Daily Devotional Day & Night

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

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about serving the Lord with humility of mind. I didn’t read today’s passage, before I wrote the opening paragraph. Isn’t it awesome how the Holy Spirit works?! This leads me right into what we’re discussing today, serving God with humility of mind. What does this mean in the life of the believer? It means for us to know that it’s not us, but God who’s doing all of the work in our lives. God grows everything in our life at its proper time—there’s a time to sow, and a time to reap what has been sown. We must keep that in mind in our day to day life. There’s nothing by chance, and God is always in control. When there’s a calling on your life, take heed, because He won’t stop until He gets what He needs from you. He’ll bless you with as much “stuff” as you need to successfully achieve what He’s set out for you. He’ll also remove as many things from your life as necessary.

We have a bad habit of thinking that our life is in our hands, and the positive things, and growth that happens in our life, strictly comes from our hard work and determination. Unfortunately, that is a horrible way of thinking, and I urge you to stop right here, and turn that around. Praise God, because He didn’t have to allow you to be where you are. At the same time, when doors are closed, and things just don’t seem to go the way you planned, praise God, because He has something better for you. He’s setting you up to receive a great amount of wisdom, through your circumstance, and He’s never through with you. You should worry if He isn’t chastising you, because that means He’s put you up on a shelf. When that happens, it’s up to you to find your way back to that close relationship, through repentance and lots of one on one time with Him.

We often tell people who become successful in life, not to “forget where you came from”, because your past has made you who you are. There are so many people who were great Servants of God, and when blessed with an abundance of earthly gifts, they forget who they came from. There are many leaders who have hardened their heart, because either their role became a bit overwhelming and stressful, or they forget to give it all to God. When that happens, they start relaying on their natural self to solve problems. That can happen to anyone, especially the ones who think that it’ll never happen to them. People say that you can tell when someone comes from “new money”, maybe by winning the lottery, or gaining fame and fortune seemingly overnight. Those are the people who don’t know how to act, because they’re newly rich. Well there are some Christians who have just grown into the “teenage” stage of their faith walk. You know how we get to a certain age and think we know it all, but we don’t. We walk around all “holier than thou”, and think that we’re the best Christian walking. We start to judge other people, because we think that we have it all together. I remember that stage, and it happened not too long ago. God quickly shut me down every time. I can remember convicting someone for what they were doing, and God tested me with the same exact situation, and I failed each time. He truly taught (and is still teaching) me humility. I must say, I’m so grateful for those lessons.

The most important lesson in living in humility is to know that everything isn’t for everybody. We understand that we need to stop comparing ourselves to the growth of our brothers and sisters, asking God why we aren’t where they are. We must learn how to stop asking “why me”, and ask “why not me”. I don’t know how many people say “I’m 30 years old so I need to be here, or I’m almost 40 and I need to be at this point in my life”. It’s okay to set goals, but you have to remember that everything works in God’s perfect timing. We must stay in the mind frame of Jesus, when He prayed, “Not my will, but your will be done”. It’s only by Him that you live and breathe, and He’s behind all things. As long as you’re doing your best to live right, and walk according to His Word, He blesses you with everything you need. It’s written: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Cor. 12:4-6). (I love what Paul teaches in this passage entitled “Concerning Spiritual Gifts”.)

Do you know Jesus, I mean really know Jesus? If you answered no, or not really, then spend some time with Him. You’ll find that Jesus was the most humble man you’ll know. He lived the life of a common servant, but had the mind and attitude of a King. Keep that in mind when you’re trying to find your way through life. You are a lowly servant of God, and serving Him is all that matters, everything else is vanity. However, you are joint heir to the throne of God, so you are royalty, and everyone who looks at you will know it, without really knowing it. If you want to learn more about becoming an heir to the throne, take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. (Luke 17:10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this beautiful Friday-eve. I’m doing well, looking forward to the weekend, which will be action packed. It’s going to be fun to be taken back to my childhood. I think every adult loves to relive or capture pieces of his or her youth. Some men do it by playing video games, collecting baseball cards or collectable cars, etc, and some women like to get together with their girlfriends to shop, dress up, do hair and makeup, and gossip. It’s important to keep that joyful heart about you, and there’s nothing wrong with capturing apart of your youth, every now and then. If you haven’t had a carefree day, then treat yourself to a day of pampering, go to an arcade, or go dancing. Remember to live life to the fullest, laugh often, dance as if no one’s watching, and cast your cares upon the Lord in daily prayer. Today we celebrate Veteran’s day here in America, and I want to thank all of the men and women in service, past, present, and future; God bless you! You are appreciated, because without you, American freedom wouldn’t be possible. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about being led by the Lord. As humans, we’re always being led by something, whether it’s a career or educational goal, a love interest, religion, fear, culture, or anything else that could control our thinking. In the bible we’re likened to sheep, because we have a “heard” mentality. We’re prone to follow a leader, yet we need that leadership in order to stay on a path. Before God created us, He knew exactly what we’d be put here to do, but He still gave us the freedom to choose Him. He gave us salvation through Jesus Christ, as well the Holy Spirit to help us follow His way. Jesus was created to be the Leader of all God’s children, and so He lived His life according to the ways and will of God. He led a perfectly righteous life, because He had to lead by example.

Jesus said: “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (John 12:44-46 NIV) When we follow the leadership if Jesus, we’re not only following Him, but we’re following the will of God. Jesus is a part of God, and still lives, sitting at His right hand, today. The things that He taught over two thousand years ago are still relevant today. Technology, culture, and even religion have changed tremendously, but the Word of God will be the same now and forever more.

Jesus went on to say: “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” (John 12: 47-50) The best way to stay focused on Jesus, and follow His lead, is to understand that He was in fact God in the flesh. Everything He did and said was given to Him by the ultimate Leader, and the Creator of all things. Rest assured in knowing that there’s no condemnation in Jesus Christ, so to follow Him is to have life, and to deny His is to experience death.

God sent Jesus to free us from the bondage of sin [and darkness], and bring us into His light. Through Him we learn how to live in the Spirit, while still in the flesh. We also learned how to strive for righteousness without the pressures of perfection. Jesus taught us how to be human, accept our mistakes, and do our best to change them. He never wanted to condemn us, but to uplift and strengthen us to the point where we can follow God’s will with a clean heart and right Spirit. Jesus lived, but lived in a way where He could never have been called anything less than the Son of God. He showed His love openly without judgment, and also shared it with anyone in need. What better way is there to live than that?

We are in need of some strong leaders in today’s society, which reminds me of the story about the compassion of Jesus. Jesus had traveled all over His town healing people. It started with only a few, and He told these few not to tell anyone, but of course they didn’t listen. When the word got out, people came from everywhere, just to catch a glimpse of Him, in hopes that they would be healed. It’s written: But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt 9:36-38) We must continue to pray for Laborers for God’s harvest, because there are so many people in this world suffering, but they don’t know what to do, or how to do it. Sometimes all it takes is for them to see Christ through us, just as Christ made sure that everyone He came in contact with saw the Father in Him.

I love you because God first loved me. I wouldn’t have been able to write that, and truly mean it, if it wasn’t for the leadership of Jesus Christ. He takes good care of me, so that I can show you great care, even if it’s just through an inspiration e-mail, a hug, or lending an ear when you need one. I can tell you from personal experience that I was stuck in the wilderness for a long time, looking for answers to my strife, but I wasn’t looking in the right places. It wasn’t until I sought out the love of God, through Jesus Christ, that I was really able to understand that there is a better way. When I started to read about the life of Christ, I understood that God does have love for the fallen, weary, stragglers, and sinners. Jesus taught me that no matter what I’ve done, or may do in the future, God will forgive me and show me a better way, and all I have to do is follow His lead—that’s where true freedom lies. If you want to experience that freedom, but don’t know Jesus, then take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. (Psalm 5:8)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the Shepherd to the Sheep. Why is Jesus often referred to as our Shepherd? Most importantly, why are we often referred to as His sheep? Well thanks to some research, I've found that sheep are often "prey" animals. They have the natural instinct to follow the leader, usually travel in crowds, and they often panic when faced with stressful situations, based on their "herd mentality". They aren’t considered the brightest of the animals, but their smart enough to know how to follow the right path laid out for them. According to this, and other sources, sheep are similar to humans, especially when it comes to our culture. We do tend to "herd" like sheep, and we succumb to the most popular trend.
The Shepherd is a person appointed to lead the sheep. He familiarizes himself with them, by constantly caring for them, so that they would trust him enough to follow. The Shepherd is usually a confident leader, and commands the attention of the sheep. He’s been appointed to the flock, to make sure that they get from one destination to the other safely. He allows the sheep to roam freely, because they're often good at following the direction of the leader, until they're lead astray by a predator, or another strong-minded sheep. Jesus is referred to as our Shepherd because He offers everything we need to make it to our destination safely. He'll provide living water, food for our souls, and protection from predators, so all we have to do is follow.
The enemy is always looking for an opportunity to attack us, and he does it in any type of way. If we lose sight of our Shepherd, then we also leave ourselves open to those attacks, which could ultimately lead to our destruction, or we'll fall victim to the ways of the world and succumb to the flesh.
When we are in this world with no leadership, or guidance, we're lost. We tend to do things that aren't becoming of us, and fall into bad habits, because we know no other way. We don't have the positive leadership, nor can we see clearly the road ahead, so we maintain the best way we know how. I remember being in that very dark place, not too long ago. I can remember having no sense of direction or purpose, and not knowing my left from my right. The parable of the Lost Sheep helped me out tremendously! Jesus said: “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." (Matt 18:11-14) The day I read this scripture for the first time, in Joyce Meyer's book "Be Anxious for Nothing", it was one of the brightest spots in my life, because at that time I truly felt the love of God. The Holy Spirit allowed it to resonate in my heart, and I learned that just because I was lost, Jesus never stopped looking for me. When I finally found my way back home, God and all of Heaven rejoiced at my return. I was that one important sheep! There was never a time when He wasn't looking for me, or knocking at my door waiting on me to answer. He's always waiting with open arms, because He's been given the awesome job of being our Shepherd, and He doesn't take that job lightly.
He doesn’t lead us like dogs with leashes, but we're allowed to journey with Him and make our own choices, because He trust us love Him enough to follow His familiar voice. He offers salvation, and is slow to anger and quick to forgive, because we need to be able to trust and rely on our leader to be there no matter what. Jesus is the true and highest Shepherd of all mankind. He earned our trust by the lifestyle He lead, and the sacrifice He made for us. I don't know about, but I will follow anyone who loved me enough to give up His life for me. Someone who never sinned, was always honest and true, and but sacrificed it all for a sinner like me, and asked for nothing but love in return.
When you stray, the enemy's best attack is to make you feel guilty for your sins, worthless, and shameful for your transgressions, so much so, you feel like you're not worthy of God's blessings, or Jesus’ gift of Salvation. The enemy leaves you feeling empty inside, which causes you to not only fear God to a point where you stop communicating with Him, but also hide from Him when He's calling you. All of these things can be overcome by simply returning home, asking God for forgiveness of your sins, with a heart of repentance, and accepting that forgiveness for what it is, a clean slate. He's done that for me, on numerous occasions, because He's the God of the second, third, forty-ninth, or fiftieth chance. No matter how much you stray, if you come to Him with a humble heart, He'll always forgive you, and welcome you back home. God loves you; it's just as simple as that. It grieves His heart to see you in pain, or to know that you're lost in the wilderness trying to find your way home. If that’s you, consider this your call home; He's waiting to hear from you. If you don't know Jesus, start there first. My favorite verses today are: I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:14,27-28)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another rainy day. It's a perfect day for being lazy, lying on the couch watching a movie; I wish I had the day off. I pray the rain will stop for the game tomorrow night. There's nothing like sitting on some metal bleachers in the cold rain for 2-3 hours. Gonzaga will face DeMatha under the "Friday Night Lights", at the PG Sports and Learning Complex, at 7pm. This is going to be an interesting game because DeMatha is undefeated for the season. They have a huge team, but I think Gonzaga could take them; it's a classic story of the underdog coming out victorious. Let's hope the boys play with heart and have fun, but most importantly everyone stays safe, so please keep them in prayer. You can see highlights, and different information on the season at http://www.dcsportsfan.com/Sports/Football/default.aspx. I'm happy the game isn't on Saturday, so I'm looking forward to a peaceful weekend. Grandma is still in the hospital, but doing well, please continue to keep her in your prayers. Have a wonderful day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about Repentance. When we think of ways we should conduct ourselves as Christians, words like righteous, humble, meek, grateful, thankful, and contrite come to mind. Repentance is defined: a.) To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite. b.) To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins. Growing up in the church the Pastor said if you sin, ask for forgiveness in Jesus' Name, and you will be forgiven. I remember hearing the word repent, but I never knew what it meant, until years later. Confessing, asking for forgiveness, and repenting are all necessary to be forgiven for our sins. Confessing the fact that you’re a sinner shows your meekness before God. Remember when you got in trouble as a kid, and your mom said "if you only tell the truth..."? Surely our punishment was less severe if we confessed our wrongdoing. Asking for forgiveness is a humbling act, because we're acknowledging that we fell short, and need God’s help. Lastly, repentance is the most important step, because we're telling God, “I know I did this bad thing, I feel horrible about it, and I will try my best not to do it again”. It's a commitment to change your ways, because Jesus said, "You are forgiven, but go and sin no more". Going back to the execution of the DC Sniper yesterday, I asked a few people how they felt about it, and read a few articles about the reaction of people around the area. The most common reaction was that people thought Mr. Mohammed deserved to die, because he didn't feel any remorse about his actions. Could you now see why repentance is so important, because we’re dealing with God? How could we, with a clear conscience go out Saturday, party and drink all night, then get up Sunday morning and ask for forgiveness then head out to church? You could do that, and be forgiven, but not if you plan to go out and do the same thing next weekend. Please don't get caught up in thinking that fornication, drunkenness, fear, lying etc. is okay because everybody is doing it, and the flesh is weak. If you find yourself thinking that you're better then John Mohammed, or any other murderer, thief, liar or cheater, then you're wrong, because a sinner is a sinner. Jesus said, "He who is without sin cast the first stone". The good news is the blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed us, Hallelujah! God will forgive anyone who asks, in Jesus' Name, but do so humbly. It's written in Luke 15:7: I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. God hates sin, but He understands that it happens. The Holy Spirit lives in our heart, and He convicts us whenever we sin. If we're in tune with Him, then we'll automatically feel bad when we sin, but it's up to us to move toward righteousness. I don't want you to be discouraged, because we all sin, but repentance is the key to being forgiven, and moving on to a better life. Sin is the reason we're stuck in the wilderness, so when we start to understand that Righteousness come from the Lord, and not from how many checks you write to charity, or hours you volunteer at the church. Jesus Christ is the Key to moving on to brighter days, and living in abundance. Sin is the only reason we disconnect from God, but the simple act of confessing and repenting cleans us white as snow. Salvation is free, and it's a simple prayer away. Conversations with God are necessary, to build a wonderful physical and Spiritual life! Repentance is necessary to keep that relationship at its peak. My favorite verses today are: Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me. Turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually. (Psalms 40:12-13)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this rainy hump day. I'm doing well, a little tired, but overall feeling pretty good. I’m in a bit of a sullen mood today, after hearing the news of the John Mohammed’s execution. I know the punishment fit the crime, but I can't help but feel sad for the lost of yet another life. I agree with his ex-wife when she said that someone should've listened to her, and offered some help when she complained about the abuse and her fears of him. There are more harsh punishments for theft and robbery, then domestic abuse. Our system needs to be overhauled, and we need to spend more time being proactive when women and their families complain about domestic violence. It's something that I'm really passionate about, and I pray that she will be able to build a strong campaign, and make some real changes in the lives of the victims, as well as bring light to mental illnesses of the offenders. Please pray for his family, and the family of the victims, because everyone is mourning. Have a wonderful evening, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about God's guidance. We're all created for a reason, God laid out a plan for our lives. How do you determine what God's will is for your life? He promised to lead us every step of the way. He's given us The Holy Spirit as our Helper and personal guide through life, a GPS of sorts. However, with any tool, we must learn how to properly use it, before it'll be any use to us. With our Holy Spirit, we must learn to listen to His quiet still voice, because if we're not careful we'll miss the warning signs. On earth, we have leadership in place that's called the Government, but it's up to us to follow that leadership. If we don't follow what’s set in place, then our Country would in disarray and chaos. We elect Government Officials because we think that they could lead us in the right direction. God is our Spiritual "Government", and wants us to have the best out of life, and has laid the paths that we should follow to get it. When we're stuck in the darkness of sin, it's hard to stay on the road of righteousness and follow His lead. In a lot of cases we hear the warning signs, but choose to ignore them. I'm personally learning how to wholly follow His lead. I still stray, even at this level in my Faith walk, but I'm learning how to "listen to God" more everyday. At one time, my prayer life consisted of reciting my wish list, as if He was Santa Claus, but I had a hard time listening to His answers. As I learned more about Him, and started to spend more time studying and meditating, I learned how to recognize the "gut-feelings', and discern between the good and bad voices in my head. I'm starting to learn from those "I told you so moments" as well. For example, I had a business meeting recently, and before this meeting, I had a horrible gut feeling. However, this meeting was an opportunity to do some great things for the Kingdom of God. The closer I got to the place of the meeting, my Holy Spirit started actively yelling don't do it, but in my excitement, I convinced myself that it was "the right thing to do". After all I wasn't sinning against God, I was actually doing something that He told me to do. I was following His leadership, but I had slightly moved ahead of Him. Now, I'm about to face some legal issues, because I followed what “I” wanted. I temporarily stopped following God's leadership. Here's my warning to you, "Everything that glitters isn't gold". When the enemy knows you're about to hit a major breakthrough for God, he'll do whatever it takes to get you off of the path. It is so important to seek God in prayer and through His Word, but it's equally important to intently listen, meditate and look for His guidance. Heed the warning signs, because when God leads you, everything will work out perfectly. He doesn't work on the world's system, so everything may not make sense at that moment, but trust and believe that He will never steer you wrong. He expects us to take some wrong turns, so He equipped us with our "Spiritual GPS" to help us get back on the right path, as well as forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb. Pray and ask for wisdom and discernment, because those are the two most important things needed to adequately follow God's leadership. Some of our mistakes are costly, but it's nothing that He can't handle. Proverbs 2 teaches us the "Value of Wisdom", take a few moments to read it, and apply it to your life. Search for God in all things, and He will show up. Pray without ceasing, and He will answer your prayer. Walk as if He's walking right next to you, because He is. If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you're traveling through life without a Spiritual GPS, and that’s very, very dangerous. We so often run into tough times and say to ourselves "If I had only listened..." God speaks to us in so many different ways, but when we don't "abide in Him and He in us" we will miss each one. Say a prayer inviting Jesus into your life, and then get to know God on a personal basis. My favorite verse today is: Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. (Psalms 5:8)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek. I'm doing well, looking forward to another wonderful week. I had a great weekend, and really enjoyed the football game on Saturday. The Gonzaga Eagles beat St. Johns 35-36, and it was a nail-biter. We were on our feet most of the 4th quarter. The first playoff game this weekend, I'm not sure whom they'll be playing yet, but I'll keep you updated. Yesterday was such a beautiful day; I got my dad and brother out on the basketball court. We had such a good time, they are so lucky I've been having knee issues, or I would've blown both of them out of the water (probably not, but I would've a little done better). I made some stuffed Tilapia, which was part of a lovely Sunday dinner. Needless to say, I'm a little tired after the weekend, but it was worth it. I saw my Grandmother over the weekend, she wasn't feeling well, please continue to keep her in your prayers, she’s back in the hospital, but is doing well. The Reverend at my church was diagnosed with Pneumonia over six months ago, and is still affected by it, so it could be a long process to get it out of the lungs. Please pray for Rev. Laura as well. Have a wonderful day, and be blessed!

Today's scriptures are about God as Jesus. There is only one true God, but He was broken into the Holy Trinity, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each of these branches does a different job, yet they're all God. There was a time when God came to earth in human form, and called Himself Jesus. He came to accomplish a number of different things, from teaching us how to live righteously with a humbled heart of a servant, to dying on the cross as sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was more than just a man; He was the Lamb of God. He followed His will, and was obedient in every way. From the manner in which He spoke, to the way in which He loved, He was the radiant essence of the All-powerful God. He used that power to heal, feed, uplift, and strengthen His followers. He was the most selfless human being to ever walk the earth. We all know that the flesh is weak, and is all about instant gratification, so it allows us to be tempted every second of the day. Jesus wasn't exempt from those trails and tribulations, yet He overcame them all. He got overwhelmed at times, especially right before His crucifixion, so much so that even He, The Son of Man, had to seek strength through prayer. On that night, He and two of His disciples went away to pray: Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” ...He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” He came back and found His disciples sleeping and He told them: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ...Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” A third time, He came back and they were sleeping: So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. (Full story Matthew 26:36-46) We all face trying time in life, but Jesus is our Savior, and has made sure that we could overcome them. We must follow His example and pray without ceasing, especially when faced with troubling times. Jesus, being in the flesh and of the Spirit, knew what lied ahead. His flesh wanted to delivered from this horrendous act, but His Spirit was willing take it on, so God’s Will would be done. It's okay to be afraid, and get weary, but it's not okay to succumb to our weaknesses and fear, because God is in control, and we must be obedient until death. Jesus lives in our Heart, and He was God in the flesh. If we have a Helper in the Holy Spirit who is God, Salvation through Jesus Christ who is also God, then how much power do we really have? Freedom from sin is equivalent to raw Spiritual power to overcome the world. Are you using all of your power? Don't suffer in your flesh alone, but endure and overcome it with the power of Jesus Christ. Salvation is the first step, say your prayers now, don’t be caught sleeping. My favorite verses today are: Who made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. (Philippians 2:7-9)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone and you're enjoying this cool Friday-eve. I'm doing well, feeling a little better today, but not 100%. I'm grateful to be able to be here at work, and I know it could be worst. I just pray that I don't get anyone else sick, and am able to get back in the gym soon. I can't believe Thursday is coming to a close already this week has flown by. You know what this means? My birthday is quickly approaching! Just a few gift hints; I'm in terrible need of an IPod, and/or a Spa package at a local Day Spa. Restaurant gift certificates are always welcomed as well. My birthday isn't until next Sunday the 20th, so you still have time to order or go out and get something (just and FYI) . On a serious note, I'm very grateful to see another year, and am looking forward to the wisdom that comes along with age, God has been very good to me, and I'm looking forward to many more years of service. My cousin Calvin Jr. would've been celebrating his 18th birthday tomorrow, on September 11th, so please keep his family in your prayers, I’m sure he’s celebrating in Heaven. Happy Birthday Lil Calvin aka Doodyman, I love you!

Today's scriptures are about God's guidance of His chosen ones. Did you know that you were called to greatness? Well you are, and God has called you to be the best at whatever you've been placed here to do. This puts me in mind of Moses, and the great task he had to free all of the captive slaves of Israel. Moses wasn't a powerful man, he was a regular person like you and I, but God taught him His ways as he went along. For example, in Exodus chapter 14, God wanted Moses to take the Slaves across the Red sea, and Moses didn't have a raft, boat, kayak, or anything. All he had was God's word, and his rod (walking stick). Pharaoh came after the escaped slaves, and when they saw him coming, the people started to panic, and in Exodus 14:13-14: Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” This is something that we can learn a lot from. Go speaks to us all the time, and teaches us His ways. He gives us extraordinary things to do yet we get sidetracked because all we see are the consequences or sometimes danger that come with these things. We rarely look at the fact that the Lord is fighting for us, and we should be still and hold our peace. That's such valuable wisdom to hold on to. There are so many other valuable stories in the bible, of great and fearless leaders, that God had given great wisdom. He needs us to be meek and humble enough to seek and wait on His guidance, yet faithful enough to follow through with His commands. All week we've discussed listening to God, and seeking His wisdom first. He has the answer to every question we have, and will provide us with every tool we’ll need to do our job successfully. Moses asked God why they had to cross over the Red sea and He told him in 14:4, "so that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” All Moses had to do in this case was follow God's instructions, so when God said, "Raise your Rod", Moses raised it, and the Lord did exactly what He said He would do. I was lead to read Roman 4 last night, and Paul wrote about another great man of the Old Testament, Abraham. God lead Abraham to do some pretty remarkable things as well, and Paul mentions it in detail throughout chapter 4. He wrote in verses 20-22: He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” I urge you to seek ye first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness, and allow Him to lead you on the paths to complete His will for your life. When you're called to do something, stop relying on your own abilities and understanding, and allow God to lead you each step of the way. If you're not doing what you know He's called you to do, then you're being disobedient, and you won't find peace until you heed His call. I promise you that you don't have to go at it alone, because you have the Trinity to help you through. God will never leave you nor forsake you, and if you don't believe me, try Him for yourself. Fear will keep us in bondage as long as well allow it to, so break free, and step out on God's promises for your life. Do you know Jesus for yourself? If your answer is no, then that's the first step to Spiritual growth. Jesus is the key that unlocks your bondage. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior, and humble yourself. Pray and tell God that you're a sinner, and how much you need Him, then allow Him to lead, and you follow. I promise you won't regret it. My favorite verses today are: Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. (Psalms 25:8-10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another hump day. I'm doing well; today has been a good day. I can't complain, just experiencing some allergy issues, but other than that, everything is great. Since I've been going to the gym, I've had more energy, and an overall better attitude. I'm anxious to start cooking professionally again, I miss being in the kitchen, don't forget, if you're in the DC area to spread the word, that Divine Cuisine is open and ready for business. I've had a few proposals since the tasting, but nothing concrete. I need to find a better way to market and advertise. The drive is there, the skill is there, but sharing that knowledge with the right people is the problem. Please continue to pray for the growth of Divine Cuisine, I'm ready to go, but am also patiently waiting on the Lord. Have a wonderful day!

Today's scriptures are about being lead by God. Did you know you're predestined for greatness? Well you were created for a purpose, and God will make sure that you have everything He's promised to you, all you have to do is follow His lead. Yesterday we spoke about the Holy Spirit, our Helper, which aides us in our Faith walk. He's responsible for communicating with us, to let us know which ways to go in life. God instilled Himself in our hearts, to help us live the life He intends for us to live. He's given us the Holy Bible as a handbook, with stories of regular people who both followed His will, and ones who were blatantly disobedient, in hopes that we would learn from them. We don't always listen to Him, and I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t. You ever come to a fork in the road, and had to choose right or left, and you choose left, even though your Spirit was screaming at you to go right? As soon as you make that mistake and have to suffer the consequences, your first response is "Something told me to go the right instead of left, I should've listen to my gut". Well that "Something told me..." is God guiding you through life. There are some things that we have to suffer through as a refining process, but a lot of times we put ourselves through unnecessary heartache and pain, just by not listening to our "gut" (Spirit). Just as the children of Israel walked around that mountain for 40 years, because of their disobedience, He had to test them until He was sure that they would keep His commandments. God sent them a leader to show them exactly how to get to the promise land, but because they followed their fleshly wants and desires, instead of following God, they wasted 40 years (Deut. 8:2). He understands the type of temptations we're up against, this is why we have Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, to keep us in His will. Every step we take He has an input, even down to everyday things like household chores, or taking a walk after work. There are times when I'm in the kitchen cooking, and maybe I'm rushing, I may hear Him say "slow down before you cut yourself", or "Be careful your fire's up too high". I've learned to take heed to His voice, because when He says "slow down", and I respond "but God I have to get this done" and keep on moving, sure enough I cut myself, and lose more time than I would've if I'd just slowed down. He's always involved in our greater decisions like, who we should be date or marry, or what house or car we should buy, etc, but it's the little things that amount to the big things. God has an interest in every aspect of your lives because He loves us that much. As well as, He has a job for us to complete on earth, remember we're hear to help strengthen His kingdom. He never intended us to go at it alone, because we're human we have no power in the flesh, hence the reason He gave His Son for our redemption, and sent us a Helper through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20: “…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Why would God give us such a great task without leadership and guidance? Would you expect a 1st grader to do geometry? They cannot without being taught and lead step by step? Jesus is standing with us right now, waiting on us to take that next step, and He'll go with us, helping us jump the hurdles that will come our way. The Holy Spirit is in our heart interpreting God's words, and gives us His step-by-step instructions. Our only job is to learn how to discern between the voice of God, and the voice of the enemy, because he's working to make us stray from the path of righteousness, but “Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You ever heard the saying "everything that looks good, isn't always good for you"? Well he's going to tempt you with some good-looking things, but be careful to listen for God's still small voice, and you could conquer the world. If you don't know Jesus then you must start there, confessing your sins, and asking Him to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Sin is our biggest hindrance in following God's leadership. If you feel like you're too far off of that Path, you couldn't be more wrong, God is waiting on you to fall back in step. Go to Him in prayer, confess and repent for your sins, ask Him for help, and follow His lead. He’s waiting on you. My favorite verse today is: Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness; ... make thy way straight before my face. (Psalms 5:8)

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