Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about strength through Jesus Christ. How fitting are today’s scriptures? I didn’t actually read them until after I wrote the previous paragraph, so I guess that’s God’s way of telling me to write about last week’s event. As most of you know, my maternal grandmother passed away on November 30th, and her funeral was last Wednesday, December 8th. I come from a very close-knit family, which is all due to my grandmother. She lost her mom and her only brother at a very young age. Because of she really didn’t have a close immediately family, she was determined to build a big family of her own, which was very important to her. She raised nine children, and as a result she has over forty-three grand and great-grand children. She made it a point to make sure that she had a special relationship with each and every one of us, as well as made sure that we knew the importance of sticking together as a family.

I knew she was sick for the last few years, and her health just kept getting worst and worst. I went through so many stages with her sickness, but the one thing I kept thinking was, “what am I going to do without my Grandma”. I couldn’t imagine life without her, but I also understood the cycle of life. We live and we die, so it’s important to make a positive impact on as many lives as we can, while where here. A few years ago, just the thought of her leaving me was unbearable. I cried many nights, before she was even gone, because I knew it was coming. I just knew that I wasn’t going to be able to live through this horrific event, nor did I want to. However, I saw her deteriorate; I was a witness to her suffering, and I knew I had to let go. I know the love of God, and so did she, so there was nothing for me to worry about any longer. I just wanted her peace and happiness. I stepped outside of myself, and relied on God for the answers. I stopped praying for God to keep her here, and started praying that His Will be done, and for Him to keep her in a place of peace throughout. I started to pray for her strength, and the strength of the people who loved her dearly, which is what she wanted.

We all know how the story ends, and it’ll end the same for each and every one of us, so we must believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. When we loose someone so near and dear to us, the only way to get through it is by staying in the presence of the Lord. Prayer, fellowship with loved ones, and studying and meditating on His Word are all things that will give us the strength to move forward. When you know that there is a God, and how precious Jesus Christ is, then you trust Him with your life, and He’ll pull you through, now and forever more. The one thing I know is that my Grandmother trusted Jesus Christ with all of her heart and soul, so she’s at peace right now. She’s resting, and no longer has to deal with the mundane things that you and I have to go through. She will never experience pain and heartache again, for all eternity. That’s what trusting the Lord yields, and an eternity of bliss.

The night she died I ask God, “How am I going to get through this?” At first I wanted to run away, and not deal with it. I stayed in bed for three days, and dreaded answering my phone, because I knew it would be someone who wanted to “talk about it”. I didn’t want to help clean out her apartment, or even attend the funeral, because that meant I had to say goodbye. I actually did those things, but I prayed and asked Jesus to help me get through them. I said quick prayers like, “Lord please give me the strength”, or simply “Father help me get through this”, because I knew that my mom and my family needed me, and I needed them. I still didn’t quite know how I was going to get through it, but Jesus showed up, and I was so strong that it felt like I was on the outside looking in. He gave me the right people to help me endure, people who checked on me and offered me a shoulder, and I’m so grateful for them. I was surprised at how well I did, but at the end of the day, a smile came across my face and I couldn’t help but praise the Lord and shout thank you, because I now know how.

I want each of you to understand that as believers we are above this world. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, lives inside of us, and we have strength in His Name, by the grace of God. Grace is the way that God loves us down to our Spirit. He loves us despite what our flesh looks like, or the things we do. He loves us because He created us just for Him. Whenever we need strength, all we need to do is ask, and then lean on Him. He gave His only begotten Son so that we can have that privilege. One of my favorite promises of Jesus Christ is: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30) Guess what? Jesus really means this, and He proved that through me this passed week. In one of the weakest moments in my life, He gave me strength. The more I think about it, in all of my weakest moments, He gave me strength. To Him be all of the honor and glory.

Death is a part of life, and we each will have to make that journey to the afterlife, but it doesn’t matter when you do it, but how you do it. Do you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Do you believe that He is the Son of one and only Living God? Can you honestly say that you’re a sinner, but you want to live a righteous life? If you believe in Jesus and want to be righteous then there’s one more step to take, and that’s asking Him to be Lord of your life. Take a few minutes to take the God Quiz today. Please don’t wait any longer; life is short, and so very precious. My favorite verses today are: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about the truth of God’s Word. We are here to serve God, so the questions that come with that broad commandment are how, when, and with what do we serve Him. The answers to all of those questions can be found in the Word of God. God is your Heavenly Father, the One who will eventually Judge you for all of your decisions and actions in life, so it’s important to know what He expects from you. This is the reason why He gave us the Holy Bible, which is His living Word. Any question you have about Him, or life in general can be answered in His word. We could learn how to communicate with, obey, and love, Him all in one place.

I was just talking about how important communication is in any relationship. Without proper communication people end up making a lot of assumptions, and you know what they say about people who assume? The same is true for our earthly relationships, and even more so with God. Since He isn’t physically here with us every day, and we can’t have a “real” conversation with Him, He’s given us this handbook for life. Whenever we hunger and thirst for His wisdom or knowledge, all we have to do is pick it up. When we need answers to life’s hardest questions, or help making the toughest decisions, all we have to do is seek the truth in His Word. It’s called the “living Word” for a reason; because that’s the way He communicates with us. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you seek the answers, He will, and His Word comes to life. You’ll always find what you’re looking for, but you must communicate with Him first.

God expects us to be obedient, and every human being needs laws, which are setup to not only keep us safe from evil, but to keep us safe from ourselves. God understands the weakness and frailties of the flesh, so He had to put certain laws in place. It’s written: Oh, how I love Your Law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your Word. I have not departed from Your judgments because You Yourself have taught me. (Psalm 119:97-102) The Psalmist truly understood the secret to a peaceful life; it’s all here in black in white. Simply seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and He’ll give you all the wisdom, strength, light, and guidance you’ll need to make it to the finish line of life victoriously!

God is the Alpha and the Omega, and He created you for a reason. He has dominion over everything on this earth, which means that, as heirs to His throne, we could have the world at our finger tips. The only requirements is to first believe in His Son Jesus Christ, and confess Him as Lord, and then you’ll be baptized with His Holy Spirit. Next, we must do as the Psalmist did next, and ask for the wisdom to follow His will for our life. If you’ve made the step to confess Jesus as Lord, you are one of the chosen few, so it’s time to seek some answers. It’s written: Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your judgments. My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget Your law. (119:108-109) When we pray a prayer similar to this and then open the Word of God, a whole new world is opened up to us

I don’t know where I’d be without my bible; I feel lost without it. My Aunt gave me a bible cover as a gift, and I’m so grateful for it. I carry my bible everywhere, because I know it holds the truth. On this earth people are being controlled by the devil, and you just don’t know what to trust, because deceit lies in wait. Don’t forget the Spiritual warfare that’s constantly going on in our heart–spirit against flesh–so it’s good to have your “sword, which is the Word of God”, at hand. Whenever I feel lost, angry, lonely, scared, confused, or even happy, joyful, and content, I pick up the bible, and read the awesome promises of God. The more I get to know about my Savior Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father, the more I fall in love with them, which allows me to greater depend on, and trust, them with my entire life.

If you’d like to get to know who Jesus is, as Lord and Savior, in order to trust Him with your life, then start with the New Testament. If you have confessed Jesus as Lord, but that’s about it, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, open the book and start to read, I promise it’ll come alive, and eventually you won’t want to put it down. Don’t forget to meditate on His Word, because as soon as you take it in, the devil is coming to try and steal it, because He knows that God’s wisdom is the only way we can defeat Him. It’s written: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…(Hos. 4:6) To seek God, through His Word, is the most important step to maturing in your faith walk, so take some time out to study each day. My favorite verses today are: My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:11-12)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about being followers of Christ. Carrying the title “Christian”, brings so much controversy these days, and I have to admit, there are some good reasons. We have all types of Christians - the money hungry Christians, the backsliders, the bible thumpers, the judgmental Christians, the liberal Christians, and let’s not mention the “mega church” Christian scandals. I believe that people are just that, “people”. We’re all human, and when we lose focus on what’s right, we have the potential to carry any one of the aforementioned titles. I for one am proud to be a Christian, because to be a Christian simply means that I’m a follower of Christ. It means to believe that Christ is the only way to salvation, and that no man can go to the Father except by Him. It also means that you believe that Jesus was a perfect man, who walked this earth preaching the gospel - was killed, resurrected, and now live in Heaven with God, making intercession for us. If you believe all of these things, then you are a Christian (follower of Christ), no matter what title you claim.

The title we carry is nowhere near as important as the life we live. Jesus came so that we could have life more abundantly, and He taught us the way to claim, and live, that life. We can learn valuable life lessons from every Word written, that came out of His mouth, as well as by His actions. He never sacrificed His values, beliefs, or integrity, because of the strong opinions, and sometimes hatred, of the people around Him. He realized how important spreading the gospel was to the life of every human being. Jesus understood that it wasn’t about all Him, but there was a bigger calling on His life. He understood that as a Child of God, His actions would not only affect Him, but every believer that followed Him, for generations to come. He loved God with all of His heart, and loved us He loved Himself, and He went to His grave preaching that.

As Christians, our main focus should be trying to be like Christ from the heart, because Jesus is the only person who truly had life figured out. After all, He was “the Word that became flesh”, so He had a direct connection to Judge and Creator of the law. Jesus was a very humble and meek man, who walked according to the Word of God. He consistently quoted scripture from the biblical scholars, prophets, and men of God, who came before Him. He lived by God’s promises, just as He quoted to the devil, when He was tempted in the wilderness: But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Matt 4:4) He understood that we cannot adequately grow without nourishment from God, which can only be found in His Word. Jesus taught every sermon, and based every parable, on the Word of God, to instill in us the importance of following the principles, and Will of God. The only reason that we’re able to have this conversation today is because Jesus followed the principles, as well as God’s Will for His life. He expects the same from us, because He paid a great price to give us that privilege.

Jesus’ greatest lessons that teach us how to live a righteous and bountiful life can be found in the Sermon on the Mount. If you’ve never read these chapters, please take a moment and read them today. I promise they will change your life forever! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you truly “hear” the Word from the Lord, and fashion your life by it. Jesus will never lead us astray. Life is just as simple as He lays it out here: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:3-10) Did you notice that Jesus never said, “blessed are those who are perfect, and without sin”? To sum it up, “Blessed are those who are after God’s own heart”.

Jesus gave His life so that you could have one, because He knows that none of us are perfect. He understands that we’re going to fall short, and He wanted to encourage us to keep pressing towards righteousness anyway. He’ll do His part to make sure that we reach it. Because of His bloodshed, we wear a veil of righteousness, and that’s what God sees when He looks at any believer, regardless of the “status” of our life. However, if you’re not a believer in Christ, then your sins are all that God sees. Take a few moments to take this God Quiz today. Those of us, who are believers, have the precious privilege to repent and be forgiven of our sins, but you don’t – not until you confess Jesus as Lord. My favorite verses today are: For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; ... but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. (1 Peter 2:21-23)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about delighting in the laws of God. Laws are always put into place for protection and order. We must have some type of boundary set up to protect us from others, as well as protect us from ourselves. According to the natural order of life, everything has a boundary. The Law of God is no different. He's placed all of His laws, promises, and repercussions into one trustworthy book, the Holy Bible. No matter which translation you read, they are all saying the same thing - just as Dr. Stanley says, "Obey God, and leave the consequences to Him". King Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live, also concluded in Ecclesiastes, one the books the bible he wrote: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Eccl. 12:13-14)

We're not only supposed to obey the Word of God, but we're to delight in His Word. We should enjoy being obedient, not only because we're rewarded, but because we're pleasing our Father in Heaven. It should please us that He's proud of us in everything that we do. He's proud of who we've become in Christ, and our love, fear, and reverence for Him. He knows, because of the flesh, it isn't easy to fight off the temptations of the world. We're bombarded with evil thoughts, evil people, and evil pleasures every day, all day. There isn't a corner that we turn, where temptations aren't lurking, it's the way of the world. God came in the flesh, as Jesus Christ, so He understands what we go through very well. Jesus said, “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matt. 7:13). So for us to choose Him, and put Him first in all that we do, it pleases Him tremendously. We should rejoice in the fact that He's pleased with us, and we'll be blessed for doing so.

I mentioned in yesterday's devotional that the Word of God is our Sword. It's what we use to fight against the enemy, when we put on the Armor of God. It's the only weapon that will defeat all of the temptations that come our way. Everything we do in life needs to stand on the Word of God - the way we talk, interact with others (especially the people we love), and the way we conduct ourselves at all times. The Word of God brings the joy to our heart that shines brightly, and shows in the expression on our face. It also brings conviction when we fall short, or are about to take a step in the wrong direction, to help us avoid many pitfalls. I like the way the Psalmist describes it: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) God's Word helps us navigate our way through life; like our compass of sorts. It tells us which way to go, and how to get there.

Every Word that God speaks is meant to give wisdom and instruction, even those words that you can't quite understand. I remember the first few times I read the bible, as a baby spirit, I just didn't get it. I was so upset about the wars, and the thousands of people being killed, in the stories of the Old Testament. I was even upset by the fact that our loving God would destroy the entire world. However, once I grew in my Spirit, and sought the wisdom in His Word, many reasons were revealed to me. In most cases the people didn't obey His Word, nor acknowledged the Laws given, so there had to be consequences. I will never again disagree with anything I read in the Holy Bible, because it's all be proven, and justified through the Holy Spirit. God is so mighty, that we can't begin to completely understand all that's going on in this world, but He's faithful and true to each of us. If we love Him, we seek Him, and He will reveal everything we need to know. He'll answer every prayer we pray, and bless us with everything we need in abundance. His Law promises that to every believer. That's been proven true in my life, and I'm sure it's been proven in yours.

By the grace of God, and the love of Jesus Christ, the most important laws we should delight ourselves in, are the easiest of them all. Jesus said: “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ’This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 22: 37:39) All God asks us to do is love Him and love each other. With that comes enough respect for Him, that we don't want to sin against Him, and that we're absolutely elated about pleasing Him. After all, isn't that what you do when you love someone? You're delighted to do whatever it takes to make them happy? It doesn't take much effort at all when you love them with all of your heart.

Although God commands us to love Him, He cannot make us do it. He can't make us choose Him, and accept the salvation offered to us-He allows us to choose. Just as we're to choose Him, we're to love Him, and be excited about that love, which is renewed each time we wake up to see another day. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then it's time to pray and ask Him to come into your life. If you still aren't sure, take some time to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verses today are: Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. (James 1:22-23)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today's scriptures are about your body, God's temple. I used to hear people say "your body is a temple" all the time, but never really got it. It's amazing how many things we learn from the Word of God [written hundreds of years ago], that are still very relevant today (Isa. 40:6-8). We are considered the "church" of God, because when we're saved, our old self is torn down, and we're rebuilt on the solid Rock, with the "Chief Cornerstone", who is Jesus Christ. We become God's temple, because His Holy Spirit dwells within us. We must treat this temple with the tender care it requires, in order to do the things necessary to complete the will of God. I don't think a lot of us understand that we cannot adequately take care of anyone else, until we first take care of ourselves. God gives us special gifts to be able to care for others, once our foundation is built, and our temple stands strong.

Maybe you've heard the story of when Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ. Jesus asked Peter, "who do you say that I am?", and Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16:16) Jesus revealed this secret to His disciples that night, because He needed to relay this message to all of us. Jesus goes on to say: And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matt 16:18-19) We can fill in our name, where Jesus says "you are ____", because this promise is offered to every believer. The temple He’s creating in us will be so strong that not even Satan can enter and destroy.

Let's think about this for a moment, when you think of a Church (or Temple) what's the first thing that comes to your mind? For me I see church as a place I go to meet God. I go to learn about Him, praise and worship Him with people who are in agreement with me. People who are also seeking the Love of God, and are willing share that with everyone. A church is a place where I want to feel at home, and welcomed. A place I can seek solitude, shelter, and relief, all in the Name of Jesus. I've been fortunate enough to visit, or even be a member of some great churches, but I've also seen some not so great churches. There are some I see on while driving down the road, which I won't even give a second thought, because of the way it looks on the outside, or the way it feels when I come close to it. Leaders of churches often put in time and effort, making their church warm and inviting, because they're representing God, and they want people to see Him, every time they’re in His presence. That's the attitude that we all should have.We must take care of ourselves because we're here to give a piece of God to everyone we come in contact with, in the form of love. We're commanded to love our neighbors, and the only way we can do that effectively is to surrender to God. We must give our life to the Lord completely, and allow Him to tear down our old shell, and rebuild a beautiful, warm, and inviting temple. He's turned a light on inside of us, which will draw people in, so we can show them His love. We're His vessels, so He uses us to communicate with each other. Jesus told Peter in this story "for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven", so He too was a vessel for God. It's important for us to take care of our temples, so when people see us, they'll be drawn in, and will want to experience the Love that we have to share. We must open to those in need. Think about what you want and expect out of a church home, and try to instill those same principles in your own life.

If you've accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit has already taken residence in your temple. It grieves Him to live in constant sin. We must take care of ourselves, mentally, physically, and spiritually, because God Himself is with us. We no longer belong to ourselves, or the world, but we belong to God. He's working each day to build in us a strong foundation from the inside out; all we have to do is allow Him to work. Get out of His way! We must try out best to keep open communication with Him, break bad habits, and separate ourselves from sin, or anything that will tempt us to sin. Remember, we've died to self, and been resurrected in Christ. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then you're built on very shaky ground, and the enemy frequents your temple. A simple prayer can help you rebuild, so take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verses today are: Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

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