Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about being sanctified through Christ. I remember hearing the “Elders” at church say that they were “saved, holy, and sanctified through Christ”, and I always wondered what sanctified meant. I thought maybe they were special because of the role they played at the church, or because of the many years that they’ve been saved, but I knew for sure that I wasn’t sanctified. I honestly thought that I somehow wasn’t at a point in my walk with Christ, to be at the sanctified level—almost like being sanctified meant that you graduated to higher level of Christianity. However the word “sanctify” is defined: to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate. So you see anyone who’s accepted Jesus as Lord and savior is sanctified by His blood. We’re separated from darkness, and placed on high—righteous through Christ Jesus. If you’re anything like I was, in thinking that I wasn’t worthy or “good” enough to be sanctified, then you can rest assured in knowing that you are. You are just as righteous as the next Christian; there is nothing that’s separating us from each other, only us from the world.

I love the Gospel according to John; in chapter 16 Jesus warned His disciples that He would be leaving them. He explained how sad they would be, but eventually, their sadness would turn into joy, when finally realized what He’s done for them. He explained how His leaving would make way for the “Helper” (or Advocate in NIV), who will come to convict the world of sin (16:8-9). That’s not all He came to do, but it’s just as important, because how can truly be righteous with sin? More often than not, we sin and don’t know we’re sinning, so we need the Holy Spirit to help us make the right decisions, and lead us to repentance for our wrong decisions, through conviction. Jesus sanctifies us, but we’re still in the flesh, and are still tempted by the enemy daily. Some people mistake conviction for condemnation, and there’s a big difference between the two. It’s written: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:1-2 NIV) Through our sanctification, we will never be utterly cast down, but we will however be convicted, to be brought back into obedience by the confession and repentance of our sins.

Jesus went on to say: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12-15) Aren’t you glad that you’re saved, sanctified, and holy? Hallelujah! Jesus came into this world, and turned everything upside down. Now the lost can be found, captives set free, and the sinners are sanctified, by His blood. There’s no one too high or low for Jesus Christ. There’s nothing too bad, evil, or despicable, that we could’ve done in the past that Jesus won’t fix. On our own we are nothing, but with Him we are everything, and being righteous children of God is more valuable than any amount or money or prestige in the world. Through Christ you were free, as soon as you accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. It was then that He gave you the Holy Spirit, Who is responsible for giving you the wisdom, knowledge, and strength to overcome and endure the world.

We each are exactly where God needs us to be, there are no mistakes in life—all things happen for a reason. Don’t get so caught up in the world’s idea of success, but rather seek God’s definition of success for you. A lot of us can’t go any further in life because, 1) we haven’t taken the time to be grateful for where we are now, and 2) we aren’t obedient to the Word of God. There are times when I feel like God has given me all of the tools I need to build a solid foundation and an indestructible structure for my life, but I haven’t pulled them out of my toolbox. The toolbox is definitely open, and I even have instructions and a Helper, but I sometimes get confused as to where to start. When I start feeling that way, I go back to “square one” or some may call it “the drawing board”, and start with the Gospels of Christ. I follow His life from the beginning to the end, to get a perfect example of sanctity. There’s nobody greater than Jesus.

When I read His prayers for us in John 17, I can’t help but fall in love with Him all over again, because He asked God to make me perfect just like Him. How awesome is that?! Jesus only prayed this prayer for all believers, and I hope that’s all of you. However, if you don’t believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting on? He’s called you to be a part of His body; one with God through Him. All you have to do is ask, and He’ll do the rest. He has your toolbox waiting for you, and after you confess Him as Lord, He’ll also give you a Helper, Who will stay with you every step of the way. Sanctification is a choice, to find out more take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). I'm doing well, looking forward to the weekend, TGIF! Friday is my favorite day of the week, because it marks the beginning of your weekend. I call it "treat yourself Friday", because I always give myself a special treat, nothing fancy, a movie, or something really good for lunch or dinner (without counting calories or fat), or maybe a new dress (rarely). I'm not sure what it'll be today, but I know it'll be good. I believe that you should treat yourself at least once a week, my day is Friday, but yours doesn't have to be, the main thing is that you enjoy yourself. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 says: I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. I totally agree with this author, life's too short to just work, work, work, and never enjoy you. With that being said, have a wonderful weekend, and whatever you do, keep in mind that Jesus is always with you.

Today's scriptures are about being still. Being still, something that seems so simple, but in today's society, really isn't that simple at all. Yes we're chosen to help strengthen the kingdom of God, and that requires work on our parts, but we have to also allow ourselves to rest. Sometimes we can move so fast, that we get ahead of God, and start messing things up. Patience is a virtue, especially for the children of God, because it's written that He is a God of Patience. The inability to be still normally comes from a sense of unrest in our Spirits. We often busy ourselves with self fulfilling tasks to ether occupy our mind when trying to avoid dealing with stressful situations, or by trying to accomplish a goal that we have set for ourselves. When we receive the Spirit of Christ, we're supposed to follow the laws of the Spirit and not the rules of the flesh. When we start working mostly to fulfill our earthly desires, to please the flesh, our Spirit comes to a point of unrest. We each have to live by the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). When we lose sight of these things, it's most likely time to be still. Our minds are very similar to computers, but we are not machines, God requires us to take some time out to rest, or reboot and start fresh. It took God six days to create the earth, and on the seventh day He rested. He commands us to take one day out of our week to rest and rejuvenate, because if we're constantly going, we're bound to miss something. This is also why we should meditate daily, because God is constantly working in our lives. He's with us every step of the way, and He often reveals important lessons we need to learn. He gives us vital information we need to complete His will, so if we don't give ourselves time to just be still and process these things, then we just my miss a valuable lesson. Have you ever been mentally and physically exhausted, and just felt like you can't go on another minute? This happens all of us, and God allows these moments in our lives, to bring us back to Him, as a warning sign, because He's trying to get our attention. There is no way that we can effectively listen to Him when our minds are all over the place, thinking about deadlines at work, school, children, which bills are due, getting the car repaired, etc. all at once. At the end of the day, it's important to just sit still, talk to our Heavenly Father, and then listen. When we meditate, we give ourselves time to listen to, and focus on God. I challenge you to try that tonight. It's the end of the week, and most of us we've endured the first week of school, along with work, paying bills, and now it's time to be still. I can promise you that after you cast your cares on the Lord through prayer, and then let your mind rest, you'll feel so much lighter and free. Then repeat these steps every night, because we're commanded to "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God"; so time with Him is the most important time of the day. If you feel like your mind and spirit is in a state of confusion right now, please be still, and give it to God. If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior then most likely your Spirit is in unrest, and a quick, yet heartfelt prayer asking Jesus to be your Savior will open you up to the Fruits of the Spirit, try Him out, and enter into rest. My favorite verse today is: In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). I'm doing well, a little sleepy but I'll live, TGIF! We had a wonderful time at the play last night. The entire cast was great! Fantasia is very talented, and she and La Toya London, who played Nettie, mesh very well. It made me think of all those big words you see in reviews like Spectacular, Reviving, Awe-inspiring, etc. I would love to go back with my sisters and brother. I heard they’d be here through August, at the Kennedy Center, if you want to go check it out. I'm already looking forward to my next play. Laurence Fishburn will be coming next month in a play called Thurgood, I would love to check it out. Hopefully my next stop is Broadway! Have a wonderful weekend, and whatever you do, do it for the Lord.

Today's scriptures are about our Master, Jesus Christ. What do you think of when you hear words like Master, Lord, King, or President? I think of a leader, teacher, and a person you trust in to handle important affairs of your life. We'll Jesus is the Lord of all! He's our connection with God, and He makes sure our world is okay. He's our leader, and He led a life worthy to attempt to be duplicated. God gave Him dominion over "all things”, and appointed Him Lord and Savior. It's written in 1 Peter 4:11: If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen Jesus paid an awesome price to hold the title Lord, and His life on earth was very honorable. Granted, we don't have a play by play of His every move, but what we do have is the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and it’s enough for us to go by. My brother goes to Gonzaga College High School, which is considered a Jesuit school, with means "Society of Jesus". Their motto is "building men for others". This is exactly what Jesus was all about. His entire life was based on spreading the word of God, and showing love to everyone He came in contact with. He was a true leader, who stood by His word. This is what good Masters should do. They teach you how to get a job done, and lead by example. They make sure your every need is taken care of, and they expect you to follow with confidence in their leadership. There are numerous accounts where Jesus was traveling to different lands, and at some times thousands of people left their homes and families to follow Him. Whenever they got tired, He'd stop, gather everyone around, and started teaching about God, and how to live a Godly life. He made sure the sick was healed, the weak made strong, and that everyone with Him had food to eat, and clothing, before He would worry about Himself. Only a good Master would humble Himself enough to wash another man's feet when they got weary. This is what He wants from us, to be "people for others". I'm not going to tell you a lie, I'm selfish, and I always have been. When I tell people that, they often don't believe me, because of the things they see on the outside, but I am. I think we all have a little bit of selfishness inside of us. Still, God is working on me daily, where I become less and less selfish everyday; it's a "work in progress". I went through depression for some time in my life, and a lot of that had to do with how selfish I really was. I had the "what about me?" attitude. I literally prayed to God everyday: Why do I have to go through this? Why is this happening to me? What did I do so badly? One day God answered and me said, "Guess what Saundra, it's not always all about you!" At the time I was crying and complaining about something, and I dried my tears and said to God, "you're absolutely right". That was a true defining moment in my [Christian] life; it’s when I began to learn how to try to be like Christ. Now, whenever He's called me to do something, that I really don't want to do, I always say to myself, "it's not about you". Whenever I hear someone complaining about giving, or being there for someone, I always tell him or her, "it's not about you". Jesus even told His disciples that when they were upset that He had to die. Sometimes people don't take that very well, but that's priceless wisdom summed up in 4 little words. Just as Jesus, we're called to serve. We're to fashion our life behind His teachings, hence why we call ourselves "Christians". We have to wash some feet, help the sick, and feed the hungry, etc., because that's a part of strengthening the Kingdom of God; a part of taking up our crosses, and following Him (Mark 10:21). We are all leaders in Christ, however Jesus was as much a servant as He was a leader, and that's what our life is all about. We learned a few days ago in Proverbs that Honor comes after humiliations. Life wasn’t meant to be one big playground, it was meant to serve God, and do it with patience and joy. Joy and Happiness shouldn't be based on the frivolous circumstances of our earthly life. In the past, I've gotten depressed because I didn't have money to buy a new outfit to go to a party, when there are children in Africa starving, well there are children in the house across that street that are starving. I've been depressed because my car broke down, when there are perfectly good Metro busses outside of my house that I can use to go to work. When the man around the corner has a wife and three children to take care of, and just got laid off of his job. We have to be patient with God, and know that all things work together for our good. To a baby Spirit Jesus' death may have seemed like it was too much. When I first saw the "Passion of Christ", I thought to myself, "now did He have to go through all of that torture", when in all actuality He did. I was upset because I didn't want to see Him go through that, but guess what "it wasn't about me". Jesus did what He had to do to save ALL mankind, because He was appointed our Lord. He went through all of that with no complaints, and He's now and forever more honored and glorified. Hallelujah! Do you know how to be a Servant that's a Leader? Well I know how you can find out. The first step is to go to God and confess that you're a sinner, ask Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior, and then pick up the bible and start with Matthew. Time is very precious, we have a job to do for God, and Jesus died on the cross to make sure we have every opportunity to complete that job with peace, joy, and happiness. Try to adopt the slogan "It's not about you", and live by it, because that's what our Lord and Master Jesus did. My favorite verse today is: Forasmuch ... as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. (1 Peter 4:1)

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