Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today's scriptures are about Jesus, in whom salvation is possible. Last week we celebrated what most call "Holy Week". We're meant to reenact the last week of Jesus' life. Actually, the Lent season is meant to reenact/celebrate the last few months of Jesus' life, but Holy Week, is what salvation is all about. I think most of us celebrate Easter, and don't know the meaning of it, because it's a nationally celebrated holiday, so why not eat some ham, candy, and dye some eggs? How many of us really take into account that Jesus is the reason for the season? Easter is almost as commercialized as Christmas, which are two major celebratory days in the life of Jesus Christ--the day He was born, and the day He was resurrected. What does that mean to you personally? What does that mean to the world as a whole? For those of you who don't realize, Jesus is life! Jesus is forgiveness, salvation, healing, redemption, resurrection, and all things alike.

Palm Sunday marked that glorious day when Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding on a donkey--as it was prophesied years before--as the Messiah. Then we skip to Munday Thursday, where we celebrate the Last Supper, where Jesus washes His disciples feet, prophecy about the things to come, and prepare His followers for His death. Good Friday was the day that He was beaten, hung on the cross, and His side was pierced, for virtually no reason at all. He was an innocent lamb, who was slaughter for the life of His beloved. He loved us so much because He and God was one, and God loves us because we're His children. Jesus was part human, and He had a choice whether He wanted to live or die--God gave Him free will, just like each of us, but Jesus CHOSE to lay down His life, because if He hadn't He not only would've disobeyed God, but He would've let down the entire Human race. Besides, He knew that that pain and heartache that He had to endure was only temporary--it was only one day of suffering compared to an eternity of bliss. He understood, that that one day of suffering would also lead to an eternity of bliss for anyone who sought righteousness. He knew that God's will was the only thing worth living for, and not going through with what He was instructed to do, meant death and destruction for all mankind. On that Good Friday (or whatever day it was), Jesus chose us over Himself. Hallelujah!

Easter Sunday, in my opinion, is one of the most important days of the year! It's the day that Jesus' work was done, and He was resurrected from death. Rejoice and celebrate that Jesus is ALIVE! This was all a part of God's plan from the beginning of time, and so of course it went off without a hitch. Jesus had been allowing us to get to know who He was, and the power He held, throughout the entire Gospel. He once said: “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18) So you see, Easter is such a glorious day, because by His God-given power, Jesus was able be resurrected and made whole, and now sits, very much alive, on a throne, at the right hand of the Father. He's there to offer Salvation to anyone who believes in Christmas, Palms Sunday, Munday Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter! He's there to make intercession for us, so that we can complete the will God has for our lives, just as He did thousands of years ago.

Jesus saves us from sin, death, hell, and most importantly He saves us from ourselves (our flesh). All we have to do is call on His Name, and anything we need is done, by faith. Before He left this earth, He gave us this great promise: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:1-6) Now this is the true definition of Salvation--there's nothing more to be said. Now I'll ask you once again--what does Easter mean to you?

If you don't know Jesus as Lord, you aren't saved. However, because of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can be. First you must believe that He is who He says He is. Faith, confession of your sins, and inviting Jesus into you life as Lord and Savior, will ensure that Jesus has prepared a place for you in His Kingdom. He doesn't require anything but your faith and love, and once He gets that, He goes to work in you, to create a clean heart and a right spirit. I urge you to trust Him right now; take a few minutes to take the God Quiz today! My favorite verses today are: Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455677&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/Broadcast/

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this Terrific Tuesday. I'm doing well, and am enjoying the rain, sunshine, and the wonderful smell of flowers blooming, in the air; God is so awesome! It's rather fitting to celebrate Easter in the spring, because it's a time when things that were once presumed dead, are resurrected. I used to marvel at the bare tree branches in the dead of winter, and wonder how these old dry and brittle branches, could without fail, bring back beautiful colorful leaves, each and every spring season. That's the cycle of life, and we go through many many seasons, which is normal for each and every human being. This week we celebrate the life and death of Jesus Christ, because it seals the fate of the believer. As we relive the week before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, think about what it means to your life. I've been faced with a rather perplexing question throughout my wilderness period--I've been asked "Who do you say that I Am?", just as Jesus asked Peter. Peter gave Jesus the correct answer, but the question still remains, what did that really mean to Peter, and what does that really mean to us? We're approaching "Maundy Thursday", where we celebrate Jesus' last supper with the disciples, "Good Friday", celebrating the day Jesus was crucified, and then the ultimate day, Ester Sunday, when Praise the Lord, our Savior lives! I grew up in Southern Baptist churches, and we never celebrated the Lent season in great detail. It wasn't until I joined the Disciples of Christ church, that I started to get into the celebration of the season, and I'm so grateful that I have. I urge you, no matter if your denomination is Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, AME, etc., to take this time to get closer to Jesus, by appreciating and understanding His passion for you. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about the truth, the way, and the Light, Jesus Christ! Jesus is a Name of great debate all across the world. It's a Name in which some will rejoice, and some will kill over. However, it is in fact, not just a name, but the Name above all Names, which belongs to the one and only Son of God. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, Rabbi, and High Priest to the entire human race. There is nobody greater than Him! When I listen to VaShawn Patterson's song, "Nobody Greater", it helps me with the answer to that question, "Who do you say that I Am?", because in my heart, mind, and soul, I know that there has never been, is, nor ever will be, nobody greater than Jesus! He's the reason that we can live in freedom, grace, mercy, love, and utter peace. Now as I write this, I don't want this to sound rehearsed and/or recited, because this comes from my heart. When I think of how special I am to Him, that He chose to lay down His life for the likes of me, it makes my heart rejoice! It makes me want to be like Him, to make Him proud, to give myself to Him, which is the lest I could do, after all that He's done for me. He's me given my life back, after the devil came in and stole it. He's healed me, and comforted me when no one else could. He's protected me and fought for me to be at the place that I am in my life, and only the Lord truly knows that I've been in some dark places, so again I say in my heart, mind, and soul, there's nobody greater than Jesus.

How many of you know who Jesus is? I mean really, who is He to you? Don't answer right away, or try to read right pass this section, but really take some time to think about it. It's not as easy as it seems. We've all read the books, and watched the movie, so in theory we know who He is, but WHO is He to you? Do you know that He's the only way to God--do you understand what that means? I love Him so much because He's been exactly where I've been. He's been tempted, lied to, betrayed by friends, and had great expectations on His life. As a little baby, people worshiped Him, and expected great things out of Him, so He had to live up to those expectations. From a child He sought out the Word of God, and yearned to be close to Him. He made the right choices, even when His friends were choosing to do other things. Can you imagine the life you must live to get to the age of 33 years old and have never sinned? I can't imagine getting through the rest of the week without sinning, and He went through His entire life. His life was "squeaky clean", so He never did anything to deserve the torture He received, that ultimately lead to His earthly death. He knew that going in, but He went to the cross anyway, to take on the sins of all of mankind. He did this so that we could have a fighting chance at an abundantly peaceful life forever.

It's always good to question your beliefs and faith every once an awhile, because if you're content with where you are in your Faith walk, how will you ever grow? It's written: Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3) We have to take action, each day we awake--Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23) In order to truly take up our cross, we must die to the flesh, by doing the things Peter mentioned in the aforementioned verses. These things require focus, dedication, and a blatant yearning for the Love of God. This is the reason that Jesus was so adamant about our daily re-commitment to Him, because that is what it took for Him to make the sacrifices that He made for us. What do you think kept Him strong enough to endure? First it was the love He had for His Father, and then it was the love that He's always had for us. This is a reason to rejoice!

After all of the things I've done in the past, whether mistakenly or blatantly, to sin against God, Jesus still loves me! No matter what I'll do, or even thinking about doing in the future, Jesus will still love me, and will forgive me as soon as I ask! Right now, at this very moment He's watching over me, speaking to me, living through me, loving for me, and enduring with me; what more could I ever ask for? I have my answer to the question of "Who do 'I' say that He is?", so it's time for you to come up with your own, if you haven't already. If you don't quite know who He is to you, or what role He plays in your life, then take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now; maybe you'll find some much needed answers. As always if you need someone to talk to or pray with, never hesitate to contact me, by replying to this e-mail. My favorite verses today are: We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455671&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/Broadcast/

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Easter was a special time for me, but also for all mankind, because we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm sure, those of you who attended Church service on Sunday heard the story of Jesus being buried in a tomb, after His crucifixion (Good Friday), but on the third day He was resurrected (Easter). Over next new few days after His resurrection, He visited some people [in the Spirit], to prove that He was alive and well, and to bid His farewells. I challenge you, over the next couple of days, to tap into the Christ inside of you. He's with you everyday, so you don't have to celebrate Him on Easter only, but celebrate Him each day. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about Jesus our mediator. Who better to intercede for us, than Jesus? He was born, and grew up, the same way we were, so that He could learn first hand the life of a human being. He went through learning how to walk and talk, through puberty, and through being a young adult. He lived with such grace and poise, that His life gives us something more than just Salvation. Jesus is often referred to as the "High Priest", because He's able to talk to God on our behalf, and He's made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Before Christ, the High Priests performed the sacrifice ceremonies, and prayed to God for others, to help them be forgiven for their sins. However, they themselves were sinners, so they had limits, but were still considered the "holiest human beings". After Jesus' resurrection we're made Holy, because we accepted Him as Lord and Savior. His blood washes us, so no other blood sacrifice is necessary. It's written: Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. (Hebrews 7:26-28 NIV) Jesus is the Highest of the High Priest, and we can now go to God whenever, and for whatever, in Jesus' Name, and our every prayer will be answered. We're blessed to have Him on our side. He's helping us along the way, and before He ascended into Heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to help keep us on the right path. When we live for God, and depend on Christ for everything, we have nothing else to worry about. There are still numerous people who don't believe that Jesus is the only way to God. If you’re one of those people, I urge you to reconsider, because without Jesus you have nothing. He gives life, peace, joy, happiness, and so much more. It’s written that we should fear God because He is a God of right and wrong, laws, and rules, but He's also a God of love. He says we reap what we sow, but He's quick to forgive, when we obey His commands. The good news is, that Jesus paid our sin debt in full, and has become our permanent blood sacrifice. Life happens, and God understands that, hence the reason He sacrificed His only Son for us. He also loves us unconditionally, and wants nothing more than to spend all of eternity with us. I know for some, Christianity is hard to understand, and Jesus is someone we wish for, but aren't really sure of. What are we really sure of? None of us have had the privilege to see Jesus face to face, but there are many people who have. Logic tells us that some things that we've read in the Holy Bible are impossible, but truth is, God had doesn’t make mistakes, and through Him all things are possible. We walk with Jesus everyday, and some can, without a doubt, feel His presence. This is why our Faith in Him means so much, and comes with great rewards. Jesus is the one who talks to God and asks Him to give you another chance, after you've committed that same sin for the hundredth time. He's the one who encourages God to bless you with that gift you've asked for over and over again, even though you don’t deserve it. He's the one who thought you were so loveable, that He gave up His own life for you. These are priceless gifts, and they're offered to each and every living soul. Don't ever forget that. Don't ever think that it's not available to you, because of your past, or current situation. I can testify to the reality of Jesus Christ, because He's walking with me [and you] everyday. If you want to walk with Him, start off by praying and asking Him to come into your life as Lord and Savior, confess your sins, and ask for forgiveness. Thanks to our intercessor Jesus Christ, we don’t have to wait for months or years, or rely on another human being to give a sacrifice for us, because that job has been completed once and for all. Enjoy the gift of unconditional love and peace, because no one can ever take that away from you. My favorite verse today is: There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455293&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day &Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone and you're enjoying this beautiful Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday eve. I'm doing well, filled with the Spirit of the Lord. As I was researching for today's devotional, I learned a lot, in so little time. Today we celebrate the last Supper, which is when Jesus gathered with His friends, for one last meal during Passover. At this celebration, He started started off by washing His followers feet, which is a great sign of respect. He than broke bread and drank wine with them, and He taught several life lessons. These stories can be found in the book of John chapters 13-17. Tomorrow we celebrate Good Friday, which is the day that Jesus was betrayed and killed. It's said that He was killed on the day, which was traditionally the day that the Lambs were to be slaughtered for the sacrifice, during Passover. Which is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God. The stories about His crucifixion can be found in chapters 18-19. Jesus went through a lot for us, and it's important to learn the history of it, to better understand our "Christian roots". The Internet is a precious tool, because you can “Google” just about anything, and find a vast array of wisdom. You may not hear from me again until Tuesday, so Happy Easter to you, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about Joy. What a wonderful word, JOY! It makes me smile at the thought of it. The word Joy is defined: the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation. Who Jesus is, what He's accomplished, and how He loves, should bring great joy to all mankind. By definition, joy is an emotion, but it’s also a state of mind, because Jesus had a joyful state of mind. During all the turmoil He faced, throughout the last few days of His life, He was satisfied with the fact that He was following the will of God. He was pleased about offering Himself as a sacrifice, because He would bring peace to the entire human race. His passion brought Joy to His heart, as well as the Father’s. God revealed to Jesus, early in life, that He would suffer many things, which will lead to His death, and He still kept a joyful outlook. He didn’t constantly complain, nor did He give up on life, but He rejoiced in completing God’s will. However, He had His moments, because the flesh is weak. When it came closer to the time of His crucifixion, He went to the wilderness to pray, and took His disciples with Him. It's written: ...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.” (Matt 26:37-38) Jesus went off into the wilderness on His own, and fell on His face and prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” A second and third time He prayed, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matt 26:42) I loved my study of the Gospel of Christ, because it gave me something real, and tangible to hold on to. When we solely depend on other's to teach us, we're at the mercy of their knowledge or wisdom. However, we're attempting to build a "personal" relationship with God. We’re working to be “like Christ”, in order to truly experience the joy of life, so we must seek His wisdom for ourselves. Jesus taught using "real life" scenarios, because He understands our mindset. The fact that God allowed us to see Him in such a vulnerable state, allows us to understand that it's okay. However, God is so powerful, and loves us so much, that our hearts shouldn't be troubled with the facts of life. We should have great joy, because our rewards are greater than we could ever imagine. In the Old Testament, God lead Ezra to preach His Word to the people of Jerusalem. This was a group of people who were from all walks of life. They spoke different languages, and came from different cultures, yet they had one thing in common, pain and sorrow. They all sat and listened intently to Ezra, even though many of them didn't understand his language, but God gave them a way, and they helped each other understand. The word of God instilled hope in their hearts, and that hope turned into Joy. Ezra ended his sermon with these words, "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) The Joy of the Lord got Jesus through His horrifying ordeal, and it’ll get us through anything we’ll face in life as well. We must learn to constantly count our blessings, because things could always be worst. Suffering for the Lord, means we'll experience tremendous joy with the Lord. Again, Joy is a mindset, and the fact that we have victory by the blood of the Lamb, has allowed it to have a permanent place in our heart. Remember, with God our joys will always outweigh our pains, but the beauty of a life with Christ is that we can still experience joy through them. If you don't know Jesus then you have yet to experience true joy. Get to know Him today, but start by inviting Him to be Lord and Savior of your life. He was crucified for you. My favorite verse today is: Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; ... for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame. (Hebrews 12:2)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455288&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547

I love you!