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)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455579&dtype=Scripture
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http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful "hump day". I'm doing well, and appreciating the beautiful weather we're having toward the end of the summer season. I was thinking about cooking and food as a whole today. I was wondering how my fire went out, and why I haven't had the desire to create lately. When I first graduated from culinary school, I was on fire, and ready to cook every day, now not so much. I know it's one of my gifts, and a part of my life’s calling, because I still light up when I'm around food. I wonder why something, that was once a strong light in our life, dies out. Have you ever had that happen to you? If so, how do you light the fire again? My guess would be to evaluate past events and try to discover where the disconnection happened, to better reconnect. I would also suggest surrounding yourself with the things you love, and take things one step at a time. I hadn't really given it much thought, until a certain question was posed to me earlier today. Life happens, and God has reasons for everything, but the enemy also has a hand in distracting us. One of his main objectives is to steal our joy! I've decided, right here and right now, that I'm not going to let that happen! Please keep me in your prayers, because I'd like to rekindle the lost flame of an old love. I challenge you, if you feel like something's missing in your life, to actively seek that missing link, and rekindle the old flames, that brought positive light into your life. Never stop dreaming! Enjoy the remainder of your day family, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about Jesus bringing us up out of the pit. I love the Lord! I'm rejoicing because of what’s been revealed to me through these verses of scripture. I'm so grateful for the Love of Christ, because it cannot be compared to the love of anyone else. Jesus loved us despite our flaws, faults, or anything that we've done in the past. Not only does He love us through them, but He pulls us up during the lowest points of our life, and gives us victory! I have so many testimonies, and I'm happy to share them with anyone who's willing to listen. There's nothing wrong with being human and making mistakes, and as long as God understands and forgives us, that's all that matters. He has promised to pull us out of the pits of life, and when we fall down, He'll pick us up and dust us off, and I trust Him to do just that.

Life is this series of ups and downs, good and bad, highs and lows, and there's nothing much we could do about it. It's been that way from the beginning of time, because of sin and corruption. Mankind has been its own worst enemy, and because of it, many have been destroyed. Until the selfless act of Jesus Christ! He's changed the face of sin, forgiveness, and salvation forever. He's freed us from destruction, because we are unable to free ourselves. God is righteousness, and He wants us to be righteous. We fear Him, because He's our Heavenly Father, and He will do whatever it takes to makes sure that we have all that He's meant to give us in this life. At the same time, when we continually disobey Him, we will experience His wrath. He created us for Himself, so He won't stand for our wickedness and total disobedience.
Thank God for Jesus Christ, because closer to the beginning of time, people were destroyed when they utterly disobeyed Him. At one time, God got so fed up with mankind, that He destroyed all flesh, except the one in whom He took favor. It's written: Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Gen 6:5-8) Things were so bad, and people sinned against God so much, that He decided to wipe the slate clean and start all over. He gave man a choice from the start, yet everything that He gave to them out of love, they turned it into evil. Even though a man as righteous as Noah was saved, and procreated, which ultimately replenished the earth, the enemy still runs rampart, promoting sin, by controlling all who allows him.
After this unfortunate event, God was so grieved by the great lost of His creation, that He made a covenant. It's written: "Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (Gen. 9:11) He has kept that covenant until this day, and we have proof of that from the rainbows we often see, after the rain. It's written: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (Gen. 9:13) Here we are, over 2000 years later, He's not only kept His promise, but He’s offered us a way out of sin, and a life of wickedness and deceit forever. He freed us from the bondage of the enemy, which was responsible for keeping us in the pit for so long.
It irritates me when people use the devil as an excuse to freely disobey God. You know the famous quote "The devil made me do it"? I have to be honest with you, or my writing would be in vain. You now have a choice! The enemy can persuade you to stray, but it's written: You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) We have more power than we give ourselves credit for, but it's important for us not to allow our flesh to dictate our walk with God. I'll be the first to admit that it's easy to get the lines crossed, because the enemy romanticizes the dark road, to make it seem like the better choice. Jesus has made it possible for us to never have to walk on that dark road again. I for one choose Him each day, because I've been down that dark road. It's scary, confusing, lonely, and painful, and I don't want to go there ever again. Thanks to Jesus Christ, I never have to; a person will only go down that road if they choose to.
If you've accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, you have the Holy Spirit's guidance, so don't fret. If you read some of the stories in the Old Testament of the Bible, you'll learn that the wrath of God is something that you don't want to ever experience. He only wants what's best for us, so He took on the sin of the world, by sacrificing His own Son. He loves you that much! The New Testament better shows us His loving side, which starts with the birth of His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus relayed a message of peace, joy, happiness, forgiveness, salvation and most importantly freedom. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then I urge you to make the right decision today. God is waiting on you! My favorite verses today are: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455434&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!