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’m doing well, and have been enjoying the last few weeks of vacation. This weekend we’re having our 1^st Annual Pig Roast fund raiser at my Church, Saturday, June 11^th starting at 4pm. All is welcomed, so if you don’t have anything planned, please bring the entire family out for fun, food, games, and prizes! Please see our website for http://fairfaxchristian.org/ for further details, and directions. I would love to see you there! Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about the unconditional love of God. I’ve heard all of my Christian life that God loves me unconditionally, yet there are times when I feel like I’m not worthy of His love. Especially times when I know I’ve fallen short of His commandments, or have made wrong choices and bad decisions. I know that God will forgive me as soon as I ask, but I also know that I will reap what I sow. The devil is very smart and crafty, however he’s no match for a wise Christian, because we know how to put on the full amour of God. At the same time, he’s always going to attempt to place fear, doubt, and guilt into our lives, so that we lose sight of the fact that God does love us unconditionally. There’s nothing we can do or say to stop His love, because it is indeed “unconditional”.

Let’s think of the human body, and how much God put into creating us. How much care, attention to detail and love it had to take to create such complex yet simple creature. Compared to all of His other creations, we are superior, and were made with great precision. He took His time and molded us, and made sure that there are no two that are alike. He loves each individual that much that we’re unique in our own way. That alone should tell us just how much He loves us. The enemy doesn’t want us to know that, so he tries make us feel like we’re unworthy of God’s love, but the fact still remains that Jesus died for all mankind. I don’t care what type of sinner you are, He loves you no matter what. If you go to Him and repent, with a right heart and spirit, then you’re forgiven, no questions asked. There’s nothing that you can do that will separate you from Him for all eternity, once you’ve been saved. Look at where you came from and the type of stock you’re made of—you were created for a reason, because you are special to Him.

We can never base the love of God on the love of mankind—not even your mother can love you as deeply as God does. I know the love of a mother, and my mom would literally die for me, but she still cannot love me the way that God loves me. My mom has a limit to the things she’ll take from me; though her forgiveness runs deep, she is only human, and has a breaking point. God however, does everything for our good, even when He punishes us, or allows us to go through trials and tribulations—they’re all meant to work together for our good, we just have to pay attention and take the wisdom from it. I’m a firm believer that if we truly understood how much God loves us, then we can better love Him. We wouldn’t be so quick to sin against Him, because we’ll understand the sacrifices Jesus made so that we can have life.

Through Jesus we are blessed and highly favored, and we have inherited the Kingdom of God, and we’re truly righteous. You have authority by His Name to rule over all of the evil on this earth; remember through Christ, God has made your enemies your footstool. There aren’t many things that happen in our life that happens without our say; we have choices in everything we do, and those choices make up our life. Yesterday is Gone, tomorrow isn’t promised, all we can do is be better today. I was feeling a bit lost over the last week, and I’d been struggling with focusing on the wrong things, and when I spoke to God, He lead me to read Psalms 37. I absolutely love David’s Psalms because he truly bears his soul. He tells us like it really is, and he’s the first to say, “I’m not perfect but I love God, and God loves me”. If we each take responsibility for the choices we make in life, then we’d have a better relationship with God, because He truly understands what we’re going through, He simply asks us to confess and repent. Remember He was here in the flesh once before. I urge you, if you feel like you’re lost, and that God is just done with you, then think again. He will never be done with you, and will work on you until the day that you die. He loves you! Just love Him with all of your heart, and do the best that you can. When you seek Him, He will show Himself to you. He’s waiting for you. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, please take that first step, and ask Him to come into you life as Lord and Savior. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verses today are: The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)

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Anytime you’re felling weak, Psalms 37 is a great Psalm to turn to. I found great strength in these words:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

²⁵ I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
²⁶ He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

²⁷ Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
²⁸ For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about making the best choices in life. The great thing about life is that we have choices. One of the gifts and curses of "The tree of knowledge of good and evil", was that it gave us the ability to make sound decisions. Once Adam and Eve made the choice to eat from that tree, they were given the knowledge of the ways of the world, and the ability to choose which way that they wanted to go. This rule is still in place, but the problem is, our flesh is so weak that we often choose the evil over the good. Although we now have the gift of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus as our intercessor, which makes our choices a little easier, we are still susceptible to choosing evil. Knowing the God we serve, we don't have to choose evil, we just do--it's just as accessible to choose to do good, and be good as it is to do evil. This takes effort and discipline, which requires work and dedication. There are so many people who dwell on how difficult living a righteous life is, but most things are difficult at first. We have to build a relationship with Christ. Since we were born in sin, and have sinful natures naturally, we have to allow the conformation from sinner to Saint to happen. Each day we're given on this earth, we have to live on purpose, and actively seek the face of the Lord. When we're doing that, above all else, righteousness will come.

I can testify to this personally, because only God knows how much fighting we had to do for me to get here. It reminds me of when Jacob wrestled with God--I wrestled with Him for many years. The wonderful thing about this story is that Jacob kept fighting, it's written: When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Gen 32: 25-26) Jacob wouldn't let go, even after his hip was out of socket, but waited until he received a blessing from God. Jacob left there with physical pain, but his heart was healed. I was saved at a very young age, maybe nine or ten years old, and I was baptized on my 15th birthday, but after that I didn't attend church regularly. I didn't care for or nourish this new relationship that I'd entered into, so I didn't know how to be righteous. Sure I felt God's calling on my life, and the Holy Spirit's warnings when I was about to make the wrong choices, but ignored them, because of ignorance. I always felt like I was wrestling with something, but I never knew what it was. I knew that I wanted to do the right thing, and live a better life, but I never knew how or why, I just felt like I was in this battle against myself. Have you ever felt that way?

It wasn't until about six years ago when God finally took my "hip out of socket". I was physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotional disabled. I was in so much pain that I couldn't get out of bed in the morning, yet I felt God's calling, but I just kept making the wrong decisions. It wasn't until I figured out that I wasn't alone, and that this thing that I was wrestling wasn't the devil, it was God. It wasn't until I understood that just like Jacob, I had the option to tell God, "I'm not letting go until you bless me". I finally understood what Jesus preached about at the Sermon on the Mount, when He said do not worry. I learned how to cast my cares on the Lord, as the Apostle Paul preached so diligently. I learned that I didn't have to let go of the fact that I wanted righteousness yet couldn't quite achieve it on my own, because that could only happen if I surrendered to Christ. The choices I made were made because I hadn't stood up and taken my right place in the Kingdom of God. When God revealed all of these things to me I was far from perfect, and was terrible at making the right choices. The best choice I have ever made in life was to completely follow Christ, flaws and all. Even though I enjoyed partying with my girlfriends two to three times a week, and I drank just because it was Tuesday--despite the fact that I still smoked a pack of cigarettes every other day, and my marriage was falling apart--I still choose God, and never gave up. I fell down, but I got right back up, and kept pushing forward in Christ.

At this point, I told God that I wasn't letting go until I was blessed with wisdom and knowledge to make better choices, and He did just that. It didn't happen overnight, but it happened more quickly than I realized. I was still limping around though life, because I was broken, and in the process of being healed, but I noticed that each day, when I prayed, meditated, and sought righteousness, I got a little better. I no longer wanted the cigarettes, and being drunk was no longer fun. Instead of enjoying myself at the clubs, I started feeling out of place, and analyzing and praying for all of the young women and men that were making really bad choices. I began to yearn for anything righteous, and was drawn to positive activities, and other like-minded people. These changes didn't happen until I finally let go of the old life that God had been slowly leading me away from, and allowed Him to bring me to where He needed me to be. I am still very much a work in progress, but if you can take a look at where I came from, to where I am now, I am a living and breathing testimony to the fact that if God changed me, He can change anyone.

I am so indecisive that choices usually make me anxious, only because I know that if I make the wrong choice I may fail. However, in most day to day decisions, it isn't that hard to choose good over evil. Remember, we have the knowledge thanks to Adam and Eve; we just have to hone those skills. Satan is crafty and wise, and he'll do what he can to throw us off, but "Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world". Our Savior Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price so that He could be with us every step of the way, and make our choice that much easier. If you don't know Jesus as Lord, or aren't sure, then that's the most important decision you will ever make in your life. Please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed: and make you a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:31)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are assure us that the Lord hears our prayers. How many times have you prayed and felt like God just wasn’t listening? How many nights have you cried, waiting to hear a word from Him, or seeking a change in your situation? We have all gone through this a few times in our life, but I want to assure you that God always answers our prayers. I remember those days, when it seemed like all hope was gone, and I was not going to make it through, but I always made it. In hindsight I realize that God was there all along. He answered every prayer that I have ever prayed, but most the times it was an answer that I didn’t expect (or even want), but it was always what was best for me. I used to be afraid to pray to God sometimes, especially when my own sin caused my pain. I have since learned that nothing is too big or small for God; He's always waiting to hear from me, in hopes that I will repent, and stay in continuous fellowship with Him.

As I grow in my faith walk, it seems as though He answers my prayers much quicker. It’s not that He’s quicker in response; it’s just that I’m able to see them more clearly, because I know Him. I understand who He is, and what He expects from me, so pretty much I know how He answers my prayers. For example, there may be a time when I’m planning to buy something that I do not need, but I have a bill due. I’ll pray, "Lord please provide me the means to pay this bill", but in my heart I’m thinking, and some extra so I can buy this ____. He knows that whatever this “thing” is, it might cause me to sin, or become an idol in my life, so He’s only going to provide enough for me to pay the bill. In the past, instead of me praising and thanking Him because the bill was paid, I would get mad, and sulk, because I am thinking that I deserved to blessed to be able to buy whatever I want (or think that I need at the time). Boy how mixed up I was! I now understand, that God's way is the best way. I ask Him for what I want, but He answers me with what He wants for me, and I'm so very happy with that!

God will never overlook our cries for help, nor would He fail to provide everything that we need, when we need it. That is not that type of God we serve. We serve a God who loves us unconditional, and always has our best interest at heart. There are reasons for everything that we go through in life, and also stages that we have to past through, in order to grow. There are going to be things that we don’t understand, or nights that we feel alone, or feel that He isn’t listening, but always know that He’s right there. If you turn to the book of Psalms, you’ll see several examples of this—where these great servants of God cried to the Lord with thanksgiving and praise, and some even with hurt and anguish. These things are a part of life, but the one thing that all of these Psalmist have in common, is that fact their prayers were always heard. You know King David was one of my favorite Psalmist, because he was the first to admit his faults, and he understood that God is the only way out. He understood that all he had to do was cry out to the Lord in repentance, and God would hear his cries. David was one of the most imperfect people written about in the Bible, but He was God's favorite.

God was proud of David because he always obeyed His will, and he knew how to humble himself and cry out to God in times of trouble, as well as praise him in times of bliss. David asked God for exactly what he needed, when he needed it, in great detail, because he knew God personally. He had no reason to doubt Him, because God had always come through for him. I loved David's Cry for Help in Trouble, where he starts off: Lord hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy, in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. Do not bring your servant into judgement, for no one living is righteous before you. (Psalm 143:1-2) Don't you love the way David put that out there? He spoke to God as if he was sure that his prayers were going to be answered,with confidence in their relationship. He had this confidence because God had never let him down before, so that is exactly what he expected, every time he prayed. Now I ask you, has God ever let you down? Just think about it for a few minutes, and allow your memories to come back to you. Is your relationship with God similar to David's? If you answered no, then you're wrong. If anything, we're closer to God, because we know His Son, Jesus Christ. David didn't have the advantage that we have, but he was still blessed and highly favored. God hasn't changed from who He was with David; if anything He keeps getting sweeter.

Do you feel lost and alone sometimes, and need someone to talk too? You may have already tried to talk to your friends, your mother, or even a therapist, but you still feel empty. God is waiting on you to talk to Him. He's our father, brother, best friend, co-worker, therapist, and anything else we need Him to be. He said ask, seek, and knock, and your prayers will be answered. You have to be real with Him,, and stand on His promises, just as David was real with Him, because He already knows your heart. He needs you to be genuine in repentance, and with the trust that He will always be there to answer your prayers. Finally, pray in the Name of Jesus, because without Him, we have no relationship with God. He's our mediator; He makes a way for us to be one with God, so you must start with Him. If you don't know Jesus as Savior, please take a few moments and take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. (2 Corinthians 1:10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you enjoyed this beautiful “Terrific Tuesday”. I am doing well, and am feeling much better today! I guess my first day back in the gym wore me out, more than I realized. When I sat down to write, I could not hold my head up. Well that, and the fact that I have not been sleeping as well I would want, conquered my will to write last night. Transitions are awesome, especially when God takes you into a quiet corner, and teaches and molds you into an awesome servant. I am learning that there are times where you are not supposed to do anything but listen and learn. The only way that we will be able to teach what we have learned, is to allow this much needed season. I remember when I was living in Portland, OR, and we were about to enter into the rainy season. We had gotten halfway through November and the rain still had not started. I was elated about that, because I was not looking forward to eight straight months of rain. When I said this, my friend, who grew up in Portland, looked a little worried, and she said, “There is a reason for the rain, and if we do not get it, that means that we could have terrible forest fires next year, and things just would not be right”. Sure enough, after that painful rain season, the spring peaked through, the trees and flowers bloomed, and it was the most beautiful, green, lush place that I have ever seen. If it had not been for the rain, who knows what it would have looked like. When we are going through periods of nonstop rain, or when God sits us down to just listen, it seems like it is never going to end. Quite frankly, it is just downright boring and sometimes painful, however, everything happens for a reason, so it is important for us to allow the seasons. I’m in a season of listening and learning so that I can better teach the Word, which is what I was called to do. Always be sure to know which season you are in, and embrace it. Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family.

Today’s scriptures are about walking in perfection. Perfect is what we all strive to be, even though God never created us to be that way. In the flesh we are actually imperfect and sinful in nature, yet we try to be perfect. What’s wrong with this picture? You may be wondering why God asks us to be perfect, when it is absolutely impossible to do. Well the answer lies in Christ Jesus. He was perfect and sinless, because we were incapable of being that on our own. He gave up His life, so that we do not have sacrifice another living breathing soul. He taught us how to walk in righteousness through His teachings, and the way that He walked in faith. He endured everything that we could ever face, and more, so that we can understand that it is all a part of life, and we too can overcome any obstacle. So in Christ, we are indeed perfect, because we’re washed by His blood. When we accept Jesus as Lord we’re baptized with the Holy Spirit, and born again. We’ve become “new creatures”, which gives us the opportunity to be perfect. To clarify: within the flesh we will never be perfect, but in Christ we are made perfect by the blood of the Lamb. The only thing left for us to do is to conduct ourselves in such way, so that we can grow in our faith, as well as be great representatives of Christ.

It amazes me how much scrutiny Christians are under. It seems like we are under a microscope, because people analyze everything we do—believers and non-believers alike. I don’t know how many times I've heard someone say, “He’s not acting very “Christian-like”, or “Did you hear what she said, isn’t she supposed to be a Christian”. This annoys me because sure we’re Christians, but we’re also human, and are going to make mistakes. We’re only perfect through Christ! The person who’s trying their best to make their outside match the inside, deserve all of the credit in the world, because it is not easy. If you wake up each morning with the intention of making God proud, then you’re perfect in your spirit. If you happen to fall short, which each and every one of us will at one time or another, then that’s okay, because God knows your heart. He sees us trying, and that is all that we can do. I mean genuinely trying, by making sure that we have Him in mind with everything we do. Just getting up and making it to church every Sunday, or donating money when a disaster happens—which are all great things—are not enough. You must walk, talk, and think like Christ, which takes practice. You have to actively want to be better, do better, look better, work harder, love deeper, and have a stronger sense of the Kingdom of God. That, brothers and sisters, is perfection in Christ.

In order to maintain this perfection we have inherited from Christ, our entire lives must change, because again we are in the flesh, and the flesh is indeed weak. We have all heard what the Apostle Paul had to say about this, when he wrote the “Instructions on Christian Living”. My favorite part is when he wrote: So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:17-24) You may have read this and thought “that is easier said than done”, but trust me, it could be easier, if you do it with your heart. If you really Love Jesus, then you are going to want to live in a way that pleases Him, because He gave up so much for you. Do you think if Jesus had to do it all over again He would? Of course He would, because He loves us just that much, and He knows better. All He's asked of us to do is LOVE Him; is that too much to ask?

To take a few moments to think of your life. With sin comes payment, and that payment takes a toll on you physically, spiritually, and emotionally. When you walk in righteousness, it also comes with payment, which builds us up physically, spiritually, and emotionally. All you have to do is make a conscious decision—choose Jesus, and trust Him to show you the way. Believe me when I say that you DO NOT have to be perfect to accept Jesus as Lord, He'll take you just as you are; I am a living witness. Besides, Jesus is the only way to achieve perfection in God's eyes. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verse today is: Ye shall Be Holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. (Leviticus 20:26)

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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)

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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)

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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 FRIDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about how to recognize true blessings. You’ve probably heard the saying, “everything that looks good, isn’t good for you”; this is so true in so many ways. Recognizing true blessings, which come from God, is something that you learn as you mature in your faith walk. It takes really knowing God, and understanding what’s most important to Him. We’ll only grow spiritually by studying the Word of God, spending time with Him, and being in tuned with our Holy Spirit. I can’t quote these scriptures enough: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thes. 5:16-18) When we’re doing all of these things, we’ll be blessed tremendously. At the same time, we’re always going to be tempted and tried—the enemy dangles, and even offers us the “forbidden fruit”, and makes it seem like it’s the most delicious and nutritious fruit that has ever been created. However, we learned valuable lessons from Adam and Eve, as well as the artificial blessings he offered to Jesus, when he tempted Him in the wilderness. If he tried to win the heart of the only begotten Son of God, what stops him from trying to win our heart?

The enemy is very crafty, and uses so many things to lead us into pitfalls. He’s a master of illusion and disguise, and can easily convince the non-believer, or even a Christian with wavering faith, that what he can give us is far better than what God offers. He works in subtle ways, and if we aren’t wise in the ways of the Lord, we’ll fall for his artificial blessings. The Apostle Paul wrote: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12) The enemy preys on the weak, and offers temporary pleasure, through people and things, which will leave us feeling empty inside. He has the world thinking that anything that make us feel good, or fulfils the need of our vanity, are blessings. As believers we are above the world, so the Holy Spirit will always let us know what’s real. Rule of thumb, if it doesn’t feel good, it probably isn’t.

Money is so controversial to people in the Christian faith; how much to give, how much to keep, what to buy, etc. It’s a cause of great division in the church (well it could cause division in any relationship). This verse may be the most misquoted and misunderstood verse in the bible: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…” Some people turn this into “money is evil”, which is far from the truth. They not only leave out the key part, “the LOVE of…” they also omit the remainder of this verse, “…for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim 6:10) Money is one of the devil’s primary tools, used to pull believers away from God. However, God will always bless us with exactly what we need, as well as what we are wise enough to handle—nothing more nothing less. Nevertheless, if we aren’t careful, we’ll find ourselves doing what Paul mentions, in the sometimes forgotten part of, the aforementioned verse. A true blessing from God is for us to be at peace with or without an abundance of money. He wants us to be grateful, as well as faithful with every dime that He blesses us with. He requires us to be faithful tithers, and always willing to give to those in need.

Life is full of ups and downs, but God blesses us in every circumstance. Actually, there’s not a day that goes by that we aren’t blessed. I’m a pretty adventurous person, and there are some things that I’m willing to do, go, or try, that others may not. I know God, and I refuse to allow fear to rule my life. I understand that He created this earth, and will bless me with everything I want and desire while I’m here, because I try my best to live for Him. I understand who I am in Christ, so I know what I’m worth; I’m no longer as susceptible to the things that the enemy tries to pass off as blessings in my life. Most of the time I can spot him from a mile away, but he slithers like a snake, and can sometimes slide by undetected. He knows that patience is one of my biggest challenges, so he tries to offer me the “cliff notes” version of what I originally asked God for, but it’s up to me to recognize the prototype, and never take anything less than what God has promised me. I know that God loves me, so His blessings will never cause me any ill will, or unnecessary pain in my life.

The most important blessing to all mankind is the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Anyone can ask for it, and they will receive it. When we study the Word of God, and learn the ways of Jesus Christ [whom we’re striving to be like], we learn that God is far above the ways of the world. Money, fame, and prestige aren’t the only, or most important, blessings we receive. Salvation, peace, joy, forgiveness, fellowship, love, companionship, children, good health, a warm bed on cold nights, food when you hunger, water when you thirst, etc. are just few—it’s the simple things that matter most. Remember, when you count your blessings you find gratitude, and gratitude leads to repentance, and repentance leads to freedom. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, please take a few minutes to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22)

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