Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this beautiful Friday eve. You can tell that change is in the air, and I'm looking forward to it, on every level. I'm looking forward to the change from summer to fall, as well as my own seasonal changes. In our Spiritual growth we often change seasons, which includes attitudes, careers, friends and loved ones. Change is inevitable, so I'm learning how to embrace it, because I serve the almighty Lord. I know that the change in my life is always going to be for the better, when I'm following His will. Some of us don't adapt very well to change, even if the current season we’re in brings confusion and strife. Some people get complacent with those things too, and even panic when things change for the better. I urge you to look forward to, and embrace, positive change, because it's a part of growth. It could be scary at times, but if you trust in the Lord, He'll always make things work for your good. Enjoy the remainder of your day family, and be blessed.

Today's scriptures are about the differences between rich and poor. Some say that money is evil, which is an age old debate among Christians. Some believe that to be rich is a sin, and God won't bless the wealthy. Others say that Jesus came to give us a life of abundance and every one of His children are meant to be wealthy. I can't say I fully agree with either of these concepts. There are certain Pastors that suggest that people are poor simply because they don't have enough faith in what God has in store for them. Yet the bible says the poor will be made rich, and the last will be first. Which concept is right? I believe that whether rich or poor, you’re to love God with all of your heart and soul; put Him first.

I understand the point Jesus was making with the Rich Man parable. We as humans put a lot of emphasis on pleasing the flesh, and having an abundance of money is a sure way to do that. The rich is able to do whatever, whenever, with no restrictions. However, if you don’t ever hunger for anything, what's the use in serving God? Having riches or being poor doesn’t promise peace, joy and happiness, and we have proof of that throughout history. However, those who constantly hunger for the Lord, inherit something way more valuable than anything on this earth.

There are several wealthy people who live as if they're above the law, and who claim to be "gods", and disown Jesus. There are many who live for money, and will sell their own children for it. Money and material things have the potential to become an idol, or god in our life. God specifically said: for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (Ex. 34:14) When we begin to worship money, fortune, or fame, and allow it to control our actions and decisions, then we're going down the wrong road. With or without these things, we must live for God and God alone.

On the other hand, there are plenty of wealthy people who love God with all of their hearts, so being rich doesn't automatically condemn you. Your condemnation comes when you put anything above God. That includes, but isn’t limited to money. Everything on this earth was put here by God, as resources, to help us adequately complete His will for our lives. Whether we’re blessed with a lot or a little, our first fruits must go to serve the Kingdom of God. It’s important to give more than you receive. Again, the cycle of life is growth, but in order to grow bountifully, you must plant, water, and harvest each seed received from the Lord.

You must give glory and honor to God, from which all blessings flow. Understand that you’re blessed with everything you need, and thank God for that. Don’t look around and start comparing yourself to what the world says you should be or have. I know several people around my age (28-36), who are having some type of midlife crisis. There are those who aren’t married and don’t have children, who think that there’s something wrong with them, because that’s where the world says they’re “supposed” to be. There are also those who may not own a home, or have their ideal career, and are panicking, because society says, you should be “settled” by a certain age. All of these people are so busy trying to get to the next step that they forget to thank God for where they are. They forget to enjoy each moment of life, and lose sight of what’s most important. Seek more of what God commands of you, and less of what the world expects of you.

When Jesus told the rich man to sell all He had and follow Him, He wanted to see how attached He was to the world. As well as, how much he really wanted salvation. I want you to understand that with God all things are possible, so trust Him with all things, and follow His lead, because He will never lead you astray. Learn how to live on love, faith and hope, and watch God bless you with everything you’ll ever need. He told the people of Israel: And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. (Deut. 8:2-5)
God wants us to have His best in life, but His best doesn’t equate to wealth or fortune. We need to learn how to have the same joy in our heart whether our bank balance is $1 or $1,000,000. Always strive for God’s best in life, and if wealth is what you’re working toward, then keep working. However, know why you want to be wealthy, and Who you’re working for. Do you know Jesus? If you’re familiar with His life, then you know that He was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but never owned a home, married, or had riches beyond measure. According to the world, He was poor and homeless, but the one thing He had was peace, and that’s priceless. Get to know who He is, and then strive to be like Him. The first step is Salvation, for those of you who don’t know Him. Take the God Quiz today! For those who do know Him, but feel like something’s missing, I would say gratitude and thanksgiving is a great way to retrieve what’s lost. My favorite verse today is: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

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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 FRIDAY!!!


Today's scriptures are about the effect of evil, and separating ourselves from it. Did you know that we're to hate evil? Today's scriptures start off with the first part of this proverb: The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Prov. 8:13) You notice that it doesn't say evil people, but evil ways. We're all created by God, and have the option to choose good and evil, and choosing evil isn't who we are, but the way that we live, or the attitudes that we have. God doesn't tolerate evil, so those of us who fear Him should do our best to avoid it. This is all a part of growth, and it get's easier over time, but it's a conscious choice that we each have to make.

A little evil in the heart could go a long way, and escalate into many sins. Once it's instilled in us, the only way to stop it from spreading is to remove ourselves from evil situations, change our way of thinking, and surround ourselves with positive people who give positive energy. One evil thought could be like a small spark in the forest, which turns into a raging forest fire; it could quickly spread out of control. Any evil act starts with an evil thought.

Let’s think of the evil act of Jesus' crucifixion? An entire group of people voted to kill a man that did nothing but love everyone, all because of one evil plot. However, Jesus never condemned any of those people, but He prayed for them. It's also important for us to understand, and forgive all who attempts to harm us, because they have taken on an evil spirit. When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us to ask to be delivered from evil, because He knows that we are susceptible to evil spirits. If we aren't carefully trying to remove ourselves from evil, it could become a big part of our lives. There's a popular saying, "misery loves company", and evil is the same way. It thrives in numbers; it's like this living breathing organism that latches on to anything that it could. However, we must take on the attitude of the Lord and live above it. If we're covered in the blood, and put on the Armor of God, we're protected from it.

Be careful of the company you keep. I understand that you're saved, sanctified, and Holy, walking with the Lord, but you're also open to evil. We aren't supposed to separate ourselves from the lost, because our job is to help save them. Jesus said, before His ascended into Heaven, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15). Notice He didn't say some, but He said all, nor did He say preach to only "good people". Peter told the people of Thessalonica, in his final instructions to them: Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. (1 Thess. 5:14-15)

We only have one life to live, and we're being judged for everything that we do. The enemy is very smart and crafty, and will use anything or anyone to persuade us to fall into evil. Once our heart is exposed, it begins to permeate, and be seen in our walk, and in our talk. After awhile, if not properly dealt with, it becomes who we are. As I'm writing this message about evil, that negative energy has crept up on me a number of times, and has attempted changed my entire attitude, within a matter of minutes. I noticed it just this moment, however, I will not allow it to fester. I had to stop and say a quick prayer, and ask God to help me see things more clearly, and to deliver me from this evil Spirit. I cast my cares upon the Lord, and I'm leaving them there.


This is a constant battle for all believers, because having evil inside of us, conflicts with the wonderful Spiritual righteousness that has taken up permanent residence in our heart. Our Holy Spirit will make sure that we notice these evil spirits, and allow us to separate ourselves from them. It's the same with everything around us; we can sense evil, because the Holy Spirit warns us when it's near. Always take heed of that "gut feeling", or that "small still voice", because it’s the truth.

The answer to everything in life could be found in the Holy Bible. Evil doesn't have to be an issue for followers of Christ, because we've already overcome it, the day that we were saved. We have victory over the world and the enemy, through Christ, so all we have to do is live in victory. Walk, speak, and live victoriously in Christ! At the first sign of evil, pray, rebuke it, and change your surroundings. Evil leads to sin, and sin leads to death. I don't know about you, but I want the abundant life that Jesus came to give me, and I've already won! If you are a believer, you too have already won; go to the Word of God to learn how to live as a winner. If you don't know Jesus, then evil is apart of this world, and you'll fall victim to it, more often that you care to. I can't count how many people who are trying very hard to "live right" and "do good", but they keep falling. Well if that's you, you're missing the only way to righteousness, Jesus Christ! To get to know Him, take the God Quiz today! My favorite verse today is: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. (Hebrews 12:15)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today's scriptures are about relying on the strength of the Lord. We all have those times when we're weak and weary, and just feel like we can't take another step. Whether it's dealing with a heavy workload, taking care of a family, or the many other physical and mental stresses of life, God will give us strength to get through them. The best jump-start to a weary heart is a jump-start from the Spirit of God. When we're connected to Him, we'll always run with supernatural energy and strength. Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30) This is a reason to rejoice, because this is a promise made to everyone who believes in Him. We no longer have to stand on our own, but Jesus gives strength and peace to all who come to Him.

I'm sure you've thought to yourself, at one time or another, "I don't know where I'm getting this energy from, but I'm grateful for it". That seems like an everyday thought for me. I'm always so busy, and on the go, and those nights I send the devotionals out at 1 or 2:00am, I'm literally just finishing up and sending it out, because I've fallen behind. I always wake up the next morning ready to do it again, because I ask God for the strength to get through the day. It's like I become plugged into His energy source, which carries me throughout the day. Then there are times when I'm mentally drained, where I'm bombarded with the pressures of life itself, including work, raising a teenager, writing, accomplishing my own goals, going through divorce, rebuilding a new life for myself, and being open to whoever needs an ear. I just got tired from adding in all of those commas, but that's just the half of some of the things that we go through in life. I'm sure there are people who are going through greater trials than I, but no matter the trial, they're all energy drainers, to say the least.

This makes me think of something I saw on a movie the other day, the first law of thermodynamic energy by Sir Isaac Newton, "energy is neither lost nor destroyed it is merely transferred from one party to the next." I believe this is very true, even in human beings. There are two types of energies, positive and negative. One drains your strength, and the other gives you strength. Some negative energy comes from the world, and the things we allow ourselves to ingest. When we surround ourselves with negativity, we're absorbing that negative energy, and it begins to suck the life right out of us. Then there are things that drain our strength, which we have no control over. We're all struck with unsuspected grief like the lost of a loved one, job, and/or the unexpected end of a relationship. When any of these things happen we must go to God for a positive recharge. We can’t be of any service to Him if we don't have the energy to cope with the world. His Word is the number one positive energy booster, because it's filled with His laws, promises, love, and the key instructions to live a positive life. The Holy Spirit is within us leading us in the way we should do, and He promotes growth. When we pray and ask Him for guidance, He'll speak to us through His living Word, He'll speak to God for us, and/or help us pray. He's that catalyst, which jumpstarts the energy that comes from Jesus, but we have to stay connected to Him.

As children of God we have natural strength that comes from within, and when serving the Lord, we'll have strength beyond anything that we could ever imagine. In my opinion the book Psalms is the best book to gain strength. These are accounts of the great men and women of the bible, who were having not so great moments. Even they got weary, but writing these songs, which give account of their pain and triumph, was their therapy, and is meant to give hope. One Psalmist simply said: The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:14) When we purposely look to the Lord for everything, including our strength, we can better understand that He's our Savior! He's the reason we have life, and because we're in the flesh, we'll have moments of weakness, but not to fret, God said “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then you're only relying on your own strength. Just imagine how much more you could accomplish with the strength of Lord. I am a living witness, and without Christ, I don't know where I would be. He's brought me out of some dark places and given me the strength to persevere. If you are a believer in Christ but still lack strength, then you have to tap into your energy resource. The only way to do that is to seek Him. My favorite verses today are: Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. (Isaiah 40:28-29)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about taking on the spirit of meekness. I believe the subject of meekness may be my favorite subject, to teach and learn about. The bible says "The meek shall inherit the earth", so I want to do my best to learn how to be meek, and to share that knowledge with others. Meekness is a way of life, which requires great discipline, and more importantly inner peace. It allows us to live in victory; above the world and it's way of thinking. God loves the meek spirit, because it shows Him that the person is wholeheartedly depending on Him for everything needed to survive. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines meek as: enduring injury with patience and without resentment; mild. The online dictionary defines it as being "gentle or kind". I would describe a meek person, as someone who doesn't complain a lot, and is quick to forgive and easy going. Thinking of these descriptions, and the fact that God compares us to sheep, which are the meekest creatures on this earth, all ties back to who we were originally created to be.

I consider myself meek, but that wasn't always the case. I used to be a very angry and defensive person. I had to make my point to people, and defend myself, and what I believed in, in a loud boisterous way. Although, there's nothing wrong with defending yourself and the things you believe in, but there's a way of doing things. Our main focus is to allow people to see God through us, because we’re His vessels, which are one of the reasons Jesus resides in our heart. We're followers of Christ, and we must take on the attitude of Christ. Jesus teaches us how to conduct ourselves in His Sermon on the Mount. Most everything He teaches pertains to taking on a spirit of meekness. For example, He said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matt. 5:38-42) In my opinion these are some great examples of being meek.

Jesus was a fighter, so by no means did He allow people to walk all over Him, but He lived with the attitude of "thy will be done", and He wouldn't allow anything to provoke Him to sin. He understood the frailties and weaknesses of human beings, so He knows that being quick to seek revenge or strike back at someone who's attempting to harm you is only going to bring you down to their level. He's not telling us to allow people to repeatedly slap us, or take things away from us, but He means to show those people forgiveness, and remove ourselves from those same situations. Let people know that they don't have any power over you, and cannot harm you beyond what God allows. Be a person of love, and take on the spirit of love, and love knows no evil thing. Jesus goes on to say: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt. 5:43-45)

We must always remember that God isn't of this world, yet He created it and everything in it. We'll never be able to grasp the amount of love He has for us. He loves us so much that we can persecute, lie to, and even kill His own Son, and He'll forgive us. He asks that we have that same attitude, because He's done the same for us. He wants us to trust Him with our whole heart and know that everything that we need He'll provide, when we allow Him to work. The enemy will do whatever he could to provoke us to sin, make us angry, and take us out of our character, yet God still asks us to stay meek, and vengeance is surely His. He'll promote those who serve Him completely. Jesus said we’d each be persecuted in His Name, so we should expect, and accept it, and keep moving, because God will never give us more than we could handle. Can you truly look into the face of someone who's purposely hurt you and say, "I forgive you, and I love you", no matter what they've done? If you can, you've taken on the spirit of meekness and you will inherit the earth. In all honesty, God has done the same to us on numerous occasions and He'll never stop, so why should we. We've got victory through Christ, there's nothing else to be said.

If you're struggling with taking on a Spirit of meekness, try taking some time out to count the many times you've disobeyed God, and amount of times He's forgiven and blessed you. Hopefully, that will help you take on the attitude of gratitude. Go to Him right now and ask for the wisdom to take on the spirit of meekness, and allow Him to work. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, then please take a few moments and do that right now. God will open so many doors, and bless you with so much wisdom, that the things Jesus teaches us won't seem so far fetched. Take the God Quiz today! My favorite verses today are: Take my yoke upon you and learn O me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. (Matthew 11:29)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the justification of sins. What do you believe about sin? The enemy will have us believe all types of things, and will make us feel all types of ways about sin, but through Christ, every sin we commit is justified when we confess and repent. That's a reason to rejoice! God doesn't see us like the rest of the world, but He sees our heart. He knows our intentions and actions, before we even make a move, and yet He still loves us. With that absolute fact, you can defeat the enemy! Those who love Him have nothing to worry about; Jesus once said, "Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19) He offers us salvation from the world, evil, sin, and eternal damnation, because of this one simple truth, He lives, and we live through Him!

What does it mean to be justified? The online dictionary has a “theological” definition: to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit. This pretty much sums it up, but so does this "normal" definition: to show a satisfactory reason or excuse for something done. I cannot say this enough, we're children of God and He loves us! He's willing to do anything for us, so all we have to do is love Him in return. He has given the life of His Son, so that we could be seen as innocent or guiltless. The only reason for Him to do such a thing is because He loves us, and that's satisfactory enough. We were never created to be perfect, which has never been a requirement to be a child of God.

This makes me think of King David, one of the greatest men to have ever ruled over Israel, but he was by far a perfect man. I was reading the "bible bowl the other day, which is a weekly e-mail I get, and the author pointed out the flaws of the people who God chose to do great things for Him. This was a real eye opener for me, because each person that he wrote about was a liar, adulterer, murder, drunkard, prostitute, etc., but God still used them to do great things! Things that was so great, that they made it in the Handbook for life, the Holy Bible. These people were justified by God, not because of the mistakes they'd made, but for the amount of love they had for Him.

In this story, God had appeared to Solomon, the son of King David and said: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’(1 King 9:3-5) Solomon had already by justified by His father David, the one who loved God with all of his heart, and served Him until his death. Yes, David was a murderer and adulterer, but that isn't what God was judging Him on. God doesn't see us as the world sees us, but He's a forgiving and loving God. David had so much favor in God's sight, that he, his children, grandchildren, etc. were blessed.

David lived before the saving grace of Jesus Christ, so just imagine what God does for those who serve Him, and love His Son as well. Each of us have a great opportunity to be justified through Jesus Christ, but does that give us the license to freely sin? Of course it doesn't, however, God understands if we do fall short, and is quick to forgive anyone with a remorseful heart. He has promised to save ALL who ask, forgive their sins, and cast them away, as far as east is to west. He'll never throw them in our face, or withdraw our salvation because of them, as the enemy will have us think. That's the biggest weapon Satan uses on us, the guilt of sin. He's quick to tell us, "are you seriously going to pray to God after what you did today" or "remember when you... God hasn't forgotten about that, and He's angry with you". He tells us lots of lies like these, but they could be further from the truth! I don't know how many people lose their way, because of false guilt that's been placed on their heart. Okay one more time, you are justified by the Blood of Jesus Christ! Don't worry about your mishaps, because those are things of the past. Those are small compared to the love of God.

It's written: “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. (Malachi 3:17-18) If you're a believer in Christ, you're a precious jewel to God; all you have to do is serve Him in love. If you aren't a believer in Christ, all you have to do is believe, ask God for forgiveness, and invite Jesus into your life as Lord. You will become righteous, just because you believe in the Justifier Jesus Christ. Service will come naturally, along with trials and errors, but don’t worry, service is more important! My favorite verses today are: I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. (Isaiah 43:25-26)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455440&dtype=Scripture
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http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek (for most). We finally made through the week, and I'm drained, but I still feeling good. TGIF! I'm happy that I'm learning how to find the positive in everything, because that truly does change your entire outlook on life. I used to be that "I know but" type of person, who always chose to see the worst in things. Someone would say, "that's nice car" and I would say, "I know but it burns a lot of gas". I guess I still have a little bit of the "but" mentality in me, however God's helping me work on that, especially when it comes to myself. I guess in being a semi-perfectionist, I see things as, “that's good but it could be great”. That's a gift and a curse, because on one hand it helps me strive to do my best in everything, but on the other, it causes me sometimes set unreachable goals, and when I fail, I then become a procrastinator. How do you overcome that? There are several ways I'm sure, but I find answers in the Serenity prayer, "Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference". Overcoming procrastination and being a perfectionist, is only possible by having the wisdom to know the difference between the things you can and cannot change. Accept and love who you are, because that's exactly who God created you to be, and continue to work on your own greatness, for you and God, and not because the world deems it important, special, or beautiful. Enjoy your weekend family, and be blessed!

Today's scriptures are about the light that leads us. Life is full of exhale moments. You know the times in life when something bothers you, or has you in bondage, and it seems like you're always holding your breath? When you finally overcome those things, or reach a solution to the problem, it's like you can finally exhale. Throughout my Christian faith walk, I've had moments when it felt like I just wasn't growing. It was like I was stuck on this emotional rollercoaster that was going nowhere fast. I was frustrated because the more I tried to do right, bad things would happen, which would lead me right back to doing wrong. It was a wilderness moment, and a time of refinement. Dr. Stanley said, in one of his teachings, people are too busy trying to change their life, or become a better person, before they surrender to God. He went on to say, “the truth is, we're incapable of doing that on your own”. After I heard Him say that, I exhaled. Once I found out that we're incapable of becoming righteous without Jesus, it gave me hope. It allowed me to let myself off the hook a bit, in order to focus more on learning the ways of God. At first, I was beating myself up, because I thought I should be, or do better, but I was doing the best that I could do on my own.

Jesus taught us, in the Sermon on the Mount to, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt. 7:13-14) How do we learn how to stay on that narrow road, which leads to the narrow gate Jesus is referring too? We live in a dark world, which has great influence over the flesh, and it's very easy to sin; that gate is very wide. If we aren't purposely focusing on serving the Lord, we could easily stray from the righteous path. For example, how many Christian broadcast TV or radio stations are there, versus secular stations? Enticements are always at your fingertips, and when you're not committed to serving the Lord, you're more likely to succumb to the world.

The good news is you're not alone. God created us this way and He understands our weaknesses. He's given us salvation through Christ, which allows us to live life in abundance. Just because we live in a dark world, we aren’t necessarily of it. God has instilled a light within us, and He also lights out pathways. When we look to Him for guidance, we'll see everything so much clearer. We should pray before we make any decisions, big or small. Remember whenever we ask, He answers, so when we ask for guidance He'll show us the way. As soon as I awake in the morning, I first thank Him, and then ask Him to guide my path for the day; it’s become a habit. When I'm really confused, or faced with a big decision, I spend extra time in the prayer room. There are always times when the answers aren't really that clear. When that happens, we must spend quiet time with Him in prayer and meditation. In some cases we could fast, which helps us truly focus on Him. There are also times when we could speak in tongues, by asking the Holy Spirit to pray through us. Either way, God will show us the way, no matter what we're going through. There isn't anything too large, or too little, for Him to handle.

Do you notice a trend here? The bottom line is, life is what you make it, and you get out of it what you put in. Jesus told us to "Enter" by the narrow gate..., which requires us to take some steps. God isn't going to wave a magic wand and we’ll become this wise and powerful person. Yes we all have the light, but we have to learn how to seek it, and most importantly how to use it. Our Christian life is all about growth, remember we're once "babes in Christ”, and if we don't seek the knowledge and wisdom to grow from that point, then that's where we'll stay. I find myself straying off of the path of righteousness when I'm not into the Word of God everyday. If I go even a week without praying, reading my bible, and being surrounded by the Word in some type of way, I feel lost and in the dark. That will happen to any believer, whether you're a babe in your Faith walk, or you're a Minister who preaches in the pulpit. We're all still in the flesh, but the key to avoiding the gate that leads to destruction, is to live by the Spirit, for the Spirit, and in the Spirit.

Jesus said: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21) Jesus never asked us to be perfect and without sin, He only asked us to love Him, and surrender. Only then could He shape and mold us into the righteous children of God we were intended to be. Remember if you've accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you've been chosen from the beginning of time. If you haven't chosen Jesus as Lord, then now is your time; God also chose you! If you're not sure what you believe, take some time to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verses today are: When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light. (Proverbs 6:22-23)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455436&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!