Daily Devotional with Angelic Chef

Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-06-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you’re enjoying the beginning of another workweek (for most). I’m doing well, and have been enjoying the last few weeks of vacation. This weekend we’re having our 1^st Annual Pig Roast fund raiser at my Church, Saturday, June 11^th starting at 4pm. All is welcomed, so if you don’t have anything planned, please bring the entire family out for fun, food, games, and prizes! Please see our website for http://fairfaxchristian.org/ for further details, and directions. I would love to see you there! Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about the unconditional love of God. I’ve heard all of my Christian life that God loves me unconditionally, yet there are times when I feel like I’m not worthy of His love. Especially times when I know I’ve fallen short of His commandments, or have made wrong choices and bad decisions. I know that God will forgive me as soon as I ask, but I also know that I will reap what I sow. The devil is very smart and crafty, however he’s no match for a wise Christian, because we know how to put on the full amour of God. At the same time, he’s always going to attempt to place fear, doubt, and guilt into our lives, so that we lose sight of the fact that God does love us unconditionally. There’s nothing we can do or say to stop His love, because it is indeed “unconditional”.

Let’s think of the human body, and how much God put into creating us. How much care, attention to detail and love it had to take to create such complex yet simple creature. Compared to all of His other creations, we are superior, and were made with great precision. He took His time and molded us, and made sure that there are no two that are alike. He loves each individual that much that we’re unique in our own way. That alone should tell us just how much He loves us. The enemy doesn’t want us to know that, so he tries make us feel like we’re unworthy of God’s love, but the fact still remains that Jesus died for all mankind. I don’t care what type of sinner you are, He loves you no matter what. If you go to Him and repent, with a right heart and spirit, then you’re forgiven, no questions asked. There’s nothing that you can do that will separate you from Him for all eternity, once you’ve been saved. Look at where you came from and the type of stock you’re made of—you were created for a reason, because you are special to Him.

We can never base the love of God on the love of mankind—not even your mother can love you as deeply as God does. I know the love of a mother, and my mom would literally die for me, but she still cannot love me the way that God loves me. My mom has a limit to the things she’ll take from me; though her forgiveness runs deep, she is only human, and has a breaking point. God however, does everything for our good, even when He punishes us, or allows us to go through trials and tribulations—they’re all meant to work together for our good, we just have to pay attention and take the wisdom from it. I’m a firm believer that if we truly understood how much God loves us, then we can better love Him. We wouldn’t be so quick to sin against Him, because we’ll understand the sacrifices Jesus made so that we can have life.

Through Jesus we are blessed and highly favored, and we have inherited the Kingdom of God, and we’re truly righteous. You have authority by His Name to rule over all of the evil on this earth; remember through Christ, God has made your enemies your footstool. There aren’t many things that happen in our life that happens without our say; we have choices in everything we do, and those choices make up our life. Yesterday is Gone, tomorrow isn’t promised, all we can do is be better today. I was feeling a bit lost over the last week, and I’d been struggling with focusing on the wrong things, and when I spoke to God, He lead me to read Psalms 37. I absolutely love David’s Psalms because he truly bears his soul. He tells us like it really is, and he’s the first to say, “I’m not perfect but I love God, and God loves me”. If we each take responsibility for the choices we make in life, then we’d have a better relationship with God, because He truly understands what we’re going through, He simply asks us to confess and repent. Remember He was here in the flesh once before. I urge you, if you feel like you’re lost, and that God is just done with you, then think again. He will never be done with you, and will work on you until the day that you die. He loves you! Just love Him with all of your heart, and do the best that you can. When you seek Him, He will show Himself to you. He’s waiting for you. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, please take that first step, and ask Him to come into you life as Lord and Savior. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verses today are: The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)

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Anytime you’re felling weak, Psalms 37 is a great Psalm to turn to. I found great strength in these words:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

²⁵ I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
²⁶ He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

²⁷ Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
²⁸ For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-05-11T23:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about making the best choices in life. The great thing about life is that we have choices. One of the gifts and curses of "The tree of knowledge of good and evil", was that it gave us the ability to make sound decisions. Once Adam and Eve made the choice to eat from that tree, they were given the knowledge of the ways of the world, and the ability to choose which way that they wanted to go. This rule is still in place, but the problem is, our flesh is so weak that we often choose the evil over the good. Although we now have the gift of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus as our intercessor, which makes our choices a little easier, we are still susceptible to choosing evil. Knowing the God we serve, we don't have to choose evil, we just do--it's just as accessible to choose to do good, and be good as it is to do evil. This takes effort and discipline, which requires work and dedication. There are so many people who dwell on how difficult living a righteous life is, but most things are difficult at first. We have to build a relationship with Christ. Since we were born in sin, and have sinful natures naturally, we have to allow the conformation from sinner to Saint to happen. Each day we're given on this earth, we have to live on purpose, and actively seek the face of the Lord. When we're doing that, above all else, righteousness will come.

I can testify to this personally, because only God knows how much fighting we had to do for me to get here. It reminds me of when Jacob wrestled with God--I wrestled with Him for many years. The wonderful thing about this story is that Jacob kept fighting, it's written: When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Gen 32: 25-26) Jacob wouldn't let go, even after his hip was out of socket, but waited until he received a blessing from God. Jacob left there with physical pain, but his heart was healed. I was saved at a very young age, maybe nine or ten years old, and I was baptized on my 15th birthday, but after that I didn't attend church regularly. I didn't care for or nourish this new relationship that I'd entered into, so I didn't know how to be righteous. Sure I felt God's calling on my life, and the Holy Spirit's warnings when I was about to make the wrong choices, but ignored them, because of ignorance. I always felt like I was wrestling with something, but I never knew what it was. I knew that I wanted to do the right thing, and live a better life, but I never knew how or why, I just felt like I was in this battle against myself. Have you ever felt that way?

It wasn't until about six years ago when God finally took my "hip out of socket". I was physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotional disabled. I was in so much pain that I couldn't get out of bed in the morning, yet I felt God's calling, but I just kept making the wrong decisions. It wasn't until I figured out that I wasn't alone, and that this thing that I was wrestling wasn't the devil, it was God. It wasn't until I understood that just like Jacob, I had the option to tell God, "I'm not letting go until you bless me". I finally understood what Jesus preached about at the Sermon on the Mount, when He said do not worry. I learned how to cast my cares on the Lord, as the Apostle Paul preached so diligently. I learned that I didn't have to let go of the fact that I wanted righteousness yet couldn't quite achieve it on my own, because that could only happen if I surrendered to Christ. The choices I made were made because I hadn't stood up and taken my right place in the Kingdom of God. When God revealed all of these things to me I was far from perfect, and was terrible at making the right choices. The best choice I have ever made in life was to completely follow Christ, flaws and all. Even though I enjoyed partying with my girlfriends two to three times a week, and I drank just because it was Tuesday--despite the fact that I still smoked a pack of cigarettes every other day, and my marriage was falling apart--I still choose God, and never gave up. I fell down, but I got right back up, and kept pushing forward in Christ.

At this point, I told God that I wasn't letting go until I was blessed with wisdom and knowledge to make better choices, and He did just that. It didn't happen overnight, but it happened more quickly than I realized. I was still limping around though life, because I was broken, and in the process of being healed, but I noticed that each day, when I prayed, meditated, and sought righteousness, I got a little better. I no longer wanted the cigarettes, and being drunk was no longer fun. Instead of enjoying myself at the clubs, I started feeling out of place, and analyzing and praying for all of the young women and men that were making really bad choices. I began to yearn for anything righteous, and was drawn to positive activities, and other like-minded people. These changes didn't happen until I finally let go of the old life that God had been slowly leading me away from, and allowed Him to bring me to where He needed me to be. I am still very much a work in progress, but if you can take a look at where I came from, to where I am now, I am a living and breathing testimony to the fact that if God changed me, He can change anyone.

I am so indecisive that choices usually make me anxious, only because I know that if I make the wrong choice I may fail. However, in most day to day decisions, it isn't that hard to choose good over evil. Remember, we have the knowledge thanks to Adam and Eve; we just have to hone those skills. Satan is crafty and wise, and he'll do what he can to throw us off, but "Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world". Our Savior Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price so that He could be with us every step of the way, and make our choice that much easier. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, or aren't sure, then that's the most important decision you will ever make in your life. Please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed: and make you a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:31)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-05-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about faithful fellowship with God and Jesus Christ. Jesus once said: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” (John 6:44-45 NIV) In order to get to the Father, we must go to and/or through the Son. It’s not as complicated as it seems, but we must know who Jesus is, and the role He plays in our life. To fellowship with Him takes on a whole new meaning, because it requires interaction, communication, and sharing love with Him. Unlike just believing in Him, which can be done by anyone, fellowship requires effort. Being a believer is just the first step. I want you to ask yourself a fairly easy question, but you need to be completely honest with your answer–How often do you interact with God, through Jesus Christ?

Faith is one of the most important parts of being a Christian. The Apostle Paul wrote: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (11:1KJV) What did Paul mean by that? Well the New International Version (NIV) of the bible translates it: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. From the beginning of time people preached about the love of God, even though no one has ever seen His face. Most believers gained their confidence in Him, by building a strong relationship with Him. They fellowshipped, worshiped, and praised Him, which helped build a bond, that assured them of His love.

Jesus’ coming was prophesied for years before He was even born, so people already expected the Messiah [the Son of God] to come. When He came they already believed in Him, because they believed in the Father that sent Him. He lived, died, and was resurrected, which changed the life of every human being, then, now, and forever. I don’t think a lot of people can grasp the complete truth in this, because it seems so unreal. There are people who suffer from internal pain–heart wrenching pain that they can’t seem to shake–and they can’t imagine anything other than that. They refuse to open up their heart to have faith in Him, because that comes with the risk of being hurt again. If you’re one of those people [like I used to be], then I need you to understand there is no one in this world who can love you like Jesus Christ. God loved us so much that He gave us His Son, who reigns over us, and takes care of every aspect of our life, now and throughout all eternity. Jesus was created to give you life, so you can lay down your burdens and be free.

To have faith in God is to trust in Jesus Christ, and to trust in Jesus is to be obedient, and keep His commandments. It’s written: Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:21-25) Faith in the “implanted Word”, who is Jesus Christ, is the only way to save your soul.

I can promise you that when you experience the love of God, through Christ, you’ll truly understand what life is all about. Jesus is freedom, and through Jesus, God lives in our heart. He’s there to lead and guide us, shape and mold us, into the person He truly created us to be. All He asks us to do is have faith in Him, and through that faith we love Him with all our heart. I don’t care what else goes on in life, we can always depend on Jesus to be who He is, and He’ll always be there for us. God made sure that we will never have to be apart from Him again. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you don’t know God as Father–to have faith in the Son, is to have faith in the Father. Remember faith can move mountains, and the first step of your faith walk is to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-05-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are assure us that the Lord hears our prayers. How many times have you prayed and felt like God just wasn’t listening? How many nights have you cried, waiting to hear a word from Him, or seeking a change in your situation? We have all gone through this a few times in our life, but I want to assure you that God always answers our prayers. I remember those days, when it seemed like all hope was gone, and I was not going to make it through, but I always made it. In hindsight I realize that God was there all along. He answered every prayer that I have ever prayed, but most the times it was an answer that I didn’t expect (or even want), but it was always what was best for me. I used to be afraid to pray to God sometimes, especially when my own sin caused my pain. I have since learned that nothing is too big or small for God; He's always waiting to hear from me, in hopes that I will repent, and stay in continuous fellowship with Him.

As I grow in my faith walk, it seems as though He answers my prayers much quicker. It’s not that He’s quicker in response; it’s just that I’m able to see them more clearly, because I know Him. I understand who He is, and what He expects from me, so pretty much I know how He answers my prayers. For example, there may be a time when I’m planning to buy something that I do not need, but I have a bill due. I’ll pray, "Lord please provide me the means to pay this bill", but in my heart I’m thinking, and some extra so I can buy this ____. He knows that whatever this “thing” is, it might cause me to sin, or become an idol in my life, so He’s only going to provide enough for me to pay the bill. In the past, instead of me praising and thanking Him because the bill was paid, I would get mad, and sulk, because I am thinking that I deserved to blessed to be able to buy whatever I want (or think that I need at the time). Boy how mixed up I was! I now understand, that God's way is the best way. I ask Him for what I want, but He answers me with what He wants for me, and I'm so very happy with that!

God will never overlook our cries for help, nor would He fail to provide everything that we need, when we need it. That is not that type of God we serve. We serve a God who loves us unconditional, and always has our best interest at heart. There are reasons for everything that we go through in life, and also stages that we have to past through, in order to grow. There are going to be things that we don’t understand, or nights that we feel alone, or feel that He isn’t listening, but always know that He’s right there. If you turn to the book of Psalms, you’ll see several examples of this—where these great servants of God cried to the Lord with thanksgiving and praise, and some even with hurt and anguish. These things are a part of life, but the one thing that all of these Psalmist have in common, is that fact their prayers were always heard. You know King David was one of my favorite Psalmist, because he was the first to admit his faults, and he understood that God is the only way out. He understood that all he had to do was cry out to the Lord in repentance, and God would hear his cries. David was one of the most imperfect people written about in the Bible, but He was God's favorite.

God was proud of David because he always obeyed His will, and he knew how to humble himself and cry out to God in times of trouble, as well as praise him in times of bliss. David asked God for exactly what he needed, when he needed it, in great detail, because he knew God personally. He had no reason to doubt Him, because God had always come through for him. I loved David's Cry for Help in Trouble, where he starts off: Lord hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy, in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. Do not bring your servant into judgement, for no one living is righteous before you. (Psalm 143:1-2) Don't you love the way David put that out there? He spoke to God as if he was sure that his prayers were going to be answered,with confidence in their relationship. He had this confidence because God had never let him down before, so that is exactly what he expected, every time he prayed. Now I ask you, has God ever let you down? Just think about it for a few minutes, and allow your memories to come back to you. Is your relationship with God similar to David's? If you answered no, then you're wrong. If anything, we're closer to God, because we know His Son, Jesus Christ. David didn't have the advantage that we have, but he was still blessed and highly favored. God hasn't changed from who He was with David; if anything He keeps getting sweeter.

Do you feel lost and alone sometimes, and need someone to talk too? You may have already tried to talk to your friends, your mother, or even a therapist, but you still feel empty. God is waiting on you to talk to Him. He's our father, brother, best friend, co-worker, therapist, and anything else we need Him to be. He said ask, seek, and knock, and your prayers will be answered. You have to be real with Him,, and stand on His promises, just as David was real with Him, because He already knows your heart. He needs you to be genuine in repentance, and with the trust that He will always be there to answer your prayers. Finally, pray in the Name of Jesus, because without Him, we have no relationship with God. He's our mediator; He makes a way for us to be one with God, so you must start with Him. If you don't know Jesus as Savior, please take a few moments and take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. (2 Corinthians 1:10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-05-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this beautiful “Terrific Tuesday”. I am doing well, and am feeling much better today! I guess my first day back in the gym wore me out, more than I realized. When I sat down to write, I could not hold my head up. Well that, and the fact that I have not been sleeping as well I would want, conquered my will to write last night. Transitions are awesome, especially when God takes you into a quiet corner, and teaches and molds you into an awesome servant. I am learning that there are times where you are not supposed to do anything but listen and learn. The only way that we will be able to teach what we have learned, is to allow this much needed season. I remember when I was living in Portland, OR, and we were about to enter into the rainy season. We had gotten halfway through November and the rain still had not started. I was elated about that, because I was not looking forward to eight straight months of rain. When I said this, my friend, who grew up in Portland, looked a little worried, and she said, “There is a reason for the rain, and if we do not get it, that means that we could have terrible forest fires next year, and things just would not be right”. Sure enough, after that painful rain season, the spring peaked through, the trees and flowers bloomed, and it was the most beautiful, green, lush place that I have ever seen. If it had not been for the rain, who knows what it would have looked like. When we are going through periods of nonstop rain, or when God sits us down to just listen, it seems like it is never going to end. Quite frankly, it is just downright boring and sometimes painful, however, everything happens for a reason, so it is important for us to allow the seasons. I’m in a season of listening and learning so that I can better teach the Word, which is what I was called to do. Always be sure to know which season you are in, and embrace it. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family.

Today’s scriptures are about walking in perfection. Perfect is what we all strive to be, even though God never created us to be that way. In the flesh we are actually imperfect and sinful in nature, yet we try to be perfect. What’s wrong with this picture? You may be wondering why God asks us to be perfect, when it is absolutely impossible to do. Well the answer lies in Christ Jesus. He was perfect and sinless, because we were incapable of being that on our own. He gave up His life, so that we do not have sacrifice another living breathing soul. He taught us how to walk in righteousness through His teachings, and the way that He walked in faith. He endured everything that we could ever face, and more, so that we can understand that it is all a part of life, and we too can overcome any obstacle. So in Christ, we are indeed perfect, because we’re washed by His blood. When we accept Jesus as Lord we’re baptized with the Holy Spirit, and born again. We’ve become “new creatures”, which gives us the opportunity to be perfect. To clarify: within the flesh we will never be perfect, but in Christ we are made perfect by the blood of the Lamb. The only thing left for us to do is to conduct ourselves in such way, so that we can grow in our faith, as well as be great representatives of Christ.

It amazes me how much scrutiny Christians are under. It seems like we are under a microscope, because people analyze everything we do—believers and non-believers alike. I don’t know how many times I've heard someone say, “He’s not acting very “Christian-like”, or “Did you hear what she said, isn’t she supposed to be a Christian”. This annoys me because sure we’re Christians, but we’re also human, and are going to make mistakes. We’re only perfect through Christ! The person who’s trying their best to make their outside match the inside, deserve all of the credit in the world, because it is not easy. If you wake up each morning with the intention of making God proud, then you’re perfect in your spirit. If you happen to fall short, which each and every one of us will at one time or another, then that’s okay, because God knows your heart. He sees us trying, and that is all that we can do. I mean genuinely trying, by making sure that we have Him in mind with everything we do. Just getting up and making it to church every Sunday, or donating money when a disaster happens—which are all great things—are not enough. You must walk, talk, and think like Christ, which takes practice. You have to actively want to be better, do better, look better, work harder, love deeper, and have a stronger sense of the Kingdom of God. That, brothers and sisters, is perfection in Christ.

In order to maintain this perfection we have inherited from Christ, our entire lives must change, because again we are in the flesh, and the flesh is indeed weak. We have all heard what the Apostle Paul had to say about this, when he wrote the “Instructions on Christian Living”. My favorite part is when he wrote: So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:17-24) You may have read this and thought “that is easier said than done”, but trust me, it could be easier, if you do it with your heart. If you really Love Jesus, then you are going to want to live in a way that pleases Him, because He gave up so much for you. Do you think if Jesus had to do it all over again He would? Of course He would, because He loves us just that much, and He knows better. All He's asked of us to do is LOVE Him; is that too much to ask?

To take a few moments to think of your life. With sin comes payment, and that payment takes a toll on you physically, spiritually, and emotionally. When you walk in righteousness, it also comes with payment, which builds us up physically, spiritually, and emotionally. All you have to do is make a conscious decision—choose Jesus, and trust Him to show you the way. Believe me when I say that you DO NOT have to be perfect to accept Jesus as Lord, He'll take you just as you are; I am a living witness. Besides, Jesus is the only way to achieve perfection in God's eyes. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: Ye shall Be Holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. (Leviticus 20:26)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-04-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this beautiful "hump-day". I'm doing well, and feeling great! I've been making sure that I start my days right, with some inspirational music, positive thoughts and attitudes, which allows me to end my days right as well. We all have those days when we wake up on the "wrong side of the bed", and when that happens, you have to combat those negatives with positives. Take some time to talk to God, read His Word, meditate, or do your own little praise and worship session, while you're getting prepared for your day. Trust me, it works, and has the potential to turn your entire day around. It sounds simple, but it actually isn't. I was just reading an article, that over 70 people were killed in the south today; tornadoes touched down and caused massive damage, and lost of life. We are living in some trying times family, and it's time to pray for our nation, and the people all over the world, who's experienced or is experiencing this type of devastation. I also want you to understand that at any given moment this could happen to you and those you love, so it's time to get your life in order. It's time to stop straddling the fence as to what you believe or don't believe; no more struggling with that question, "am I going to completely surrender to God's will?", it's time to make up your mind! You have to choose God today, because even though we pray for tomorrow, tomorrow may never come. Please don't take another day for granted, being afraid to do the things you want to do, because life is certainly short. Continue to keep the people who's affected by these natural disasters in your prayers. Enjoy the remainder of your day family, and BE blessed!

Today's scriptures are about the perishable nature of the flesh. The irony of these scriptures is that I read them after I wrote the first paragraph, so the Spirit is really leading us into this message today. These words are needed by everyone who reads this today. I was having a conversation with some friends at work, about a seafood restaurant that was closed down for health code violations, and I explained just how perishable seafood really is. In the restaurant business, you have to be very careful when dealing with seafood, because it's very expensive to purchase, and it's only fresh for one or two days. When planning a menu, you really have to take many things into consideration, because with one false move you can lose out on a lot of money, and/or make someone dangerously ill. I liken our flesh to the perishable nature of seafood; we were bought at a high price, yet we our flesh will surely perish. Sure we last far more than a few days, but in Heaven, time doesn't matter. So a lifetime to God for one could be 80 years, and for someone else it could be 20 years. It's said that Jesus died at 33 years of age, and look how much He accomplished in His seemingly short lifetime. In God's eyes, Jesus was here long enough to do what He needed to do, so you see, we are truly perishable. We're here to complete His will, so it's important to make sure that we're doing all that we could to please God, on a daily basis. Praise Him anytime of any day, and not just in church on Sunday morning. Tell someone about Him, when you're on the bus and the opportunity presents itself, or when you're out ministering to the lost. Take every opportunity given to live your life, but most importantly live a life pleasing to God.

Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:19-21) I quote this scripture often, because I don't think many of us truly understand it. Life is so short, and before we know it, it's over. I know it sounds drab, but it's the truth. Life is too short to be working yourself to death for earthly riches, or trying to prove something to worldly people. It's too short not to do what you really want to do, or what God has called you to do, because you're afraid of what people may think. It's ridiculous not love who you love, because they may not fit a physical or educational background that you think that they should. Be who God has called you to be, and be it well, because you're working toward your eternal life as well. Nobody can do you but you--so stop trying to do someone else. Most of the celebrities you see on television are doing what they were called to do, but too many of us are trying to live our lives like them, when God never intended that for us. I've learned that life is too short to cut corners, and when God put something in your life, a calling or a passion in your heart, then you have to go for it. Ask for His strength and guidance, and follow that path. Tell someone you love them, and never be reluctant to share that affection, because you may never get a chance to do it. Enjoy every moment, person, and gift God gives you to the fullest. Don't hesitate, because we are perishable, and we may not have as much time as we think.

Have you ever heard the expression, "don't sweat the small stuff"? Well that means don't spend too much time worrying about the little things that are either out of of control, or too small to even worry about. I think most of us spend more time picking out an outfit to wear to church, then trying to actually learn something while we're there. When we live everyday for God, from start to finish, He'll make sure we have everything we need--there's nothing to ever worry about. We don't have to do missionary work, or walk around asking people if they're saved every hour of the day, but we have to live our life for God. Keep Him in mind in everything we do, and show people Christ, by conducting ourselves in a manner where we're His light is always shinning. It's written: Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. (Psalm 40:4-5) Just as the Psalmist stated, when we trust in the Lord, He'll bless us abundantly, now and forever more.

Although our flesh is perishable, our Spirits will live forever. However, we only have but so much time in the flesh to complete God's will. With all of the Natural disasters, like the ones we've seen in the past months, there's no time like the present to get your life right with God. First take some time to evaluate your salvation status, because you have no time to wonder if you're really saved or not. Also, if you know that you haven't accept Jesus as Lord, then it's also time to take that step---there's a reason you're reading this today. There is life in Jesus Christ! Take a few minutes to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. (Romans 13:12)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-04-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today's scriptures are about Jesus, in whom salvation is possible. Last week we celebrated what most call "Holy Week". We're meant to reenact the last week of Jesus' life. Actually, the Lent season is meant to reenact/celebrate the last few months of Jesus' life, but Holy Week, is what salvation is all about. I think most of us celebrate Easter, and don't know the meaning of it, because it's a nationally celebrated holiday, so why not eat some ham, candy, and dye some eggs? How many of us really take into account that Jesus is the reason for the season? Easter is almost as commercialized as Christmas, which are two major celebratory days in the life of Jesus Christ--the day He was born, and the day He was resurrected. What does that mean to you personally? What does that mean to the world as a whole? For those of you who don't realize, Jesus is life! Jesus is forgiveness, salvation, healing, redemption, resurrection, and all things alike.

Palm Sunday marked that glorious day when Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding on a donkey--as it was prophesied years before--as the Messiah. Then we skip to Munday Thursday, where we celebrate the Last Supper, where Jesus washes His disciples feet, prophecy about the things to come, and prepare His followers for His death. Good Friday was the day that He was beaten, hung on the cross, and His side was pierced, for virtually no reason at all. He was an innocent lamb, who was slaughter for the life of His beloved. He loved us so much because He and God was one, and God loves us because we're His children. Jesus was part human, and He had a choice whether He wanted to live or die--God gave Him free will, just like each of us, but Jesus CHOSE to lay down His life, because if He hadn't He not only would've disobeyed God, but He would've let down the entire Human race. Besides, He knew that that pain and heartache that He had to endure was only temporary--it was only one day of suffering compared to an eternity of bliss. He understood, that that one day of suffering would also lead to an eternity of bliss for anyone who sought righteousness. He knew that God's will was the only thing worth living for, and not going through with what He was instructed to do, meant death and destruction for all mankind. On that Good Friday (or whatever day it was), Jesus chose us over Himself. Hallelujah!

Easter Sunday, in my opinion, is one of the most important days of the year! It's the day that Jesus' work was done, and He was resurrected from death. Rejoice and celebrate that Jesus is ALIVE! This was all a part of God's plan from the beginning of time, and so of course it went off without a hitch. Jesus had been allowing us to get to know who He was, and the power He held, throughout the entire Gospel. He once said: “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18) So you see, Easter is such a glorious day, because by His God-given power, Jesus was able be resurrected and made whole, and now sits, very much alive, on a throne, at the right hand of the Father. He's there to offer Salvation to anyone who believes in Christmas, Palms Sunday, Munday Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter! He's there to make intercession for us, so that we can complete the will God has for our lives, just as He did thousands of years ago.

Jesus saves us from sin, death, hell, and most importantly He saves us from ourselves (our flesh). All we have to do is call on His Name, and anything we need is done, by faith. Before He left this earth, He gave us this great promise: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:1-6) Now this is the true definition of Salvation--there's nothing more to be said. Now I'll ask you once again--what does Easter mean to you?

If you don't know Jesus as Lord, you aren't saved. However, because of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can be. First you must believe that He is who He says He is. Faith, confession of your sins, and inviting Jesus into you life as Lord and Savior, will ensure that Jesus has prepared a place for you in His Kingdom. He doesn't require anything but your faith and love, and once He gets that, He goes to work in you, to create a clean heart and a right spirit. I urge you to trust Him right now; take a few minutes to take the God Quiz today! My favorite verses today are: Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-04-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about learning how to live by the principles of God. It's so easy to hear sermons, and read devotionals about the forgiveness of God, but it's very hard to stand on the ones that hold us responsible for our own conduct and choices in life. There are so many people that start to question God, their salvation, and even the validity of the Bible, at the first feeling of conviction, because the real truth is hard to bear. God gives us as the responsibility to choose Him, each and every moment of the day. That's how most of us have to live, moment by moment, because the devil is always working to steer us onto the wrong path. However, we give him way too much credit, because in everything that we do, we have a choice. No one is making us choose to do the wrong things, we're just weak to the flesh. Some are more weak then others, so it's up to us to live our own life, and go down the path that God has laid out for us. One of the hardest things to do in life is to admit that you're wrong, but the easiest thing to do is to make excuses for the wrong that you've done. How many people use the infamous line, "the devil made me do it"? In all actuality, he really don't matter, one way or the other, in the life of a believer. From what we learn about him in the bible, he was kicked out of heaven because wanted to be equal with God, but he is in no way equal. Jesus Christ, who lives inside of us, makes us much stronger than he.

It's time for us to start living in victory--like the Saint's that we are through Christ. He's not looking for a perfect believer, but a believer that will at least try. Samuel tried to explain this to King Saul, because Saul had lost sight of this very thing. It's written: "...The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (1 Sam 13:14) There you have it, the simple truth--The Lord seeks men and woman who are after His own heart, and He exalts them in His Kingdom. His commandment to love Him with all of our heart shouldn't be taken lightly. Jesus said: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21) The only way to keep Jesus' commandments is to be aware of His presence, and to learn His ways.

We must first know what Jesus expects from us, before we can do what's required, and it takes some practice. It takes the study of His Word, and our praise and worship. It takes fellowship with other believers, and a yearning for righteousness. Everyone who has confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, has been anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit not only convicts us when we do something wrong, but He warns us before we even make the choice. However, if we've consistently ignored His warnings, then we'll become immune to His voice, and will go on to make bad decisions. I don't know if you know anyone who confesses Jesus as Lord, but still lives like one of the biggest heathens on earth, but I sure do. I remember when I was one of those people, so I understand why they can live like they seemingly have no conscience or the Holy Spirit. However, the good News is, that the Holy Spirit is a living breathing Spirit of God, and He's always waiting to be called by you. He's been sent to live within us to be our helper, and Spiritual "tour guide" of sorts, as we continue on this journey to righteousness, among this wicked and perverse nation. Consult Him before you make a decision, especially when you're not sure if it's good or bad, and He'll be right there to help you along the way. Just as Jesus' job was to go to the Cross, the Holy Spirit's job is to be our helper and "Spiritual Adviser".

If God appointed Jesus as our Savior and High Priest, and the Holy Spirit as our "Helper", then surely He's appointed each and every one of us a job to complete on this earth. The first job is to be sure that we're trying our best to make better choices. You don't have to curse everyone that makes you mad, or drink every time you go to a party or social event. You don't have to fornicate, or commit adultery just to please your flesh. You don't have to wear provocative clothes just to get attention, because when we allow Jesus to completely purify our heart, His light will shine so brightly in you, that everyone will notice. These are just some of the surface, and most common sins; we all know that it gets way deeper, but we don't have to let all of these frivolous things have control over us. You can choose to live like Christ, because you are in fact a Christian, which gives you the power to overcome the world and the temptations of the flesh. Jesus paid a great price to give us that opportunity, so it's time to choose Him.

If you're feeling like no matter what you do in life, something is missing, then it's time to make better choices. I know how it feels when you're growing in your finances, career, and personal relationships, but you still feel like there's something missing. I ignored God's calling on my life for so many years, and in those years I was miserable, depressed, and lost, but the moment I made a conscious decision to at least try to live for Him, my life changed drastically. I'm not referring to the outward changes only, but my inner peace--my ability to trust Him for everything I could ever want or need in life--which freed me to live again. If you're ready to live again, please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. Choosing Jesus is the first "right choice" you can make in life. Next, be aware of every decision that has to be made, and if you're not sure what the right choice is, consult your Holy Spirit. My favorite verses today are: The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-04-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this Terrific Tuesday. I'm doing well, and am enjoying the rain, sunshine, and the wonderful smell of flowers blooming, in the air; God is so awesome! It's rather fitting to celebrate Easter in the spring, because it's a time when things that were once presumed dead, are resurrected. I used to marvel at the bare tree branches in the dead of winter, and wonder how these old dry and brittle branches, could without fail, bring back beautiful colorful leaves, each and every spring season. That's the cycle of life, and we go through many many seasons, which is normal for each and every human being. This week we celebrate the life and death of Jesus Christ, because it seals the fate of the believer. As we relive the week before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, think about what it means to your life. I've been faced with a rather perplexing question throughout my wilderness period--I've been asked "Who do you say that I Am?", just as Jesus asked Peter. Peter gave Jesus the correct answer, but the question still remains, what did that really mean to Peter, and what does that really mean to us? We're approaching "Maundy Thursday", where we celebrate Jesus' last supper with the disciples, "Good Friday", celebrating the day Jesus was crucified, and then the ultimate day, Ester Sunday, when Praise the Lord, our Savior lives! I grew up in Southern Baptist churches, and we never celebrated the Lent season in great detail. It wasn't until I joined the Disciples of Christ church, that I started to get into the celebration of the season, and I'm so grateful that I have. I urge you, no matter if your denomination is Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, AME, etc., to take this time to get closer to Jesus, by appreciating and understanding His passion for you. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about the truth, the way, and the Light, Jesus Christ! Jesus is a Name of great debate all across the world. It's a Name in which some will rejoice, and some will kill over. However, it is in fact, not just a name, but the Name above all Names, which belongs to the one and only Son of God. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, Rabbi, and High Priest to the entire human race. There is nobody greater than Him! When I listen to VaShawn Patterson's song, "Nobody Greater", it helps me with the answer to that question, "Who do you say that I Am?", because in my heart, mind, and soul, I know that there has never been, is, nor ever will be, nobody greater than Jesus! He's the reason that we can live in freedom, grace, mercy, love, and utter peace. Now as I write this, I don't want this to sound rehearsed and/or recited, because this comes from my heart. When I think of how special I am to Him, that He chose to lay down His life for the likes of me, it makes my heart rejoice! It makes me want to be like Him, to make Him proud, to give myself to Him, which is the lest I could do, after all that He's done for me. He's me given my life back, after the devil came in and stole it. He's healed me, and comforted me when no one else could. He's protected me and fought for me to be at the place that I am in my life, and only the Lord truly knows that I've been in some dark places, so again I say in my heart, mind, and soul, there's nobody greater than Jesus.

How many of you know who Jesus is? I mean really, who is He to you? Don't answer right away, or try to read right pass this section, but really take some time to think about it. It's not as easy as it seems. We've all read the books, and watched the movie, so in theory we know who He is, but WHO is He to you? Do you know that He's the only way to God--do you understand what that means? I love Him so much because He's been exactly where I've been. He's been tempted, lied to, betrayed by friends, and had great expectations on His life. As a little baby, people worshiped Him, and expected great things out of Him, so He had to live up to those expectations. From a child He sought out the Word of God, and yearned to be close to Him. He made the right choices, even when His friends were choosing to do other things. Can you imagine the life you must live to get to the age of 33 years old and have never sinned? I can't imagine getting through the rest of the week without sinning, and He went through His entire life. His life was "squeaky clean", so He never did anything to deserve the torture He received, that ultimately lead to His earthly death. He knew that going in, but He went to the cross anyway, to take on the sins of all of mankind. He did this so that we could have a fighting chance at an abundantly peaceful life forever.

It's always good to question your beliefs and faith every once an awhile, because if you're content with where you are in your Faith walk, how will you ever grow? It's written: Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3) We have to take action, each day we awake--Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23) In order to truly take up our cross, we must die to the flesh, by doing the things Peter mentioned in the aforementioned verses. These things require focus, dedication, and a blatant yearning for the Love of God. This is the reason that Jesus was so adamant about our daily re-commitment to Him, because that is what it took for Him to make the sacrifices that He made for us. What do you think kept Him strong enough to endure? First it was the love He had for His Father, and then it was the love that He's always had for us. This is a reason to rejoice!

After all of the things I've done in the past, whether mistakenly or blatantly, to sin against God, Jesus still loves me! No matter what I'll do, or even thinking about doing in the future, Jesus will still love me, and will forgive me as soon as I ask! Right now, at this very moment He's watching over me, speaking to me, living through me, loving for me, and enduring with me; what more could I ever ask for? I have my answer to the question of "Who do 'I' say that He is?", so it's time for you to come up with your own, if you haven't already. If you don't quite know who He is to you, or what role He plays in your life, then take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now; maybe you'll find some much needed answers. As always if you need someone to talk to or pray with, never hesitate to contact me, by replying to this e-mail. My favorite verses today are: We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-04-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about maintaining a steadfast and meek spirit, while waiting on the Lord. In some way or another we all will pass from this life, and enter into what some call "the after life". Those of us who are believers will go on to live all eternity in the House of the Lord, enjoying eternal bliss. Therefore, our entire existence here on this earth should be spent preparing ourselves, and those around us, for this glorious trip. Our life is all about the life after death. Certainly, over the last few weeks, we've seen many natural disasters, bombings, religious and political gridlock on grand scales--this will only continue if we don't do something about the way that we're living. We have to start with ourselves, and then branch out to help others. It could be a bit difficult to maintain a spirit of meekness, if our focus is on the wrong things.

I read a devotional today, written by Dr. David Jeremiah, entitled "Meek not Weak", and ironically his message ties in well with our group of scriptures. He referenced the verse: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15) You notice that Peter first said "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts", which is key to taking on the Spirit of meekness, because when your heart is right with God, your Spirit will automatically be transformed. This transition starts from within! There's an old saying that you do things much better when "your heart is in it"--how many of us know that to be true? That especially goes for our personal walk with Christ. If we don't first sanctify and purify our heart with His love, then that's when meekness turns in to weakness.

Taking on the Spirit of meekness in Christ, actually makes us stronger. It allows a greater and deeper inner peace, and also leads to the steadfast spirit, which is required to serve God. We know that God is an on time God, but on who's time--certainly not ours. It takes much patience and perseverance to be a true servant of God--these things come directly from the heart. I for one may be the most impatient person you know--I want things yesterday! You can only imagine how God has to break that spirit in me. I pray for things five minutes before they're set to happen, and I expect an answer right away. Oh the anxiety I used to feel, when waiting on God to answer my prayers; I was a mess. I would sit and rock back and forth, chanting something like, "God I know you're listening, so please come now, I need this right now". God knew as well as I did (deep inside), that what I was praying for was either not that urgent, or it was already done, once I cast that care upon Him. Once I learned how to trust Him with all of my heart, I was able to build faith a bit larger than a mustard seed. I was able to humble myself, because now I understand that I'm serving the one and only true God. Even in turbulent times I'm able to stay meek, and not take my frustrations out on others. I'm even able to still keep God's commandments, and love Him, and my fellow brethren, with all of my heart.

Brother's and sisters, life is short! Remember when Paul reminded us that it's a race to the finish. It doesn't matter how fast you get there, it simply matters the condition of your heart and Spirit when you cross that finish line. I think what Paul preached to the Elders of Ephesus, is the epitome of a meek, humble and steadfast Spirit, and I thank God for him! He said: ...“You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." (Acts 20:18-24)

I want to leave you with this, during this Holy week, where we're celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul knew what faced him, when he broke rules, by continuing to preach the Gospel Christ, but he did it anyway, because of His love for Jesus Christ. The Word of God helps us know and understand what His life, and ours, is all about. I'm quickly coming to the point in my faith walk, where I'm beginning to feel like Paul. I wouldn't be telling you the whole truth, if I said that I don't struggle a bit with it, but who doesn't? Even Jesus struggled with coming to terms with His own fate and destiny. So have you come to terms with your role in the Kingdom of God, and the great fate that God has for you? Jesus died so that we no longer have to spiritually suffer death, and now we have the opportunity to give Him something back. Surrender, love and cherish Him with all of your heart, all the days of your life! If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then you'll need to take a few minutes to take the God Quiz right now; it's detrimental to you eternity! My favorite verses today are: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:5-7)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-04-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about having unwavering faith. As I sit here and think about how to even begin to writing about this, I actually realized that my faith [and other things], have been a bit wavering. I’ve always been known as “Miss Indecisive”, because I try to always weigh the pros and cons of every situation. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt more times than not. I am very compromising, and love being “stress free”, but Jesus was anything but. So can you understand my dilemma? I don’t know why I am like I am, but I was born that way, and it’s so very hard to change. There are many people like me, who are “people pleasers”, or don’t like “rock the boat”, so we shy away quietly in hopes of avoiding conflict. We only fight for what’s right, when back into a corner, in hopes of saving ourselves, and what we believe in. However, Jesus was always in the face of believers and doubters alike. He never hesitated to preach in synagogues, at public markets, on mountain tops, or wherever His Spirit led Him, because He completely trusted the fact that He was a child of God. He understood His calling, and the fact that God’s word is the beginning and the end; there’s nothing more important than teaching and sharing it with the lost. He understood that His message was one that could not be concealed, because the lives of many were at jeopardy. He realized that there was no one else who could be Him, and do what only He was called to do, so He lived with unwavering faith.

If you’re like me, how do you break the habit, or conform your way of thinking from the way you’ve thought your entire life? It’s simple, “obey God and leave the consequences to Him”. His word is filled with the answers to any question we have in life, no matter how big or small. Learn Him, and commit His Word to your heart. Make it a point to understand that this life that you are living is His and His alone—no one can do for you what God can. Understand that His Word is the Law, and there is no refuting it. Trust your Holy Spirit, to help you along the way, because He’ll always give you the right answer, but you must learn how to hear His voice. Also, get to know yourself, and who you are in Christ. The biggest mistakes we make in our faith walk, is to try to live like another Christian. It’s okay to look up to people who are mature in their spirit, but you must be careful to understand that that person may have been called to do something completely different than you. God wants us to fellowship with one another, but He doesn’t want us to worship each other, because that could cause our faith in Him to waiver.

Wavering faith is so dangerous because we’re showing God that we don’t trust Him with all of our heart. It’s written: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6) I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this proverb quoted, and even quoted it myself, so it’s very popular, but difficult to follow, because our flesh gets in the way. We are inquisitive creatures, so we want to understand everything. We want to know why, and God doesn’t always tell us why, most of the time He just tells us to go, so it’s important to trust Him. The only true way to have complete and utter unwavering faith is to trust in the LORD with all of your heart. Trust and faith are interchangeable; one is the catalyst for the other. You cannot have trust without faith, and you cannot have faith without trust.

The first step to living righteously, and building concrete faith, is to first trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you have not done that then your faith at the mustard seed level, and we all know that that’s all God requires to be saved. You are reading this message right now because you are curious about what God has to say to you, and it may not seem like that right now, but it is what it is. I ask you to take a few moments and that the God Quiz right now. If you are a Christian, but don’t live a “Christian” life then your faith is wavering, and it doesn’t have to be. God loves you just the way you are, and each day He’s waiting to hear from you. Make sure you take some time out for Him every single day, and show Him how much you love Him. My favorite verse today is: For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (James 1:6-7)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-23T23:55:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about respecting the Holiness of God. We are forever in the presence of the Lord, because He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere. As His servants, we believe that He is the Creator of all things, and the reason we breathe each day. Knowing this, why don’t we live as if He’s the core of our life? We sometimes get comfortable with the fact that He’s always there, and also lose sight of that same fact. I too am guilty of that, because I talk to Him all the time, but one minute I’m praying, and the next I’m singing along to latest Jamie Foxx song—these two things conflict. God wants us to recognize that He’s Holy, and He lives within us, which in turn makes us Holy. He wants us to respect His holiness to the point where we’re always aware of His presence. In every decision we make, and every word we speak, we should have Him in mind. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to try, for His sake. He expects us to repent for our sins, out of respect for His Holy place, and as a result, we would be less and less susceptible to sin.

How many of us change our demeanor, the way we talk, and dress when we go to church on Sunday? You know you were the same person, who the night before, was at the club wearing your shortest skirt, and lowest cut blouse, letting it all hang out. We know how to conduct ourselves accordingly when we go to church, because it’s considered a Holy place. We go there looking for answers, and to spend time with fellow believers, praising the Lord. The same amount of respect we give to the church house, our fellow Christian peers, and our Pastor on Sunday, need to also be given to ourselves every day of the week. We too are the “church” of God, which Jesus gave His life to protect. It’s written: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Eph. 5:25) Jesus died to afford us His holiness, and we have that living inside of us, but we must learn how to respect that. We’ll be able to tap into so much power once we learn how to respect His presence in our life.

What God asks us to do, and how He expects us to live, is by no means easy. If it was easy, everyone would be perfect, and we know, just by looking in the mirror, that that isn’t true. However, Jesus took care of the hardest part, and through Him we find freedom, choices, and chances. Through Him we’re giving the option to choose life over death, and that’s not just a onetime choice, it’s a moment by moment choice. Each opportunity, choice, scenario, etc. has the option to choose life or death, right or wrong, God or the enemy. If we keep that in mind, we’ll be able to make better choices, and be aware of our weaknesses and strengths. We must have a plan for everything in life, including how we’re going to live—of course everything in life doesn’t go as planned, but does that mean we just stop planning altogether? Trust me, if you wake up in the morning and plan to obey God, and to pay better attention to your choice of music, who you associate with, how you dress, the way you speak, etc., those things will eventually become a habit. Also, you are respecting the Holy Spirit inside of you, by not only planning to do right, but also trying your best to stick with those plans.

Peter lays it all out in his first epistle, where he encourages us to live an upright life, or in other words with respect for the Holiness of God. He wrote: So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:13-19 NLT) Peter points out some key things here, by simply saying know who and Whose you are, and conduct yourself accordingly throughout the time of your stay here.

There’s so much going on in this world, and evil often prevails, but we can overcome it, if we choose to. Respect is a strong word, and I used it because everyone can relate to it. Everyone wants to be respected, including God. He places rules in our life to keep us in order, so that we could have His best in life. To follow Him, is always going to be a great thing, and you aren’t losing out on anything, but you’re gaining more than you could ever imagine. Don’t be obedient to God only because you have to, but do it because you want to. You respect people who are worthy of your respect, and no one is more worthy than Him. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you need to take the first step today. Please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now, I promise, it’ll be the best decision you’ll ever make. My favorite verse today is: Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:16)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-21T23:32:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about living each day as if it’s your last (in Christ). I’ve heard the saying, “live each day as if it’s your last” many times before, but there usually isn’t any spiritual inclination behind it. It’s usually people saying live life to the fullest, by having fun, fun, and more fun. You often think of partying, traveling, and just having a good time, with few boundaries. However, the biblical definition of live each day like it’s your last would be to be conscious of the way you conduct yourself, because at any moment of any time, Jesus could return, or we could die. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life, and having fun, but you must do it in a way pleasing to God, and there must be a healthy balance. We must take advantage of the time we have here, by doing our part to strengthen the Kingdom of God. We can do that by following God’s will for our life, and answering when He calls. Rest assured that when we’re living a life pleasing to God, we’re going to be blessed beyond what we could ever imagine.

If you knew that you only had one week to live how you would spend that week? That’s a hard question to answer, because neither of us really know how we’d react. I guess I’d try to enjoy some of the things I missed out on, and make amends for anything, or to anyone I’d wronged in the past. I’d also let all of my loved ones know just how much I love them, stay in the Word of God for comfort and strength, and live each moment that I have for God. In all actuality, we should live like this each day, regardless if we know we’re going to die or not. This means treating each moment as if it’s the most precious moment of our life, which is necessary to grow in Christ.

It’s written: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Tim 4:1-2) This is the call on the life of every Christian. We each have a mission or ministry, which is a charge to teach the word of God, and help the lost and the wicked find their way. Because of this, we take on the great responsibility to be prepared in every season. We have to work on our personal relationship, and walk upright in Christ, before, and even during our attempt to bring others to Christ. We must rely on Jesus, without doubt, that He will see us through, and He will do just that. I challenge you to ask yourself a very hard question today— one that my previous Pastor posed quite frequently— “If Jesus came back right now what do you think He would say to you?” Would He say “well done good and faithful servant”, or “depart from me, I do not know you”?

Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow remains a mystery, so what are you going to do for God today? How will you show Him that you love Him? How do you stay on the path of righteousness? These are questions that we should pose to ourselves each and every morning we wake up. God created us to fellowship with Him, and has made us part of His great Kingdom, so we mustn’t take that for granted. There are times when I get sad or depressed, and I honestly have to remind myself that I am a beloved child of God, and there’s a greater calling on my life. This takes me into praise mode, because it allows me to drop that “it’s all about me” attitude, and take on the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. At the same time, God created me to be Saundra, and I have to be the best me I can possibly be. Sometimes that requires making hard decisions, and walking away from things that are no good for my spirit but my flesh loves.

I have peace in knowing that if Jesus calls me home tomorrow, I’m ready to go. I haven’t been a perfect person, a great missionary, or a famous Pastor of a mega church, nor have I touched millions of lives, however, I love God with all of my heart, and make sure that everyone I come in contact with knows how much He loves us. In a nutshell, that’s all that He expects from us, but each of us have our own unique way of sharing His love. Never cease seeking Him and His will, and I guarantee you that you’ll be ready when the “chariot comes, to take you home” [flaws and all]. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you aren’t ready. Please don’t waste another day trying to “figure out” what you want to do. Try the Lord for yourself, you won’t be disappointed! Take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verses today are: The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:38-39)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about recognizing our mortality, and the reason we’re here. There’s so much going on in this world, and it seems like people are here today, and gone tomorrow, which helps us realize just how short life is. We are only human, and we bleed the same blood, and our hearts beat the same way. The only real difference between us is the saved and unsaved. In God’s eyes, you’re either with Him or against Him. We have but so many years, days, hours, minutes, or even seconds to complete God’s will for our lives, and it’s important not to waste time. We must live for Him each day, because without Him, we’re divided, and risk falling in the hands of the enemy. There are billions of people on this earth, and God loves each of us as if we’re the only one, we are that important to Him. It’s time that we make Him that important to us, by recognizing His presence and power in our life, surrendering to what’s right. Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone of us, God could suddenly send a Tsunami our way, and what can we do about it? We must understand His place as the head of our life, and then a Tsunami doesn’t seem that scary after all, because we’re safe in the arms of God.

The enemy attempts to lead us away from God, because He knows that if we choose him over God, then he has us for all of eternity. That’s definitely not where we want to be. He uses everything that you could imagine to force us to waste time, and miss God’s callings, so we must also be aware of his presence at all times. He’ll use religion, money, envy, fear, lust, and all of the things that please the flesh, to attempt to draw us away. It’s important for us to stand strong as the vital part of the body of Christ that we are, in order to avoid division. Jesus once said: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. (Luke 11:21-23) Remember, in the natural we are weak, the enemy is much stronger, and if given a chance, he’ll attempt to overcome us. However, through Christ, the enemy is defeated, and we’re no longer weak and frail, but we’re stronger than anyone or anything he can throw at us. The key is we mustn’t spend one day away from God.

I urge you to look around you, there are so many things going on that are so far out of our control. When I think of the current Tsunami in Japan, the major earthquake in Haiti, and even Hurricane Katrina that hit over five years ago, it helps me better understand how precious, yet frail, my flesh is. We’re talking thousands upon thousands of people wiped out, in a matter of minutes. If that isn’t enough to make you want to live right, I don’t know what is. When I first started seriously studying the Bible, I read stories of massive lost of life, in the Old Testament, and I questioned the love of God. However, He later helped me realize that He is God. All we can do is accept and love Him to the best of our ability. I cannot explain to you why God allows mass destruction to happen, however, I know that God is who He says He is, and loves us just as much as He says He does. What happens to the flesh isn’t as important as what happens to the Spirit once the flesh parishes. Spend more time focusing on storing up your treasures in Heaven, than hoping for more days on this earth. Trust me you cannot control whether your part of the world is hit with a massive Tsunami or earth quake, so don’t waste time worrying about it; all you can do is live. If you’re a follower of Christ, God will take care of you regardless.

The Apostle Paul sums up exactly what I’m attempting to say in this devotional, in his letter to the Romans when he explained God’s everlasting love. Especially when he said, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom.8:32) In life there’s a time to reap and a time to sow; a time to live, and a time to die. It was so for the Jesus, and it will be so for us. What matters most is how we live while we’re here, which determines how we’ll live for eternity. God sacrificed His ONLY Son, so what makes us exempt? When you love God, and accept Jesus as Lord, you have salvation—if you were to die tomorrow, you’ll go on to spend a peaceful and blissful eternity with God in Heaven. I don’t think that’s such a bad thing, (if you’re a believer). If you don’t Jesus as Lord, then I suggest you take that step today, as you can see, you don’t have time to waste. Take a few minutes and take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14)

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3/15 is officially Grandma Day!

2011-03-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about how to conduct ourselves as children of God. We are the children of the most High God, and joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. When we wear the title Christian, which means followers of Christ (or like-Christ), we have a responsibility to represent our Father well. One of the biggest things I learned about most of the men and a woman of God, written about in the Bible, is that they all lived their lives with reverence and love for God. However, none was perfect [except Jesus of course], but they all tried their best, and stayed obedient to God’s calling on their life. That’s what being a child of God is all about. Let’s think about the children of all of the Presidents of the United States, especially those who grew up in the White House. They’re all expected to live a certain way, because of who their father is. They’re not expected to be caught out in the streets drunk and gallivanting, because they’re representing their father. We are children of the MOST High, and we’re expected to respect that fact as well, and live accordingly, because our Father is “President of all Presidents”.

When I think of how faithful King David was to God, yet how very “human” he was, I see the compassion of God, even before Jesus was born. David was so faithful he took on a real live giant, with a sling shot and some stones, just because the giant the cursed the name of God. When he stepped up to face Goliath and the Philistine army, he said: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Sam. 17:45-47) Do you notice just how much faith and authority David spoke with? He, without a doubt knew that God would bring him out of this fight, victoriously. By faith, we too can tell all the “Giants” in our life that “the battle is the LORD’s”, because God will, and has delivered us out of the enemy’s hands. The devil’s already defeated! I’m always amazed at the tremendous faith and bravery of David, and pray to maintain an ounce of his boldness each day of my life.

David was not a saint, and never claimed to be, but he was faithful to God. When we read the Psalms that he wrote to God, it shows the great compassion and love that he had for Him. He acknowledged God’s place in everything that He did, and He was the most successful King written about in the bible because of that. We are followers of Christ so can walk as if He’s always beside us, and talk as if we’re in a conversation with God Himself. We can respect others, even when they disrespect us. We can go to a party and not be the drunkest, loudest, and most disrespectful guest there, and still enjoy ourselves. We can refrain from cursing the cashier at the store, when they mess up our order, right after we leave church. We can avoid fornication and adultery, lying and cheating, coveting and being jealous of what someone else has—these things aren’t as hard as they seem, when our heart is in the right place. We can only take it one day at a time, and each day, we must be aware and conscious of Jesus’ place in our heart. Make a conscious decision to talk to God about everything, and quickly repent when you fall short. Be anxious to love, and not hate, give and not take, live and not die to who you really are.

The apostle Peter quoted Psalm 34:12–16 in one of his letters, and I think it truly sums up, step by step, how we’re to conduct ourselves as children of God. Peter wrote: Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:8-12) This is very simple to do, he’s simply saying think and live positively, and love everyone, even when they don’t love you. Expect people to be who they are, and love them anyway. Do you know how contagious love really is?

The great thing about living righteously is that we’re not expected to do it alone. The Holy Spirit will guide our every step, so all we have to do is follow. Never forget that Jesus is always right beside you, remember the foot prints in the sand—sometimes He even carry’s us, when we’re too weak to stand. Obedience, just as faith, is a muscle that you must exercise, to be able to walk in it, in everything you do. Start off trying your best, that’s all He expects from us; the more you try the stronger you’ll become. The first step is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and then He’ll do the rest; all He needs is your love. Please take a moment to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verses today are: Be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. (Philippians 2:15)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-11T23:34:00.000-08:00

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about how to recognize true blessings. You’ve probably heard the saying, “everything that looks good, isn’t good for you”; this is so true in so many ways. Recognizing true blessings, which come from God, is something that you learn as you mature in your faith walk. It takes really knowing God, and understanding what’s most important to Him. We’ll only grow spiritually by studying the Word of God, spending time with Him, and being in tuned with our Holy Spirit. I can’t quote these scriptures enough: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thes. 5:16-18) When we’re doing all of these things, we’ll be blessed tremendously. At the same time, we’re always going to be tempted and tried—the enemy dangles, and even offers us the “forbidden fruit”, and makes it seem like it’s the most delicious and nutritious fruit that has ever been created. However, we learned valuable lessons from Adam and Eve, as well as the artificial blessings he offered to Jesus, when he tempted Him in the wilderness. If he tried to win the heart of the only begotten Son of God, what stops him from trying to win our heart?

The enemy is very crafty, and uses so many things to lead us into pitfalls. He’s a master of illusion and disguise, and can easily convince the non-believer, or even a Christian with wavering faith, that what he can give us is far better than what God offers. He works in subtle ways, and if we aren’t wise in the ways of the Lord, we’ll fall for his artificial blessings. The Apostle Paul wrote: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12) The enemy preys on the weak, and offers temporary pleasure, through people and things, which will leave us feeling empty inside. He has the world thinking that anything that make us feel good, or fulfils the need of our vanity, are blessings. As believers we are above the world, so the Holy Spirit will always let us know what’s real. Rule of thumb, if it doesn’t feel good, it probably isn’t.

Money is so controversial to people in the Christian faith; how much to give, how much to keep, what to buy, etc. It’s a cause of great division in the church (well it could cause division in any relationship). This verse may be the most misquoted and misunderstood verse in the bible: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…” Some people turn this into “money is evil”, which is far from the truth. They not only leave out the key part, “the LOVE of…” they also omit the remainder of this verse, “…for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim 6:10) Money is one of the devil’s primary tools, used to pull believers away from God. However, God will always bless us with exactly what we need, as well as what we are wise enough to handle—nothing more nothing less. Nevertheless, if we aren’t careful, we’ll find ourselves doing what Paul mentions, in the sometimes forgotten part of, the aforementioned verse. A true blessing from God is for us to be at peace with or without an abundance of money. He wants us to be grateful, as well as faithful with every dime that He blesses us with. He requires us to be faithful tithers, and always willing to give to those in need.

Life is full of ups and downs, but God blesses us in every circumstance. Actually, there’s not a day that goes by that we aren’t blessed. I’m a pretty adventurous person, and there are some things that I’m willing to do, go, or try, that others may not. I know God, and I refuse to allow fear to rule my life. I understand that He created this earth, and will bless me with everything I want and desire while I’m here, because I try my best to live for Him. I understand who I am in Christ, so I know what I’m worth; I’m no longer as susceptible to the things that the enemy tries to pass off as blessings in my life. Most of the time I can spot him from a mile away, but he slithers like a snake, and can sometimes slide by undetected. He knows that patience is one of my biggest challenges, so he tries to offer me the “cliff notes” version of what I originally asked God for, but it’s up to me to recognize the prototype, and never take anything less than what God has promised me. I know that God loves me, so His blessings will never cause me any ill will, or unnecessary pain in my life.

The most important blessing to all mankind is the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Anyone can ask for it, and they will receive it. When we study the Word of God, and learn the ways of Jesus Christ [whom we’re striving to be like], we learn that God is far above the ways of the world. Money, fame, and prestige aren’t the only, or most important, blessings we receive. Salvation, peace, joy, forgiveness, fellowship, love, companionship, children, good health, a warm bed on cold nights, food when you hunger, water when you thirst, etc. are just few—it’s the simple things that matter most. Remember, when you count your blessings you find gratitude, and gratitude leads to repentance, and repentance leads to freedom. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, please take a few minutes to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-10T23:16:00.001-08:00

HAPPY THURSDAY

Today’s scriptures are about trusting God to provide everything that we need. Majority of stress related illnesses could be resolved if we simply learn how to trust God for everything that we need in life, especially the bare necessities. There isn’t a day that goes by that God isn’t blessing us with something that we need or want. However, majority of the time, we’re too caught up in our own abilities, or lack thereof, that we lose sight of the fact that God has already worked it out for us. I was speaking with one of my best friends on the phone tonight, and she told me that someone close to her told her to always remember that she’s already won. That statement is so simple, yet profound. The day that we choose Jesus as our Lord and Savior, is the day that we won. No one can ever take that victory away from us, but it’s up to us to walk in victory. My friend also told me that it’s my duty to pay it forward, so always remember that you have already WON! All you need to do is as it’s written: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6)

I struggled with this for so many years. I knew that Jesus is real, and that God loves me, but somehow that didn’t register in my heart. I grew up with a sense of independence, where I didn’t know how to trust or rely on anyone, especially God. Some people would say I picked up that independent attitude, because of the “Middle Child Syndrome”, which is a commonly known character trait that a child picks up, when their born in between an older and younger sibling. There’s some truth to the psychiatric evaluations on this subject, however for me, this is partially how my independence was formed. As I grew, it made it hard for me to depend on God, because I had assumed that I picked up the ability to make things happen for myself. I believe in hard work, persistence, and putting your best foot forward, in order to accomplish things in life. My motto was, “If I don’t get it done, then who’s going to do it?”, but those are bigger shoes to fill than I thought, because you cannot accomplish anything worth accomplishing without God. I’m referring to the point of being obedient to God, by completing the will that HE has for your life. It may help you complete the goals that you’ve set for yourself, but in the end, if it isn’t done for and with God, then it will eventually become another empty accomplishment.

Life is so exhausting when you attempt go at it alone. It doesn’t have to be that way, because as victors in Christ, and mighty children of God, we have it all and then some. We have the best the of the best, the crème de la crème, and that’s a reason to rejoice in the Lord. It’s written: Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. “Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chron. 29:11-13) King David was not only a great warrior and King, but an extraordinary Psalmist, and his complete and utter love and trust for God radiates in His words. We can learn allot from him, because he, being just a man, was in love with God, and tried his best to live everyday of his life for Him. Because of that, he was blessed beyond measure, and this too can and will happen to us, once we learn how to cast our cares upon the Lord, ask, seek, knock, and live with unwavering faith.

A life of freedom depends upon your faith in the one and Only God the Father, and trusting His Son Jesus with your life. If you haven’t confessed Jesus as Lord, then that’s the missing link to total fulfillment and peace. If you don’t trust Jesus, then you don’t trust God; the two are inseparable. If you aren’t sure where you stand in your faith walk, please take a start by putting a little faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and He’ll turn your entire life around. Whether you’re saved or unsaved, freedom is a choice, not a given. Please take a moment to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-09T23:59:00.000-08:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scripture are about giving God all of the glory, all the days of our life. If I gave you a piece of paper and pen, and asked you to write down all of your accomplishments, how many of them would be for or about God? We live in a world where everything is driven by money, power, fame, and success, and people would sell their souls for it. The simple things like inner peace, joy, and happiness, has been outranked in order of importance, by money, career, and worldly status. My country was built by men of God, on the principles of God, but how soon we forget. Now, we’ve removed Him from every public place, in hopes not to offend anyone. However, this country is known as “the free world”, because our Forefathers understood that a land build upon God, is going to be a great land indeed. Let’s move away from such a large scale discussion as the current state of our country, to discussing the current state of the heart and mind of the “New Age” believer, and mankind as a whole. I can only speak about the things that I see, and most of us are in a very poor Spiritual state, because we have failed to make God a part of everything do.

Personally, it was the best day of my life when I realized that I am nothing without Christ. I went through (and sometimes still go through) times where it just doesn’t seem like things are going right for me. Everything I touched backfired, because I had failed to seek God in each choice. I failed to listen when my ears heard a word behind me, saying, “ This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever I turned to the right hand Or whenever I turned to the left. (Isa. 30:2). I suffered terrible feelings of depression and despair, because I felt lost and alone. I was missing something that only God could give me, and I aimlessly sought that through the wrong things, people, and “chasing waterfalls”. I experienced these times of emptiness because I heard God’s call on my life, but failed to seek out the path He had for me. I thought that the path that I wanted to follow was better for me, and I came up empty. I urge you, if you feel God’s calling on your life, please make it your priority to seek Him, so that He can lead you on the path that He wants you to go. Trust me, He’ll strip you bare, so that all you have left is Him, because after all, HE is the how, what, when, where, and who we live for.

God is such a merciful God that He'll plant seeds in our heart, water them with His love, and make them grow with His living Word. It’s up to us to allow the process and build upon that. We must seek God in every decision we make, from choosing a spouse, job, buying a home or a vehicle, to how to raise our children. Remember, Jesus is the chief corner stone, so we must build everything in our life with Him as the foundation. He’ll bless us with everything we’ll need to build a solid life, and make sure that no one can tear down what He’s built, as long as we continue to give Him the glory and honor. It’s written: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22)

I know I often write about life being more than riches and glory, which is true, but God has promised that we will inherit the earth. He wants us to be happy and have the finer things and life. If that’s something that we ask of Him, and we’re faithful and ready to receive it, He’ll bless us with all of the money and prestige we desire, but we must be sure to glorify Him and Him alone with it. There are many people who’s been blessed by God, and go off and do their own thing, because they perceive this sense of independence, but God only blesses us to bring us closer to Him. I was famous for that in the past—when I was struggling financially, or experiencing heartache, or heartbreak, I would spend every waking moment with God. I would wake up in prayer and go to bed in prayer—which is often times why God allows us to come to those points in life, to bring us back to Him. However, as soon as God blessed me with the money to pay that threatening bill, or healed my heartache, I would spend less and less time with Him, until He was no longer the driving force in my life. Currently, I can’t go a day without God. When I do I feel it—it feels like my world just isn’t right. I try to live with a heart of gratitude, while counting my blessings, because it’s hard to focus on the “have-nots”, when you’re too busy counting the “haves”. Don’t be a seasonal Christian—love Christ always, and not just when you need something from Him.

God blesses us to be blessings to others, and blessings come in many different ways. Jesus said: For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:48) We must learn how to glorify God with any and every blessing He’s bestowed upon us, and when we’re faithful with a little, He’ll bless us with a lot. Jesus made our relationship with God as simplistic as possible. He taught us that what’s most important to our Father is that we love Him with all of our heart, and we love each other. Jesus is what links us to God, so if you haven’t confessed Him as Lord, then you need to take the God Quiz right now! Once you become a Christian, your heart will open up your mind, and your mind will open your eyes to a whole new world. Don’t waste another minute deciding; allow God to lay the prefect foundation. My favorite verses today are: Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; ... then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God: ... for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:11-12,14,18)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-08T23:44:00.001-08:00

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this “terrific Tuesday”! I’m doing well, excited about the fact that we’re about to enter into another Lenten season. Today is Fat Tuesday [or Mardi Gras in French], which falls the day before the beginning of the Lenten season, also known as Ash Wednesday. It’s said that today we're permitted to overindulge in the things we're committing to give up throughout our fasting period. My friend sent me this last year, and I wanted to share it with you again: Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. Are you ready to start your fasting process? Fasting doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up food, but something that's near and dear to you, which requires sacrifice on your part. I haven’t given it much thought, because it snuck up on me this year, so I’ll pray on it tonight. I’m so grateful for the love of Christ, and pledge to do my best to follow in His footsteps. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about the mercy of God. Sin is the cause of the fall of any man who has and will walk this earth, but one. He was the son of God, and the Savior of all mankind— His Name is Jesus Christ. Because of the merciful heart of our Creator, God the Father, He sacrificed His Son, so that we can be free from sin—the downfall of men. When we’re covered with the blood of Jesus, we have the privilege, and the right, to go to God, in the Name of Jesus, and confess our sins, He’ll quickly forgive us. However, the penalty of sin is death, so we will reap the consequences of that sin, because we in fact went against God, but He’ll never be angry for long, and will always continue to love us, no matter what.

Yesterday I wrote about God loving us as a Bridegroom loves His bride, well today I want to talk about another facet of His love—how He loves us as a parent loves a child. There isn’t too much a child could do to their parents that will make them stop loving them. In some cases it’s a given, you love this child because you gave birth to them, and you have a permanent bond with them. You raise them, and teach them the ways of life, and offer them every opportunity to do the right things, but the child will sometimes fall short, because they’re human. This is how they grow, and learn from their mistakes. The parents also learn and grow from these experiences— there’s the times when the children stop becoming cute little babies, and start terrorizing the house. I’ve experienced the “terrible twos”, when the toddler just learns how to walk on their own, and sets out on their path of discovery. The time when your favorite lamp is broken, or the finger paint is all over your favorite shirt, you’re a bit angry at this precious little baby. What about adolescence and puberty, when so many other things start changing in them. They pick up a little sass, and start pushing the boundaries of the rules, and it takes everything for you not to kill them. God experiences times like these with us, within our Spiritual growth.

We expect most of these things when we become parents, but there are plenty other things that we don’t prepare for. When we live life one day at a time, and we punish the children when they do bad, and reward them when they do well, they’ll be fine. As well as do our best by setting good examples for them to follow, and teaching them the ways and love of God. Everything is a choice for them, and It hurts when they choose not to obey our rules, because we only put them in place to keep them from harm, and from experiencing the past hurts and disappointments we’ve had to face. However, when the fall, we’ll be angry for a moment, but we’ll still welcome them back with open arms, because we love them. We’ll do our best to make the hurt go away, but most importantly, we’ll be there for them whenever they need us.

Jesus said it best: If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:11-13) God’s love goes deeper than anything we could ever imagine, so He will have mercy on us, more so than we could ever be merciful to our children. He created us for a purpose, and His main reason for granting us salvation through Christ, is so that we can stay in close fellowship with Him forever. He understands our weakness, and He wants us to understand that He’s there for us no matter what. He lives inside of us, so He knows what we’ve done, how we’ve done it, and even why we’ve done it. All He requires of us is a confession and repentance, and forgiveness is granted. What if you crashed your mom’s car and try to hide it, and when she finds out about it, you lie to her and say that you didn’t do it. Or, if you crash the car and immediately go to her and say, “mom I’m sorry, it was an accident, I was trying to follow the rules, but I somehow I became distracted, it won’t happen again”. Which scenario do you think would receive mercy and forgiveness quicker?

God already knew everything about us, before we were formed in our mother’s womb, so why try to hide anything from Him? I still struggle with times when I blatantly sin, and am so convicted the next day, that I find it hard to talk to God. I truly struggle with the enemy’s attacks of guilt and shame, so I confess and ask for forgiveness of that sin several times a day, because I’m convinced that God is just way too angry with me to even talk to me. However, that is far from the truth, God has an “Open heart” policy, where He eagerly awaits our prayer, so He could be gracious to us. He anointed us with His Holy Spirit, just so that we can quickly and easily repent, and come back into perfect fellowship with Him, through Christ. Please, don’t ever allow the enemy to place false shame or guilt in your heart, because God already has it in His heart to forgive you; He’s just waiting on you to ask. He’s a gracious, wonderful, and merciful God, and He’s that way to everyone to seeks Him, whether Saint or Sinner.

Nobody’s perfect, but does that give us an excuse not to try our best to make God proud? The most rewarding thing we could ever do for Him is to humble ourselves, and allow Him to be Lord of our life. I can testify that life is so much easier with Him. Some people may think its harder living righteously, however, when we turn to Jesus, we take His Yoke upon us, and He gives us rest for our souls. In all actuality, it may seem harder, but Jesus makes it so easy for us when we trust Him. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, please take a moment to confess to God that you’re a sinner, and ask Him to renew you, by coming into your heart as Lord. The only thing standing between you and freedom is your willingness to just ask—once you ask, consider yourself a sanctified child of God, through Christ, and you never have to worry about that again. If you are saved, but don’t know where you stand with God, He’s been waiting on you to confess and repent, so that you can get to know each other better. For more information, take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verses today are: Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 1:18-19)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-07T23:53:00.001-08:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about being married to God. God relate our relationship with Him in several different ways—Father/child, brother/sister, friends, and husband/wife. These are pretty much all of the different types of love, so He loves us anyway we look at it. He loves us as a husband loves his bride, and throughout our life, He’s preparing us for that final meeting, where we’ll leave this physical life, and be with Him forever. When He chose us to be a permanent part of His Kingdom, it was like a husband choosing a wife. There’s something special and unique about each and every one of us, which is why He makes a promise to be with us now and forever. We’ll have our ups and downs, disagreements, arguments, and sometimes our silent treatments, just like any other relationship, but God will never give up on us. He’s promise to love and cherish us, through the good and bad, sickness and health, but the great part is that death will reunited us, not do us part.

The day I was engaged, was a special moment in my life. I felt like the most beautiful and loved woman in the world, because this man chose me. My wedding was one of the most special days in my life, because I was the bride, about to give my hand in marriage, to someone I loved dearly. It didn’t matter what anyone else said or thought about what I was doing that day, it was all about him and me. We spent months and thousands of dollars preparing for this one day, because of what it meant, and I was truly happy. I had to make sure that my hair and makeup was perfect, my jewelry flawless, and the dress that I chose was a dress that my groom would adore. When the day arrived, and the doors of the sanctuary opened, and I saw his expression upon seeing me, it was a beauty that I can’t explain. His smile lit up the entire room, and he was the proudest man there. I saw the reflection of God’s love in his eyes, and I made sure that I gave that right back. Now we all know that this didn’t end in “happily ever after” for us, but this was still one of the most magical seasons of my life.

We spend most of our lives looking for fulfillment. We try to find it in the perfect spouse, children, home, or career, but for some reason, no matter how much we achieve, we always want more. I think that’s because true fulfillment comes from that one perfect union, and that’s our union with God, through Jesus Christ. If we don’t have a relationship with Him, then our world just isn’t right. However, when He’s introduced into our life, it’s like meeting that perfect mate. God begins a good work in us, and cleanses from the inside out. He dresses us with His love, grace, and mercy, so when the world sees us, they’re seeing Christ in us. We’ve become one with God, and everyone knows it, because we wear His light in our eyes, and on our lips, as a bride wears her beautiful wedding ring. He’s made a promise to us, that He’ll forever be there to love and care for us all of the days of our life.

God has always offered us the option to be with Him, closely and freely. If you’ve accepted Jesus as Lord, you’re in a relationship with someone who could actually read your thoughts. He knows what we’re going to say, before we say it. He has closely and lovingly ordered our steps so that we could live a life full of peaceful bliss. He’s given us the beautiful gift of Salvation, and the Holy Spirit to help us through everyday life; all we have to do is be open to Him. It’s written: From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” (Acts 17:26-28)

Do you understand how much God loves each and every one of us? There’s no end to His love, no bounds to His mercy, and no cap to His grace; it’s all for you. You’ve been chosen, and if you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then it’s time to get to know Him today. He’s been waiting on you. Please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about focusing on the unseen things of God. We often base our emotions on the tangible and/or logical things that are currently happening in our life, whereas God works completely different from the world. When we lose sight of the fact that we’re chosen children of God, then we allow our emotions and mindset to be dictated by the things going on around us. In order to combat getting emotional about everything that happens in my life, I have to constantly go back to this verse, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) God instructs us to focus on the things from above—the things unseen—because He’s working everything else out. We’ve been placed here for a purpose, so there’s no reason for us to doubt that He’s going to give us everything that’s been promised to us in Christ. We must simply keep the faith, and focus on Him.

I remember a time when I would worry so much that my hair would fall out. I would literally worry myself sick, because I didn’t know how I was going to survive day by day. Every moment of my day revolved around planning out how I was going to make it to the next day. I worried about what to eat, what I’d wear to work, how I was going to pay the bills before the deadlines, or if my car would start for me the next day. You name it, I was thinking about it. My mind was running so much that I had no peace. It made me physically and mentally ill for a long time. It wasn’t until I realized that I would never be in control of everything that happens in my life that I decided to let go. I wanted to be in control of my destiny, but I didn’t know how. It wasn’t until I learned how to stop focusing so much on myself and my problems, and more on God and what He had in store for me that I begin learn how to let go. Life is going to happen exactly the way it’s meant to happen.

The book, Be Anxious for Nothing, by Joyce Meyers, was the eye opening moment for me. She had to write, at least 50 to 100 times, “Cast your cares on the Lord…” in this book. Out of all of the wonderful tools given, to live a righteous life, the one I remember the most was to “Cast your cares on the Lord”, because that was something I struggled with, and that’s why I found myself stagnant in my life in general. I allowed fear to run my life, and I felt like a hamster on its exercise wheel—I was running and running, but never got anywhere. If I couldn’t see it, then I didn’t believe it. My faith was very poor, and because of the way I was living my life, I didn’t believe that I was worthy of the types of blessings that everyone else around me was receiving. It took me a lot of years of prayer, meditation, and counseling to figure that one out. However, when I started to focus on God, He started showing me where my life could, and would go. I begin to slowly, yet gradually, cast my cares upon the Lord. When I started trusting Him for everything in my life, in opposed to the things I thought that I couldn’t handle on my own, He started to multiply everything that I put my hands on.

You may be confused as to what the “unseen” things are—don’t worry you aren’t the only one. Faith is the backbone of our relationship with Christ, because no man living or breathing has ever physically seen Him. However, we trust and believe that He’s real. We believe in His word, because He’s proven it true, in our lives and the lives of so many around us. We must stay focused on that, because a lot of times, things aren’t always what they appear to be. We must try to look at everything through the eyes of Christ, and He’ll show us exactly what we need to see. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems when you’re faithful to God, because even in the midst of the storms He’s working a miracle. You have to be sure to tell yourself that every day, especially in times of tribulation. If you have to literally say to yourself, “God is working this out” or “let go and let God”, when you find yourself in a panicked state of mind, then do it, and say it as many times as it takes for you to be convinced.

Jesus makes it possible for us to live above the world, because He’s already conquered everything that we could possibly face. When reading the stories of His life, you’ll see that His every step was strategically planned out, and He lived the most peaceful and productive life of any human being. He understood that life was more than material things, and earthly wealth and prestige, but it was about the things that was unseen—the Kingdom of Heaven. He’s made sure that we can live by faith and not by sight, and I for one am so grateful for that privilege. Before you’ll be able to live above the world, you have to make sure that you’ve accepted Jesus as Lord. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verses today are: For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about trusting in the Lord’s leadership. I believe trust is a big issue for every human being, just because of our very nature. If we cannot be completely faithful to God, then we surely won’t be completely faithful to each other. Let’s look at the word trust for a moment; it’s defined: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence. It’s a known fact that another person will hurt or fail you at some time in your life, and when that keeps happening, it weakens your ability trust. When we begin to lose our trust in everyone around us, then it’s safe to say that we’ll have trust issues with God as well. However, God proves that He’s trustworthy when He wakes us up each morning—if He’s done that, than you can trust Him to have a hand in everything that you do, and guide you in the right direction. It’s up to you to seek, listen, and follow His instructions, because He has already worked it out for your good.

One of the most wonderful things about that Lord is that He knows our heart, and thought process, because He created us this way. He understands how much faith it takes to even believe in Him, when everything and everyone in this world is trying to prove Him wrong. It’s just amazing how He’s always on time. I remember the really dark moments in my life, when all I could hear Him say to me was, “trust me Saundra, I will never leave you”. During the tribulation that I experienced in my marriage, when I was in Portland, I remember going to the Alter, at my church, for prayer. My heart was so heavy that I felt like I couldn’t take another breath. I spoke with a woman named Marilyn (I’ll never forget her), and I explained to her that my marriage was in trouble, and what God told me through her was to trust Him to lead me in the right direction. Marilyn never told me what to do, or how to handle the things in my marriage. She simply wrote the verses Isa. 30:18-22 and 61:1-4 down on a follow-up card, along with her phone number, and said if I ever need to talk, to feel free to call her day or night. That was nearly four years ago, and I still have that follow-up card in my bible, tucked in the book of Isaiah.

I thank God for the people like Marilyn, who trusts Him to use them as vessels, because I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done, had it not been for the conversation and prayer she had with me. God proved Himself faithful and trustworthy to me at that point. After I ran home, picked up my bible and read those verses, I was filled with so much joy and peace; I couldn’t help but rejoice with the Lord. I decided that day to trust God to do what was best for me and my marriage, and low and behold He did. He helped me understand the different seasons of life, and that this particular season as changing, and that I had to follow Him. He never forces us to choose Him, but He will give us every opportunity to complete the will He has for our life. I realized then that most of my stress, depression, and heartache came from not surrendering to God’s will for my life—I wanted to do what I wanted to do, based upon the world’s views.

I struggle every day with trust. I honestly used to live by the motto “I’ll trust anyone, until they give me a reason not to”. I still live by that in most cases, but my guards are way up, so that I won’t go through unnecessary heartache and pain. I must admit that because of the pain in my past, I find it hard to freely trust as I once did, but I still stay open to everything God has in store for me. I read an article today entitled 10 Tips for a Fearless Life written by a practicing Buddhist, Susan Piver, which deeply penetrated my heart. Susan wrote: "The truth is that 99% of humanity is good. When you are vulnerable, people actually want to protect you." [This came from the third tip, “Ask for help]. From the little I know about Buddhist, they believe in trust, peace, and tranquility, and how to put positive thoughts and energy into the Universe, and you’ll receive positive things back. Some of their beliefs aren’t that different from Christian beliefs; however they’re missing the most important component, Jesus Christ.

Jesus always taught us to love and trust God, and each other. He preached peace, happiness, and having faith that could move mountains. He taught us how to focus on the important things in life, and that’s having a strong personal relationship with God. This can only be achieved by trusting in and talking to Him, as well as meditating on His word. When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, you’ve taken the biggest and most important step of all; you trusted Jesus to be Lord of your life. Just because you did that freely, you can now live a stress free life, because God will have your back, for all of eternity. Whatever happens in life, God will be there, all you have to do is follow His lead. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, I suggest you take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verses today are: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

2011-03-02T22:36:00.000-08:00

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about staying faithful throughout trials. We are tempted every day, and some of our temptations turn into trials and tribulation. I always like to reiterate the fact that we have a choice in everything we do. However, sometimes we experience trials that are beyond our control, like the lost of a loved one, being laid off of a job, and let's not forget about everyday accidents. How do we handle the things that are out of our control? All that God asks of us is to stay faithful to Him, and continue to walk in love. The enemy is always lurking in the shadows, in order to lead us astray. There’s no better time to attack, then when we’re weak, and experiencing feelings of helplessness and loneliness?

In every period of trial, we’re looking to lighten our load, in order to alleviate the pain that comes with it. Now I don't know about you, but when I'm stressed I turn to a number of things to help me feel better, and unfortunately for me, God wasn't always my first choice. Over the years I’ve realized that it isn’t entirely my fault, because I am naturally fleshly, and God understands that I’m going to make mistakes. However, we must be careful to lean on God first, for strength, and He’ll make sure that everything else falls into place. We're fighting against a number of things during times of stress and grief. It's written: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12)

To the my flesh, there’s nothing better than a glass of wine, a red velvet cupcake, French fries, and shopping to make me feel better during my low moments. For others it may be the over indulgence of alcohol, drugs, and even fornication or adultery, which temporarily makes them feel better. At the same time, we all know that there are consequences with each of these things. God wants us to be happy, and does bless us with things and people that are meant to give us a little relief when we’re down, but we mustn’t use or abuse anything or anyone, at anytime. The evil mind can find a way to take something good, and use it for bad. We all have our vices and weaknesses, but always remember that through our weaknesses, God is strong.

A lot of times our tribulation and tests are allowed so that we can use them as testimonies, to help deliver someone else. In book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon always pointed out that “there’s nothing is new under the sun”; everything that we’ve done, will do, or even think about doing has been done before. It’s important to take the lessons learned by biblical scholars, and even the elderly woman across the street, because she’s been there and done that. Share your testimonies, never be ashamed of the things that you’re going through, you’ll never guess how many people are going, or have gone through similar things, and your praise and deliverance could inspire them to seek God.

It’s written: “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isa. 40:6-8) So just know when you’re reading the bible, and you think that most of it doesn’t apply to you, because of “the times we live in”, think again. I get so tired of hearing people make excuses for their blatant sin. This type of attitude explains why we have so many incurable diseases, record numbers of divorce, teen pregnancy, prisons filled to the max, and religious wars, because of the lack of respect for the Word of God. However, none of these things are new; they’re written about in the Bible.

In times when you’re feeling lonely, sad, hurt, depressed, stressed, overworked, or just downright desperate, turn to God. Pray without ceasing, read about His promises, meditate and stand on them, and allow Him to give you that peace that surpasses all understanding. I promise, when you give it to God first, He’ll take care of it, and bring you out of your troubles, a better and stronger you. I have so many testimonies that I could share, including times when I didn’t go to God when I should’ve, as well as times where I did. I’ve learned that no matter what I’m going through I must stay true to Him. Just know that just because you’re going through something, it doesn’t give you the right to take your anger out on other people, nor does it give you a license to sin—always stay faithful, because you have blessed assurance.

As a child of God, you have a privilege to be able to go to God anytime day or night, and receive comfort and/or healing, in the Name of Jesus. He has freed our heart, mind and spirit from the whiles of the devil. However, if you don’t know Jesus as Lord, than you’re open to all of the evils of the world and you don’t have anyone to help you fight those demons. Remember what Paul said, we’re fighting against something more than other humans, but “the rulers of the darkness of this age”. To be free, you must invite Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior. If you’re saved, but still don’t know how to cope with your trials, you should also take the God Quiz. At the same time, never forget to ask, seek, and knock, and then stand on God’s promises by faith. My favorite verses today are: Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter. 1:6-7)

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