Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. We speak about righteousness regularly, because God requires it of us, but what exactly does it mean? The word righteous is defined: characterized by, proceeding from, or in accordance with accepted standards of morality, justice, or uprightness; virtuous. If we’re made into righteousness, then we’re expected to conduct ourselves righteously, but wait… How are we supposed to do that, if the flesh is weak, and a man in the flesh is prone to sin? The answer to that question is found in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness, and it’s because of Him that God sees us as righteous. God created us for Himself, and sin separated us from Him, so He brought us back to Him. It’s written: For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col. 1:19-20)

We see similar stories every day—a parent sacrificing him or herself so that their child could have the best out of life. Most parents sacrifice their freedom, sleep, money, time, and energy for their children, all because they love them. When you have children you trade yourself for them, and you’d very easily lay down your life to protect them. If we, being sinful creatures, can do this for your children, without so much as a second thought, what more will God do for us? When He came to earth in the flesh, He paid with His life, to afford us the fruits of the Spirit—righteousness, peace, joy, happiness, meekness, and self-control. However, He won’t make us follow the paths He’s laid out for us.

When our children grow into adulthood, we must step out of their way, and allow them to grow and mature. As much as we hope that they’ll follow the plans that we’ve laid out for them, they sometimes stray. However, if we’ve instilled morals and values into them, led by example, and gave them a great foundation and sense of discernment, they’ll get back on the right path. I remember hearing a comedian say that every parent wants their child to grow up and be successful, respectful, intelligent, and able to go out and make a good life for themselves, but that doesn’t always happen. He said, “Nobody will look at their newborn baby and say, ‘ah, look at my little crack-head or rapist’, they say ‘ah, look at my little doctor or lawyer’”. As funny as that was, it struck a chord in me, this is such a true statement, because God feels the same way about us.

We were predestined from the beginning of time to accomplish His will. We are so special to Him, that He knew His thoughts of us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. He was aware of the evil to come in the world, so He gave up the life of His own Son, who never sinned, so that we could have life. Jesus didn’t deserve to die the way that He died, because He did nothing but right. He is righteousness, but He took on our sins, so that we wouldn’t have to pay the ultimate price. With this being true, why do so many believers live as if they don’t know God? Why are so many of us walking around defeated, and wallowing in sin and self-pity? If you’re a believer in Christ Jesus, and you battle with the enemy daily and it feels like he’s winning, then I hope this message frees you today. God loves you much greater than any earthly parent could love a child. He looks at you and sees nothing but your heart, because Jesus blood covers our “not so perfect parts”. In God’s eyes you are righteous, so all you have to do is believe it for yourself, and live accordingly.

I hope knowing that you are made righteous through Christ has lifted the weight of trying to be perfect on your own. Righteousness comes by the grace of God, through Christ Jesus. I love how Paul explains it: Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. (Col. 1:21-22) Paul wasn’t a nice man before he met Jesus on that Damascus road, but God choose him to be a great Apostle, and He can do the same for you. No one is all bad, because we were created by the almighty God. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, all God sees is the sins you’ve committed, but you can be forgiven and made righteous simply by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. Take that step today! Click on the link to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verses today are: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.( Titus 3:5-6)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about God’s thoughts of us. There aren’t many parents that dislike they’re children. I don’t care if you’re a murderer, thief, rapist, or terrorist you’re parents will love you, because they created it. You’re a part of them, and share their DNA, so they have an unbreakable connection to you. It’s the way God created it, because that’s how He feels about us. It’s true that He knew us from the beginning of time, and He loved us enough to create us for Himself. He loves us enough to stand beside us through thick and thin, no matter the weather.

I can honestly testify to this, because my mother always has been there for me. Especially in the times when I was a mess and when I kept choosing wrong over right. She gave me freedom to stand on my own two feet, but was there to help me when I fell. She was there to teach me how to be a woman, and how to conduct myself as a lady. She’s been my rock, and always listened when I complained, offered a shoulder when I cried, and most importantly, she corrected me when I did something wrong. I will always love her for that. I know that God gave me to her, because she would help mold me into the person that I am today, and I’m so grateful for that. She wasn’t perfect, yet proved to be human over and over again, and that’s another reason why I love her so dearly. Despite her shortcomings and mine, she never stopped showing her love for me.

God is more awesome than a great parent could ever be because He is perfect. He created the world, and each and every one of us, with so much care and precision, that have unique DNA, finger and toe prints. If you test a strand of my hair, you’ll know that it belongs to me—God did that for a reason—He did that to let us know that we’re each special in our own way. He sees us as His precious children, and He’ll never leave our side. He protects us from harm, and gives us the wisdom we need to grow. When we obey His Laws, we’ll live life to its fullest potential. We’ll experience things that only He could show us, because we are valuable gems to Him. By the blood of Jesus, we’re washed of all Inequity, and through Him, God see’s no evil. He loved us so much that He’s given us His Holy Spirit, so that we could have access to Him at all times, through effective communication.

The enemy will have us hating ourselves because of the mistakes we make. He showers us with shame and guilt, to keep us away from God. It’s like the little child who hides in the closet after he breaks dad’s favorite coffee mug. He hides because he thinks that he’s shattered dad’s world, but what he doesn’t know is that dad loves him more than he could ever love any coffee mug. God loves us unconditionally, and when we sin, He wants more than anything for us to repent. He wants us to be able to communicate with Him freely; after all He did create us for fellowship with Him. He wants us to be free in order to bring more peace, joy and happiness to our lives. That’s what any parent would want for their precious children. When God sees us He sees our innocence, and the purity of our heart. He sees the best in us, and expects us to show that side of us to the world. He hates sin, and would love it if we would never disobey Him, but He understand that it’s a human thing to do. He also understands when we love Him with all of our hearts, but our fight against the flesh is a little too much for us to bear. He places people and opportunities in our lives so that we could be better, and do better.

I want to leave you with this—it’s written: And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Heb. 10:19-23) GOD LOVES YOU! That’s a reason to rejoice! There’s no reason to think anything differently. Why else would He sacrifice Himself so that you could have a chance to be redeemed? This is a powerful weapon to use against the devil’s plots against you. From now on you can say “get behind me satan, because God loves me, and I am redeemed”, and that’s enough said.

Jesus is the key to establishing and maintaining a strong bond with God. He loves you, and all He’s waiting on is for you to love Him back. The first step to showing Him that is by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you believe in the Son, then you believe in the One who sent Him. If you want more information, take a few moments to take the God Quiz. My favorite verse today is: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Today's scriptures are about becoming like Christ, throughout our Faith walk. What does it mean to be a Christian? There are so many different forms or branches of the “religion” Christianity, which in my opinion, allows people to easily get lost in its true meaning. Dictionary.com has several definitions of the word itself, but most relate to: following the teachings of, or believing in, Christ. My favorite definition of them all, is one word, "Christlike".
To get caught up in the different “sub-religions” of Christianity is something that I cannot get into today. I think being a believer in Jesus Christ is so far above the word "religion", because the word itself carries a lot of controversy. Some people advise never talk politics or religion with friends or family, because that's an easy way to lose a few (I somewhat agree with that statement). I could go on and on about the different belief systems, but in the end, there's only ONE truth. It's written: Jesus said... “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) There are always going to be lots of unanswered questions about Christianity, but you should never stop seeking the truth for yourself. Personally, I know Jesus Christ, because He lives in my heart. He's uplifted and strengthened me on days I thought I could no longer go on. He's spoken to me through His Word and Holy Spirit, and comforted me in times of trouble. He's rejoiced with me in great times of joy, and there are times when I literally feel His presence. So when asked why I’m a Christian, these are some my answers.
There's more to being a Christian than just inheriting your mansion in Heaven, it's a lifestyle. Although confessing Christ as your Lord and Savior is a huge step, it’s probably the easiest part of becoming Christlike. If you read the Gospels of Christ, you'll notice that Jesus' main concern was teaching the ways of God, and representing His Father well. He knew that He was a first hand look into Who God is, that's why He said "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father". When we confess that we are Christians, people see God through us. The lost are looking to be found, and some people get to a point in their life where they just need some answers. When God calls you, you almost feel like something is missing in your life, until you answer. You’ll keep searching for that missing piece, until you find Him. He places certain people in your life to show you the way to Him. He uses each of us, so we're warned throughout His Word, to be careful of what we do, because we never know when someone's watching. We can bring life or death to a lost person, so when we confess to be Christians our main goal is to shine His light to everyone around us, so don’t hide or be ashamed of who you are in Christ. Jesus said: “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light." (Luke 8:16)
This message is meant to convict, not condemn, so if you are not a "Christian", don't be afraid. God created the world, and everything in it. He knows that we're inadequate, weak, and frail in the flesh, because He created us that way. He created us to depend on Him. If He's called us to be one of His children, and commands us to follow the path of righteousness, He'll give us all that we need to stay on it, when we have Faith in Him to do so. Although Jesus (in the flesh) had all the power and might of God, He still relied on God to get Him through each day, because He realized the weakness of His flesh. When He needed help and strength He prayed and asked God for it. He's such a wonderful example on how to live a Godly life, how could we ever be ashamed to say that we're Christians? I wouldn't want to be like any other man that ever walked this earth, but Him.
Living a Christian life requires a change in mindset, because we're born in sin, with free will. We must learn and love the promises of God, and the ways and teachings of Christ, in order to get it right. The Holy Bible is the "living Word", so every time we pick it up, even to read the same verses over and over again, God is trying to show us something. Study the ways of Christ, and the things He’s done, and take on some of the same attitudes. Most importantly, put God at the head of your life, and always put Him first, and everything else will fall into place.
Being a light for Christ doesn't require you to be perfect or sin free, because no one is, but it does require you to strive to be, each day. If your only focus is on how you're going to please God, you'll see everything around you will prosper, without you even trying.
The first step to becoming a Christian is surrendering your life to God, and asking Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior. Once you've done that, let the journey begin. It feels good when you start to notice your transformation; all of the pain from the refinement is worth it. The key is changing your mindset to one of a great representative of Christ. My favorite verse today is: Christ ... shall change our vile body ... that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today's scriptures are about the power in the Name of Jesus. A name identifies who we are, and where we come from. There's a lot of power in certain names, like Kennedy, Trump, King, Mandela, etc. When you hear these names, you think about important people in history. Then there are names like Kim, Rubinstein, O’Donnell, Gonzalez, or Muhammad, which helps us pinpoint a person's origin. It's important to seriously think about what we name our children, because certain names can hinder a person’s growth, or cause them to experience unnecessary mockery throughout their youth. These examples are to point out the significance in a name, because it is who you are. In most stories of the bible, God changed the names of His chosen people, like Saul to Paul, Sari to Sarah, Simon to Peter, etc. It’s written that when the Angel Gabriel told Joseph that Mary would have a son, he said, you will name Him Jesus (Matt. 1:21). God chose that Name for a reason. When we speak, or even think of the Name Jesus Christ, we should feel indescribable joy in our heart, because of Who He is, and what He's done for us. He saved all mankind from sin, and we can conquer all things, in His name. It's written: Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) I’ve always felt that most devotionals are redundant, but as humans we need redundancy to form habit. How many times, in your Faith walk, have you been told to call on the Name of Jesus? Do you make that a practice in your everyday life? Our flesh comes from the dirt which makes it weak, but God breathed life into us, so our inner being is strong. Christ, Yahweh, Joshua, Emmanuel, are all Names given to Jesus. However, there is only one Son of God, who has baptized us with His Holy Spirit, when we made Him Lord of our life. Our every connection with God is through Him, so it’s important for us to call on His Name whenever we’re in need, or anytime we approach our Heavenly Father. It’s written: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor. 6:9-11) We’ve all carried one or more of these titles at one time, or another, in life, but the Gospel of Christ frees all who believe from the penalties of sin, when we ask in His Name. This means that if you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then He’s still waiting on you to call on His Name, and invite Him to be Lord of your life. You simply have to live by these words: And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Col. 3:17). I can only tell you these things by His Spirit, but don’t take my word alone, call on His Name, and He’ll personally show you the way to the abundant life He came to give. My favorite verses today are: Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet. (Ephesians 1:21-22)


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Daily Devotional

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today's scriptures are about what God thinks of us. When I was reading through the Faith Walk Ministry’s website, I noticed one quote that gave me another one of those epiphanies I was referring too yesterday: " Our wish for you this year is that you will appreciate the reality of knowing that you are the apple of God's eye!" That's an awesome way to think of our relationship with God, because we are, in fact, the "apple of His eye". He created us to be one with Him, as His companions, and most importantly in His image. He's our Heavenly Father, yet He loves us far more than any earthly parent can love a child. He gave us His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our sins, to renew our Spirits, and share that special bond with us again. Why then do so many Christians have such a poor self-image? The first thing the enemy attacks is your confidence in who you are, and who you are in the Lord. He uses sin and guilt to make you believe that God doesn't love you, because of what you've done. I can't count how many times I've asked an unbeliever why they wasn't saved, and the answer was "because I'm not ready yet, I need to change my life and get right". There are also numerous Christians who are saved but aren’t sure, for the same reasons. This causes them to compromise their relationship with Jesus, and lose all inner peace. I see the pain on a person's face when they say, "I don’t know if I'm saved, because I've done so much wrong". O ye of little Faith! Jesus has conquered sin, and He says it best in Matt 18:10: For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Perfection comes from the blood of Jesus, none of us can achieve it on our own, and God doesn't expect us too. He loves us regardless, and Jesus also said: And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) When we accept Jesus, as Lord and Savior He’ll always be there for us, so never worry about losing your Salvation, your sin debt is paid in full. When God sees you, He sees His perfect creation. He doesn't see your outer appearance, what you're wearing, or how much money you have, He sees your heart, and He loves you. When you praise Him, follow His will, and pray to Him He's proud. It's written: The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. (Psalms 145:8) As humans we fail to see the bigger picture, God is so much more powerful than we could imagine. As I was on plane a few weeks ago, we flew over a city, and all I could see were the lights, and the homes looked like small models, and sat on perfect winding roads, and I thought, "wow, we're such a small part in the world, how mighty God must be". It's written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) He sits on a throne in Heaven looking down on us, and although we're such a small part of this huge universe, He loves us more than we could ever imagine. He chooses us personally, to complete His will, and we're so important that not one of our prayers is missed, and He communicates with us daily. Here's a question that has a seemingly obvious answer, but really think about it. Do you truly know how much God loves you? Don't spend another moment thinking that you're not worthy because Jesus gave His life to prove otherwise. Start living like a child of God, and set out to love yourself a fraction as much as God loves you. Spend some time with Him, and allow Him to pour His love into you. Even if you haven't confessed Jesus as Lord, God still loves you, and is waiting to hear from you, please take the time to say that prayer. My favorite verse today is: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jerimiah 29:11)

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