Devotions - Prayer
Hosea 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 MoreIf 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 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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“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income….” – Ecclessiastes 5:10
The void in our heart cannot be filled with anything, only a real relationship with God can fill this Feeling Of Emptiness.
Because we do not know God’s heart to be with us, we try to fill this void with stuff, pretty man or woman, notable career ETC.
Not knowing that once we gain these things we still won’t be fulfilled.
3 myths about money
1. Money brings satisfaction
2. Money brings peace of mind
3. Money solves all your problems
* Realize that God is the owner of all we have.
Only when we know God’s heart will we feel everlasting peace and joy and the Feeling Of Emptiness will be gone.
Scripture tells us that if we are having our basic needs met for food and clothing, we are considered to have riches.
Jesus cautioned us against living a lifestyle that required more than our basic necessities. However, it is clear that Jesus was not against wealth, but against a dependence on wealth.
Jesus continually taught that a dependence on anything other than God was evil.
Whenever Jesus determined that money was an issue for an individual, He addressed it and found that the individual could not let go.
*This was true for the rich young ruler. When talking about what he must do to inherit the Kingdom, Jesus told him to do the one thing that would be the most difficult – to give away his wealth and follow Him.
Jesus was not saying this was what every person must do, only the rich young ruler, because Jesus knew this was his greatest stumbling block.
For others of us, it could be something else Jesus would ask us to give up (see Mt. 19:16-30).
“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).
If we are not careful we gradually begin to acquire and walk the treadmill of material gain. I was there for a period of my life and it was not rewarding—It was EMPTINESS!
*Those around us begin to expect more and more.
*Soon we begin expanding our lifestyle.
*Before we know it, we are worrying about how to take care of what we acquire.
*Our emphasis becomes what we own versus our relationship with Jesus and His Kingdom.
The greater independence money gives us, the less dependence on God we need.
Lord keep us from greed but rather keep us on Your path, desiring You day in and day out to be one like You! Thank You Jesus when we know God’s heart we feel everlasting peace and joy and the Feeling Of Emptiness IS gone.
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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 (read Hosea 4:6). This is what led to the fall of Adam and Eve.
3. Realize the power in you. Luke 10:19, John 1:12, 1John 4:4
4. CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON ALL THAT IS GOOD
Mark 14:38 “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”
Temptation is linked directly to what we think upon (Heb. 11:15).
*Temptation has to be entered into.
We can avoid temptation by avoiding thoughts that generate temptation (Prov. 23:7).
Since it is impossible to not think, we cannot just try to reject the negative thoughts in this world, BUT we must CHOOSE to think on the positive truths of God.
This is where prayer comes in.
In prayer, we have our minds stayed upon God and therefore, are not receptive to thoughts that conceive temptation.
Temptation or sin must be conceived (Jas. 1:14-15).
In the physical realm, the easiest way to avoid an unwanted birth is to avoid conception, so it is in the spiritual world.
It is easier to avoid being tempted by being in constant communion with God, than it is to overcome temptation once it has been conceived.
Paul admonishes the Philippians believers to reflect and meditate upon eight positive principles of thinking that will lead to a victorious Christian life.
Phil. 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
*Recognizing God’s hand in even the smallest things will bring peace and keep our hearts and minds following hard after the Lord.
Lord, I confess to You that my thoughts are not always pure. I have allowed the world and outside influences to pollute the mind that should be set on You. Right now, I choose against my old ways of thinking and invite the Holy Spirit to stand guard over my mind and to renew it(Ro. 12:2). I commit to fill my heart and mind with Your truth and give gratitude always and pray much (see 1 Thess. 5:16-18). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Most Christians don’t really know God. They know about Him, but they’re not intimately acquainted with His character (Matthew 5:3-12) and His Love (all 66 Books).
“Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him…” Job 36:26
We must always measure truth by God’s word.
We need to know the word and study the word so we can better recognize when something is off.
*If we recognize that someone is not teaching according to the word of God we should not remain under that teaching.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
How is Jesus “the Truth”
Truth is rooted in the eternal God who’s all powerful and unchangeable. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is Truth” (John 17:17).
*Truth is far more than facts. It’s not just something we act upon. It acts upon us.
*******We can’t change the truth, even though the world tries too—- but the truth can change us.
*The truth of the word sanctifies (sets us apart) from the falsehoods woven into our sin natures.
*As Christ the living Word is truth, so his written word is truth.
*Though heaven and earth will pass away, God’s truth never will.
OUR BATTLE IN LIFE IS: “TRUTH VS. LIES”
The heart longs for truth—even the heart that rejects it.
As followers of Christ:
1. We are to walk in the truth (III John 3)
2. Love the truth, and believe the truth (II Thessalonians 2:10, 12).
3. We’re to speak the truth “in love”(Ephesians 4:32).
4. Truth is far more than a moral guide. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).
*He didn’t say He would show the truth or teach the truth or model the truth. *****JESUS IS the truth.
Col. 2:……I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.
JESUS is the source of ALL truth, the embodiment of truth and therefore the reference point for evaluating all truth-claims.
*The Bible is God talking to man. —Prayer is man talking to God.
Anything beyond the teaching of Christ is to far:
2 John 1:9 Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a personal relationship with both the Father and the Son.
Lord help me to read and obey your word that I may grow in my primary focus being my personal relationship with You, in Jesus name Amen.
Read MoreOnly God searches the heart, so only He knows the real motives behind our choices.
** “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts…”. Luke 16:15
When we make wrong, emotional choices, our hearts become “covered over” and the fountain of living water gets blocked. When God’s Love is no longer motivating our actions, our self-life takes control.
“Their heart is covered with fat…” Psalm 119:70
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. “Character”
This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first.
Why is that?
If we were over-weight before we got saved, we will be over-weight after we get saved, unless we go on a weight loss 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).
For the remainder of our Christian life, we must not try to obtain faith, joy or love from God, but rather Release what we already have in our spirits (Gal. 5:22-23) into our soul and body.
Failure to understand this has caused some people to despair when they don’t see sufficient change in their life after coming to the Lord for salvation.
It must be understood that the change is internal in our spirit and the outward change will take place as we renew our minds through God’s Word.
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 that through you all things are possible and I want to do what is pleasing to you, so I ask that you transform my mind by the renewing of your word in this regard, that I might live holy and acceptable in your sight for Your Glory and my joy! Amen
Even though a faith choice is much harder to make, it is the only choice that will align us with God’s Will.
“But he who listens to Me shall live securely, and shall be at ease form the dread of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
The season of adjustment is upon you, but you will have to mentally and emotionally let go of things that tie you to the past before you can move forward in the Lord’s purposes.
If you will take this step of faith you will come into a place of liberty and fulfillment that you have not known before.
Trust the Lord to bring you through this awkward transition with great grace. All you have to do is be willing and flexible.
2 Corinthians 12:9a And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
Just as every sport has disputes that must be settled by the officials, the peace of God is the umpire that settles all disputes as to what the will of God is for our lives. (read 1 Thess. 5:16-20)
We must learn to listen to and heed the peace of God in our hearts.
There are some things we can do to facilitate the peace of God umpiring in our hearts.
1. First, consider ALL the options.
*Many wrong decisions have been made because not all the options were considered.
*Don’t let fear rule out God’s possibilities.
2. Next, use your imagination to explore what will happen with each choice.
*You should be able to discern a greater peace as you consider the option the Lord would have you take.
The rudder on a ship can’t go any direction until the ship is moving.
The ship doesn’t have to be going full steam ahead for the rudder to work, but it does have to be moving.
Likewise, we have to act before the peace of God will give us perfect direction.
The Lord can bless a wrong decision made in faith from a pure heart, more than He can bless indecision (Rom. 14:23).
Lord, thank You for your peace of mind, heart and soul. Thank You for Your promises in Scripture that keep me encouraged and moving forward. Amen (see Philippians 4:4-15)
We must realize that the battleground for this invisible war that we’re in is actually between our ears – in our minds.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
This is why God wants us to be prepared for the spiritual attacks that come our way.
He wants to equip and prepare us in the strength of his power to stand against the enemy’s schemes and defeat him in the specific battles in our life.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Eph 6:14-15)
Notice that to protect ourselves from the evil:
We must do something. We must take action and stand. We’re commanded to consciously and vigorously make a decisive act to stand our ground firmly against the enemy’s assaults.
This means becoming aware of the devil’s schemes and putting on the full armor of God.
The armor of God is a metaphor to help us understand the general thinking of how we’re to prepare ourselves for spiritual battle. READ EPHESIANS 6 FOR TOTAL ARMOR. BELOW IS 2 OF 6 PIECES OF ARMOR.
First, we need to put on the belt of truth.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
In response, our strategy is to protect our minds from Satan’s lies by knowing and believing what God’s word says is true of us: We’re accepted and deeply loved, bought with a price, part of God’s family, and sealed with the Spirit.
Putting on the belt of truth also means we’re honest with ourselves and with God. We’re open to correction when the Spirit of God speaks to us. We don’t hide or shift blame. We own our stuff.
Second, we need to put on the breastplate of righteousness.
Satan’s second tactic is condemnation. This is not the kind of condemnation we feel when we knowingly do something wrong and feel guilty. This is the kind of guilt that shames.
Satan condemns us by saying things like, “You’re a terrible person!” “God will never use you!” “If anyone knew what you did and found out who you really are!” “You call yourself a Christian!”
By putting on the breastplate of righteousness we can protect our heart against the enemy’s condemnation. What does this look like? It’s the practical application of God’s truth for our lives.
We’re already righteous before God because of Christ. But we need to apply this truth by living it out. This means living uprightly in our lifestyle and character.
When we’re living outside of God’s will, we open ourselves up to demonic attack.
So if God shows us a specific area of our lives that we need to get right, then we need to do what He says.
Jesus thank you for the cross that we Have Victory. Thank You for your Word that we can be ready to stand firm against the attacks of the evil one. Thank you-Thank you-AMEN
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“Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! (Luke 245-6).
HE IS RISEN—-HE IS RISEN—–HE IS RISEN!
Believing the Truth – John 20:1-18
Nothing more is required for our salvation other than the price Christ already paid.
*Our sin-debt is paid in full, and the empty tomb is our receipt.
The Life of Christ IS the Death of FEAR!
Matthew 28:5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.
The true purpose of our Christian walk is to freely lay down our lives so God’s Love can pour through us to others.
* “Greater love has no one than this; that one lay down His Life for his friends.” John 15:13
Have we allowed our prideful thoughts, wounded emotions and self-centered desires to quench God’s Love in our hearts and separate us from each other?
*”The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.” 1 John 2:9
Can you imagine what our marriage, families, churches, and communities would be like if more of us were walking in God’s unconditional Love?
* “…they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”Acts 2:46-47
*Why are you crying? What is it that has caused you pain or sorrow?
*Who are you looking for? What will make you whole? What will fix the problem?
*When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden by the tomb, she supposed that He was the gardener.
Her heart was heavy and she cried out, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him” (John 20:15).
Some of us don’t know what to do with the “Truth of the Resurrection”!
* For Easter, we sing certain hymns and we have traditions that we do in the service and in meals at home.
But the broader concept of the Resurrection, this is harder to grasp.
*1Corinthians 15:13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.
**Without the Resurrection, Jesus is merely a dead and moral martyr who provided great teaching.
John 11:25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.
**Recovering the Resurrection.
This begins with remembering what Jesus said.
In the first occurrence after the crucifixion and resurrection, the angels first say to the disciples at the empty tomb, “Remember what Jesus said” and the disciples remembered.
*So often, we forget what the Bible teaches about the resurrection, about the power and meaning of it.
* Our wonder will grow cold without His Word!
*We also need to repent for forgetting His Word!
*We need to remember that his death and resurrection “Solved the Problem of Sin and Death”!!!!
*Jesus death and resurrection empowers everything that Jesus said.
*What do we do in the midst of our wonder?
*We need to remember that WE are made FOR Jesus, and not the other way around.
*Maybe the important thing that we need to do is to not “do”, but to LIVE in wonder.
*This will lead to the outward expression of how we respond.
Sometime we just need to be still and allow ourselves to be filled by God’s Holy Spirit Inspired Word.
This resurrection wonder will lead to transformed lives, where each Sunday service and each day we live revolves around the Hope of a Risen Savior.
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him, ‘Rabboni!’
(which is to say, Teacher)” (John 20: 16). Jesus knows the names of those who love Him—and He called Mary by her name.
Jesus then told her, “Do not cling to Me” (John 20: 17). Jesus knew Mary was not going to let go of Him. Her heart was crying, “I lost You once, but I’m never going to lose You again!”
It must have taken a lot of courage for Mary to heed Jesus’ words to her.
You see, He told her He was going to be gone for awhile and she should go to the others and “. . . say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father’” (verse 17).
Mary quickly returned to the disciples who had returned home after seeing that Jesus was no longer in the tomb.
These simple fishermen were gathered together in one room, perhaps cleaning their old fishing gear. They were not theologians but they had been trained for three years at the Master’s feet.
It was Mary, however, who had the revelation! These men had to sit and listen to a woman who had heard from Jesus. Can you imagine the scene?
“What did He say? What did He look like?” Mary answered simply, “All I know is, I saw Him. And He told me to come here and tell you something!”
I love to hear devoted men and women of God say the words Mary said: “I’ve
heard from Him and I have something to say!”
Like Mary Magdalene, we should all have a heart so given to the Lord that He gives us His mind and says, “Go tell the brethren!”
Acts 22:15 For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.
*Our testimony is simply a personal account of the work that God began in our lives, put to words to share with others.
*Testimonies proclaim God’s faithfulness, power, and glory to all who hear.
* God does wonderful and miraculous things in our lives, which are meant to be shared.
* Your testimony will bring God glory and encourage someone, which may lead them to a relationship with Christ.
*Don’t hide your light under a basket.
Revelation 12:11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.
*The only thing that can change the hearts of those around us, is the Holy Spirit.
So when we share our testimony, we share the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, presenting an opportunity for the Spirit to move in someone else’s life.
*Your Personal Testimony of what Jesus has done for YOU has power!
God’s Love expressed through us is the only thing that will bring our spouses, children, relatives and friends to Christ.
* “…may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men…”Colossians 3:12
Come to the truth of the Lord’s Word in all things. Only in truth can your faith be established and exercised to overcome adversity. The Lord has given you precious promises of Victory and the authority to succeed. It is of vital importance that you control your thoughts and emotions as you put your trust in the Lord. Refuse to allow fear to gain any ground in you.
*2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Bless the Lord by blessing someone less fortunate today through Your……Time, Talent & Treasures.
* “And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness…and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”
Isaiah 58:10-11
Jesus Has Risen! Jesus has Risen Indeed! I pray the world will see the true meaning of Easter and read Isaiah 53 and ask “How could this be predicted 700 years before this all took place?” And know that the Word of God is 100 percent True and Trustworthy and we all have The Faith and Hope of spending Eternity with our Heavenly Father.
Thank You JESUS! You have RISEN Indeed! Amen
Almost 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
by 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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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 More“Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord” (Lamentations 2:19).
At times we may have been discouraged to the point of despair and felt totally abandoned by a God we know that loves us.
And yet in the midst of all of our despair we can find comfort in Jeremiah’s words in Lamentations 3. ( I challenge you to read each day for a week and see what the Lord has to say to you about “who can I trust and why).
“He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light; indeed He has turned His hand against me again and again, all day long. He has made my skin and my flesh grow old… Even when I call out or cry for help He shuts out my prayer… I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “my splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord.” I remember my affliction and my wandering… I well remember them and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassion NEVER fails. They are new every morning; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'” (emphasis mine).
If you are at the point of despair, do what Jeremiah did and pour out your heart to God. And then call to your mind the fact that GREAT is God’s faithfulness.
- God has not abandoned you and He loves you.
- Don’t allow Satan to deceive you to think anything else. God will be faithful in your life.
But Job is an example for us of how we must break through our natural view of life so that we begin to see things in a different light. This book of Job is here to teach us that God sometimes has to translate theology into painful experience before we really begin to grasp what He is trying to say to us.
Father, thank You that You have sent Your Son, who has endured more suffering than I. Grant me the strength to endure whatever You allow into my life. Amen