Devotions - Prayer
Forget Regret
Leave your mistakes and regret in the past. They don’t define your value, then or now.
When you stay in the past you become stuck and unable to move forward.
We all have made mistakes with our job choices, friends and relationships. The consequences can hit us pretty hard.
Give yourself the gift of forgiveness and keep moving forward.
Learn from Failure
Learning from failure and having regret are two separate things. Regret is an emotion; a feeling of disappointment along with a modest amount of shame or guilt.
But to look back at a circumstance and figure out what went wrong gives you some very important information.
This review allows you to evaluate what worked and what didn’t, and more importantly, why.
Ask for Help
You are not alone. It may feel that way sometimes, but there are many people who would extend their hand and lift you up if asked. Often times we are afraid to ask because we don’t believe we are worthy to receive the help.
Believe You are Worthy
Whatever your goal, your dream, or your desire, you are worthy of achieving it.
Take 100% Responsibility
Except in rare and unfortunate circumstances, you are responsible for the quality and condition of your life.
- Sometimes we choose to do nothing when we get hit hard because it’s just easier and less painful that way.
- But the real pain is only deferred.
Know What You Want
This isn’t about the how, only the what. In order to move forward in life, you need a firm foundation to step from. Understanding what and where you want to go in life will provide your vision and spirit – your foundation. The how will figure itself out when you know you want to keep moving forward.
Trust
There are no accidents without value.
When you get hit hard and land on your back, look for the reasons and for the value in this. Open your heart and trust this happened for a reason. Trust the experience is happening for a reason and be open to making adjustments in order to keep moving forward.
Want it More
How badly do you want it?
How badly do you really want to achieve what you are working so hard to accomplish? To walk through the pain; to get up and keep moving forward knowing there may be more pain ahead, is a test of your determination and resolve.
Keep the Faith
Faith: A strong belief in something without proof or evidence
At the end of the day the one thing that tells you to keep going; to get up tomorrow and to keep moving forward, is your faith.
Lord direct my path in 2018-2019. Help me move forward with life giving You all the Glory. Help us each to be your hands and feet for the lost, that just One may come to know you. Amen
TAKEN FROM: Alex Blackwell is the Founder of The BridgeMaker. His book, Saying Yes to Change
Read Moreby John Piper
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:5)
The great missionary hope is that when the gospel is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, God himself does what man cannot do: he creates the faith that saves. The call of God does what the call of man can’t. It raises the dead. It creates spiritual life. It is like the call of Jesus to Lazarus in the tomb, “Come out!” (John 11:43).
We can waken someone from sleep with our call, but God’s call can summon into being things that are not (Romans 4:17). God’s call is irresistible in the sense that it can overcome all resistance. It is infallibly effective according to God’s purpose — so much so that Paul can say, “Those whom [God] called he also justified” (Romans 8:30).
In other words, God’s call is so effectual that it infallibly creates the faith through which a person is justified. All the called are justified. But none is justified without faith (Romans 5:1). So the call of God cannot fail in its intended effect. It irresistibly secures the faith that justifies.
This is what man cannot do. It is impossible.
- Only God can take out the heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26).
- Only God can draw people to the Son (John 6:44, 65).
- Only God can open the heart so that it gives heed to the gospel (Acts 16:14).
- Only the Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name.
He calls them and they follow (John 10:3–4, 14). The sovereign grace of God, doing the humanly impossible, is the great missionary hope.
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Faith and Blessing go hand in hand, partnering in God’s plan for you.
*Faith always leads and blessing always follows.
We must be willing to obey God’s Will and do exactly what He asks us to do, no matter what we think or how we feel.
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” Luke 5:5
The Lord is telling us that we cannot experience victory unless we go out further than we have never gone before.
*If we continually stay at the shallow side, we will continue to experience mediocrity, which is not God’s will for us.
*We must take the first step and continue to walk on water, during this walking we will experience adversity and trials of many kinds, but we still must push until we reach our deep, where we will receive the Lord’s blessing.
*Have you ever felt tempted to look at your accomplishments with pride as if you were the reason for your success?
*Have you ever thought your prosperity was due to your ingenuity?
*Has your material success been a testimony to others that God is the ruler of all aspects of your life, even the material side?
Joseph’s greatest test was not his temptation to be bitter against his brothers.
**It was the temptation of prosperity and ownership. Once he was elevated, he was given choices that he never had before. It was totally up to him as to which choice he would make.
**God is the source of all good things. Ask God today if your life models this belief.
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
When you Fall in love with Jesus it is no longer about his power it is about His person!
Heavenly Father teach me that I must go out into the deep with you, where I will experience you than like never before. Thank You Jesus that we fight FROM Victory and NOT For Victory. (1 JN 4:4) Amen
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“For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
Let go of everything that is beyond your ability to control.
There will be things that will not work out the way you desired or intended, but the Lord’s ways are higher than your ways.
The Lord knows the beginning from the end, and He is giving you opportunities to align yourself with His purposes for your life.
Move with the flow of His Spirit to come into divine order so that His purposes will be established in, around, and through you. Do not be afraid.
Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Refuse to be drawn away from that which is vitally important to your spiritual well-being. Even as many things demand your attention and resources, you must continually guard your heart.
Maintain integrity and be true to yourself.
Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me.
*God’s Giving is an overflow of His character(Matthew 5:3-12 Beatitudes) and an example of how He calls us to share what we have with others.(Testimonies of what Jesus has done for us—The Cross, the Gospel)
*God gives lovingly. (Exodus 34:6)
*God gives freely. (James 1:17)
*God gives abundantly. (Psalm 132:15)
*God gives wisely. (Romans 16:27)
#3 of 8 Truths to Master Life. (You can get all 8 at):
www.movingforwardwithhope.com
I sincerely ask the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to do and empower me to follow through in obedience.
Result: I am released from my need to control everything.
I am “Free.”
*The reason for this is that I now trust God, Who knows all, and He has promised those who are meek, that they will inherit the earth. Faith is God has freed one from the burden of trying to push, manipulate or force, in order to get one’s way.
Jeremiah 9:23,24. “This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Lord, help me daily to release my need to control everything. Help me come to you for direction in all my ways and thoughts—for Your Glory. Amen
Read MoreHosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.
If you ask a Christian how to do battle with the devil, he will probably recite James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
But what does James mean by resist and how do we resist Satan’s power?
*When you are alone with God in prayer, you are totally immune to the devil’s devices.
*So run to His throne by faith, call on Him, and stand on the power of Christ’s blood.
Joshua 1:8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.
Jesus is our example here. When He resisted temptation with God’s Word, the devil fled. Why? Because the truth exposed Satan, putting him to shame.
*Hebrews says that all who have trusted in God’s Word “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions” (Hebrews 11:33).
**We muzzle the powers of hell by standing on God’s Word.
FOR US TO BE VICTORIOUS WE NEED.
1.Our faith is our greatest weapon against the devil. 2cor 5:7
2. Know the word. We fight battles in the kingdom is to know the word. Know more than the devil. The devil works by deception in the word. This is what led to the fall of Adam and Eve. 1cor 2:8, psalm 119:130
3. Realize the power in you. Luke 10:19, John 1:12, 1John 4:4
Revelation 12:11 They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death.
Using the Sword of the Spirit (Word of God) in your daily battle with the enemy is the only “sure fire” method of winning!
When the attacks come, and they will, pull out your Sword and let the Word of God do it’s work in the lives of those who are trying to harm you.
Thank You Jesus that you are in control and help me put more and more trust in You and not look at all the circumstances going on in this world at this time. Help keep my eyes on you Jesus! Amen
Read MoreMaking the Resurrection Real for our family; only days to Easter!
“Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” Psalm 145:3-5
Often holiday traditions can get mixed in with the real essence of holy days.
*As a child, I wondered what Santa caravanning his reindeer through snowstorms had to do with baby Jesus who was born in Bethlehem.
Wasn’t that in a desert?
*I never did figure out why the Easter Bunny brought me chocolate eggs each year.
Didn’t chickens lay eggs, not rabbits?
Today’s passage from Psalms encourages us to teach our children and future generations of God’s mighty acts.
*******We are to proclaim His power over all the earth. **********
I can’t think of a more powerful act than when God raised His only Son Jesus from the dead, making a way for us to gain access to heaven to live with Him for all eternity.
There are many fun, family-bonding Easter traditions to celebrate with children.
*But this year, why not be intentional to tell the powerful story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in ways that stick in little minds?
*Attend a live passion play put on by a church in your area.
*Read the account of Jesus’ last week of life out loud as a family while enjoying a favorite snack. Read a passage each night beginning in Luke 22:1 through the end of the book of Luke and compare it to Isaiah 53 a prophesy spoken 700 + years before.
*Watch a movie on the life of Jesus.
The Jesus Film by Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) is well done with each scene coming directly from the words of the Bible. Make sure to decide if the child is ready to see a depiction of the crucifixion.
All of these activities help portray the true meaning of this sacred season and point the children to the God who created them, knows them and sent His only Son to die on a cross for them. (Read Psalms 139)
Let’s tell of God’s mighty act of raising Jesus from the dead to the generations that come after us.
Fun traditions can be OK, so long as we don’t miss the real meaning of this Christian Holy Day.
Dear Lord, help me to tell of Your wondrous power and mighty acts to those generations that come after me. May I not let the season pass by without pondering, reading the Bible and sharing this Awesome news on the real meaning of Easter. Help me to direct people to Your Word to see and live in light of Your Truth rather than what we perceive to be true through our limited earthly knowledge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
(Col. 2:2-4 & JN 14:6 & Psalms 119:160 & Hosea 6:4 & 1 JN 1:5-10 & JN 3:16-17)
Read MoreLet go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth”Psalm 46:10.
Every day, you have to decide who’s going to be in control of your life — you or God.
That choice is a battle. There are things in your life that you want to control. You want to make your own rules. But stress relief always starts with letting God be God. It always starts with saying, “God, I’m giving up control, because you can control the things that are out of control in my life.”
Psalm 46:10 says, “Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth” .
I don’t know what you’re going to face this week. You don’t, either. But I can already tell you what God wants you to do: Let go, and know. Let go of control, and know that God is in control. Let go, and know! This is the first step to serenity in your life.
Whenever we face out-of-control situations, we tend to go to one of two extremes.
- For some of you, the more out-of-control your life gets, the harder you try to control it.
- Some of you do the exact opposite: You just give up! You have a pity party and invite yourself to it.
Both of those reactions to stress are foolish. They don’t work. Instead of being a victim or becoming hyper controlling, you need to pray the prayer of surrender.
The number one reason you’re under stress is because you’re in conflict with God.
You’re trying to control things that only God can control. You can’t control your husband or your kids or your wife, or your parents, or your friends, or your job or your future or your past or any of that stuff. The more you do it, the more you’re trying to play God, and that puts you in opposition to God. Not only are you going to lose that conflict, but you’re also going to be tired.
Millions of people pray the Serenity Prayer, which is based on the Lord’s Prayer, but most have never read the last eight lines to the prayer. read below
That’s where the power is! There is power when you surrender to JESUS the very things you’ve been trying to control.
Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that you will make all things right,
If I surrender to your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with you
Forever in the next.
Amen.
— Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
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“If you … know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11 NIV)
God is the source of everything. Everything you see in the world and everything you can’t see in the world and in the universe, God made. He’s the source of every good thing in the universe.
As you depend on God as your source for everything, there are four truths you need to remember.
First, everything is a gift from God. Nothing you have, have you earned. It’s all a gift of God’s grace. If God didn’t want to give it, you wouldn’t have it. Read James 1:17.
Second, there’s nothing you need that God can’t provide. You don’t know what you’re going to need the rest of this year. But whatever it is, God has the power to supply it. Read: Philippians 4:19.
Third, God wants to give you everything you need. Read Matthew 7:11. God wants to meet your need.
And, here’s the fourth thing: He’s waiting on you. James 4:2 says,“. . . You do not have because you do not ask God.”
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3)
In the context of this verse, Paul is concerned that people were thinking of themselves “more highly than [they] ought to think.” His final remedy for this pride is to say that not only are spiritual gifts a work of God’s free grace in our lives, but so also is the very faith with which we use those gifts.
This means that every possible ground of boasting is taken away. How can we boast if even the qualification for receiving gifts is also a gift?
This truth has a profound impact on how we pray. Jesus gives us the example in Luke 22:31–32. Before Peter denies him three times Jesus says to him, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus prays for Peter’s faith to be sustained even through sin, because he knows that God is the one who sustains faith. So we should pray for ourselves and for others this way.
Let us pray daily: “O Lord, thank you for my faith. Sustain it. Strengthen it. Deepen it. Don’t let it fail. Make it the power of my life, so that in everything I do you get the glory as the great Giver. Amen.”
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If you pay attention, you will know that the Lord is showing you ways to improve your circumstances that will ultimately result in a better quality of life.
The Lord is revealing things that need to be changed and can be changed that will be very beneficial to you.
However, this benefit will not come if you do not do what is necessary.
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
YOU HAVE IT ALL–IN THE SPIRIT
Matthew 26:41 ” Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience.
*Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer.
*Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and then is reflected in our outward appearance through our thoughts and actions in direct proportion to the way we renew our minds, causes much confusion.
This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first.
Why is that?
Example: If you had an major infection in your body before you got saved, you will you have an infection in your bodybe after you get saved, unless you go into a Doctor recovery program.
Your body doesn’t instantly change and neither does your soul or mind.
It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation.
It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our born-again spirit.
**Your spiritual salvation is complete.
At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity. It will not have to be changed or cleansed again.
It is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and therefore, is sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23).
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, thank you for the renewing of the mind, help me to live as a child of light for Your Glory and my joy! Amen
Read MoreAlmost every Christian at some time in his life has had to face the problem of unanswered prayer.
*A prayer goes unanswered for weeks and months—even years.
*An unexpected illness or tragedy claims a loved one.
*Things happen that have no rhyme or reason and then faith begins to falter.
But the Word makes it very clear that a wavering person will never receive anything from God.
Jesus understood this tendency in His children to hold grudges against heaven when mountains are not moved on schedule.
*Jesus warned Peter not to ask anything when standing in God’s presence lest he be unforgiving in some matter.
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).
I believe Jesus is saying, Don’t stand in God’s presence asking for
mountains to be removed or for forgiveness of your sins, if you have a secret grudge in your heart against a brother or sister in Christ.
*Get it out! Let the Spirit of forgiveness flow through you.
*Cry out to your faithful Father. He has not failed. He will answer. He will supply.
*Submit yourself and ask Him to forgive you for allowing these doubts to spring up.
The most difficult thing in all the world for Christians to do is forgive.
Even the best Christians find it hard to forgive those who injure their pride.
Nothing infuriates us more than to discover someone has lied to us.
In His teaching on prayer Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:11-12).
Lord, my prayer is that the entire Body of Christ (the Church) will go to You in prayer and work out our differences and not suppress the truth, but renew our minds on the Truths and Promises You give us through Your word on the Spirit of Forgiveness. Take the Pride from our hearts and minds, helping us see clearly that we are all on the same team and will be spending Eternity Together. Amen
“The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.”1 Chronicles 13:10
A business friend of mine confessed that he did not like to read. He found it a difficult discipline. I replied, If you do not commit yourself to knowing what is in God’s Word and following it, you will fail to know and experience God.
God’s Word is life to our souls. It provides knowledge that leads to life.” The prophet Hosea tells us, “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” (Hos. 4:6).
God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. “…But they must not touch the holy things or they will die…” (Num. 4:15). When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God.
- Did David know this law or did he simply forget?
- Did Uzzah know this law?
- If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption.
Many workplace believers I know take God’s Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them.
- Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. “David was afraid of God that day and asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?’ ” (1 Chron. 13:12)
- We must all have a fearful respect of God’s Word. For truly, it is life or death.
- Do you take God’s Word seriously? Is it life or death for you?
- Do you feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts? Feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.
- Any lust harboured in the heart, in time will eat out all its strength and vigour. Some have a liking for some secret lust, which takes away their hearts.
Thank you Lord for Your Word!
Read MoreJesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”!
.. the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15b).
Paul describes the role of the church in two dramatic words: the church is the
1. “pillar”
2. The “foundation” of the truth.
The great reason for the existence of the church is to:
*** Introduce Truth back into a world saturated with error and fantasy. WE WILL ALL DIE SOMETIME & THERE IS A HELL-THERE IS A HEAVEN!
The church recovers truth when it is lost. (And boy are we lost).
That is why all Moral Recovery in a nation always begins with the church, with the people of God.
***Their Testimonies of what Jesus has done for them personally!!!(Rev. 12:11).
Any Hope that we in this country will ever recover from this downhill slide into despair lies in the presence of the church(Body of Christ) in our midst.
So the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” The Church is not a denomination-It’s all believers in Jesus Christ.
All believers are the household of God and are crucial pillars in representing the truth of God.
Without the Church:
*There is no conduit for truth
*Without truth, there is no hope.
* God has ordained that through the Church; His Bride, He will reveal Himself to the world.
***Let us not lose sight of this, and let us hold fast to Jesus and His Word (John 17:17).
Hebrews 12: 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
We need God’s anointing in the place called church to help us to conduct ourselves.
Romans 12:5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.(His Church)!
We all need to be part of the fruit-bearing stage. In it, God’s power is manifested in your life like never before.
***God takes ALL our experiences and uses them to build His Kingdom in and through your life.
*** Your obedience to this final call results in fruitfulness you could never imagine without the long preparation process.
What does God want to achieve through our lives?
*God has a plan that is so incredible we cannot comprehend it.
*It requires only that we love Him and follow Him.
Then we will become fishers of men like the world has never known.
“‘Come, follow Me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.'” Matthew 4:19
Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
” May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”
God is Able, and God bless America! AMEN
Read More“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness”. (Rom. 6:17-18).
Becoming a new person in Christ is part of a life-long journey that begins at conversion.
Before coming to Christ, we were living (in a metaphorical sense) in Egypt, in the land of bondage.
Just as the people of Israel toiled as slaves in Egypt, WE were slaves to sin and worldly ambition. (Addicted to Sin)
Before we came to Christ, we sweated and toiled to build our career and acquire material possessions.
*Work was our idol.
*Greed was our taskmaster.
We may have had all the trappings of power in the business world – We didn’t run our career; our career ran us!!!! (Been there).
Jesus once said, “No servant can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13).
Jesus was saying that those who spend their lives seeking only worldly gain are idolaters.
*No one can serve two masters.
*No one can worship both the true God and a false god (anything taking 1st place in our hearts other then God Himself).
We cannot experience the grace that God gives to His children because we are too busy striving for riches and power.
The only way we can be free is to turn away from worldly stuff and allow the One true God to transform us into a different person that will bring Him Glory.
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.
Ask yourself today:
Who or What really is #1 in my heart and my time and actions?
2 Chronicles 7:14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.
Thank You Jesus for hearing my prayer of repentance this day. Amen
Read MorePsalm 78 core message addresses the importance of the home and the vital role of parents.
*This is a Psalm of instruction covering Israel’s history from Egypt and the Exodus to the time of David.
*It records the failure of the people of Israel, but it also records the steadfast faithfulness of the Lord and His wonderful works and mercy.
Ironically, one of their greatest failures was their failure as parents.
Note the emphasis of Psalm 127:“Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. (Psalm 127:1-2)
Dads and moms bring ingredients into the home that are crucial to the spiritual and emotional stability of the home.
• Together they bring a blend of femininity and masculinity which in many ways reveal the image of God.
• These two influences together, especially when they are the product of godly parentage, are vital forces in shaping spiritually and psychologically healthy children.
• If I as a parent fail to communicate God’s truth to my children, then I am guilty of hiding from them the most important information in the world. TRUTH!
Psalm 78 stresses two great needs and responsibilities that I have as believing parent:
(1) I must put my trust in God’s Word above the ideas of men for all areas of life, including, the raising and training of my children.
(2) But if I am going to do that, I also need to communicate the character of the Bible as indeed the Word of God, an objective, inerrant, infallible guide and authority that always takes precedence over the ideas of men and the world.
The truth and instructions of Scripture are not designed for my hurt, but for my blessing.
Holy Father, I confess my sin of not always being a parent or grandparent that reflects complete trust in You and thereby have hurt my children’s path to knowing You; O Holy Father, let me hear Your Voice, that Your tone may be familiar while the noise of the world dies away. May the music I hear be the sound of Your speaking; please give me ears to hear Your voice; In the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Read MoreThey called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 5:40b-42
The apostles did not stop. They counted themselves fortunate to suffer dishonor for his name. It seems to take Christians so long to face up to the simple declaration of Scripture that, when they were called to be a Christian, they were called to suffer.
As Paul said in his letter to the Philippians, For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:29). We are called to this.
Suffering is an integral part of the Christian experience. It is not something that is unusual or reserved for just a few; it is for all. Peter wrote, Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.(1 Peter 4:12). Don’t think it is strange. You go through problems, difficulties, heartaches, disappointments, ostracism and coolness from others, all for the sake of the Name. Don’t think that is strange. It is that to which we are called.
In a world that is run by illusions, governed by deceptions, and is a victim of lies and maliciously evil falsehoods, what else can we expect if we stand for the truth?
- People will think we are strange, at times.
- People will think we react in funny ways. There will be some degree of coolness, even among those who are, in many other ways, friendly toward us.
- They will think we are a little odd. But it is they who are odd; it is we who are normal. When a normal person lives in a world full of oddballs, they think he’s odd. But that is the suffering to which he is called.
Like these disciples, we ought to thank God for it and rejoice in it. Jesus said that, didn’t he? Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name’s sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, … for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you... (Matthew 5:11-12 KJV).
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