Devotions - Prayer
Psalm 142:3–4 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
I wonder whether you’ve ever felt like that: “No one cares about me. They don’t mind whether I live or whether I die. All I have is problems. I’m walking in a path and there are hidden snares on it. There are problems I don’t really understand and I don’t know how to solve. I can’t see any source of help. I look to the right, I look to the left. No one bothers about me. I’m just a speck of dust in the universe. I’m just a name on a list somewhere. There’s a birth certificate in some dusty office that relates that I was born, but no one cares.”
That’s not altogether true. There is someone who cares. There is someone who knows your way. That’s what the psalmist said, “When my spirit grows faint within me it is you who know my way.”
You may feel lonely, neglected, uncared for. You may not understand your own way, you may not know the problems that lie ahead, you may not have an answer to them all, but there is one who knows: it’s the Lord. He knows your way.
- He is with you;
- He will see you through if you will turn to Him in prayer.
- You are not forgotten, you are not neglected, you are not unwanted.
- He made you, He cares for you, He’s with you.
HOW DO YOU THINK JESUS SEES YOU?
- Ephesians 2:10: You are His Masterpiece.
- Psalms 139: He knit you together in your mothers womb.
- Ephesians 1:4: He knew you before the world was formed.
Jesus said that the greatest commandments are to love God wholeheartedly and to love others (Matt. 22:37-39). Ironically, it is only when we humbly serve others that we experience God’s fullness in our own lives.
Many try to achieve happiness by striving after their own desires. The result? Tired, unsatisfied people.
True contentment happens only when we walk closely with Jesus. He shows where we can humble ourselves and take care of others. These actions, done through His strength, will be blessed.
AMEN
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Proverbs 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Righteousness in the Bible is a path. A path is something that we walk on, something we move along. It suggests motion, change, development.
Some people would like righteousness to be some kind of static condition. “Well, I’m saved! Here I am; I’m righteous. All I need to do now is sit in church and sing hymns until the Lord calls me home.” That’s a mistake. Any static condition in which you do not change, progress and develop is not the righteousness of the Bible.(Here are a couple of my favorite Bible verses that helps me here Hosea 4:6, Hebrews 10.26, Romans 1:18-25, Romans 12:1-3 so then 1 Thess. 5:16-19)
The righteousness of the Bible is a path. And we enter into that path through an encounter with the Son of Righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ. And when He shines into our lives, that’s like the first gleam of dawn. It’s the beginning of light. And then, as we move on in that path, the words are beautiful: “The light shines ever brighter till the full light of day.”
If you are walking in the path of righteousness, today’s light is brighter than yesterday’s and tomorrow will be brighter than today’s. So do not settle down and say, “I’ve arrived,” because that’s a mistake, that’s a deception. (see 1 John 1:5-7)The path of righteousness leads us always on until we come into the full light of the noonday sun and to the full and final revelation of God in eternity.
So if you are on that path, keep moving on, and if you haven’t yet found the path, you need to meet the Son of Righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Read Colossians 1:9-14 for your prayer and put your name in for the “you”. Amen
Read MoreIf we are to become more and more like Christ each day—then we should know and teach daily “Jesus Character” found in His Sermon and Teaching on the Mount-for US to find Purpose, Meaning, and comfort in life.
The 8 Beatitudes–Matthew 5:3-10
1. Vs 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
*Moral Bankruptcy to self—result-we are Accepted–Is. 55:1
2. Vs 4 God blesses those who mourn,for they will be comforted.
*Admit and regret our failure–result-we are Forgiven and have peace—2 Cor. 7:10.
3. Vs 5 God blesses those who are meek(humble),for they will inherit the whole earth.
*Ask Holy Spirit the need and follow through in obedience–result-give up control to control everything. Result- Freedom—Jer. 9:23-24
4. Vs 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
*Actively Pursue God and His will–Result-I am filled with God’s Love-I am Satisfied. Eph. 3:17-19.
5. Vs 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
*Jesus forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them and extend loving forgiving accepting spirit toward others. Result involved in others lives-I am Kind hearted. Matthew 25:37-40.
6. Vs 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
*Be totally honest and do not suppress the truth(Ro. 1:18). Be vulnerable to the Holy Spirit and be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Ro. 12:2). Result-transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ my Lord. I am now Honest. 1 John 3:1-3.
7. Vs 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
*I bring a message of reconciliation, healing and hope to all who will listen. Result-I am an Ambassador. 2 Cor. 5:20.
8. Vs 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
*We now are fully devoted to Jesus. Result- I will joyfully accept whatever comes my way because of my Loyalty to Jesus Christ. I am Courageous. Colossians 3:1-4
While the Beatitudes of Jesus provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth.
Thank You Jesus for Your Wisdom. I Pray the world will take Your perfect Teachings and put them into practice for Your Glory and our joy knowing You are our one and only Savior. Amen
John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
*If we take the Bible to be true and believe that it is truly God’s word, then we should also believe that the only way to get to God is through Jesus Himself.
***Christ alone is the way of salvation.
Trusting God is relying upon His ability to accomplish His Will no matter how we feel, what we think, or how bad the circumstances may appear.
Hold on to truth. God’s truth. It will keep you, protect you & hide you from the grasp of the enemy.
John 13:35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
** This is Love IN Action!
*Love is Truth and Grace all in one. God is Love!
According to Jesus, true freedom comes from knowing and believing the truth (John 8:32). Which means we must believe Him, because He is the truth(John 16:6).
And that means we need to trust Him with all our heart and “not lean on [our] own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
That, in a nutshell, is the life of faith.
And the life of faith is a fight (1 Timothy 6:12) because right thinking is very hard.
The Holy Spirit’s purpose is to glorify Jesus. If your life, decisions, choices, etc glorify Jesus you are living in step with the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 12:23 and see what happens if we try take the glory ourselves)
*The apostles were beaten for speaking about Jesus.They rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus.
*Stephen spoke the truth and was stoned for it. He even asked God to forgive the people who were killing him with his last words.
*Paul and Silas spoke the truth and were stripped, beaten and thrown into prison. They endured all of his and yet sang hymns and prayed while they had their feet clamped in stocks.
Don’t be ashamed of the Name of Jesus.
- Speak the truth in love.
- Share the sufferings of the men and women of God.
- Share the fate of those who have endured to the end throughout history.
Father God, please bring to mind those I have not forgiven, those who I harbor resentment toward. I pray Lord that I will resemble Christ more and more each day. That as I go through life here that I don’t let myself become bitter or angry by holding onto resentment. In Jesus name Amen.
Read MoreIn His Presence: Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:13-14).
God’s goal for all of us is Christlikeness, or spiritual maturity. When He saved you, He put everything necessary for this process inside you. But maturity takes time. Growing up and becoming a spiritual adult is a process, not a single event.
Spiritual adulthood is the process of God bringing us to the place where we are consistently living life from the perspective of the Spirit rather than the perspective of the flesh.
Maturity in Christ means you normally look at and react to things from a spiritual perspective. God wants us to get to this place of maturity, to live as we were created to be. But many of us are not yet living the Christlike life, which means we are immature. If we are living like that, we are children, tossed here and there by every new fad that comes along.
Becoming a mature believer takes time. You don’t become mature overnight. A baby doesn’t hop, skip, and jump into adulthood. The Bible tells us that maturity is a process: “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
In a very real sense, this maturing process will go on for the rest of your natural life, but there is a point you can reach where you are consistently responding to things from a spiritual perspective.
Romans 8: 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Amen
Read MoreLet us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” Hebrews 4:16.
You don’t have to be hesitant or shy about coming to God for forgiveness. The Bible says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most”.
At the throne of grace, you will not find scolding, punishment, or rejection. When we come to God with our sin, we receive his mercy, and we find his grace.
What’s the difference between mercy and grace?
- Mercy is forgiveness for all the things you’ve done in the past.
- Grace is the power to change in the future.
You need both.
- You need mercy for all the things you’ve done wrong in the past (forgiveness).
- And you need grace, the power to change, in the future. God says that when you come to him with honesty and humility, you will receive his forgiveness.
Let me tell you how not to get God’s forgiveness.
You don’t beg God. He wants to forgive you more than you want to be forgiven. You don’t have to beg.
You don’t bargain or bribe. “God, I’ll never do it again! I’ll live this kind of life. I’ll tithe 20 percent.” You don’t bargain. You don’t bribe. You don’t beg.
You just believe.
What do you believe? You believe God’s promise in Hebrews 4:16.
How do you do it? You just confess. Confession is not saying, “God, I’ll never do it again.” It’s saying, “You’re right, God. It was wrong. I was wrong.”
The Bible says in Romans 5:1,“Since we have been justified (that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God) by faith, let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God … through our Lord Jesus Christ” .
What does it mean to be justified? It means “just as if you’d never sinned.”
Wouldn’t you like to have a heart that’s washed clean? No matter how deep the stain of your sin, God can take it out.
Lord, I confess and repent for not coming to You with all things. You are the way, the truth and the way. Help me daily to be in continuous prayer with you . Amen (see 1 Thes. 5:16-19)
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Psalm 119:140 Your promises [O God] have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
What a beautiful truth, God’s promises have been thoroughly tested. They are not just theories, they are not just abstract theology, they are something that stand the test of life and circumstances. I want to give my personal testimony in line with that.
There’s a promise of God that meets each need that arises in our lives and those promises stand the test, they really work.
Don’t be discouraged if people have let you down, don’t become embittered or resentful, because that won’t help you, but turn your eyes to God. Focus on His faithfulness, concentrate on His promises and you’ll find that thy have been tested and tried. Below are a couple of the thousands in the Bible.
Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1
AMEN AMEN Thank you Jesus for the promises we can know as absolute Truth because they come from YOU.
Read MoreOne thing will give you the victory: Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
**And faith is being satisfied in all that God is for us in Jesus Christ. (see Hebrews 11 the Faith Chapter)
John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that God’s Word was given to us “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
*That is God’s method of pruning us, and He doesn’t need the devil’s help.
*His word will make us “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Joy changes everything, including our battle against evil.
One thing will give you the victory: Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
**And faith is a being satisfied in all that God is for us in Jesus Christ.
* You’ve got to stoke that engine every morning so that the evils that are clawing at you loose its fangs.
You can’t have me, I’ve seen Jesus this morning.
*Lust, you can’t have me.
*Greed, you can’t have me.
*Fear of man, you can’t have me.
*Bitterness and anger, you can’t have me.
Yes—I’ve seen Jesus this morning.
The battle against evil is transformed by the way you think.
Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Lord, I know I cannot progress spiritually as long as I hang on to bitterness and offenses of the past. I realize through Your word and experiences that when I refuse to let go of the past, I am sowing seeds of separation. Lord, I Choose today to forgive and release those who have hurt me. Thank You for Faith—Faith in You Jesus! Thank You for Freedom!Amen
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What is the meaning of life?
*God knows everything. So we should look to him to find out what it means. Without God life can have no meaning at all.
We must find our purpose and God will never leave us nor forsake us no matter the mistakes we have made in the Past.
* How can we know of our purpose unless we talk to the ONE who created us? God created us and knows our True Identity!
*We cannot know who we are unless we speak to the Father and He is the only one who can answer us and give us the purpose for our life. “My Identity”!
First-We must get a clear understanding of who we are.
Romans 8:17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.
1 John 2:29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.
**We are the righteousness of God and joint heirs with Christ.
To eliminate our “Identity Crisis”.
We need to take responsibility and take Action and Move Forward.
1.) Ask; ask your creator and spend time with your Father. Ask Him what your design is and what is your purpose
2.) Burden; what is it that we have a burden for?
*Many have passions but very few have burdens.
*When we find out our burden, we must pursue it.
*There is a difference between our burdens and passions.
*Passions may make you rich but will never take you to your purpose
3.) Dream; Dream Big and write them down and get them out of our heads and on papers so that we can see it everyday.
*Make your dreams tangible and physical instead of imaginary.
4.) Exposure; we will never learn new things by staying in the same place around the same people. INSANITY
5.) Faith; believe it to the fullest.
*We will not get anywhere half stepping.
Have faith First in God then whatever it is your doing.
6.) Go for it; whatever it is we are reaching for, we just need to get started.
We are told to enjoy him. Psalm 34:8 “taste and see that the Lord is good”
When we enjoy God and his gifts we will feel fulfilled.
* Without God we or the universe have no reason to exist!
**Jesus offers that life to us now. We need to go out and tell people about the Hope we have. “Our Testimony”.
*Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a lifestyle!
Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner and I’m sorry for the multiple sins I’ve made. Right now, I open my life to you, please come into my life and take control of my life, forgive my sins, and thank you that one day I will be in heaven with you forever. Jesus I want you to know that I love you. Amen
Read MoreGod’s Love is as necessary to human life as the air we breathe or the water we drink.
* “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.” Psalm 42:1
“He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” – John 8:47
*Jesus said that the key to being able to hear God’s voice is first to be one of His children.
(John 10:1-5).”The Shepherd is always representative of Christ.
*Sheep are representative of God’s children. This passage tells us that the Shepherd communicates with His children. We are called by name and we can listen to our Shepherd’s voice.
There are three ways I believe God reveals his will to his people.
1. First, God will show you his will by his Word, the Bible.
*The better you know your Bible, the better you will know the will of God.
*The Bible represents the thoughts of God, the ways of God, and shows how God operates.
*So as you search the Scriptures, God will speak to you.
2. Not only does God speak through his Word, but God speaks through his witness, the Holy Spirit.
*You can pray and ask God to speak to you through his Spirit and reveal his will to you that way.
Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.
3. Number three is God’s wisdom.
*We’re told that we can ask of God if we lack wisdom and he will fully and freely give it to us.
*Now, wisdom may come from within us, or it may come from others around us.
*But God wants to give us wisdom in our decisions.
*The Book of Proverbs is the Wisdom Book. Need Wisdom? Read A Chapter of Proverbs Daily and listen to what the word is telling you!
So as you navigate the difficult decisions of life, trust in God’s Word, his witness of the Spirit, and his abundant wisdom to guide your paths and reveal his will to you!
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Come Lord Jesus—Come, the door is open! Amen
Read MoreWhen our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention.
The soul is a “neutral” territory that can either be governed by our own thoughts, emotions, and desires, or else given over to the Lordship of Christ.
“For the one who sows to his own flesh shall form the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”Galatians 6:8
How and Where God Speaks
“The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.'” Ezekiel 3:22
When God wants to speak a very important word directly to us without interruption from the noise of our busy lives, he will take us “into the plain.”
The plain is a place of no distractions and no other persons. It is a place of silence. It can be a place of great need as it often fails to have the normal provisions we are accustomed to.
In modern times, it often means a separation from our normal activities such as jobs or families.
The plain can also be a place where we discover afresh that God’s hand has been on us all the time.
When we are so busy with life, we sometimes forget that God’s hand is still there, gently leading our path.
When our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention.
Thus, the plain is one of those appointed times of one-on-one communication with our heavenly Father.
Each day God calls us to our own mini-plain in order to speak to us through His Word and for us to hear.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12).
David is also asking for help.
“Lord, give me this willing spirit,” he says, and God immediately gives it. Then it must be acted on.
That is the point. Do not wait for a feeling to come that you are forgiven. God has said you are forgiven. Do not wait for a feeling of power to possess you.
God has declared He has already given you the power. As you believe Him (and that is what faith is), you can do what you need to do and what God wants you to do.
A VISION WITHOUT ACTION IS ONLY A DELUSION!
Lord, thank You for giving me all that I need for both forgiveness and power through the Lord Jesus. Thank you for Your Voice and speaking to me. Amen.
Read MoreDon’t Get Burned Out on Too Much Activity.
“Works of the flesh” are things we do without God’s power flowing through us. They are difficult, they drain us, and they produce no joy or fulfillment. They are often good things, but not ‘God things.
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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.
God will show you what you need to do if you ask Him, and He will never give you too much.
**Be occupied with God, not burdened.
There is nothing inherently spiritual about busy-ness. Christ reserved some of his strongest rebukes for the Pharisees — the spiritual workaholics of his day.
The Pharisees were so busy working for God that they had forgotten to follow Jesus.
Nor is there anything inherently sinful about “unproductive” moments — if they are used to “Refresh and Energize YOU For Renewed Service”.
*Even the Creator of the universe set aside his labors for a day of rest.
The beauty of it all IS—While you are at rest, God is at work!
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” – Jeremiah 17:7
The prophet Jeremiah describes a situation in which the temptation to solve a financial problem can become so great that we trust in man’s way to solve it.
Read (Jeremiah 17:5-8).
Jeremiah drew a sharp comparison between the man who trusts in his own effort to solve his problem and the man who trusts in God when he cannot see the outcome.
The man who trusts in God bears fruit despite the circumstances in his life.
Proverbs 14:12…”There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death.”
***”Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Father, I am weary and I feel a great burden, so I am coming to you. Please give me rest. Please give me your peace. Please provide for me and my family. Please give me rest for my soul. I need you. I am desperate for your provision. Please provide for my family Spiritually, Relationally and Financially. Please, Father, give me rest and provision for Your Glory and my Joy.
Thank You for sending Jesus your Son! Christ died for us because God loved us soooo Much. Amen
Remember what Scripture is:!
2 Timothy 3: 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
First pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding. (1 Corinthians 2:9-13)
Then ask questions of the passage you are reading and studying.
Below are some suggested questions and sample verses to help study Scripture
Is there a promise to claim?
John 6:35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Is there a command to obey?
Colossians 4: 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Is there a habit to break?
Ephesians 5:11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
What Godly qualities should I demonstrate?
Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Is there a truth to fellow?
John 8:31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
How are you encouraged?
Philippians 2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Is there someone to forgive?
Matthew 6:14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Scripture will transform us!
Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Amen
Read More. ..Having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Peter 1:4
Banish forever any thought of indulging the flesh if you want to live in the power of your risen Lord. It is absurd for a man who is alive in Christ to dwell in the corruption of sin.
- “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” said the angel to the women.
- Should the living dwell in the tombs? Should divine life be imprisoned in the burial ground of fleshly lust?
- How can we partake of the cup of the Lord and yet drink the cup of the devil?
- Surely, believer, from blatant lusts and sins you are delivered, but have you also escaped from those that are more secret and delusive?
- Have you left behind the lust of pride?
- Have you escaped from laziness?
- Have you given up trusting in earthly things?
- Are you seeking each day to live above worldliness, the pride of life, and the ensnaring grip of greed?
Remember, it is in order that you might know such victory that you have been enriched with the treasures of God.
If you are really the chosen of God, and beloved by Him, do not allow all this lavish treasure of grace to be wasted on you. Pursue holiness; it is the Christian’s crown and glory.
An unholy church is useless to the world and of no esteem among men. It is an abomination, hell’s laughter, heaven’s disgust. The worst evils that have ever come upon the world have been brought upon her by an unholy church.
O Christian, the vows of God are upon you.
- You are God’s servant: Act as such.
- You are God’s king: Reign over your lusts.
- You are God’s chosen: Do not associate with Satan.
- Heaven is your portion: Live like a heavenly spirit, and in this way you will prove that you have true faith in Jesus, for there cannot be faith in the heart unless there is holiness in the life.
Lord, I desire to live as one Who bears a blood-bought name, As one who fears but grieving Thee,And knows no other shame. Help me renew my mind with TRUTH!
Read Romans 12:1-3. 1Thess. 4:4.
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WE CHOOSE TO LOVE
John 18:23 “Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?”
The importance of sharing the truth of God.
*Reading His book, The Bible daily has taught me to walk in Him so that He guides me and shows me the correct and righteous path.
God’s kind of love is not self-serving or self-seeking.
Agape love will cause a person to lay down his life for another (Jn. 15:13), because he has literally forgotten himself.
Many times when heroes are asked why they put themselves in jeopardy to save someone else, they reply that they didn’t even think about themselves. All they thought of was the danger to the other person. That’s God’s kind of love.
God’s type of love involves emotions many times, but it is Not an emotion.
To experience “living hope” on a daily basis we must “love one another deeply (1 Peter 1:22, 4:8).” This means growing from brotherly love (philia-defined by feelings) to unconditional love (agape—defined by Actions).
***God’s Love is an act of the will.
*We can choose to love even when we don’t feel like it and we can always conduct ourselves in a godly manner, when we feel God’s kind of love.
*God’s kind of love is a choice.
*God’s kind of love is also the antidote to selfishness and pride. We cannot conquer self by focusing on self.
**The only way to win over self is to fall in love with God more than with ourself.
*It is in discovering God’s love that we lose self love.
Jesus didn’t feel some emotional sensation when He chose to die for us, but that was the greatest demonstration of God’s kind of love that the world has ever seen. He made a choice in spite of His emotions.
Because He was consumed with God’s love, He acted properly, even when His emotions didn’t agree.
Jesus is the ultimate example of God’s kind of love! READ: (Jn. 3:16-20)
The cross is the greatest revelation of God’s love for the most unworthy beings — you and me.
O’ Lord, Your Truth has no error. The only error is our body and mind where we tend to fail You but You are ever forgiving and you teach us to be humble and follow in Your ways. Help us in these days of such need. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!
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