Devotions - Prayer
1 Thess. 4: 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
*One must understand that sex is good under the covenant of marriage.
Live holy lives not impure lives. To Reject living holy– means rejecting God.
*God gave us his Holy Spirit and the power through His Spirit so believers can live holy lives.
I need to remember always to allow the Holy Spirit to have control over my life and reject the impurity of sin especially impure thoughts.
For the root of impure thoughts comes from the heart and influence my actions.
2 Timothy 2:22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
*You once lived a life you don’t want to go back too. You accepted Jesus, the Lord almighty, as your Savior. Don’t go back too your old ways.
Our purity will determine the extent to which God will use us and demonstrate His power in us.
Those who truly love God will seek to obey him, which is really what purity is.
Holiness is not the absence of sin, but the presence of God in your life.
Impurity has both long term and short term effects, especially if we continue to let it linger in our lives, and God isn’t happy with that.
2 Timothy 2:22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
*If we are slaves to sin, we will never be free. Jesus’ standard is the one to live up to.
We must proclaim God’s holiness on earth, just as it is proclaimed in heaven.
*Holiness Is A Choice, Your Choice
We live in an environment that is driven by sex, money and power!! That’s a problem
Ephesians 5:3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
* Lust produces bad sex, because it denies Relationship.
*Lust turns the other person into an object, a thing, a non-person.
***Jesus condemned lust because it cheapened sex; it made sex less that it was created to be.
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
Father, Grant me power to reject impurity and not just in actions, but thoughts too. I choose right now to reject an impure life and ask by faith that the Holy Spirit would take control of my life so I would honor you as holy before all men. Thank You for all your gifts. In Jesus name – Amen
Read MoreDefine your boundaries
Acts 17:26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
God created all things and then decided their life expectancy as well as determining their boundaries.
God knew where the land existed and then where the next mass of land started.
*God knew the boundaries of the nations because he defined and determined them.
*God also knows the boundaries of his people.
*God knows how much to push us and when to pull back.
Christians today push their boundaries and then end up hurting themselves and those around them because they don’t know where those boundaries are at.
It’s important to know where your boundaries are at for every thing.
***Relationship boundaries, financial, career, free time, exercise, health, educational, and the list goes on and on.
This doesn’t down play hard work, but each person has boundaries and when those are not defined and they are unknowingly crossed, there are brutal consequences.
*God determined boundaries for our sake.
*God created the Sabbath as a boundary to take for the sake of rest.
*God called marriage between one man And one woman…that’s a boundary.
Boundaries are determined by God.
Lord, show me the boundaries that you have set for my life. I desire to run free in the boundaries that you have determined for me. I never want to leave your embrace and move outside of your will. Amen
What can we learn from Jesus
Know who you are (John 8:12) — Eighteen times Jesus publicly defined himself. There was no doubt in his mind as to who he was. Trying to be someone you’re not causes stress!
Know who you want to please (John 5:30) — Jesus never let the fear of rejection manipulate him. No one can pressure you without your permission. You can’t please everyone. Even God can’t!
Set clear goals (John 8:14) — Jesus said, “I know where I came from and where I am going.” Preparation prevents pressure but procrastination produces it. You work by either priorities or pressures.
Focus on one thing at a time (Luke 4:42-44) — Jesus knew how to handle interruptions without being distracted from his primary goal.
Don’t try to do everything yourself (Mark 3:14) — Jesus enlisted twelve disciples. We get tense when we feel it all depends on us.
Make a habit of prayer (Mark 1:35) — No matter how busy Jesus got, he found time to get alone and pray. A daily quiet time is a great stress decompression chamber.
Take time to enjoy life (Mark 6:30-31) — Balance is the key to stress management. Work must be balanced with fun and worship.
As a Christian, I come under the truth of the Word and the necessity of prayer.
“Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvelous God who’s gracious Word can make you into what He wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends.”Acts 20:32
5 Truths for our Work being our Worship
1. Belief in the reality of God who has spoken, making the word of God the basis of our understanding and action.
2. Therefore, operate by faith in the Word of God, knowing life in the workplace is just as spiritual as the time we spend in worship.
3. The result is, having confidence in God’s calling and His gifting’s, that makes work worth while and fulfilling.
4. So, God is glorified in the workplace.
5. Resulting in, success being measured by faithfulness to Christ, following him in obedience.
Nothing that happens on earth can ever change the Word of God.
“Heaven and earth will disappear, but My Words will never disappear”. Mark 13:31
5 Myths When Missing God as our Pilot
1. Belief in self – it is all about me!
2. Therefore, we operate from one’s limited perspective.
3. The result is, self-confidence with arrogance leading you.
4. So, the workplace centers on man’s achievements alone.
5. Resulting in, success being measured by pride in material wealth.
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
THE FEAR OF THE LORD . .
* Causes us to depart from evil, Prov. 3:7.
* Causes us to hate evil, Prov. 8:13.
* Prolongs our days, Prov. 10:27.
* Gives inspired confidence, Prov. 14:26.
* Affords great contentment, Prov. 15:16.
* Keeps the heart, Prov. 23:17.
* Strengthens us against unstable companions, Prov. 24:21.
Lord, Help me measure my success by letting my success be measured by faithfulness to Christ, following YOU in obedience. Thank You Jesus! Amen
Read MoreEXPERIENCE VICTORY THIS DAY!
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 wasn’t the sexual temptation that came inside Potiphar’s house.
*It wasn’t even the discouragement of years of imprisonment for being wrongfully accused.
**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.
Stewardship reveals what we believe about God and ourselves.
Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall.
Keep pressing even though your efforts are met with opposition. The end result will be worth all of your energy to break through. Refuse to get discouraged or decide to just give up. The Lord is with you to bring you through to victory. Be strong and courageous.
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.”
Heavenly Father teach me that I must go out into the deep with you, where I will experience you than like never before. .Amen
Christianity is not a religion it’s a relationship with Christ.
John 17:3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
Read More
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!
John 8:31-32: Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Distinguishing Healthy and Unhealthy Boundaries
Without a healthy role model, it can be difficult to know what healthy boundaries look like.
1. First, let’s cover what healthy boundaries are not.
- They are not threats or attempts to control or manipulate others into doing what you want.
- They are not rigid rules or “walls” designed to keep people out or shield you from expressing your emotions.
2.Healthy boundaries are simply a personal clarification of:
- what type of treatment is acceptable to you,
- and what consequences will result from violating a boundary.
*People with healthy boundaries share their thoughts and feelings, take care of their own needs, and are able to say no when necessary.
By contrast, people with weak boundaries:
• Sacrifice their personal values, plans or goals to please others
• Allow others to define who they are and make decisions for them
• Expect others to fulfill all their needs
• Feel guilty when they say no
• Hesitate to share their opinions or assert themselves if they are being treated unfairly
• Frequently feel used, threatened, victimized or mistreated by others
• Frequently offer unsolicited advice, or feel pressured to follow someone else advice
• Take responsibility for other people’s feelings
• Tell others how to think, feel or act
Before you can start setting boundaries, you have to recognize your right to have your own feelings, values and beliefs and to express to others how you want to be treated.
For some, this requires a BIG leap in self-worth. Knowing who you belong to.
You are God’s Masterpiece and He does not make mistakes. We need to choose whom we will serve and listen to.
Deuteronomy 19:14 “Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.”
*When ever you cross another’s boundary line, any one has set, be it land or physical..look out–they have God behind them on this…you have no right.
Only you can know your own limits; only you can set boundaries that make sense for you. In the process, you’ll find your voice – not the one that bids you to use drugs and alcohol,(or any other sin) but the one that protects you from harm.
Lord, help me define my personal boundaries and help me not go beyond any other person’s boundaries out of respect of my fellow brothers and sisters. Amen
Read More“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.” – 1 Samuel 2:4
There is an oxymoron throughout the Bible. It says that brokenness is strength.
How can this be? How can brokenness be strength?
In order to use men and women to their fullest extent, the Lord has to break His servants so that they might have a new kind of strength that is not human in origin. It is strength in spirit that is born only through brokenness.
- Paul was broken on the Damascus road.
- Peter was broken after Jesus was taken prisoner.
- Jacob was broken at Peniel.
- David was broken after his sin with Bathsheba.
- The list could go on of those the Lord had to break in different ways before they could be used in the Kingdom.
When we are broken, we see the frailty of human strength and come to grips with the reality that we can do nothing in our own strength.
Then, new strength emerges that God uses mightily. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Do not fear brokenness, for it may be the missing ingredient to a life that emerges with a new kind of strength and experience not known before.
Pray for a broken and contrite heart that God can bless.
Psalms 139: 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Amen
If 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
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” – 2 Corinthians 10:4
*A stronghold is a fortress of thoughts that controls and influences our attitudes.
*Strongholds color how we view certain situations, circumstances, or people.
*When these thoughts and activities become habitual, we allow a spiritual fortress to be built around us. We become so used to responding to the “voice” of that spirit, that its abode in us is secure. All of this happens on a subconscious level.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete (2 Corinthians 10:3,5-6).
The steps to freedom come when we repent of our sins.
** It is through the power of the cross that we no longer need to be held in bondage.
For me, besides salvation, being set free from strongholds is the most important discovery in my entire Christian walk.
*My relationship to Christ changed immediately.
* I began to hear God’s voice through the Holy Spirit inspired Word.
* I began to trust Christ in areas I never thought possible.
*I could truly experience the love of Christ for the first time.
*I was set FREE and had a great PEACE.
*Life went from my selfish needs to having a heart to see others set FREE and experience this PEACE.
*Got an understanding of the Effects of the Power Behind The Lords Table.
1. The power of the blood of Jesus Christ has broken the power of death and hell.
2. The power of the blood has positioned us in a place of authority.
3. The power of the blood set us free from all demonic powers.
4. The power of the blood cause us to reign in life.
5. The power of the blood means guaranteed victory for the believer.
Real life is only in what is built on eternity. Are you building around a world whose reward is in this lifetime, or an eternal one?
*Hebrews 5:8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
God, sometimes the situation in front of me seems impossible, but You have brought me through difficult times in the past, and I know You can do it again. As Psalms 139 says ” Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
In Jesus Name I pray, AMEN
In 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 MorePsalm 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 MoreWhat 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 MoreRemember 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 MoreNow about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. – 1 Corinthians 12:1
In First Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, the apostle Paul is teaching us about the role of spiritual gifts in the Church.
Paul correlates these gifts to a human body, telling us that each person’s gift helps the whole Body of the Church.
This is such an important principle for us to learn.
* I have learned their spiritual gifts of discernment are of great value in determining strategic direction.
*I have learned that God has placed within each person a spiritual gift that is designed to make the Body of Christ function better for His purposes.
**When we discover the spiritual gifts God has placed in those around us, we are better able to see the Body function as a real body-totally dependent on one another.
*Some of us are more sensitive to God’s voice because God has gifted us in that way.
*Others of us are less sensitive because God wants us to depend on others in the Body for their gifts.
Find out whom God has placed around you today and discover a new dimension of spiritual productivity.
“For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2
*God can do exceedingly great things through one man or woman who is willing to be obedient to God’s voice.
Ask for His grace today to be obedient to His voice.”And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands” (2 John 6).
*Love produces obedience that produce a strong relationship.
The more time you give to someone, the more you reveal their importance to you.
*The best way to spell love is T-I-M-E.
*The best use of life is love
In Scripture I have noticed that love is an action, never a feeling. Love may generate feelings, but feelings are always the result, never the content of love.
Lord, transform me, through obedience, into a person who loves You more today than I did yesterday and who loves others more today than I did yesterday. May Your Spirit renew my mind each and every minute of the day to become more and more like You- till Your return. Amen
Read MoreProverbs 5:11–14 At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly [or the church].”
Those are the words of somebody who has known the way of righteousness for many years, somebody that is seen regularly in church. Somebody who knows how to say “Amen” when the preacher says the right thing. Somebody who knows many of the hymns by heart. Somebody, maybe, who prays in public meetings. And yet, that person has never given heart obedience to the truths that he has learned.
And here he is pictured at the end of his life, realizing too late that he has missed it all – that he knew it with his head, but he never believed and obeyed it with his heart.
It is remarkable that when Jesus speaks about hypocrites, He uses particular language. He says, “The end of the hypocrites will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” I have asked myself why particularly that language about hypocrites, and I believe the answer is:
- Because they are people who have known it all, all along, but never obeyed it.
- And there is a particular bitterness in finding yourself rejected and in the midst of ruin at the end of your life when all those years you have sat in church and known the right thing, given outward assent, but your heart has never been changed.\
- You have never come to the place of true surrender, commitment and making Jesus truly Lord of your life.
Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to Know You and your Truths. Help me daily to become more and more surrendered to you. Amen
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