Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about the sweet savor in the Name of Jesus Christ. Let’s take a few moments to think about how much Jesus has done for us, and how much He means to all mankind. When I think about how much He loves me, and even at the mention of His Name, I get a warming in my heart, and a smile instantly appears on my face. Oh how precious is the Name of Jesus! It makes me think of the song, Something About the Name of Jesus, by Kirk Franklin. It is the sweetest thing I know, oh how I love the Name of Jesus! The bible describes Jesus as the husband, and us [the church] as His bride, and we will be presented to Him, when the time comes, as a bride is presented to her husband. (Revelation 19:6-10) In any marriage, the husband works hard to gain the wife’s affection, but once He has that affection, she’ll do anything for Him, and will love him in a way that she loves no other human being. When we think of our relationship with Jesus and how much He’s done to prove His love for us, we should think of how beautiful, awesome, special, loving, kind, sweet, tender, merciful, and gracious He truly is.

I always wondered why the bible describes Jesus’ love like a “sweet smelling ointment (or oil)”, and today’s scriptures had me digging deeper to find that answer. Aside from all of the sacrificial uses of aromatic oils from the beginning of time, I thought about what certain scents do to the rest of body. Think about how Jesus makes you feel; it’s very similar. Think about your favorite scent, whether it’s a body oil, incense, cologne, or perfume, and think of how it makes you feel when you smell it. I remember the day I smelled a type of cologne whose scent will forever change my life, and until this day, when I smell it, it touches me deeply. I’m not sure why I’m so affected by it, but when a man walks by with it on, it’ll stop me in my tracks. It’s L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme, by Issey Miyake. There may be some people that are repulsed by it, or it doesn’t have the same effect on them as it does me. It’s proven that certain aromas relax the mind, and some gives energy and awaken the senses, yet each person reacts to different scents uniquely.

In the beginning stages of your faith walk, you’re getting to know Jesus. Yes, you’ve learned enough about Him to invite Him into your life as your Lord and Savior, but that’s the beginning of your relationship. Just like any relationship, you’re entering into the infatuation stage, and that’s when you feel all giddy inside, and yearns to be close to Him—some people refer to it as the “honeymoon” stage, which will eventually wear out. Developing a deep impenetrable love for Him requires us walk with Him on our life’s journey. It requires us to seek Him out, pray, mediate on His teachings, and try our best to live by His commandments. When you’re doing these things, that’s when your love for Him will deepen, and you’ll start to feel like I feel when I smell Issey Miyake, whenever His Name is mentioned. It’ll stop you in your tracks, and you’ll feel this fullness in your heart, that I can’t begin to explain. Oh how I love the Name Jesus! When I start thinking about the things He’s done for me, and the storms He’s kept me through, I can’t help but praise Him.

There was a time when Jesus was asked: “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. (John 14:22-24) Now isn’t this the sweetest thing that you’ve ever heard? I’ll tell you what’s so sweet about it—the fact that He only wants our love, nothing more. He never said after you’ve cleaned up your act, then I’ll come to you. He only said love Me, and My Father and I will make Our home with you. He offers freedom and salvation to everyone who loves Him. I promise you, when you start getting to know who He is, and the amount love He has for you, you’ll easily fall in love, but that comes with time and dedication. You can’t truly love Him if you don’t know Him, and you can’t really know Him without spending time in the Word of God, and talking to Him in prayer.

If you’re reading this right now, chances are you’re looking for something, and that’s the beginning of loving the Lord, because you sought Him out. Why stop there? If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then take a few minutes to talk to God right now. Confess that you’re a sinner, and you want some changes in your life, and then ask Jesus to come into your heart. From that point on you’re born again. You’ll start in the honeymoon period, and that’s okay, building a strong relationship requires time to get to know Him. You can start with the Gospel of Matthew, the beginning of the New Testament. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you on this journey, and enjoy the sweetness of the Lord, for the rest of your life. If you you’d like more information, please take the God Quiz now! My favorite verse today is: Christ ... 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 FRIDAY!

It's finally here, TGIF! I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the end of another workweek. I'm doing well, a bit on the sleepy side, but I'm feeling good physically, mentally, and Spiritually, praise God. Although I'm a little sad because I found out that my Pastor will be retiring in January. I am really found of Reverend Laura Swett because she's so inspiring, loving, kind, and strong. When I first visited Fairfax Christian Church, I was intrigued by her style of teaching and her Spirit. She has a wonderful presence, and her entire being says leader and wisdom. I'm honored to call her a role model, friend, and sister in Christ. She is the only Pastor, Reverend, Priest, Bishop, etc. I've ever known who encourages her members to excel by personally reaching out to each individual. I've never had the head of the church ask me if there was anything the church could do to help me. This is the most active church I've ever been involved with, and it's not only because the denomination is "Disciples of Christ", but also because of its leadership. I am saddened, yet excited for Laura as she moves into another journey in her life. I know God is good, and He doesn't make mistakes, so when one season ends and another begin, we must celebrate the newness and change of life. I know this wouldn't be goodbye, but if it is, I'm just grateful to have had time to get to know her. If you'd like to visit our church you're always welcome, service is 11am every Sunday, if you come before she leaves in January, you’ll see what I mean http://www.fairfaxchristian.org/. Have a wonderful weekend, and be blessed family!

Today's scriptures are about waiting on the Lord. We must have Hope, as well as Faith, in the things that we're waiting to receive from God. Hope is: To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment. Faith is: Belief that does not rest on logical proof ore material evidence. These two things are interchangeable, but they go hand and hand. It's written in Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Patience is a skill that has to be mastered, and only a constant connection with God could help us do that. It says in Psalms 37:23:The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. When our minds or stayed on God, we'll know exactly when to stand still, and when to step out on Faith. Following His will requires patience, understanding, and Faith. It requires a strong bond with our Holy Spirit, because He's our Leader. He helps us determine what to pray for, and helps us overcome worry and anxiety. He calms us and gives us the strength to endure the tests and trails we may face while waiting on the Lord. We all experience times when it seems like we've endured too much, and we just can't go any further. There are times when we cry out to God, and it seems like we're not getting an answer, and things just seem to be getting worst. There are times when we're bogged down with guilt because of a horrible sin we've committed, and it feels like we're receiving this horrible punishment. In those times, we must call upon the Lord, because He promised never to leave nor forsake us. We must keep our hope in His promises, and faith that He'll be right on time. We must have patience with Him, because He moves exactly when need Him to move. A wise person once said, "Everything that looks good isn't good for you". Only God knows what's best for us, and it isn't until we seek His will, will we be able receive that prefect peace we hear so much about. All we need to do is ask, seek, and knock, then "WAIT" on the Lord. Waiting is very, very, hard for me, I guess that's why I don't like to bake. It requires too much patience, but I love all other aspects of cooking (mostly quick and easy). I'm not a very good planner either, and because of that I've never planned a vacation a year or two in advance. If you're anything like me, patience isn't very easy to master. There are times I would pray for something, and then as soon as I get up from my knees I start thinking of ways to solve the issues on my own. As of late, my Holy Spirit has been saying two simple words to me, and that's "be still". Everything is in God's hands and He has the final say. It's best to just allow Him to do it right the first time, because when we do things lead by the flesh, we'll ultimately have to come back to Him to get help correcting our mess anyway. Do you have trouble "being still"? Are you going through something right now that just don't seem like it's going to get any better? I urge you to stand on Hope and Faith, and be Patient. Those three words describes exactly what you need to do to ensure that God will bless you with everything that you've asked for, through the Holy Spirit. Self-evaluation [or taking up your cross] is necessary everyday to see where your relationship with God is. If you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ then God won't work with you. A prayer to ask Jesus to come into your heart as Lord and Savior will fix that. If and/or when you are saved, a prayer in Jesus’ name will fix everything. My favorite verse today is: Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 20:17)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!



I pray all is well with everyone and you're enjoying this beautiful Friday eve. I don't know about you, but doesn't feel like it should be Friday already? This has been the longest week ever. I'm looking forward to the weekend, can't wait to get some quiet time and get some work done on the book. I'm sure there will be lots of festivities going on, with it being Halloween. My church is having a Halloween party for the kids, I may be able to take my nieces it'll be fun. I stopped celebrating Halloween a few years ago, but a good friend told me about how it originated from All Hallows’ eve, which was started by the Celtics or Irish. It's not all evil as I once thought, and for most people it's all about good clean fun. I guess it depends on how you take it, and it's very fun for the kids to get dressed up and eat candy. If you're going to participate, it's always better to go to a church and fellowship, so that way you know it's a safe and positive environment. Whatever you do, do it for the Lord, and enjoy yourself! Be blessed family!



Today's scriptures are about the softer side of God. When you think of God, what do you visualize? God is love, so what do you think love looks like? He is described as precious, pleased, and sweet in the bible, so why do we often keep Him so distant from us? There has to balance with every leader, father, or person of authority. It's written in Ecclesiastes 12:13:... Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. The enemy will have us think that God rules with an "Iron Fist", and there's no pleasing Him. That causes us to have unresolved sin, fear, and a poor quality of life. Let's think about this for moment. If God is love, why would He want us to live our life in fear? He created us to fellowship with Him. He takes pride in us, and is thrilled when we love Him and keep His commandments. When we do, He will reward us, but most of us still don’t believe that God will give answer our every prayer. He’s closer than a brother. Jesus is a living breathing testament of how caring God is. The beauty of the earth is a reflection of His love. The warmth He fills our heart with is an invaluable gift. Have you ever experienced being filled with the Love of God? When that happens it’s almost like a hug from a loved one when you need it the most. It feels your heart with so much joy, that you become emotional and most often will cry. For some people, it makes them dance, chant and speak in tongues. I’m trying my best to explain it, but it can’t really be explained. There are certain moments when God will reveal Himself to us, mostly when we trust Him for something and He shows up right on time. As well as times when we feel alone and afraid, and He’s there to comfort us. Yes, this is the same God that we are to fear, because He will correct us when we’re wrong, and mold us into the people He’s created us to be. He is our “Father” in Heaven, and we should always respect, cherish, worship, honor, glorify, and magnify Him. He’s given us Salvation through Jesus Christ, and a 24 hour nurse, doctor, banker, friend, therapist, healer, teacher, and soul mate. He’s given us food, shelter, sanity, mental and physical health, and strength. His love is oh so precious, and He is lovely, gracious and kind to everyone, especially those who love Him. With love come respect, honor, forgiveness, and thankfulness. God came as Christ to give us the gift of Righteousness, which is the one and only requirement of having a close and strong bond with Him. Jesus is a part of God, and He showed God in everything that He did. God loves us so much that He gave His Son, for us. No matter what we’ve done He’ll forgive us. No matter how far we’ve strayed He receives us. No matter how many times we’ve disobeyed Him, He’ll forgive us. Not only will He forgive us, but He’s always waiting with open arms to receive our love. With Jesus is where we want to be. If you don’t know Him as your Lord and Savior, I’m afraid you may not get to truly experience the softer side of God. You need to pray and ask Him for forgiveness and salvation, by allowing Jesus to come into your heart as Lord. He’s patiently waiting with longsuffering, grace, and mercy, because He loves you, and that’s just Who He is. My favorite verses today is: Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:8-9)



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