Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about the endurance through, and healing after, hard times. We all have had our share of hard times. Remember I wrote in yesterday’s devotional that "Life is just that—life"? You have to take the good with the bad, while magnifying God throughout. Jesus' sacrifice was to free us from the evil ways of the world. The difference between those of us who are in the Spirit and those who aren’t is that we have been given a Helper, as well as Jesus gives His "yoke" to help lighten our load. He said: 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. (Matt 11:29).
When we're going though rough times in life, it seems like there’s no end to the suffering, but God promises that "this too shall pass". I can remember trials I've had in the past where I thought the pain would never end, but now I realize that all wounds heal. Looking at it from the inside out, sometimes it doesn’t seems that way. In my first class of Culinary school the instructor said, the one thing that’s for certain throughout this course, and your career, is that you will cut and burn yourself (some people even ended up with broken bones), but don’t allow that to discourage you, because all wounds heal. The Instructor also pointed out that if we take what we learn in school, and apply it when we’re in the kitchen, we’ll be just fine. I got through about 8 months of school with no major cuts, because I choose to drop that fear, and follow the instructors lead. They were very thorough in teaching us the proper way to hold a knife, how to tuck our fingers when cutting, and how to take precautions with hot items and while around the stoves. I saw people rushed to the emergency room with cuts and burns, mainly because they failed to follow the instructions properly.

It finally happened, my first big cut—I almost sliced the tip of my thumb off, because I wasn’t chopping my onion correctly. The strange thing was that it didn’t initially hurt, because I was already mentally prepared for it. I knew, when I went to cut the onion that way, that there was a very good chance that I might cut myself, and I took that chance. After I was cut, I simply stopped what I was doing, cleaned up and bandaged my womb, put on a plastic glove, and finished working, because I still had a job that needed to be done. We can take this same attitude with life—yes we’re going to be burned or cut with heartbreak, the death of loved one, disappointments, failures, mistakes, sickness, etc. Nonetheless, we can’t live our lives in fear, hoping to avoid these things, because they’re guaranteed to happen. The great News is God has given us the ultimate “text book” for life, which teaches us how to properly live. When we live each day in Christ, and the cuts happen, we’ll be able to bandage them with prayer, meditation on the Word of God, and by seeking Godly counsel, until the cuts heal.

When I saw that deep cut on my thumb I thought, how is this ever going to heal. After the initial day, the pain became a bit more sever, because it had started the healing process. As each day passed, the pain was less and less, I gave it the proper care, making sure I had clean bandages daily, and one day it was completely healed. Now when I look at my thumb, I have a scar, but it’s barely noticeable and I vaguely remember how the pain felt. God created us to be very resilient people, in mind, body, and Spirit. We can take a beating yet have the ability to heal to a point that we don’t remember. Before Jesus was crucified He told His disciples that He would soon die, and of course they didn’t take it too well. He told them: Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. (John 16:20-22)

Jesus gave His life so that we can rejoice ALWAYS, not just when things are well. It’s important to allow the different seasons to happen in our life, including the time to allow wounds to heal. Some of us tend to pick at our scabs, which will only make the wounds worst, and leave an even larger scar. We must learn how to recognize the different wounds of life, the healing process, and most importantly how to leave it alone. The night before Jesus was killed He was being beaten badly; He had the power to stop it. He could’ve wiped everybody out, but He chose to endure it. He understood that He had to complete the will of God, and look at Him now. Jesus taught us how to see the light at the end of every dark moment, and to always hold on to that. It’s important that we practice forgiveness, and freely love without fear, just the way that He did. If you properly follow His instructions, sit back and watch Him work. One day you’ll be able to say, “Look at me now, I made it through”—that is the most awesome feeling in the world! Jesus is the way to be able to quickly heal from the bumps and bruises of life, so if you don’t know Him as Lord, please take a few moments and take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the healing power of the Blood of Jesus Christ. How many times have you thanked Jesus today? Jesus takes on every bad thing that's inside of us, and purifies it. He's responsible for our life as we know it, and every aspect of our growth. His blood makes us whole, healthy, happy, peaceful, and just overall blessed. God give Him power over all things on this earth, and by His blood we have received power as well. All we need is a little faith, and everything that we ask, in His Name, will be granted, including the healing of any sicknesses, heartache, or pain. When we cast our cares upon Him, and leave them there, He'll work it out for our good. Jesus fulfilled everything that was prophesied about Him, and to this very day He continues to live and heal.

There are many accounts of the adult life of Jesus, written in the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The most popular stories about Jesus were the ones about the miracles and wonders He performed. These miraculous acts were all themed around faith. He only healed those who believed that He could, and He loved them deeply. He didn't separate the good and bad people, or weigh His decision on how many sins those people committed, but He saw their heart. He never asked them how they got sick, or never pondered over what could've made them disabled, but He simply healed them; no questions asked. He still intercedes for those of us who love and believe in Him; as if He's here, and we're able to touch the bottom of His robe.

After Jesus' death and resurrection, He appeared to His disciples on the third day, just as He'd promised. He was with them, but disguised Himself so that they wouldn’t recognize who He was. He traveled with them, but it was getting dark and they asked Him to stay and have dinner with them. It's written: When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:30-32) Just as in this story Jesus walks with us each day. Even when the story said “He disappeared”, He was still with those men. When we’re sick, or weak in our mind, body, and/or spirit, it seems like we’re all alone, but never fear Jesus is with us each step of the way. Sometimes He’s right in front of us, but disguised as someone else; you can tell by that warm feeling in your heart.

Jesus came to the disciples again, one last time before His ascension into Heaven. It’s written: Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:45-49) When Jesus died, He not only afforded Salvation to the otherwise lost, but He also “clothed us with power from on high”. This power is given to each person that believes that He is Christ, and it also gives us the authority to heal and be healed in His Name. Hallelujah!

We find some of God’s promises about our Savior, written by the Prophet Isaiah. It’s written: But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isa. 53:5) Jesus confirmed this prophesy fulfilled when He broke bread with His disciples, shortly before He went to be with His Father in Heaven. Remember, when He broke the bread at the last supper, Jesus said “Take, eat; this is My body broken for you”? (Matt. 26:26) Jesus endured so much just so that we wouldn’t have to. He had mercy on us, and gave us an incredible blessing, which allows us to live in victory. From this day forward, don’t allow the enemy to keep you under any type of bondage. Ask for healing over anything that ails you, in the Name of Jesus, and at the same time claim that healing, and thank Him for it. Each day Praise God for the healing you’ve received and watch your situation get better. Sometimes it’s a process, but continue to believe in Him, because He’ll never forsake you.

It’s amazing how many things there are that could makes us sick, and not just physically, but mentally. Jesus gives us freedom from all types of illnesses-things and/or people that pollute our mind, body and spirit. We must be diligent in seeking Him, and learning His promises, living in the way that He taught us, in order to stay healthy all the way around. Think of how He was killed for us; hung, bled, and died for the sake of our wholeness. Faith is all we need to achieve complete wholeness in Christ. It has nothing to do with our circumstance, but with Who and What’s on the inside of us. If you don’t know where you stand in Christ, take a few moments to take the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. (Matt 8:17)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek (for most). I had a wonderful weekend, I embarked on a new journey in my ministry, and I learned a lot. I describe this step as "jumping into a cold pool". Have you ever been swimming, and you eased in the water, bit by bit? You start off with a toe, then eventually with the whole foot, etc., that way is safe, but it's more painful than just jumping in. I had been dipping my foot in the water, and then taking it out for a long time, so this time I was lead to go for it, and I jumped in. I had that immediate shock at the beginning, but as I got into it, and moved around in the water, it got better, and I felt more comfortable. Is there a cold pool in your life, something that you've been called to do, but you been sitting on the edge, too afraid to get in? Well I urge you to just jump in! You do have to be careful not to jump in with your eyes close, because you might hurt yourself, but pray for God's guidance, and once He gives you the green light, go for it. Take my word for it it's worth it! Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about respecting the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a “person” of the Trinity of God. When we think of God the Father, we think of the Creator of all things, the Almighty, All-powerful, Sovereign God. We know that He loves us, and we pray to, and fellowship with, Him on a daily basis. Then we think about God the Son, and we know the “Christmas story”, that God’s Spirit impregnated the Virgin Mary, and she gave birth to Jesus. He grew up like any other normal child, then as an Adult He traveled into far countries, taught the word of God, performed miraculous wonders, and died for the sin of all mankind. After His death, He was resurrected, and now sits in Heaven, at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. That’s two parts of the Trinity, but what’s the other? The third and final part is the Holy Spirit. He is just as important and relevant as the Father and the Son, yet we don’t respect as we do the others. Yes, there’s still One God, and One Savior Jesus Christ, but there’s also One Holy Spirit, and they all work together.
Yesterday we celebrated Pentecost, which observes the day God’s Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus’ Disciples, after His ascension into Heaven. In the Book of Acts, which is also know as “the Acts of the Holy Spirit”, Luke starts off with a conversation between Jesus and His disciples, after His resurrection, but before His ascension. Jesus said to them: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5 NIV) Luke goes on to give an account of when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in the next chapter. It’s written: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4) During all of this commotion, people started to surround the house to see what was going on. When they saw them acting so strangely, they thought they were drunk, but Peter stood before the crowd and explained what was happening (Acts 2:14-41). He went through different accounts of this very moment being prophesied throughout history, and how important that day was. It’s written: Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:38:39)
Now are you convinced that the Holy Spirit is as important as Jesus Himself? He’s been gifted to us; God loved us enough to give us a part of Him, to live inside of us, and help us face everyday life. The Holy Spirit seals our covenant with God. Jesus made it possible for us to live all eternity in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit makes it possible to live in abundance here on earth. He makes sure we’re following God’s will for our life, yet He also commands respect. He’s a part of God, so we’re required to love Him with all of our heart as well. He’s responsible for telling us, “this is the way walk in it”, and He’s expecting us to listen. He helps us know what to pray for, and how to pray (Romans 8:26). He convicts us of our sins, so that we could quickly repent, and our peace be restored. Through Him we can heal the sick, prophecy, and so much more. I heard one of Dr. Stanley’s teachings on the Holy Spirit, and He pointed out that we sometimes refer to the Holy Spirit as an “it” and not a “Him”, and I was immediately convicted, because I did that. Nonetheless, the Holy Spirit is very much a “person” of the Trinity of God.
We grieve the Holy Spirit when we don’t acknowledge His presence, consult Him on everyday things, nor thank Him for His assistance. If you know you haven’t been in touch with the Holy Spirit as much as you should, ask Him to walk with you today. He’s waiting on you to call on His Name, and He’ll be there. He right in your heart if you’ve confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, He’s been there all along. If you haven’t confessed Jesus as Lord, then as soon as you take that very important step, you’ll received His Holy Spirit. It may not be as dramatic as the day of Pentecost, but you’ll notice a huge difference. I can testify, because the Holy Spirit brings you this message through me, each and every day, without Him it would not be possible. If you’re not sure of your salvation take the God quiz today! My favorite verses today are: After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of the inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone and you're enjoying the end of another workweek. I'm doing well, TGIF! I'm so happy the weekend is here. They postponed the game tonight, I'm guessing because of the rain. It'll be held tomorrow at Bishop McNamara at 2pm. I'm so grateful, because it's supposed to be a little warmer, and sunny. It also gives the boys one more day to get prepared. A lot of people have already written them off, but I think they'll put up a good fight. I have a leadership meeting at church tomorrow, and we're discussing the option of starting an After School program, I think we've found a good opportunity. Please pray that we could all come up with one main goal, and are able to help the children, and parents. My niece Jazmine's birthday is tomorrow as well, Happy Birthday Jazzy Mama! I can't wait to see her, let's see if she could go skating, I don't know yet, because I haven’t discussed it with my sister. I’m always making plans without permission, but that’s what Aunties do. Enjoy your weekend, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about Jesus’ sacrifice for the Church. There is always going to be a question of why God does the things that He does, but it's written that He won't be fully revealed to us until we reach Heaven (Deut 29:29, 1 John 3:2). The main question is why does God require a blood sacrifice in order to forgive sins? That question has been in my heart all week, but I wasn't able to come up with a concrete answer. The next step was to "seek ye first", so I started researching the function of blood, to see if I could find its significance. Overall, blood has a number of functions in the human body, such as helping cleans and remove toxins, transport nutrients, regulate body temperature, works a sealant when the skins is punctured, and balances our pH, just to name of few. It most import to our survival. Without it none of our organs could function, nor will our heart beat. Now knowing the importance of blood, and the fact that it's naturally a cleanser, it's easier to see why it would be significant in the forgiveness of sins. God didn't require just any blood for atonement of sin, He required pure healthy blood as a sacrifice, and that's why Jesus was born. Jesus was created to take away the sins of the "Church", which is comprised of all mankind. The church isn't a building; it's you and me. Jesus was without sin, and very valuable to the world. Receiving salvation through Him, allows us to be covered with his Righteous blood. It cleanses us, keeps us connected to God, protects us from the wiles of the devil, heals us when we’re hurt, and blesses us with the nutrient of Holy Spirit. Before Jesus came to this earth, there was word of the Messiah coming as Lord and Savior, and throughout His entire life He had a immense responsibility, and knew that He would have to die. Because He was in the flesh, He had the opportunity to choose whether He wanted to continue on the path He was brought here to walk. He unselfishly carried our each command that God had given Him. He came to save everyone who's lost, and love us no matter how much we may fall. It's up to us to be open to Him and receive His love. He's there, and will come to anyone who earnestly asks. I'm going to leave you with this today, so it's not coming from me, but from His Living Word: This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10) Jesus gave His entire life for us, not just the act of being tortured and killed, but also His service. He made sure we have every tool we need to have a wonderful life. It's up to us to take our Salvation and allow it to cleanse our church, and be ready to receive all the miracles offered through Faith in Him. He loves us like no other could; just look at what He's done for us. Please pray and invite Him into your life, repent for your sins, and watch the doors start to open. My favorite verse today is: Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying this "Terrific Tuesday". I'm doing well, but wishing I could still be at home in bed. It's really gray and raining out, and that's a recipe for sleep. I'm already looking forward to the weekend, as usual. My Dad's birthday starts tomorrow, and ends on Thursday the 29th (long story). He's doing well, really enjoying his job, he and my sister work together, and they help the mentally disabled live a somewhat "normal life", by helping them get jobs, and assisting them through their workday. It's a wonderful and rewarding position to have, and they're both very good at it. It's truly a blessing to have the Spirit of a Servant, which is a character trait of our Lord Jesus Christ. Please pray for my co-worker who's been nursing her sick son over the last few days, he's okay, just fighting a cold/flu. Also pray for another co-worker's Mom, who's sick in the hospital; prayers for a speedy recovery and a good rehabilitation facility. Thanks again for your prayers, have a wonderful day; be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about the healing power of Jesus Christ. We are healed by the magnificent power and mercy of Jesus. There are several accounts of healing by Jesus and His disciples, in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In most cases Jesus asked His followers if they believed they could be healed. Jesus could see right through people, and what He saw was their heart. The act of healing or being healed is a gift by grace. Sickness is a part of life for some people, and we're afflicted because of a direct penalty of sin, fear, or a lack of Faith. In the bible it’s recorded that when people heard Jesus was coming to their part of town, they came from miles around to see Him. It's written in Matthew 14:35-36: And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well. These people had so much Faith in Him, because of what they'd heard He could do, and that Faith and persistence paid off. Jesus is not far away, and we don't have to wait until He comes to town to receive healing, because He lives in our heart. We have the healing power of the Holy Spirit ready to be used anytime we need Him. We have the Power in His Name to heal others, because we are His disciples. We must be sure do our best to maintain our Righteousness. When we sin, we must confess and repent as soon as possible. God cannot look on sin, so it's important to carefully weigh our decisions, and use haste. There are consequences to every action, whether negative or positive. There are some diseases that are "irreversible" according to world, but God is the ruler of all things. When we pray and ask to be healed, we must stand on Faith. We must continue our walk ask if we're already healed. We must claim it in the Name of Jesus and it will be done. In today's world, people depend more on medicine and doctors for healing. As we discussed yesterday, God is above anything scientific. God has the last say, but be very careful not to test Him. Some of us push the limits, and live a reckless life, but expect to be healthy and vibrant. We will pay for our actions, and I speak from experience. A few years ago, I stayed in my doctor's office. I was always in poor health. At one time, I was taking at least 8 different medicines a day. That's a lot for a seemingly healthy 25-year-old woman. I was indirectly killing myself, and God called me to change my ways. I begged to be healed, and He answered my cry, but first I needed to submit. Over the last year, I've noticed that all of my major issues have subsided tremendously. No more pills, and quarterly doctor's visits. God is Awesome! When we let go of self, and take on the mind of Jesus, we'll begin to stand on His promises. We could take some lessons from Job, even when he was afflicted he kept Faith in God. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, then get to know Him. If you've lost the connection with Him then you cannot receive healing, or heal anyone else, until you rekindle your relationship. You have the power by the blood of the Lamb; the question is do you believe it? Can you imagine the changes we could make, with a little Faith? My favorite verse today is: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. (Matthew 8:17)

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