Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about respecting the Holiness of God. We are forever in the presence of the Lord, because He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere. As His servants, we believe that He is the Creator of all things, and the reason we breathe each day. Knowing this, why don’t we live as if He’s the core of our life? We sometimes get comfortable with the fact that He’s always there, and also lose sight of that same fact. I too am guilty of that, because I talk to Him all the time, but one minute I’m praying, and the next I’m singing along to latest Jamie Foxx song—these two things conflict. God wants us to recognize that He’s Holy, and He lives within us, which in turn makes us Holy. He wants us to respect His holiness to the point where we’re always aware of His presence. In every decision we make, and every word we speak, we should have Him in mind. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to try, for His sake. He expects us to repent for our sins, out of respect for His Holy place, and as a result, we would be less and less susceptible to sin.

How many of us change our demeanor, the way we talk, and dress when we go to church on Sunday? You know you were the same person, who the night before, was at the club wearing your shortest skirt, and lowest cut blouse, letting it all hang out. We know how to conduct ourselves accordingly when we go to church, because it’s considered a Holy place. We go there looking for answers, and to spend time with fellow believers, praising the Lord. The same amount of respect we give to the church house, our fellow Christian peers, and our Pastor on Sunday, need to also be given to ourselves every day of the week. We too are the “church” of God, which Jesus gave His life to protect. It’s written: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Eph. 5:25) Jesus died to afford us His holiness, and we have that living inside of us, but we must learn how to respect that. We’ll be able to tap into so much power once we learn how to respect His presence in our life.

What God asks us to do, and how He expects us to live, is by no means easy. If it was easy, everyone would be perfect, and we know, just by looking in the mirror, that that isn’t true. However, Jesus took care of the hardest part, and through Him we find freedom, choices, and chances. Through Him we’re giving the option to choose life over death, and that’s not just a onetime choice, it’s a moment by moment choice. Each opportunity, choice, scenario, etc. has the option to choose life or death, right or wrong, God or the enemy. If we keep that in mind, we’ll be able to make better choices, and be aware of our weaknesses and strengths. We must have a plan for everything in life, including how we’re going to live—of course everything in life doesn’t go as planned, but does that mean we just stop planning altogether? Trust me, if you wake up in the morning and plan to obey God, and to pay better attention to your choice of music, who you associate with, how you dress, the way you speak, etc., those things will eventually become a habit. Also, you are respecting the Holy Spirit inside of you, by not only planning to do right, but also trying your best to stick with those plans.

Peter lays it all out in his first epistle, where he encourages us to live an upright life, or in other words with respect for the Holiness of God. He wrote: So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:13-19 NLT) Peter points out some key things here, by simply saying know who and Whose you are, and conduct yourself accordingly throughout the time of your stay here.

There’s so much going on in this world, and evil often prevails, but we can overcome it, if we choose to. Respect is a strong word, and I used it because everyone can relate to it. Everyone wants to be respected, including God. He places rules in our life to keep us in order, so that we could have His best in life. To follow Him, is always going to be a great thing, and you aren’t losing out on anything, but you’re gaining more than you could ever imagine. Don’t be obedient to God only because you have to, but do it because you want to. You respect people who are worthy of your respect, and no one is more worthy than Him. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you need to take the first step today. Please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now, I promise, it’ll be the best decision you’ll ever make. My favorite verse today is: Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:16)

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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!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful Friday eve. I'm doing well, just reveling over how good God is. I find it funny how He always keeps us on our toes, through different tests and trials. I'm finally learning to thank Him through everything that's going on, because He has His hands in the midst of everything that goes on in the life of a believer. He never gives us more than we can bear, and as long as we keep Faith in Him, we'll always prevail. Hallelujah! Wisdom comes from God, and all we have to do is ask for it. I’ve asked Him for the wisdom to understand His ways, and the ability to apply that wisdom to my life, actions, and overall attitude. Each day, I notice the struggle to stay on the narrow path of righteousness gets a bit easier. I'm so grateful for that! Be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about walking as children of God. As a child of God you're a representative, because when people see you, they see Him. No one has ever seen the face of God, so He shows Himself through us. He uses us to touch others and when we're anointed with His Holy Spirit, it's like a light planted in a once dark place. As we grow in our walk, that light begins to shine brighter, and people will start to see that in us. We become that "peculiar person" that's written about: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9) I like the fact the King James used the word Peculiar, which means unusual, or "distinctive in nature or character from others". According to the rest of the world, we are very peculiar, which is what sparks their interest in us. Therefore, we must walk according to the Law, because they see God through us.


We must take on the characteristics of God, and we can find out exactly how to do that by following the life of Jesus. Jesus was amazing, and people could tell He was special, just by looking at Him. They could also tell there was something peculiar about Him by the way He carried Himself. He demanded respect, and walked with authority, integrity, and faith. When He spoke, He spoke life, and people went out of their way to follow Him, or even touch the bottom of His robe, because they could sense the power in Him. Guess what? That power lies within each believer, because Jesus is inside of us. He walks with us every day, and gives us the power to move mountains in His Name. When we walk down the street, people should know that there's something different about us, by the way that we carry ourselves. When we smile warmly at an unsuspecting face, it catches their attention. When we speak, we speak with respect for ourselves, and everyone around us. We must speak love, and share the wisdom that's been instilled within us. We have the power to bring life to every situation, and could introduce God to the lost, sometimes without ever speaking.


People should regard us as the one they come to when they need help. I have people that I go to when I need to be picked up, because they're always smiling, laughing, and have a positive outlook on life. I've had people call me when they needed advice, or just a spiritual lift. We get to a point in our faith walk where we can't help but share His love, because we've experienced it for ourselves, and people can sense that. However, there are believers who struggle with that.
We all have our bad days; there are times when I still struggle with shinning my light. I'm the first to recognize the days I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or when my attitude stinks, and those are the days I stay in prayer. God always reveals something awesome to me, or places a positive person in my path, that will allow me to see Him, which changes my attitude, but that's only when I'm open to Him. If I choose to wallow in self pity, or dwell on negative things, then I'm in jeopardy of ruining someone else's day, or eternity as a matter of fact. That's how much power we have, as children of God. What we do has the potential to positively, or negatively affect everyone around us. If you're the type of person who's broke, busted, and disgusted all the time, but claim to be a Christian, then that is what others (who don't know any better) will perceive of God. It's important for us to understand the power we have, and our responsibility of walking upright in everything we do.


You cannot confess Jesus as Lord, and walk around being mean and evil to people all day. I've seen those people that will cuss you one minute, and then say “praise God” the next. If that’s you, then know that you’re being judged by everything you do, and each day counts towards eternity. I know shedding darkness, old bad habits, and negative things that were taught and instilled in us is very hard to do, but God is already working on that. All we have to do is surrender. He knows where you've come from, and He has a better way for you to go. If you've confessed your sins, and asked for forgiveness you're forgiven. Your past doesn't define who you are, you're free. You're loved by the one true God, and no one could ever take that away from you. There's nothing worth sacrificing your relationship with Him, and if you keep reminding yourself of that, you'll notice a grand transformation right before your eyes.


All you have to do is confess Jesus as Lord, and He'll do the rest. It's written: being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (1:6) As soon as you confess Jesus as Lord, God will begin His good work in you. He'll change the way you walk, and the way you talk, but only if you allow Him too. Start by asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and stay open to Him always. My favorite verses today are: Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. (Eph 8:8-9)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today's scriptures are about renewing your mind in Christ. What does being a Christian mean to you? After you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and are baptized, what comes next? Most of us are on fire for the Lord initially. We join a church, and volunteer for every committee, show up for every picnic or church function, and even join the choir. Eventually that fire dies down, if you aren't building a relationship with God. For those of you who are faithful churchgoers, you see it all the time. The new members are constantly in your face, and then you eventually start seeing them less and less, until you don't see them anymore. Being a Christian goes way beyond confessing your love for Christ, it's a lifestyle. You have to walk in love, and the only way to do that is to immerse yourself into the Word of God.

Ultimately, we're on a personal journey, and we're responsible for our individual growth. Growth doesn't come with just going to church on Sunday morning, but you have to change your mindset. You have to want to be righteous, and everything that you do have to reflect that. There's a reason we call, becoming a Christian, being "Born Again", because your old self dies, and you become a new person in Christ. You're resurrected from death, and given life eternally, and it's very important for you to know that. It's written: If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:1-3) It's rather awkward to begin this awesome transformation, and have no idea who or what you're being transformed into, because you haven't taken the time to learn who Jesus really is. This is what causes the struggle in our flesh, and why people end up losing their fire, because they have no idea of which way to turn, or what to do next.

I wonder how many people spend years of their Christian life miserable, and lost, not knowing what to do next, as I did. Before I rededicated my life to God, all I knew about Him was what I was taught as a child. The things my parents instilled in me, by taking me to church, and bible study. My dad used to send us bible study worksheets in the mail, and have us send them back to him. He and mom also had us memorize Psalms, or certain bible verses, and quote them. My Aunt would come over and have bible study sessions with my sister, our girlfriends, and me, weekly, to teach us how to read and understand the bible. I had all these roots, but was still lost. These things play a vital role in who I am today. However, I wasn't able to use them, until I made a commitment to strengthen my personal relationship with God.

I can remember being the person on fire for God, and then that fire would die out as quickly as it started. I remember turning to a liquor bottle, or another person, in times of hardship, which in most cases made things worst. I think Jesus' Parable of the Sower , best describes the different levels of Christians. I used be the one who fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. (Luke 8:6) Jesus goes on to explain: the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. (Luke 8:13) I think we all have, or will, experience all of these seeds that Jesus explains, but we must consciously strive to be the ones that fell on the good ground who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15) I can honestly say that this is where my heart is, and will be forever more in Christ. This is possible because He reveals Himself to me more and more each day, and I remain open to receive Him. The key to bearing good fruits is to understand that you cannot bear that fruit alone. We're designed with a dependency on the Lord, because we're created for His purpose.

Putting on a "new man", or renewing your mind in Christ, isn't as hard as it may sound. It isn't written anywhere in the bible that you have to change your wicked and sinful ways, before you receive salvation, because that isn't possible. The order is this, recognize that you’re a sinner, humble yourself before the Lord, and confess your sins. Ask Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior, and accept Him. From there, your new life begins. Get to know your Heavenly Father. Seek His face, ask Him questions, pray for strength and wisdom, and make an effort to follow His Will. If you're tempted or weak, pray and ask for Strength. If you're sad or lonely, pray and ask for companionship, and spend some quiet time with Him. Most importantly STUDY HIS WORD! Thank Him and give Him praise for your blessings, and you'll find that you've changed into this righteous person right before your own eyes. You didn’t even notice, but everyone around you did, because they see His light in you. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, don't worry about what happened yesterday, but keep looking ahead to a better tomorrow. My favorite verses today are: I beseech you, ... brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:1-2)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

A highlight of the weekend was the play I saw entitled "The Child Support Man" on Saturday, at the Soul Factory in Forestville, MD. This church is beyond contemporary, but they are real on every level. I like the way they relate to the lost sheep, by allowing them to understand that being lost is only okay, if you're trying to find your way home. There's no condemnation at this church, but simply an open arms policy. I love that concept, and I truly enjoyed the play, because it touched on so many serious issues about relationships, broken homes, the Family Judicial system, and the affects broken homes have on children. I highly recommend you see it, I know it’ll be playing again this coming weekend, and the tickets are reasonably priced (check out their website http://www.thesoulfactory.com/). Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about walking in the ways of God. Everyone who looks at you sees God. Did you know that you are a representative of Him; His love, His will, His mercy, His grace, His artistic abilities, and so much more! You must wear that crown with honor, respect, and integrity, because the salvation of your fellow man depends on it. There is always someone watching you, because you’re peculiar people. You ever notice a person who’s in love, especially new love? They have this glow about them, and they’re smiling from the inside out. Just imagine how you radiate when you’re in love with God. There’s this certain glow that you get, and people notice. When you build a strong relationship with God by spending time with Him, and learning His ways, He begins to fill you with His spirit of joy, and it gives you this sparkle even a lost man can’t ignore. People should feel Him when they’re in your presence, hear Him when you speak, and see Him when they look into your eyes [which are said to be the windows to your soul]. Knowing this, you must be careful how you carry yourself, because you can be an asset or a hindrance to the Kingdom. There’s always a lost sheep trying to find its way home, and we have the power to either guide them home, or lead them astray. The only thing worse than being ignorant, is being misinformed.
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we’re making a vow to God. We’re ultimately vowing to surrender to Him, and allow Him to be Lord of our life. When we follow through with that vow, He begins to work on us from the inside, by immediately filling us with the His Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit is a “Gentleman”, and will allow us to ultimately make our own choices, so in all essence we must surrender. God loves us, and He simply asks that we treat people the way we want to be treated, respect Him and ourselves, and ultimately love Him and everyone around us. So when you’re walking down the street, shopping in the mall, having a conversation, or anything else, people should know that you’re a child of God, by the way you interact. Just as when Jesus walked through the land, the people knew that there was something different about Him, although some didn’t know exactly what, but they knew He was special. They could tell, just by the way He interacted and spoke, exactly who He was, “the Son of the Most High God”. Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24). Please don’t use God’s grace, including His generous gift of forgiveness, as justification to conform to the world. I know firsthand how easy that could be. If you love God, and are interested in knowing how to take the first steps to being conformed into Righteousness, take the God quiz today. My favorite verse today is: The God of peace, ... make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

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PS

I’m going to leave you with this Psalm of David” (NIV):

Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.