Daily Devotional Day & Night

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

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

HAPPY MONDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you’re enjoying the beginning of the workweek (for some). I’m doing well, and feeling great, after a wonderful weekend with family and friends. Most people got to enjoy a 3-day weekend in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was a great Civil Rights Activist, as well as father, Pastor, and Disciple of Christ. He fought for equality among the human race, and was an advocate of peace on earth. Dr. King took on the title “Christian”, with new meaning, and He definitely strived to be like Christ, in so many ways. He helps me be proud to be an American, but most importantly a “Black American”. Dr. King, and others who followed him, helped pave the way for the African-American race, and the freedom we take advantage of. I urge you to take a moment and reflect on your life, and how different things could be if it wasn’t for the unselfishness of Dr. King. This man left a legacy so great, that he will always be remembered. He was called to accomplish this great task by God, and he followed God’s will to the end of his life. If we don’t take anything else from his life, we should take the importance of following the will of God. Our job may not be on as grand of a scale as Dr. King’s, but we matter just as much. Never forget that you were destined for greatness, whether big or small live by these simple rules, love God and love each other. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about being saved from the pits of life. Our salvation is so multifaceted, that it’s hard to know exactly what we’re being saved from—well not really hard to know what, but I think we sometimes forget. There are many pits in our life, there are pitfalls, there are days that we feel down and out (referred to as “the pits”), there are pit stops, and then there are the pits of hell. Jesus came to save us from every type of pit that we will every face in life. None of us want to fall into the pits of life, but it’s a reality for us all. The only pit that is optional for us are the Pits of Hell. Hell is a real place, and Satan is real. It’s been said that he was an angel in heaven, but was cast out, for wanting to be more powerful than God. There isn’t a lot written about that in the bible, but there are some scriptures that mention it. Nevertheless, hell is a true and absolute fate for those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ.
Before Christ, salvation was nearly impossible, because we (humans) were required to live righteously on our own, and if we couldn’t, we were required to make the different sacrifices found in the book of Leviticus. I for one am grateful that that era is no longer, because I don’t know what I would do. Jesus came in and laid down His life, to save me from the pits. I no longer have to worry about hell, or the attacks from the enemy, because the blood of the Lamb protects me and keeps me near and dear to the heart of God. This is the same promise, for anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. If you confess to God that you’re a sinner and you need Him, and then ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, then you too can be saved from the pits.
When we trust God with every aspect of our life, we have this continuous light that guides us, which makes it more difficult to fall into the pits. When we trust in man, or in our own ability, it’s as Jesus said: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:39-40) If we follow the instructions of Christ carefully, we’ll be able to live a peaceful life, however, when we stray, and fall into the traps of the enemy, we’ll feel that uneasiness in our heart. I think we’ve all felt like this psalmist, when we make terrible mistakes: I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. (Psalm 88:3-5) The good news is that when we feel this way, we don’t have to stay in that place. We’ve been delivered by the Love of God! There’s times when we feel like there’s no place to go, be we can always go to the Lord, Hallelujah!
It’s written: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:3-8) James gave us some great advice and instructions, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. All of these things are the base of knowing how to avoid the pit falls of life. Jesus did the hard part; He gave up His life, so that we can live with God for all eternity. However, all of the days of our life will be a Spiritual challenge. The enemy will never stop trying to bring us down, so we must have patience, and keep faith in God’s promises. If we don’t know how to do that, then all we need to do is ask for wisdom in any area that we feel that we lack. We also need to be confident in who we are in the Lord; never doubt your place in His Kingdom, and the devil will never win.
If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you’re lost, and will go to the pits of hell, as well as fall in many pits in life. You’ll feel the way they Psalmist felt on the inside, many times in life, and there’s nothing that can change that. The only hope in your situation is the blood of Jesus Christ, which is offered to everyone, by the grace of God. Don’t spend any more time looking for the answers to life, because they can only be found in Jesus Christ. Pray and ask Him to be Lord of your life, and ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and He will. If you want more information, please take a few minutes to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: I waited patiently for the Lord. He brought me up ... out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock. (Psalms 40:1-2)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the weighing of our actions and decisions. Life is all about choices and more often then not, the things we think are right, aren't always lined up with God. As believers, we're partially of the world and of the Spirit, so there are times when we allow the world to dictate the choices we make. We must be careful to know what's most important in the eyes of God. Paul wrote: And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (2 Cor. 13:13) God ultimately wants us to live with Faith in knowing that He's the Alpha and the Omega, our Creator, Father, Brother, Friend, and whatever else we need Him to be. We must Hope in His promises, and know that whatever we ask or seek from Him, He'll provide, to ensure we have the abundant life He came to give. The greatest of all is Love! Love makes everything so much more wonderful. It's a feeling like none other, and when you love someone or something, you do your best to do right by them, and care for them. These are the most important things to God, and our actions and decisions should reflect our love for, hope and faith in, Him.

On earth, we're in a constant battle between good and evil. Evil is oh so appealing, and so without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we won’t know which way to go, or actions to take. When we're born again, we start off as babes in the Spirit, and we must actively seek to grow and mature in our walk. The cycle of life is all about growth; that's just the way God created the world. We're not only responsible for our physical and mental growth, but the rate of our Spiritual growth. We're supposed do be growing at a study pace, but it depends upon how much we're seeking the Lord. If He's first in all we do, then growth will come. However, if we're focusing more on pleasing our flesh, and following the ways of the world, then we won't grow at all. I like the way Paul said it in His letter to the Hebrews, it's written: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb. 5:12-14) Take a moment to think about this... Are you still drinking milk, or have you moved up to solid foods?

There are many who’ve confessed Jesus as Lord, but have been in the wilderness for years. They don’t have the proper insight to be able to discern good from evil, because they lack maturity, and aren’t mindful of their decisions and actions. Most of the time we are lead by the world’s ideas of success. I don't know one person who doesn't want to be wealthy, to be able to live without financial stress and strains. I know I would love to live the "good life", so I was a little confused when first I read what Jesus said about the rich man. It's written: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 19:23-24) Just as Jesus’ disciples, I was perplexed when I heard this, so as I read on… When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:25-26) Jesus’ Disciples had indeed left all that they had, their family, jobs, homes, etc., and followed Him, because they craved the "Living Water", and they were willing to do whatever it took to quench their thirst. We must be willing to follow God only, whenever and wherever He leads us.

Many of us spend much more time studying for careers, and working hours upon hours, to build earthly wealth, but spend very little time storing up treasures in Heaven. The first thing that people say when faced faith trouble is, "why me, I do what's right, I work hard, take care of my family, etc.". All of those things are very good, but do you think that's what God wants for your life? He created us for His personal fellowship. Yes, we have to "live" here on earth, so seeking education, careers, and taking care of our family is a necessity, but it isn't a priority, God is! When we make Him our priority, He'll bless us with our every need, want, and desire. He'll bless us with the wisdom to make the right decisions, and take the necessary actions, to build His Kingdom, which we are very much a part of. Today I'm asking you to be more deliberate in weighing your decisions. Ask yourself, what would Jesus do, when it comes to everything in life, and watch how you'll grow.

You have the opportunity to make one of the best decisions of your life right now. Choose God, and take action! If you've accepted Jesus as Lord, but you're still on "milk", seek the wisdom to grow. Make it a point to spend some alone time with God each day, just you and Him. Study His word, pray, and praise Him! If you don't know Jesus as Savior, then pray and ask Him to come into your life. You can find a sample prayer in the God Quiz. Your bank balance, social status, looks, education, or sin level doesn't matter to Him, He only cares about how much you love. It doesn't cost you anything to love; everyone is qualified! My favorite verse today is: The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this quiet Friday-eve. I'm doing well, but my head is spinning, because it's Thursday already. All week it's felt like I've been suspended in time, and there's one thing that needs to be pushed, in order the ball in motion, and it just isn't happening. Patience is a virtue, and definitely a skill that needs to be perfected. Practice makes perfect, and I'm trying my best to be still, but it isn't that easy for me to wait on the Lord to say move, because I’m a busybody. When we walk in the Love of God, faith, hope, and patience goes hand in hand, so we must put each into practice daily. It's written: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1) Whenever I start to lose patience I open the bible, and I usually find a verse or two saying "wait on the Lord", or "hope in the Lord", so I know that's the answer, and I can testify that He's always on time. Continue to keep me in your prayers; I feel a great testimony coming next week. Enjoy the remainder of your evening, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about awaiting Jesus' return. What does it mean to hope for, and await Jesus' return? Every human being has experienced the evils of this world, but the believer knows that there's something better waiting for us when we die. As we grow in our Spirit, we build a closer relationship with God, and start to separate ourselves from the ways of the world. As we experience God's love, we start to long for the day that we would be with Him for all eternity. Each day we can rejoice that we're one step closer to the coming of the Lord.
Eagerly awaiting Jesus’ return has nothing to do with wanting to die, but it's the exact opposite. I don't know many people that say they can't wait to die to go be with the Lord, but I do know people who are so filled with the Spirit that they aren’t afraid of dying. Especially if that means that they'll enter into their final resting place, and be able to fellowship with God face to face. That type of attitude usually comes with Spiritual maturity, because you've spent enough time with God to know who He really is. When you get to this point in your Faith walk, you welcome the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, because you know He brings life in eternal bliss, and relief from the suffering of the world.
The fact that "All things will be made new", was revealed to the Lord's faithful servant John, and Jesus spoke to Him and said: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:3-4) Can you imagine a life with no pain, sickness, or sorrow? We know that as long as we're in the flesh those things are certain, because of the wicked and perverse world we live in.
We have the living Word of God to teach us the truth, and give instruction on how to be prepared for the coming of Jesus. Remember, "we know the day nor the hour", so we must be looking for Him at all times. It's written: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14) According to the Apostle Paul, expecting Jesus' return will help us live Godly lives on purpose. It also helps keep us aware of Jesus' presence now, and to come, which will makes us eager to do "good works".
If you know you had 6 months to live, what would do? I could only speak for what I would do, and to be honest with you, I've thought about that a lot, especially with the AIDS, Swine Flu, and Cancer epidemics. These things don't have a direction, they could happen to anyone. However, we normally discover the disease before we actually die from it, so we have time to prepare for death, and "get our life right". Jesus’ return isn't dated, so we have to be prepared, and waiting on Him at all times. I know it sounds like an urban legend, just something people have been waiting for for over 2,000 years, but it can and will happen. Jesus gave us "The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age", and most are happening today, but He said this is only the beginning, so we still can't know for sure. None of us will be able to predict it, or "get prepared" for it, because He's coming like a "thief in the night".
I urge all of you to look forward to Jesus' return with great joy in knowing that you've "fought a good fight, and are prepared to finish the race". My previous Pastor used to ask this question just about every Sunday, and it's been very sobering for me. He asked: What will Jesus say to you when He appears, "well done good and faithful servant" or "depart from me I do not know you"? I do my best to walk in step with God each day, not only because I don't want to disappoint or let Him down, but also because I want to be a good and faithful servant. I'm by no means perfect, and He has much more work to do in me, but I do know that when you love someone, you want him or her to be pleased with you. Because I love and reverence Him so much, I adamantly repent for my sins, and seek His face daily.
Please don't take this message lightly, because I want to see each of you in Heaven. I make it a point to tell you each day how much He loves you, and how simple it is to receive salvation. Jesus is coming back, but you may physically die before that happens, so what happens then? It's written: We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8) When a believer’s Spirit leaves this body, we will go be with the Lord. But for a unbeliever it's written: The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 13:41-42) These are facts that come from the Word of God and you can choose not to believe them, but I strongly advise against it. Take a few moments to take Dr. Stanley's God Quiz today! My favorite verse today is: Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about overcoming the world, through Jesus Christ. I've heard this statement so many times in the early days of my faith walk, and I always wondered what it meant to “overcome the world”. The more I grow in my Spirit, the more I get it; a little more is revealed to me each day, and it's all proven in the Word of God. The first thing that we should know is that the only way for us to over come the world is to be washed by the blood of Jesus, and then to live by His principles and teachings. Most importantly, we must follow His lead, because He is our Shepherd. Jesus said: "...in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33)

Most believers don’t live as if we have overcome the world, because it's so easy to stay slaves to the flesh, and succumb to temptation. However, we don't have accept the things that the enemy throw at us each day, because we've been freed from the bondage of sin, by the blood of Christ. As long as we focus on these three major things, taught to us by the Apostle Paul, we'll truly be able to live by God’s truth. It's written: And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:13)
No matter what's going on in our life we must have Faith in the almighty Lord. He promised us that the righteous wouldn’t be forsaken, whatever we ask in Jesus' Name will be given, and that He'll supply our every need. We must have Hope in His promises, because hope and faith goes hand and hand. We mustn’t be afraid to dream big, because there's nothing too big for or God. Lastly, but the greatest of them all, we must Love God with all of our heart, as well as love everyone around us. Jesus has done His part, He's already overcome the world, so there's nothing left for us to do but trust in Him.

It's written: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5) Now I want you to stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Breathe in deep through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and then breathe out of your mouth. Now do that two more times. Doesn't that feel better? I want you to understand that letting go, and letting God, is like taking a deep breath, and on that exhale, you're must release all that holds you in bondage. Remember, through Christ you're a new creature. You’re not of this world, but you live by the Spirit, so ALL things are possible.

Yes, we must follow the earthly rules, and respect hierarchy, but we must also understand that what God has built up, no man could tear down. When God has a will for you to complete, He'll make sure you complete it. Your life has been predestined, and He's already worked it all out for your good, your only responsibility is to Love Him. In that love, seek His face, study His Word, and walk in His ways. Try your very best to keep His commandments, but He's quick to forgive when you fall short. Sin is no longer an issue, and resources have never been an issue, because we serve the Alpha and the Omega (Rev 22:13).
You are the only one who could hold you back in life, especially when you lack any of the three most important things, "faith, hope, and love". You are a child of God, which means that you are someone special. You have legion of Angels watching over you, the Holy Spirit guiding you, and the Son of God making intercession for you in Heaven, all you need to do is take advantage of the free gifts of God. When trouble comes knocking at your door, stand up strong and tell the enemy “you have no power over me, I'm more than a conqueror through Christ”. Did you know that it's possible to go through trials and still have joy and peace in your heart, and praise God? The only way to do that is trust in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The first thing you must do is trusts Him with your life. It's time to surrender. Go to God in prayer right now, and confess your sins, and ask Jesus to come into you life as Lord and Savior. Once that's done victory is yours. You can then walk with the authority of Christ, and allow Him to go to work in your life. Don’t misconstrue this message, because most of these things aren’t easy to do, and we'll struggle with the flesh our entire life. Nonetheless, each day we trust in the Lord, the struggle gets a bit easier, until the enemy's attacks seem like a small annoyance, rather than these life changing catastrophes that we make every trial out to be. To make this possible, you have to completely surrender, and allow Him to do His work. My favorite verses today are: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. (Philippians 2:15)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today's scriptures are about God’s protection of those He loves. When we’re protecting, or being protected, there are certain steps we must take in order to stay safe and taken care of. God offers us protection from not only the evils of the world, but protection from ourselves. The commandments He gave us, through Moses, were all designed to protect us. He gave us laws of integrity, which teaches us to carry higher standards. Most importantly, He commanded us to love Him first, and allow Him to do the rest. He's our Heavenly Father, so for Him to say, “trust Me and I'll protect you”, means a lot. When we're born again, or confess Jesus as our Savior, we became babes in Christ, and just as a parent would protect their child, that's how God protects us. When we start off on our journey with Him, He holds our hand, feeds and nourishes us with the right knowledge and understanding, until we mature enough to stand on our own. Even then, He's with us every step of the way, so when we do fall, He's there to pick us up, dust us off, and get us back on the right path. He's such a wonderful and loving Father, and because of that He gives us choices. He gives us instructions on how to live life, the Holy Spirit for guidance, and the blood of Jesus for forgiveness, but continues to leave it up to us to use those resources. It's written: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. (Matt. 18:1-5) Humility comes to mind when I read this passage of scripture, because Jesus laid it all out for us right here. All we have to do is become as little children, and we'll be considered the greatest, of God's chosen, in Heaven. Look at life in the eyes of a child, they're so carefree, joyful, and full of life. They have this undeniable innocence about them, and they never worry about anything. They look for the good in all things, and use their imagination to take them to wonderful places. They rely on, and trust in their parents’ protection, without a care in the world. Now I know what you must be thinking, but Jesus isn't asking us to be oblivious to the dangers of the world, because He also said: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matt. 10:16) He’s simply asking us to trust in our Heavenly Father, stop worrying about things we can't control, and as long as we do these with a humbled heart, we won't have a care in the world. Do you realize the magnitude of the power of Christ? We can do all things through Christ, because His power lives inside of us. Just as you did when you were a child, dream of your best life in Christ, and ask for His guidance to get you there. When you put your faith and hope in Him, He'll take you where you need be, giving you protection against the enemy along the way. The enemy will always try to steal that childlike innocence Jesus is referring to, but when we stay in the presence of the Lord, He'll rebuild all that the enemy attempts to tear down. Notice the keywords today like trust, hope, faith, and humility, because they're all necessary to receive the full coverage of God’s protection. Think of it this way, when you buy a car, it's equipped with door locks and an alarm system, to keep thieves from stealing it, but if we don't lock the doors, and activate the alarm, it's wide open, and the thief can just get in and drive away. Your car will eventually be replaced, if you have insurance, but it’s just the hurtful process it takes to get the replacement. We wake up each day to a God with open arms, ready to receive us, but it's up to us to welcome that embrace, and hold on tight. Jesus is the bond that brings us together with God, so you need Him before you could have that full embrace. Get to know Him, and the condition of your salvation, by taking the God Quiz today. My favorite verses today are: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. (Psalms 37:23-24)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the staying power of the Lord. I can't get enough of verses like these, because it's always good to be reassured of the love of God. When we're in long-term relationships with people, we still expect them to tell us that they love us, no matter what. Although we may know that this person loves us, we still need to hear it. I come from a very affectionate family, and my mom told us she loved us all day, everyday. When we were leaving a room, finishing a phone conversation, going to bed at night, she made sure she didn't leave our presence without saying I love you. I've met lots of people who didn’t have that type of relationship with their parents, and they still suffer from it in adult hood. There are many relationships and marriages that suffer because of a lack of affection, or constantly communicating the love between them. If love is that important in our lives with each other, how important must it be to God? After all, God is Love. Each time we open the bible, our Spirit will reassure us of the love of God. It's written throughout the Word, and is the meant to be what our relationship with Him is based upon. His love is unlike anything we could receive from another person, but it's more than a thousand times magnified. He loves us unconditionally, and it's called Agape love, and can never be broken. Which assures us that He will always stay with us, even through all Eternity. This should give us the hope that we need to love as God loves. Paul wrote: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5) God not only loves us, but He pours His love into us by the Holy Spirit, which will ensure that He stays with us everyday of our life. There's nothing we can do to escape it, and I don't see any reason why we should want to. The next time you're feeling overwhelmed with guilt because of sin, you now have the wisdom to be able to overcome that, by simply confessing and repenting for your sins. Whenever you feel like you're not good enough, know that the Love of God makes you good enough. The next time you feel like life is just too much, and you can't take another step, try taking a step out on Jesus' love, because He's been with you all the time. If you don't know Him as Lord and Savior, then get to know Him today. If you haven't already, take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)

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