to do”, because Jesus said “take nothing with you”, just follow His instructions. Nonetheless, when He calls us, it’s a natural reaction to question and second guess our ability, or worthiness of such a calling, but we must remember that “we can do all things through Christ”.
My sister reminded me of one of my all time favorite Gospel songs, Tomorrow by The Winans , so I looked it up on YouTube because I hadn’t heard it in years, and I think the message in this song is very much fitting to today’s message, let alone many others. It reminded me that we are called to work each day we’re given air to breathe, so focus on completing the will of God today, because we really aren’t promised tomorrow. When Jesus returns, or we’re called home, the one thing we want to be sure of is our attentiveness and love for God. Receiving Salvation may be the easiest thing we’ll ever do, however, keeping up with our end of the vow that we take in this covenant is very challenging. Jesus never denied that, so that’s why He said “I’m sending you out as Lambs among wolves”. There’ll always be obstacles, and “one thing after another”, but as long as we’re laboring for the Creator, the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord of All, our Father who is Love, we’ll be richly reward for all eternity. There’s nothing more important than that.
When He starts to transform your heart, and filling you with His love, you’ll begin to see what I, and countless others see. The world is in need of the Love of God, and they’ll only see it through us. Each day, make it a point to go out of your way to share the love of God. Even if it makes you uncomfortable, inconvenienced, or tired, because when it comes to choosing between your comfort and God’s work, I hope you know which to choose. Your life will be richly filled with an abundance of Peace, Joy, and Happiness, I can guarantee it. A friend posted a comment on Facebook today, which read “I'd rather be exhausted by success... than fully rested from failure.” This is one of the most profound quotes I’ve heard in a while. It’s short and simple, but packed with so much power. Just imagine if we applied this thought process to serving the Kingdom of God. Jesus wants us to be eagerly awaiting our reunion with Him, but until then, we should rather be exhausted by serving Him, then well rested and not accomplishing the things He’s placed us here to do.
Are you “Actively awaiting your reunion with Christ Jesus? If your answer is no, then ask yourself why not. Maybe your answer is “I’m not ready”, “I have so much more I want to accomplish”, or “I still need to make peace with this or that, him or her…” etc. I can go on and on with excuses because I make them sometimes myself. The only thing we need, to be ready for Christ’s return, is to be covered by His blood, and filled with His love; let go of the past and always look forward to what difference you can make today, and carry the heart of a servant. Simply start by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, seek Him all the days of your life, and He’ll do the rest. My favorite verses today are: This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, ... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded. (Philippians 3:13-15)
ENJOY!: http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455350&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
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about diligently working for Lord. Do you ever feel like the work will never been done? Almost like the old saying goes “if it ain’t one thing it’s another”, yet the lessons go on. I think of the times when Jesus sent His disciples, and other followers, out into the land, to share the “good news” of salvation. Their lives were all about work and sacrifice for the greater good of the Kingdom of God. These men knew what it was to truly surrender and let go of self, giving 100% of their all, to the work of God. They prepared themselves for a journey into the unknown, and took nothing with them but the Love of God, and the anointing that Jesus placed on them, which was more than enough. Before they left on their journey He said to them: “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10:2-3) Look around you, there are so many things that need to be done! The “Harvest surely is plentiful”, but there are too few people willing to step up and do something about it.
Most of us have great work ethics, and will work 10-12 hour days for a dead end job that we hate, but when God calls us to do His work, we always find excuses. It’s easier to find excuses, then to submit to a servant’s journey. Jesus told these men not to take anything with them, it’s written: Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. (Luke 10:4) He told them this to prove to them that as long as they’re laboring in His Name, for our Heavenly Father, their every need would be provided. God has always promised to supply our needs, so don’t use the excuses “I’m not smart, strong, or qualified enough to do what He’s called me to do”, because Jesus said “take nothing with you”, just follow His instructions. Nonetheless, when He calls us, it’s a natural reaction to question and second guess our ability, or worthiness of such a calling, but we must remember that “we can do all things through Christ”.
My sister reminded me of one of my all time favorite Gospel songs, Tomorrow by The Winans , so I looked it up on YouTube because I hadn’t heard it in years, and I think the message in this song is very much fitting to today’s message, let alone many others. It reminded me that we are called to work each day we’re given air to breathe, so focus on completing the will of God today, because we really aren’t promised tomorrow. When Jesus returns, or we’re called home, the one thing we want to be sure of is our attentiveness and love for God. Receiving Salvation may be the easiest thing we’ll ever do, however, keeping up with our end of the vow that we take in this covenant is very challenging. Jesus never denied that, so that’s why He said “I’m sending you out as Lambs among wolves”. There’ll always be obstacles, and “one thing after another”, but as long as we’re laboring for the Creator, the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord of All, our Father who is Love, we’ll be richly reward for all eternity. There’s nothing more important than that.
When He starts to transform your heart, and filling you with His love, you’ll begin to see what I, and countless others see. The world is in need of the Love of God, and they’ll only see it through us. Each day, make it a point to go out of your way to share the love of God. Even if it makes you uncomfortable, inconvenienced, or tired, because when it comes to choosing between your comfort and God’s work, I hope you know which to choose. Your life will be richly filled with an abundance of Peace, Joy, and Happiness, I can guarantee it. A friend posted a comment on Facebook today, which read “I'd rather be exhausted by success... than fully rested from failure.” This is one of the most profound quotes I’ve heard in a while. It’s short and simple, but packed with so much power. Just imagine if we applied this thought process to serving the Kingdom of God. Jesus wants us to be eagerly awaiting our reunion with Him, but until then, we should rather be exhausted by serving Him, then well rested and not accomplishing the things He’s placed us here to do.
Are you “Actively awaiting your reunion with Christ Jesus? If your answer is no, then ask yourself why not. Maybe your answer is “I’m not ready”, “I have so much more I want to accomplish”, or “I still need to make peace with this or that, him or her…” etc. I can go on and on with excuses because I make them sometimes myself. The only thing we need, to be ready for Christ’s return, is to be covered by His blood, and filled with His love; let go of the past and always look forward to what difference you can make today, and carry the heart of a servant. Simply start by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, seek Him all the days of your life, and He’ll do the rest. My favorite verses today are: This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, ... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded. (Philippians 3:13-15)
ENJOY!: http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455350&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
I love you!
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