Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today's scriptures are about seeking to be near to God. There's only one place I'd rather be, and that's in the presence of the Lord. He loves me so much that all I want to do is seek Him. When we receive something good, we just want more and more, and that's how I feel about the love of God. The phrase "seek the Lord" is found in over 30 verses in the New King James Version of the Bible. The first one is written: ...you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deut. 4:29) I've experienced times when I felt lost and alone, and when I sought the Lord, I definitely found Him. I often felt this sudden warmth throughout my body, as if I'd just been hugged. There were times when I was frustrated and confused, I sought the Lord, and I suddenly felt this Spirit of clarity and calm. Seeking the Lord for all things is the only way to ensure that we're following His will for our life.

How do you seek the Lord? There are several ways, but the most effective ways are prayer, meditation, and studying His Word. These are the places you're sure to find answers to any questions you may have. You can also seek the Lord, by seeking Godly counsel, through other believers, and Godly leaders. You can seek the Lord in your favorite Gospel Song, or recorded sermon. You can seek the Lord through service, giving up your time, or blessing others. Our greatest commandment is to Love Him with all of our heart and soul, and the only way to do that is to show Him our love. Before we do anything, we should ask ourselves “Would this be pleasing to God?”. There are a lot of things that we do, and don't think twice about it, but we must be aware of our surroundings at all time. To dwell in the presence of the Lord is to continually be with Him, as He is with us.

Being a Christian isn't supposed to feel like a chore, but it's a way of life. When you love the Lord, you yearn for Him at all times, and you'll get to the point where you can't tolerate evil. The only way to get to that point is through your journey with Him. Our love for Him must come from the heart. It can't be the surface type of love, but it must be a deep love, or as we discussed earlier this week, we must be "in love" with Him. In order to fall in love with Him, we must surround ourselves with light. Light and darkness cannot mix, one will overtake the other, but with God, you'll always stay in the light. To know God is to love Him, and you have to ask yourself some hard questions, similar to the ones God asked Job. To know that we're miniscule in the universe, yet God takes His precious time to mold and love us, is enough to want to seek His awesome presence. He created the heavens, planets, moon, sun, and stars, yet His main concern is little old me. He makes sure He we breathe everyday, let alone, assuring we have all of the essentials in life, and all we have to do is seek and love Him. That's not much to ask at all.

Are you a great and loyal employee at your job? Are you always there on time, and pride yourself on doing a great job? Now, do you go to church every Sunday, or attend other church related services throughout the week. Do you find it hard to make time in your schedule to serve others, or make time for them when they’re in need? If you do struggle with those things, then it's time prioritize. As Michael Jacks says, "I'm starting with the woman in the mirror, asking her to change her ways". When it comes to happiness, peace, and joy, there's only one foolproof way of getting it, and that's seeking the Lord your God. Each day we're given another chance to seek the Lord. Out of love and reverence for Him, ask Him to reveal your path, and look for Him throughout the day. Look for opportunities to show Him to people you come in contact with, throughout the day.

To stay near to God, is to keep Him at the head of your life each day. If you don't know Jesus, then you cannot come to God. The Son is the key to your Salvation, spiritual growth, and internal peace. Without Him you are lost, and so make it a point to seek Him today. It's not as hard as you think; just take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. God is always close, because His Spirit dwells within you. It's amazing how someone could be so close to you, but you're so far away. Never cease to seek His face, and it'll become as second nature. My favorite verse today is: Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. (Psalm 65:4)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455464&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!


Today's scriptures are about the holding steadfast in the chastisement of God. There are many sides to the love of God, and He is a Father to us first. He loves us so much that He won't stand aside and watch us self-destruct. He'll do whatever it takes, whenever necessary, to make sure that we receive all that He has to offer in life. The word chasten is found in the New King James version of bible, on several occasions, starting with Moses' counsel: You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. (Deut. 8:5) The word chasten is defined: to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement; chastise. Just as our earthly parents worked hard to raise us to be wonderful, upstanding citizens, and tried to afford us everything we need, and most things we want, God does the same for us. Without discipline and boundaries, we wouldn't know responsibility, or how to make good choices in life.

For me, I've grown to a point where I know right from wrong, and my spirit of discernment is strong, so when I sin against God, I'm instantly made aware of it, and I expect to be chastised. I don't expect to be able to go through life, doing whatever I want, whenever I want, and continuously receive rewards. I understand that we each have free will, and we're given choices in life, and if we choose wrong we'll pay the consequence. We cannot plant an apple seed, and expect an orange tree to grow from it, nothing in life works that way. We have common sense, which tells us that if we want the best out of life, we must follow the will of God. At the same time, the flesh is weak, we're prone to sin, and will fall short of His glory, so with God there's a happy medium. He will never give us more that we can bear. He'll never hold something against us that we did out of ignorance, but He'll allow us to experience the consequence, so learn from it. He's quick to forgive whenever we ask, and the Holy Spirit convicts us to a point of repentance.

It's written: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. (Matt 18:1-5) The life of a believer is completely different from life in the flesh. God has a different plan for each person, so when we accept Jesus as Lord, we're born again. We start from the infant stage of our spiritual walk, and continue to grow each day. We have inherited the Kingdom of God, and our Father is the ruler of all things. He's afforded us everything we'll need to grow into wonderful human beings. He's given us Jesus Christ for Salvation, and the Holy Spirit for step-by-step guidance. He's given us the Holy Bible for instruction, and knowledge. All we have to do is seek Him with child-like innocence, and depend on Him as a child depends on his parents for nourishment and growth.

If you're a believer, the next time you're experiencing heartache or trials count it all joy. God will only test those who He intends on using, and keeping dear to Him. Don't forget, all things work together for the good of those who love Him, so rejoice everyday, no matter what's going on in your life. Be worried when you know you're not living right, and you aren't being chastened, because God has put you up on a shelf. I'm not saying that our life should be full of pain and anguish, and we aren't supposed to be happy, but we're being shaped and molded into kings and queens in the Lord, and sometimes we'll experience growing pains. You're not supposed to live in utter chaos and defeat the rest of your life, because you're more than a conqueror, however accept the fact the you're meant to suffer with Christ in certain seasons. This knowledge allows you to keep your head up when faced with adversity, because you know that God is still in control. It allows you to keep your inner peace and joy, and avoid worry and anxiety.

To know Jesus is the love Him, and to love Him is to love God. With that being said, the only way to please God is to accept His Son Jesus Christ. If you've never done it, then confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart, and confess your sins. Stay open to Him, and seek His wisdom, to continue to grow in your personal walk with Him. Jesus said, "my yoke is easy and my burden is light", so He'll fill your life with so much joy that you won't buckle, when faced with adversities. Simply trust Him with your whole heart. My favorite verse today is: The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 13:3 )

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455463&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about being in love with Christ. How many of you know how it feels to be "in love" with someone? Hopefully you've each had the opportunity to experience this wonderful gift from God. To be in love, means that you have completely given your heart to another person. Your main concern is pleasing them and making sure they're happy, because they've made you so very happy. You think about them constantly, want to be near them all hours of the day, and you thank God for them being in your life. You consult them before making major decisions, because you value their opinion. Does this sound familiar? Being in love usually means that the person loves you just as much, or even more. How many of you would say that you feel this way about Jesus? I will shout it from the rooftop; I am in love with Jesus Christ!

Jesus loves us so much that He laid down His life for us. Not just physically, but His entire life. He said: As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (John 15:9) Jesus spent His days on earth making sure we had everything that we needed, and not only the people who were physically with Him, but all of us. He taught from His heart, fed the hungry, healed the sick, and led the lost. He never judged anyone for who they where in the past, but He judged them by their heart. His love was so strong that He willingly endured torture [which led to His physical death], for every living soul. How could you not love Him for that? He saved you! He loves you, and works each day to make sure that your prayers are heard, you're blessing are bountiful, and your heart is full. His love is unconditional, and He doesn't care if you’re rich, poor, old, or young. He loves you even if you once hated Him, He's just that wonderful!

When I was young, I would go to church and see people crying, running around, and falling out, and I wondered why. I wondered how could they make fools out of themselves like that, and questioned whether they where just putting on a show. However, as I got older I realized that they were in love with Jesus, and didn’t care who knew it. They each expressed their love in different ways, but they felt His love penetrate their whole heart, and had to share that feeling with any and everyone. I know that feeling now, because when I think about Jesus my heart gets filled with so much joy that I can't help but praise Him! I talk about Him to anyone who's willing to listen, because I want them to feel the incredible love and joy that I feel in my heart. I think about Him each day, and hope that the life I lead is pleasing to Him, and seek to become closer to Him. When I go a few hours without talking to Him, my heart aches for some type of fellowship with Him, and I have to at least thank Him for His grace and mercy. I can't go a day without Him, and I'm so grateful that I've come to this point in my Faith walk, because it's exhilarating and fascinating, awesome and amazing.

Jesus went on to say, in this chapter of John: If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. (15:10) To abide in His love means to stay in it, to be a part of it, to patiently await it, and dwell in it; in other words to be "in love" with Him. He said: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (15:11-13) To be in Love with Jesus, means to love everyone around you. We get to a point where it just comes naturally. You want the best for everyone, and you’re quick to forgive them if they do wrong by you, and will help anyone in need. Jesus preached love, joy, peace, happiness, and life, not condemnation, death, or judgment. Jesus wanted us to have life abundantly, and to live and learn.

Love is a wonderful thing, because it comes from God. Remember, He so "loved" the world that He gave His Son, so that ALL will have life. The type of love that He offers can't be received from anyone else. His love is unconditional, pure, free, open, forgiving, merciful, and true. The best part is that He already loves you in this way; all you have to do is be open to receive it. Seek Him, in order to fall in love with Him, and your life will change forever. Once you've experienced the love of Christ, nothing will look or feel the same again. You'll be able to love others richer and more complete, without reproach.

If you don't know Jesus as Lord, you haven't TRULY experienced love. I tried my best to explain it, but I can't do it justice, you'll have to experience it for yourself. If you're lost and confused as to what you believe, especially with all of the attacks you see on the body of Christ, take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. Say a prayer and ask God to open your eyes, and allow you to truly see love. I promise you'll fall in love with Him, but you have to seek Him, because you can't truly love someone you don't know. My favorite verse today is: My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. (Psalm 104:34)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455462&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about all things working together for our good. Did you know that ALL things are in God's control, and moves by His power, and His power alone? He has dominion over all things, which we have inherited through Christ Jesus. At the same time, we must learning to trust in Him as well. To trust is one of the greatest gifts to give, but the easiest to waiver. For example, one hint of turbulence on a plane makes you lose faith in the pilot, yet you truly trusted him the moment you booked your flight. God is the one and only infallible Pilot, and when we trust Him with our life, He'll never let us down. We'll get to our destination better than we were when we left.

It's not as easy as one my think to surrender to God, because we're born in this flesh-centered mindset, and before we knew Jesus, it was all about us. As we're growing in the spirit, we slowly shed that flesh-like thinking and adopt Christ-like thinking. Along the way, our faith could be very fragile, so it's easy to withdraw from the Lord during tribulation, because we don't yet understand that this too shall pass, and we'll gain something positive from it. The enemy's main purpose is to keep us in bondage, because he's attempting to stop the work of the Lord. However, God has put us here for Him, for companionship and communion, and nothing or no one could stop that. He's present in every aspect of our life, and devotes every minute of every day to shaping and molding us into perfection. No matter how your life looks right now, God has a plan for you. Do you believe that?

The world could be a cruel place, and it's getting more and more indignant as years pass. There's nothing but sex, drugs, corruption, murder, and any other wicked thing in the news. So where does God fit into all of this? I was listening to some contemporary Gospel music today, and thinking about the way artists like Kirk Franklin, Tonex, and Tye Tribbett has revolutionized Gospel music. I was a little taken aback by it, but when I saw children in the audience Praising God, as I once saw Elders in the church do, I realized that God is definitely at work there. He's moved Gospel music along with the times, and made something the enemy meant for evil, and used it for good. I applaud the boldness it takes to step outside of the box, and that's what God is all about. He's revolutionized the world for a reason, and we're definitely reaping the benefits of it.

God has given us free will, yet at the same time He's leading and guiding our footsteps. Even the bad choices we make, end up being good things for us, when we trust Him. We must choose to see Him in all things. It's written: And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left. (Isa. 30:20-21) Just know that in most cases adversity is meant to give you wisdom and make you stronger, so chose to learn from those “teachers”. If there's something you don't understand, or you do but need a little more clarity, ask Him, and He'll reveal it to you. Remember, we're created just for Him, so He wants us to come to Him anytime for anything.

Our heart, trust, and love are most important to God, so when we give those things to Him, He’ll open a world that we never expected to see. As we grow in the Spirit we become more meek and mild-mannered, and the world will test us. We'll become more sensitive and prone to attacks from the enemy, but we must stand firm against him. Jesus said: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." (John 15:18-21) This may seem scary at first, because none of us want to be hated by anyone, but people will test our faith, but what they meant for our harm, God meant for our good.

You may be going through a really hard time right now, and the last thing you want to hear is, "there's a reason for everything". I know when I was in some dark places in my life, and couldn't for the life of me figure out why I didn't want to hear that. However, as quoted by a good friend, "Hindsight is 20/20 vision". When God finally revealed the reason for the pain in my life, I immediately dropped to my knees and Praised Him. I thanked Him for all that He had done, and for the wisdom received through that ordeal. Nevertheless, had I trusted Him enough to praise and thank Him while going through it, it would've alleviated a lot of that pain and heartache. There's a saying, "Your arms are too short to box with God", stop fighting and let Him in.

Without God you're lost and alone, and even though you may not see it, believe me you are. If you’re reading this message, God is working it out for you right now. Jesus said come to me and I will give you rest. If you want to experience the living water, which is the Lord, so you will never thirst again, take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. I promise you will never regret it. My favorite verses today are: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4) ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455461&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the power of a broken spirit. I looked up the word Broken on dictionary.com, trying to give you the literal meaning of the word, and it has 17 different meanings. This is why I initially choose to look it up. To sum it up in a few words, it's to be reduced to fragments, ruptured, incomplete, infringed or violated, interrupted, disrupted, disconnected, or weakened in strength and/or spirit. In life, all of these words are very relevant when it comes to being broken, and most of us have experienced this at one time or another. The good news is that as a child of God, whenever we're broken He will fix us. He'll fix any situation or circumstance, and help us rebuild better than before.

Sometimes God allows our spirit to be broken as part of His refinement process. Sometimes the only way we'll respond to necessary change is a little pain and heartache. In most situations, it takes us being feed up or angry with our current turbulent situation, before we'll do anything to change it. God knows our heart, as well as our strengths and weaknesses, so He understands the things that we can't let go. There are many situations and spirits that we have, that need to be broken, in order for us to move the way He wants us to move. I look at it in the terms of wild horses. Horses have played a major part in the growth of civilization. If it wasn't for them, man wouldn't have been able to travel long distances in shorter periods of time, or move heavy loads, etc. However a horse’s true nature is to run free, with no boundaries or rules. It first needs to be broken in order to be useful to its master, and be able to be led in the way it should go.

We're in the flesh, so our nature is to be influenced by culture, which could lead us to "run wild", ignoring the laws of Christ, and could ultimately lead to death. We were created for a purpose, and God will do whatever it takes keep us in His will, on the path of righteousness. He’ll break us, in order to rebuild us, and will do it as many times necessary to bring peace to our lives. I wrote about my Pastor's sermon on how God is the potter and we're the clay a few days ago. I love Jeremiah's story about the Potter and the Clay. God told him to go to the Potter's house to hear a word from Him, and when Jeremiah got there, he saw the Potter making something on his wheel. Jeremiah watched the Potter mess up the first sculpture, so he broke up the clay and started to make another vessel. When Jeremiah saw this the Lord said to him: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!" (Jer. 18:6) When I heard my Pastor preach on this subject it changed my entire outlook. It made me more open to God, and appreciate the brokenness that has taken place in my life, because He was only breaking me down, to rebuild a more beautiful and structurally sound me. When I think about it in that way, it makes me want to rejoice!

The spirit of brokenness is never easy to endure, but the best thing about it is that God won't give us more that we can bear. Also, one of the best things about being a Christian is the fact that we have the Holy Spirit. God will give us everything we need to get through life, but when we're not watching and listening, we often miss His warnings, and that causes a lot of brokenness in our lives as well. It's written: The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit? (Prov. 18:12) Jesus bears our broken Spirit, no matter how it got that way. He searches for the lost and seeks the broken, in order to sustain them. He reveals Himself in several different ways, until we decide to reach out and take His hand. Often times we wait until we're completely broken, and have nowhere else to turn, before we reach out to Him, but rest assured He'll always be there.

If you feel broken, lost, or confused about where you stand in life, then there's only one Man that can give you clarity. When you're in His hands, brokenness can always be fixed. Jesus died to give us life, and He'll renew us as many times as necessary. Don't spend another day in that brokenness, live in victory! No matter what's going on, or how you got there, it doesn't matter, as long as you look to the light that's going to lead you back. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick. (Ezekiel 34:16)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455457&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful Friday-eve. Over that last few weeks my Spirit has been battling with worry, but I can still see that bad habit slowly fading away. Worry is so toxic, and it causes stress, which could affect us mentally, Spiritually, and physically. The Bible teaches us, "Do not worry"; Jesus said it severally times in His Sermon on the Mount. Yet we're creatures of habit, and it's something that plagues us all. I'm learning that God is in control, and as long as I'm trying my best to live righteously, there's nothing I need to worry about. Remember, light always conquers darkness, so speak light into every situation, and have Faith in Lord. Worry is a state of mind, not a reality, and we’ll gain nothing from it, so live and let go. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about God knowing the heart of His children. There's so much misunderstanding when it comes to sin, forgiveness and salvation, that people are often lead astray. The only way to know the answer to all of your questions, or clear up any confusion, is to go to the Word of God. We're told to "seek first the Kingdom of God", and to seek requires diligence on our part. It's a known fact that God loves the world, and everything in it, because He's our creator. However, He holds a special place for those who love His Son (who is also Him). Jesus said: "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.” (John 16:27) The ability to love comes from the heart, and sin comes from the flesh, so God judges us according to what's in our heart.

Yesterday we learned that Jesus freed us from the law, and that could only be true because of the love we have within. We're free to love Him with all of our heart and soul, because of His grace. We're free to be close to Him, and commune with Him, whenever and however we choose. We're free to be forgiven for mistakes, and to be open to growth and wisdom, in order to adequately serve the Kingdom of God. We are free to be His children, and to express our love to others, the way He's expresses His love to us. He understands the frailties of the flesh, and looks beyond that, with the offer of unconditional forgiveness.

God knows our intentions, thoughts, and foresees our actions, so there's nothing we can get away with. Our inner thoughts and feelings tell Him all that He needs to know, so we must work on getting right from the inside out. We must be open to the changes Jesus is making our lives, no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient they may sometimes seem. You know the times when you feel in your heart that you should go to church when you really don't feel like it, or when you should loan money to that friend in need, who you know can't pay you back. There are times when you should be nice to people, when you really don't feel like being bothered, or when you help someone you don't necessarily like. Those things come from the heart. God doesn't look at the fact that you are less than perfect, but the fact that you're trying. He looks at the fact that you love Him, and love those around you, everything else can and will be worked out.

Meekness, forgiveness, and giving are three traits of a loving heart, and God will do His part to make sure your actions line up with your heart. He doesn't judge us on our intelligence, earthly success, or popularity among men, but on how meek and humbled we are. He loves us just the way we are on the inside, so it's important to work on being that person who moves on what comes from within. It's written: Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:3) We must make it a point to speak and move by the Spirit. If you can confess Jesus as Lord to anyone you come in contact with, you're speaking from the heart, and that makes God proud. Seek the Lord, and all of His righteousness, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. Yes, you have to allow it, and follow Him, because you have free will. God won't force you choose Him; it's your choice.

Sin keeps you in bondage, which stunts your Spiritual growth. God understands failures and doesn't fault us for them. He waits for us to come to Him for forgiveness, and deliverance from the hold they have over us. In order to do that, just ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart, and show you how to lay those sins down. Be very observant, and watch Him work. In life we have choices, and being in tuned with the Holy Spirit makes it a lot easier to choose God over the world. The good news is, those times when you may choose wrong, God will quickly forgive you, so you could move forward, but you must move with Him. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward". Always remember that God will spend our entire lifetime shaping and molding us into perfection, so take your time, and be open to the transformation. If He can work with me, He can surely work with you. He's brought me a long way, and He isn't done with me yet.

Jesus is the key to salvation, and receiving a righteous heart. All you have to do is invite Him into your life, and His Spirit will enter your heart, and make you whole again. If you believe that Jesus is Lord, and have accepted Him as your Savior, but don't feel like you've grown, or feel lost, then prayer is a good way to start. Ask God to show you the way to peace, and then seek Him. Spend quality time with Him, in His Word, and in His presence, and you'll start to notice His work. There's nothing separating you from Him, and you couldn't have done anything too bad in the past to lose your salvation. He's been waiting on you to come to Him in repentance. Just be honest with Him, and sincere about it, because He knows your heart. My favorite verse today is: Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalms 139:23-24)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455456&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about being freed from the law, through Christ. Did you know, once Christ enters our life, there's a drastic change in our Spiritual and eternal balance? Our old self is dead and buried and we're resurrected with Christ. We are no longer judged like the world, or even live by the laws of the world. You might be wondering, “what's the Law", well it is the written in the Law of Moses, otherwise known as the Ten Commandments. What does it mean to be freed from the Law? It doesn't mean that we don't have to follow them, but we're freed from the penalties of them, when we confess and repent.

None of us are literally above the law, but with Christ, we are free from them. We're liberated, which allows us to focus on the positive things in life. It had to be exhausting to have lived before Christ, and the only way to receive atonement for sins was to make a trip to a sometimes far away temple to see a High Priest. You'd take a sacrificial animal and often your entire family, to make an offering once a week, month, or even a year. If you'd broken any laws between those times then you had to face possible separation from God, until you could adequately repent. I couldn't imagine not being able to talk to God anytime I need Him, or to have to worry about an eternity in Hell, because I broke one of these laws before I made it to see the high priest. We are blessed to be able to go to Him at anytime, anywhere, and repent. God sees us as righteous because we're cleansed in the blood of Christ, and that's a reason to rejoice!

Does this mean that we never have to worry about sin? God gave man laws to live by, not to set us up for failure, but to give us some type of boundaries. If we just go around stealing, killing, committing adultery, etc, with no consequences, this world would be in chaos. The Laws weren't written for condemnation, nor was Jesus' death meant to give us a license to do whatever we want to do without consequence. There are so many people who think that they could sin as much as they'd like today, and just ask for forgiveness in the morning, and everything will be okay. Essentially, Jesus offers forgiveness for anything, as long as we come to Him with a clean heart, sincere about wanting to repent for those sins. As we grow in our Spirit, sin becomes harder and harder to commit, and our punishment becomes more severe. So if you're a child of God, and live on that "you only have one life, party now and repent later", that's a dangerous game you're playing. We each will be judged, and there's no way around that. Besides, God loves those of fear Him, and your fear and reverence for Him alone, should help you do your best to stay on a straight and narrow path. Mistakes happen, and ignorance is bliss, but for those who blatantly sin against God, I would hate to be in your shoes.

When we make that commitment to give our life to the Lord, we must also open our heart to Him. He promises to begin a good work in us, but we have a part to play in it as well. How do you ever expect to grow if you don't feed your Spirit? If you never open your Bible to read, go to church, pray or meditate, how will you get to know Him? The bible says let your yes be yes and your no be no, you're even for Him or against Him. In Paul's letter to the Romans, he explained to them about God's Righteous Judgment, and breaks it down for those who judge others, who are too stubborn to repent, and the fact that God is fair to everyone. He won't punish one man more than the other, we each will be judged for our own actions. It's written: For God does not show favoritism. All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Rom. 2:11-13) You see, just because you've confessed Christ as Lord, and you go to church on Sunday morning, you're not free from judgment because of sin. You're still working toward storing up your treasures in Heaven.

Jesus came to give us life in abundance, but we must be open to receive it. It's because of Him that we can grow in our walk, and be delivered from evil. That's what you call an abundant life, when you don't have to worry about anything because Jesus is in Heaven making intercession for you. Additionally, the Holy Spirit is in your Heart helping you make better choices in life. The only thing you have to do is let go, and let God do the rest. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then you face condemnation. You'll be judged for you sins and punished throughout eternity. That's fact, and not fairy tale. With Christ, you don't have to worry about condemnation for all eternity, but you will experience the wrath of God here on earth, and be judged for each sin before entering the Kingdom of Heaven. If you've been away from God too long, go to Him right now and repent for you sins, and He'll draw you in, and make you whole. If you're confused as to where you are right now, take the God Quiz, and it should shine some light on your situation. My favorite verse today is: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455455&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the comfort of the Lord. We all have and will experience heartache, tribulation, sorrow, and disappointments in life, whether for a few moments, or a lifetime. No matter what the trial, God will be there to comfort us throughout. All we have to do is go to Him and ask for help. He'll give us so much peace, that it'll be even hard for us to understand how we're getting through these rough spots in life. Jesus said that the one thing that we'll all experience is troubles, but it doesn't last always. Still, we can count on Him to be there every step of the way. I can testify to that, and I'm sure you have a few testimonies as well.

Tribulation is hard on anyone, and there are many forms. There's some that happens with no notice; it hits us like a ton of bricks. In those times, it's hard to know how to react. We often feel lost and alone, as if the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Considering the circumstances and the maturity of your faith walk, there are two things that could happen: you could either turn to God, or turn to the world. For some, at the first sign of trouble, they drop to their knees and cry out to God. They ask for the strength to make it through, and pray for whoever is involved in the situation. Those are the people who have a relationship with God, and have allowed Him to establish His place in their life.

There are others whose first reaction would be evil thoughts, whether revenge or they become reckless. There are some who drown their sorrows in drugs and alcohol, which temporarily mask the pain. There are so many ways to deal with hard times in life, but the best and only way is to lean on the comfort of the Lord. This gift is offered to every believer, by the Grace of God.

There's nothing that could separate us from the love of God, not even sin. Our sin debt has been paid in full, so when we need the comfort of the Lord, all we have do is go to Him. We should always repent for our sins as soon as they happen, but if we haven't, we can pray right now and confess to the Lord, and they'll be taken care of. Guilt because of past sin is what makes us try to go through dark periods in life alone. The enemy will have us think that God doesn't want anything to do with us, because of our lifestyle, or past mistakes, and that is furthest from the truth. If God turned away everyone who asked for His help, because of past sin, then no one would ever be able to experience His comfort. We all have our cross to bear, and God understands that, hence the reasons for the ultimate sacrifice of His Son.

Jesus gives us the right to go to God for support through the trials of life. It doesn’t matter if it’s self-inflicted or something that’s out of our control. I know I'm not the only one who has put myself through fire, with self-inflicted hurts and pains. Those times when the Holy Spirit told me not to take a particular road because the fire was hot, and I might get burned, but I took that road anyway. Even in those times of refinement, God was there to comfort me, forgive me, and teach me a better way to go. He wants us to understand that His grace is sufficient in our weakness, so we don't have to go through it alone. He gives me inner peace, as well as the right people to help me get through them. That's always the case when we trust, lean, and rely on Him for our every need.

The Apostle Paul said: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (2 Cor. 1:3-7 NIV) There is a reason for everything, and as much as we often don't have understanding of our suffering, God does. There are some things that cannot be avoided in this life, either due to the weakness of our flesh, or circumstances out of our control. Either way, painful circumstances are inevitable, yet so is the love and comfort of God. Continue to praise Him through every situation, because He's there. Be sure to cry out to the Lord anytime you need comfort. Remember to be there to comfort others who cry out to you, and help them find their way back to God; pray for, and with them.

Hopefully this helps you, when tribulation strikes, to choose God above the world. The world offers nothing but more confusion and strife, so that's not where you want to be. You need strength to get through these very draining times, and that strength and rest comes from the Lord. Jesus said come to me ALL who are burdened and I will give you rest. You'll find comfort in His word, and in His presences. Sometimes the best comfort is found in just being still and listening to Him. Other times comfort comes from talking to Him in the Spirit. God wants what's best for us, which is sometimes the reasons He allows us to go through certain things. Always choose to see His best in everything, and don't allow the enemy to plague you with fear, doubt, and guilt any longer. The only true comfort comes from the Lord, and you'll know when you've found it, because it just feels right.

If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then you haven't experience true comfort and peace. Jesus holds the key to true peace, joy, and happiness. You'll experience true love and comfort in the arms of the Lord. For those of you who are believers, but haven't turned to God for comfort, because of guilt, fear, or you just don't know how, then take a few moments and speak to Him. Ask your Holy Spirit for help. Go to the word of God and read some of the Psalms, which are songs written by men and woman, who also experienced great joys and great pain. The answers lie within you, where His Spirit dwells. You never have to lose your peace again, because that surety lies in the blood of Jesus Christ. My favorite verse today is: Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. (Psalm 86:15)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455454&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today's scriptures are about receiving a new heart and a new Spirit from God. I spent many years trying to be good, and do well on my own, but I had it all wrong. Knowledge is power, so when we seek God’s wisdom, we'll find everything we need to grow in our Spirit, as well as keep a peaceful heart. I'm so grateful for the Grace of God! When we come to the realization that we're inadequate, and cannot live a righteous life without Him, we'll surrender. We'll take on a meek spirit, and open our heart up to Him.

God wants our happiness, but happiness is impossible without peace. I don't know one person who just wants to be pure evil, because it takes more energy to be angry, upset, and mean; it's just plain exhausting. We were created with a conscience, which is a God-given sensor that everyone has, to help us recognize right from wrong. It's different, yet very similar to the Holy Spirit. Whether saved or unsaved, we’ll feel remorseful for the bad things, and proud of the good things we do; it's just in our nature. So believe me, that person whose main purpose in life is to make others miserable, is fighting his or her own demons. There's some type of pain on the inside of them, which makes them act and react the way that they do.

We notice the immediate remorse and regret in Adam and Eve right after they disobeyed God, and they didn't have the Holy Spirit within them. Before Christ, God used the conscious to persuade people to repent, and make sacrifices for their sins. He had many messengers, prophets, and His written Word, to help man avoid evil. Nonetheless, it wasn't until they surrendered to Him, could He change their heart. Today we're so very blessed to have Salvation, once and for all, through Jesus Christ. It's written: For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:13-15)
The best day of my life was when I received the call. I decided that I'd had enough of uneasiness, pain, heartache, anger, and utter chaos in my life. I grew weary, which was the most humbling period in my life. I was so weak from trying to fight my battles alone, that I literally couldn't get up out of the bed. I had been trying to change, and start going to church regularly. I wanted to stop the smoking, drinking, partying, lying, and other sins I was committing. I was tired of being tired, so I eventually I fell on my knees and cried out to the Lord. That was the moment I realized that I couldn't do it on my own. The more I tried, the harder it became. I asked God to fix me, renew me, and strengthen me, and that's when the light came on. I was filled with the Spirit, and my life changed from that day forward. What a lot of us don't realize is that when we accept Jesus as Lord, we become one with Him, and He's one with God. We cannot live in evil, because we're no longer subjected to it.

God will refine us, and start the rebuilding process, and sometimes things need to be torn down, in order to be rebuilt on a solid foundation, with a stronger frame. When I deliberately sought the Lord, things just started to change. I started to hunger and thirst for Him more, and found that my cravings for the ways of the world decreased. It's a daily walk with Him, and the enemy still works hard to take me out of this place, but Jesus said: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29) I find true peace in the promises of the Lord, because I know that no matter what happens in this life, I am His.
I can't count the amount of times I heard a person say, I can't go to church, or surrender my life to God, because I'm not ready. People are under the notion that they have to become "better" in order to be saved. If there's only one thing you take from this message, let it be the fact that you're incapable of becoming "better" without God. He is who will make you righteous, but only when He becomes one with you. The only thing you need to do is surrender. Realize and understand that you need Him, and He'll show you the way. He has a calling on your life, and He's been knocking and knocking, waiting on you to answer that call. If you’re trying to "fix" your life before you answer His call, then you will never experience the love of God. Remember He said, "My grace is sufficient in your weakness".

If you don't know Jesus, then don't wait any longer, ask Him to come into your life today! He doesn't care what state your life is in, or how many sins you've committed, He'll take you just as you are. You're clay, and He's waiting to mold you. As my Pastor taught us this past Sunday, the good thing about clay is if you notice a blemish or make a mistake in your sculpture, it's really easy break the mold down, and start again fresh. Don't allow the enemy to lie to you any longer, submit to the Lord, and allow Him to mold you into the beautiful Spirit you're intended to be. My favorite verses today are: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455450&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!