Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are the suffering and deliverance. This is a very fitting subject for this time of year, because although this is “the season to be jolly”, it’s also the season of depression, and record numbers of suicides. This is just one example of how the flesh rules mankind. The people of the world have convinced us, and our children, that we have to go into debt to give extravagant gifts, because it’s Christmas. The enemy doesn’t just manipulate us at Christmas time, but we live as slaves to our flesh all throughout the year.

I had a discussion with a few of my close friends today about the “Christmas Spirit” [or lack thereof] this season. We had realized that even we aren’t in the spirit, but we’re trying hard to experience the holiday cheer. When I mentioned the idea of writing my “blessings” list, they shared with me that they had been keeping a “thankful journal” for years. I’m going to follow their lead, so that I never forget how much Jesus Christ has blessed me, and become consumed with the pleasing the flesh.

I grew up in a “low income” neighborhood, so programs like Angel Tree helped us through some tough Christmases—God always gave my mom a way to make sure that our tree overflowed with gifts. However, there were friends and other family members who weren’t as fortunate, and I’ve seen and felt much despair over the years. There was a time that I lived life without Jesus, and I never want to imagine living like that again. It was a life full of strife and unrest. I felt as if there was a huge hole in my heart. I was full of love deep down inside, but didn’t know how to let it out. Finding Jesus was the best thing that has ever happened to me, and because of Him, my light shines bright for the world to see. I love without fail, because He first filled me with His love.

We need to encourage and pray for the people who are less fortunate than us, because Jesus will make a way for all those who believe, and our prayers will work miracles. I want you to always remember that Jesus is real, and this holiday is all about that. Don’t worry so much about how much you can give or receive, just give your love abundantly, and help where you can. After all, that’s what Jesus spent His life teaching. There’s no shame in not having the latest toys, games, phones or IPods, though the world will make you feel like there is.

God gave us the ultimate gift, the gift of a baby boy, born to the Virgin Mary, who was Named Jesus. Jesus lived His human life with poise and grace, but He too suffered. He grew from birth, in the flesh, experiencing life as the average person. He had to learn how to walk and talk, and how to hone His crafts just like us. He loved His family, but when the time came, He had to venture out on His own to follow God’s will for His life. We know that He suffered ridicule, beatings, imprisonment, hatred, and many other things that we haven’t had a chance to read about. Throughout all of His trials, He praised and glorified His Father in Heaven. He wasn’t above the temptations and strife of the world, but He handled it with the strength that God instilled in Him.

God allowed Jesus to experience this type of life for a reason, and He does the same for us. However, we’ve been freed from the bondage of the flesh, by the Blood of Christ. Jesus suffered unnecessarily for the sins of all mankind, but we suffer for our own sins. We go through a refinement process, to make us stronger and more faithful Christians. When we become followers of Christ, our “Righteous Spirit” is born, and we begin to grow and evolve into who we were created to be.

We will face many trials, as we learn from the life of Christ. Peter, one of Jesus’ Disciples wrote: And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:13) This is true wisdom! We all will suffer, some sufferings allowed by God to promote growth, and others self-inflicted. As we grow, we’ll become better at discerning between the two. The times that we don’t understand why we suffer, will be revealed to us, and work together for our good, so embrace everything life brings you.

Take a few moments to think about where you are in life, right now. Would you say that you’re suffering, or have suffered a lot? Well you are not alone, and even Jesus can raise His hand to that question. The key to living a peaceful and joyous life is to be able to rely on God for strength when you feel like you can’t go on, and to praise Him upon deliverance. There’s nothing more gratifying then to see the rainbow after the storm, and as child of God, there’s a guaranteed rainbow through Christ—God promised never to leave nor forsake you. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you don’t have a rainbow. If you want to find out how to always see a rainbow, take the God Quiz today! My favorite verse today is: These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb… (Revelations 7:14)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about putting in the work that goes with the faith we have in God. I know I remind us almost every day of the ultimate commandments—to Love God with all of our heart, and to love each other. I do that because it truly is all God requires from us, in order to live in peace, above the world and its problems. I also do it to reaffirm the fact that to love God is an action. To believe in Him is the first step, but with that faith we must work to help strengthen the Kingdom of God. The same goes for loving each other; we must work to make sure that people can see Christ in us. The bible teaches us that faith and works are to be in unison.

We’re here to serve God, so we must do what we could to spread the Gospel of Christ. There are millions of people, all over the world, who don’t know Jesus Christ. As we learned yesterday, we each were chosen to be children of God, and He has a will for our lives. We each may have a different calling, but ultimately the talents we’ve been anointed with all play a role, which is to ultimately lead people to Christ. God is amazing, and He has several ways to get through to people.

Jesus referred to us as “the church”. Before He died, He asked one of His disciples Simon who he thought that He was. Simon answered correctly by saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-19) The fact that Jesus was the Messiah meant that He was rebuilding the children of God, making all believers one with Him. We are now a great and Holy Church, which requires the assistance of each member, in order to function properly.

I think of my physical Church, and all of its functions, jobs, and responsibilities. It takes more than just prayer and a belief in what we stand for, but it takes work to keep it running. It wasn’t until I became a little more involved in my current church, that I realized this. Our Pastor is the leader of the flock—he was chosen by God to teach us His Word, and to care for His sheep. However, the Pastor cannot run the church by Himself, hence the need for Elders, different committees, ministry leaders, Deacons, day care service provides, etc. We each have to come together as a family, and work to keep our church afloat. Each job is as important as the next. All efforts work in unison, to offer the precious Word of God, to any and all who comes. For most Christians, the only “Word” they get is on Sunday mornings at church.

I hope this analogy helps you understand that God needs you. He’s chosen you for a reason, so it isn’t enough to just believe that He exists, but you must work to follow His will for your life. We must come together as a unit, and work on helping others see the light that is Jesus Christ. We must hunger and thirst for the Lord, which will lead us to work to find out everything there is to know about Him. We must work on making ourselves better, in union with the Lord. How many of us are stagnant in the Lord, and don’t feel like we’re growing? How many people want to change, and have it in their heart to be a good person, but find themselves falling short? That may be caused because you believe in Jesus Christ, have your mansion all ready to go, but you haven’t committed to serving the Lord. There are also those who have over committed themselves to service, and work so much that they completely miss out on their personal relationship with God. If that’s you, remember that even Jesus took time out of His busy schedule to spend some quiet alone time with the Lord.

As of today, I want you to commit to telling at least one person about Jesus each day. Try sharing a testimony or two with them, or just letting them know how much you love Him (Twitter and Facebook is allowed too, God allowed its creation for a reason). Work to achieve God’s will for your life. He will show you step by step what’s required of you, so be willing to completely listen. Working for God doesn’t always require a lot of busy work, or some elaborate ministry. If you clean homes for a living, clean those homes as if you were cleaning for Jesus Himself. If you’re a doctor, use extra care with your bedside manner, to make sure that people can feel God’s love through you. Remember, don’t rely solely on saying, Tweeting, or Facebook’ing about how much you love God, but let’s show Him by our works.

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you especially need this message today. Before you can be a part of the church, you must first conquer the “faith” portion, and become a believer. It simply requires you confessing your faith in Jesus, and then inviting Him to be a part of your life, as Lord and Savior. Once you confess your sins and repent, you’re all set. If you want more information, take the God Quiz today. My favorite verses today are: We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about being chosen by God. Wow, Christianity could sometimes be confusing, and it seems like, just when you think you have the answer to life, God throws another challenge at you. This leads you on a continued search and journey for Him. When we run into those times when we feel like we haven’t a clue, and don’t know what is going on in our life, those are the times that we forgo knowledge, and receive God-given wisdom. Remember the difference between the two? Both wisdom and knowledge come from God, but knowledge is sometimes learned by studying the Word or learning from a teacher, and Wisdom comes from God through everyday experiences—in other words by simply living the life you were chosen to live.

The bible says that we were chosen before the creation of the world. Our lives were already spoken into existence before we were even formed in our mother’s womb. There’s a reason why we’re here, so understand that as a believer Christ chose you, before you chose Him. He chose you to be a wise servant of God, and He won’t rest in your life until you complete the task laid out for you. You are special, loved, important, favored, and blessed by the almighty God! You always have been, and always will be. All He needs from you is your love. To love Him is to keep His commandments, and to be obedient to the life that you’ve been chosen to live. We are made in the image of Jesus Christ, from the inside out, and it’s important for the rest of the world to see that. It’s important for us to represent Him well, and to love as He loves, heal as He healed, teach as He taught, and offering ourselves to the Church, as He dedicated His life to us.

During the Christmas season, we’ll hear the reading of the story of the birth of Christ, from the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, many times. As I was doing some research for the devotional on Bible Gateway, I came across their verse of the day: “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2: 6-7) Knowing the Holy Spirit, I was sidetracked from what I thought I wanted to write, and was drawn to the fact that the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords was born in a dirty barn house, because there was no more room for Him anywhere else. What do you think God’s message was to us, by allowing His only begotten Son to be born in such a way? Jesus was born with no worldly possessions and He died with no worldly possessions, but He was the most influential and important person in the history of mankind. He was chosen to be the Savior for the entire world, not to be a King on earth, or a wealthy man, as King Solomon. He took on His assignment with humility, pride, and love; because He knew that His reward was in Heaven. He knew that life in the flesh was temporary, and it’s not always what you do, but how you do it.

This is the same for each believer. Christ did the hard part; He shed His blood for you, so that you could live the life you were intended to live. It’s so important for us to understand that God is always in control. He has chosen us to follow in Christ’s footsteps which are truly easy steps to follow. Christ simply said love God with all of your heart, and love others. He taught us that life is all about God, and following His will, nothing else is more important—not your career, bank account, social status, or fame. After all, our Savior, the most important man in the history of the world, was born in a manger. He followed the will of God, doing what He was chosen to do, and He never wanted for anything. He never thirsted, hungered, or went without, because God took care of Him in ways that satisfied His soul and not His flesh. That’s what’s most important.

My sister and I were talking about when you realize your calling in life, and how liberating that moment is, just this morning. Believers can often see what other believers are called to do before they realize it for themselves. We can tell by the way their face lights up whenever their doing it. Then there are people who know what they’re chosen to do but fight it, to do what the world says they should do. You can see the utter anguish in their face. I’ve been there and done that, but it’s so exhilarating when you finally receive the wisdom that God was trying to give you all along, and do what you were chosen to do. If you’re confused about what you were chosen to do in this lifetime, first thank God that He choose you, then ask Him to show you His will for your life, and study the life of Jesus Christ. After all, He was also put here as the role model for every Christian to follow. You’ll be surprised, the thing you were chosen to do was in your face all along.

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, but you feel a longing in your heart to find out who He is, then you’ve been chosen. If you do believe in Jesus, but still feel lost in life, then you’re not doing what you were chosen to do, so simply “seek first the Kingdom of God and all of His righteousness”. If you’re confused, or don’t know what to believe, maybe the God Quiz can help. My favorite verses today are: God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you, ... to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about Jesus’ bond with us. Jesus’ entire life was dedicated to us, the children of God. He lived and breathed to create, maintain, and even mend the relationship between God and man. From the beginning of time He’s been a part of the process of our creation, evolution, and growth. When He came to earth as a man, He did so not only to become the sacrificial Lamb of God, but to also experience what it means to be human, and to teach us how to be more “spiritual”. Jesus taught us love with a passion so deep, that I could still feel it when I read His words in the New Testament of the Bible.

When I first read Jesus’ Prayer for All Believers in the Gospel according to John, I felt this overwhelming since of emotions that I can’t explain. I felt His presence, and felt the love that He has for me. I can liken it to the feeling you get when you’re with someone who loves you dearly, and you can feel the love radiating from them. You can look at that person and see the love and compassion in their eyes. That’s how I felt when I read this passage—I felt His love radiating in my heart. Jesus prayed and asked that just as He is one with God, that we be one with Him. That’s the greatest prayer anyone could pray for us, that we can know God so intimately, that we become one with Him. Jesus loved us so much, that He was willing to give His life so that we could experience something that He’s always known—something so spectacular that we couldn’t even imagine it in the flesh.

Jesus Prayed: “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:24-26) When we believe in Jesus, we inherit so much more than just eternal life. We’re given a wisdom that allows us to see the world through brand new eyes. We’re given an unmistakable joy that comes from within. We’re given strength that endures the natural course of life, which is filled with rollercoaster like highs and lows. Jesus asked God to allow us to understand, and accept who He is, and to love Him for that. He truly cares about who we are, what we do, and how we do it, because He gave up His life so that we could have the best of Him.

Can you honestly say that you feel Jesus’ presence and can recognize your special bond with Him? I’ve been saved since I was a young girl, and was baptized on my 15^th birthday. I can honestly say I went through a phase in my young adult life when I could’ve answered no to that question. In hindsight, I can look at some of the things I’ve endured and passed through, and say it was nothing but the blood that got me through it. At the same time, when I was going through it, I just felt lost and alone. I knew that I had a purpose, and the things that I was doing weren’t “me”, which is why I felt a deep emptiness inside. I felt like I was destined for greatness, or was called to do something special, so I grew more and more frustrated with my ignorance. Jesus pressed on my heart until I buckled and surrendered, and it’s been uphill from there. Now, I cannot function without acknowledging and fellowshipping with Jesus daily. Our bond grows stronger each passing day, because I’m open to receive the wisdom He’s been trying to give me all along. The biggest lesson learned (and I’m still learning) is one of patience.

Jesus never prayed that we be perfect, but He prayed that we know the Love of God. His hopes was that the Holy Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—would fulfill us, and we’ll be able to live that abundant life that He promised. Now that’s the life! Being filled with the Spirit, while trusting and relying on Jesus Christ to see us through. When we understand that we are not of this world, and fame, fortune, and prestige don’t equal success in the eyes of the Lord, we’ll be able to truly enjoy the fruits of Jesus’ labor. When we stop putting the world’s limitations or expectations on ourselves, and start living the way Jesus showed us how to live, growth, joy, and peace will follow.

Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) If we know that God is the Creator of the Heavens and Earth, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and Jesus is the only way to Him, what would be the next step? You are called from darkness and into light, and if you feel that calling on your life, or you feel that there has to be something more, other than the life you’ve been living, then take a few moments to take the God Quiz. I can personally testify that without Jesus in your life, there’s always going to be something missing. However, with Him you’ll always be fulfilled, because His love, grace, and mercy will get you where you need to be. My favorite verses today are: Christ ... loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. (Ephesians 5:25-26)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about bearing one another’s burdens. These scriptures make me think of the word compassion. Jesus was a very compassionate man, and still is today. He currently sits at the right-hand of God, making intercession for us, because He can empathize with the plight of a human being. As believers we’re in a “brotherhood of sorts, which is most often referred to as the body of Christ. We’re responsible for each other, which is why we’re commanded to bear each other’s burdens.

When Jesus enters our life, we’re anointed with His Holy Spirit, and He begins to transform us into a person of Christ. As time goes by and we’re seeking the kingdom of God, we’ll take on the heart of Christ, and gradually become more compassionate. God wants us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, so when my brother hurts I hurt, and when he rejoices I rejoice. Jesus dedicated His life to us, and spent countless hours healing the sick, and preaching the love of God. He believed in giving people the tools necessary to survive in this world. He offers to shoulder our burdens, and helps us along the way, only requiring faith and love in return. He won’t live life for us, but He’ll do His best to makes sure that we know that we’re loved, and He’s always there when we need Him. Everything we ask the Father we ask in His Name, because we belong to Him, and we’re one.

What does being a Christian mean to you? To me, being a Christian means that I’m taking on the heart of Christ, and I am to dedicate my life to God first, and then to my brothers and sisters. I believe that I’ve been chosen to do certain jobs and tasks, but I’m to do them all in the Name of Christ. I understand that I am a representative of Christ, and what I do reflects Him, so I do my best to represent Him well, but I sometimes fall short, as many of us do. That’s okay too, because that’s a part of helping others—never forget that our test become testimonies. I took some time to read the Sermon on the Mount again last night, and I learned so much about what God expects from me as a person. In the story, Jesus was being followed by “multitudes” of people, who had all heard about His powers, and they came to see Him and praise Him for His good works. Jesus saw this as an awesome opportunity to give us some food for the Spirit, something that will change our lives forever. He taught us how to conduct ourselves as children of God, in an otherwise evil world.

The fact is that believers in Christ should love one another. It’s been instilled in our hearts and it’s our duty to act on that love. When we see people in need we help them, in the Name of Jesus. Sometimes the only way we could help is by prayer, but that also works wonders. Some people won’t do for others unless there’s a reward in it for them—I know, because I used to be one of those people. I used to think “I’ll donate this money because I’ll get a tax write-off at the end of the year”. There were also times when I saw someone in need I would calculate how giving what I have would affect me, but I knew that that’s what God wanted me to do. One of my favorite parts of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was when He said: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:26) The first time I read this a light bulb went off in my head. It reminds me of the first time I heard Dr. Charles Stanley say, “Obey God and leave the consequences to Him”. Life is just that simple for believers. When we are serving each other unselfishly, and with a sincere heart, God will make sure that we have everything we’ll ever need.

Love from the living God is a beautiful thing. When His love penetrates your heart, giving freely, having compassion and caring for others comes naturally. We must step outside of ourselves and try to see life through Jesus’ eyes. Love everyone that crosses your path, but shield your heart by recognizing people by their fruit. Bless those who love you, as well as those who hate or use you, because that’s the true meaning of God’s unconditional love.

You are my brothers and sisters and I love you, and only want what’s best for you, so whatever I could do to make your life better, even if it’s just saying a prayer for you, I’m willing. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, I want to start by giving your some valuable information that will change and shape your entire future. Jesus loves you despite anything you’ve done in the past. The wonderful thing about the past is that it is the past, it’s gone and there’s no turning back. Presently, you can go to God and confess the sins of your past, and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, so He could help mold and shape your future. Please take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now! My favorite verses today are: Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 1:3-8)

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Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY TUESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you’re enjoying this cold “terrific Tuesday”. I woke up to a dusting of snow, and 24°F temperatures (burr). I’m so grateful to have a home and a vehicle with heat. It’s amazing the things we take for granted, so I’d like us to pray for those who have not choice but brave the weather 24-hours day. There are so many people who are less fortunate than us, so it’s important to keep those people in our thoughts and prayers, and to do what we can to help. There are many that have extra, and many others who don’t have enough. If you have extra coats, sweaters, blankets, etc., take a few moments to call a shelter or thrift store and donate those items. As children of God, we’re commanded to love each other as we love ourselves. Always remember, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. Christmas is a season of giving, I think the Apostle Paul said it best: "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) Enjoy the remainder of your day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about praising the Lord. I don’t think we understand how important it is to praise God. He makes sure that we are able to take each breath. He’s responsible for our very existence, and every blessing that we ever will, or have, received. That is a reason to praise Him! You might be wondering what it means to praise God. Dictionary.com defines it as: the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship. To praise is to joyfully acknowledge God in the presence of the world, with thanksgiving and a bit of gratefulness in our heart. It’s when we are so filled with His Spirit that we can’t help but dance, sing, and shout praises to Him. We should praise Him everyday of our life, because it’s by His grace that we’re still here to see another day.

There’s nothing wrong with singing “Glory Hallelujah” to the Lord, because that’s another part of following the greatest commandment to “Love the Lord with all of your heart and soul”. Frankly, who doesn’t love to be praised for the good things that we do for others? If you work hard, or go out of your way to show that you love someone, you would want them to tell others how great and wonderful you are–after all that’s a part of why we do it. You probably want to act like you’re modest, because you do things out of the kindness of your heart not for praise (so you say), but there’s nothing wrong with appreciating a loved one for being there when you need them. We’re made in the likeness of God, so He too loves it when we praise Him. He loves we speak about His goodness and mercy to all who would listen. He loves that His love affects us to a point that we are filled with joy and want to sing, dance, and rejoice in His wonder. This allows Him, and everyone else around us, to see that we appreciated Him.

One of my favorite Gospel singers is J. Moss, and I still have one of His classic albums The J. Moss Project on my mp3 player. He has a song on entitled Psalms 150, and anytime I’m feeling down and need a “pick-me-up”, I play that song. Before the end of it, I find myself dancing, shouting, and praising God. God always moves when we least expect Him. When things seem like they just can’t get any worst, He comes with that rainbow after the storm. He sends the right people and opportunities, at the right time.

The Psalmist new the secret to a life filled with abundance, peace, joy, and happiness, it’s written:
Psalm 150

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,

praise him with the strings and pipe,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

J. Moss ended his chorus “Since I’m breathing I’m gonna praise Him again”. Hallelujah! Just thinking about it makes me want to get out of my seat and dance. God is a wonderful, mighty, awesome, kind, loving, gracious God [and I could go on and on about His goodness]! All He wants us to do is recognize Him for who He is, and what He’s done in our life.

I promise you, praise brings joy. When you feel like hope is at a minimum, you’re getting tired and weary, and you can’t fight any longer praise God. I’ll leave you with some very sound advice by the Apostle Peter, it’s written: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:6-9)

Jesus is the root of all praise! He’s the reason we have a second (or fiftieth) chance at righteousness, and a new found freedom in the heart of God. When I think about what He’s done for me—He laid down His life so that I could truly have one—I just want to praise Him. Don’t forget that this life isn’t all of about you, but you won’t be able to see that until you establish a true relationship with Christ. It’s okay if you stumble and fall, or stray, He’s always waiting with open arms, which is another reason to praise Him. He loves you, even if you don’t quite love Him. If you don’t know Jesus, or is unsure of your relationship with Him, go to Him right now, and ask Him to be Lord of your life today. Take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455545&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!

Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY MONDAY!

Today’s scriptures are about strength through Jesus Christ. How fitting are today’s scriptures? I didn’t actually read them until after I wrote the previous paragraph, so I guess that’s God’s way of telling me to write about last week’s event. As most of you know, my maternal grandmother passed away on November 30th, and her funeral was last Wednesday, December 8th. I come from a very close-knit family, which is all due to my grandmother. She lost her mom and her only brother at a very young age. Because of she really didn’t have a close immediately family, she was determined to build a big family of her own, which was very important to her. She raised nine children, and as a result she has over forty-three grand and great-grand children. She made it a point to make sure that she had a special relationship with each and every one of us, as well as made sure that we knew the importance of sticking together as a family.

I knew she was sick for the last few years, and her health just kept getting worst and worst. I went through so many stages with her sickness, but the one thing I kept thinking was, “what am I going to do without my Grandma”. I couldn’t imagine life without her, but I also understood the cycle of life. We live and we die, so it’s important to make a positive impact on as many lives as we can, while where here. A few years ago, just the thought of her leaving me was unbearable. I cried many nights, before she was even gone, because I knew it was coming. I just knew that I wasn’t going to be able to live through this horrific event, nor did I want to. However, I saw her deteriorate; I was a witness to her suffering, and I knew I had to let go. I know the love of God, and so did she, so there was nothing for me to worry about any longer. I just wanted her peace and happiness. I stepped outside of myself, and relied on God for the answers. I stopped praying for God to keep her here, and started praying that His Will be done, and for Him to keep her in a place of peace throughout. I started to pray for her strength, and the strength of the people who loved her dearly, which is what she wanted.

We all know how the story ends, and it’ll end the same for each and every one of us, so we must believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. When we loose someone so near and dear to us, the only way to get through it is by staying in the presence of the Lord. Prayer, fellowship with loved ones, and studying and meditating on His Word are all things that will give us the strength to move forward. When you know that there is a God, and how precious Jesus Christ is, then you trust Him with your life, and He’ll pull you through, now and forever more. The one thing I know is that my Grandmother trusted Jesus Christ with all of her heart and soul, so she’s at peace right now. She’s resting, and no longer has to deal with the mundane things that you and I have to go through. She will never experience pain and heartache again, for all eternity. That’s what trusting the Lord yields, and an eternity of bliss.

The night she died I ask God, “How am I going to get through this?” At first I wanted to run away, and not deal with it. I stayed in bed for three days, and dreaded answering my phone, because I knew it would be someone who wanted to “talk about it”. I didn’t want to help clean out her apartment, or even attend the funeral, because that meant I had to say goodbye. I actually did those things, but I prayed and asked Jesus to help me get through them. I said quick prayers like, “Lord please give me the strength”, or simply “Father help me get through this”, because I knew that my mom and my family needed me, and I needed them. I still didn’t quite know how I was going to get through it, but Jesus showed up, and I was so strong that it felt like I was on the outside looking in. He gave me the right people to help me endure, people who checked on me and offered me a shoulder, and I’m so grateful for them. I was surprised at how well I did, but at the end of the day, a smile came across my face and I couldn’t help but praise the Lord and shout thank you, because I now know how.

I want each of you to understand that as believers we are above this world. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, lives inside of us, and we have strength in His Name, by the grace of God. Grace is the way that God loves us down to our Spirit. He loves us despite what our flesh looks like, or the things we do. He loves us because He created us just for Him. Whenever we need strength, all we need to do is ask, and then lean on Him. He gave His only begotten Son so that we can have that privilege. One of my favorite promises of Jesus Christ is: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30) Guess what? Jesus really means this, and He proved that through me this passed week. In one of the weakest moments in my life, He gave me strength. The more I think about it, in all of my weakest moments, He gave me strength. To Him be all of the honor and glory.

Death is a part of life, and we each will have to make that journey to the afterlife, but it doesn’t matter when you do it, but how you do it. Do you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Do you believe that He is the Son of one and only Living God? Can you honestly say that you’re a sinner, but you want to live a righteous life? If you believe in Jesus and want to be righteous then there’s one more step to take, and that’s asking Him to be Lord of your life. Take a few minutes to take the God Quiz today. Please don’t wait any longer; life is short, and so very precious. My favorite verses today are: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455544&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

I love you!