Devotions - Prayer
Without God’s Love flowing from our hearts, good works and sacrificial giving are of no benefit.
* “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love [Agape], it profiteth me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:3
*We are challenged all the time in life. *God takes us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes we have to be a little uncomfortable to do God’s work.
Mark 1:14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
*We prepare ourselves for our own ministry in this life through relying on Jesus. Then we will see the results on our lives.
” They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. “(Acts 2:46-47).
These verses are really important for us as believers because they give us a model for what the fellowship of believers should be like.
God blessed the early church and it grew by leaps and bounds. That isn’t happening today, and I think that is partly because we don’t follow this model as well as we could.
Acts 6:2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
*A body of believers that is to work effectively must find the right people for each ministry. One is not more important than another.
*There are leaders, teachers, those with the gift of hospitality, and many other positions. Nobody should do it all. A pastor should be given time to lead and teach.
It is evident that the early church’s lifestyle worked. God blessed it and the church grew. It is a Model for the church today.
1. Teaching was a big part of what they did.
*People didn’t know a lot about the message of the gospel, but Jesus’ disciples made sure that message got out.
*Jesus not only gave information, but also showed the application behind the information.
*We need 3 major points to lead!
A. Character. B.Competency. C.Passion.
2. Intimate fellowship of believers was important.
*They ate together and spent time together. In this way they had constant encouragement even when things got tough. They weren’t alone.
* Don’t just create ministries except they are Purpose Driven.
3. They were not materialistic.
*They sold their possessions so they could help each other. This one scares me. I like my “stuff”. Sure I give money and time to support the Lord’s work, but I still live pretty well. What if we, as the church, didn’t care about having things for ourselves? How much more would we help advance God’s kingdom?
4. Last, but certainly not least, they prayed.
*They devoted themselves to prayer. They were in constant communication with God.
Recommitting to a relational life…
*Choose connections instead of isolation
– nature is to be isolated.
*Choose acceptance instead of judgement- sin nature is to find what is wrong.
* Choose tolerance instead of offense – engage instead of in rage.
* Choose the unfamiliar instead of the
familiar – open relationships instead of closed circle.
* Choose humility instead of pride – changes the way we look at one another – rich man and Lazarus.
* Choose courage instead of fear – risk instead of known outcomes.
If we approach the Word of God with a Hunger for the Word we will get more from our time in His Word.
*Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, Hear the word of the Lord, You children of Israel, For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.
*Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
*Hosea 6:1 “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. 2 In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.
Verse 6: I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
*God wants you to fellowship as you worship.
*True fellowship is based upon a knowledge of God.
*God desires that we know Him.
*God’s word gives us an understanding of Him.
*Fellowship unites us in praising God.
God adds to the church for His glory and for our benefit. When God puts us together we are able to accomplish things for Him we cannot do on our own.
How do we get eternal life?
John 17: 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
* Jesus tells us clearly here-by knowing God the Father himself through his Son, Jesus Christ.
***Eternal life requires entering into a “Personal Relationship” with God in Jesus Christ. When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit.
*Our goal and purpose is to glorify God. In John 17: 3 “this is eternal life” comes only to those who “KNOW GOD”.
The word “know” here refers to the intimacy of us with God like a man and wife.
More than a “head” knowledge. Nothing is to be compared to knowing God nothing we have and nothing we will do can compare to knowing God. Eternal life is not something that we get from character or conduct but from receiving God by admitting that we are sinners.
*Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
*Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Father God, thank you for forgiveness of my sins and redemption. Thank you for standing at the finish line waiting to rejoice with me when I arrive. I love you! “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:19-20.
Check out the new web pages,
*Hope Connection. www.movingforwardwithhope.com
*Moving Forward, www.movingforwardinitiativesllc.com Sign up for the:(Eight Truths to Master Life).
Read MoreKnowledge comes to us at a blinding pace, and Understanding comes from God or experience. Without Godly understanding we cannot make wise choices.
“If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.”
2 Corinthians 1:6
*God must love you a lot! He doesn’t allow someone to go through the kinds of adversity you have experienced unless He has a special calling on your life.
*God doesn’t want us to be a lone ranger. He gives us discernment in choosing wise and godly counselors to help us make choices that will please Him.
A “faith experience” is an event or “spiritual marker” in your life about which you can say, “That is where I saw God personally moving in my life.” It is an unmistakable event in which God showed Himself personally to you.
* It was the burning bush for Moses;
* the crossing of the Red Sea or the Jordan River for the nation of Israel;
*It was the time when YOU saw God working in your life, knowing that what happened was in fact a God given blessing- there you knew you were with God face to face in your life situation and only HE could of got you through.
If God has plans of using you in the lives of many others, you can expect that He is going to allow certain faith experiences to come into your life in order to build a foundation that will be solid.
That foundation is what you will be able to look back on to keep you faithful to Him in the times of testing.
* Each of us must have personal faith experiences in which we experience God personally so that we can move in Faith to whatever He may call us.
Hebrews 5: 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
God can take our adversity—a heart attack, cancer, an automobile accident, violent crime, bankruptcy, a marriage crisis, the loss of a loved one—and transform that pain into encouragement for the people around us. We come out of those experiences stronger and better able to comfort others.
Although adversity may never be a blessing, God in His grace can bring blessing out of our adversity. The key is releasing the hurt and pain to the Lord so He can bring the needed healing to our lives.
Why not give your circumstance to the Lord today and let Him use it in the lives of others. This will be the first step toward healing-to be able to give it away.
Revelation 12: 11 And they overcame him(devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
*This verse really struck me in the sense of it being so true of how we are ever able to advance the kingdom in our lives.
It’s a question:
* Do I love my life so much that I shrink from dying to the things Jesus wants me to die to?
*Or do I instead come up boldly and Choose to die to myself so that Christ might become greater in me?
**It’s a great question that deserves our answer.
Do you need a personal faith experience right now in your life?
Pray that God will reveal Himself to you. He delights in doing that.
Proverbs tell us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors.
Proverbs 11: 14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
** Submitting our decisions to others for confirmation protects each of us from the deceit of our own heart.
This process will protect us from presumption and encourage us to move in faith.
The next time you believe God is directing you toward a specific action, consult with your spouse first, then some close, spiritual friends who will take the time to prayerfully consider your request.
*If you don’t have consensus, wait until you do before you move forward.
*God will move through this process to His desired will for the matter.
God has called each of us to live for a cause greater than ourselves – a life that is dependent on His grace and power to achieve things we never thought possible through our lives. This is His plan for your life.
The apostle Paul prayed that He might experience the power of the resurrection in his life. This power is available to you and me to live for a cause greater than ourselves.
Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
I believe that God is showing us that he wants us to rely on Him rather then ourselves. And that he shows us trials to grow us closer to Him.
Thank you God for hearing me; you. always do. Father help me to trust in You in every area of my life…. Lord I will trust in you with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding. Sometimes this journey gets tough but I know you are with me. When I’m standing alone you are with me, when I don’t know which way to go you lead me. Sometimes life gets tough but you did say “Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord shall deliver them out of them all. In all my ways I will acknowledge you and I know you will direct my path. My prayer for today Is that you bless someone else who may need a decision made for their lives. Don’t let them loose hope but hold on to what you promised them and trust that you will see them through.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Thank You Lord. Amen
Jesus is the vessel God has chosen to reveal and demonstrate His Way of Agape to this fallen world.
* “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…”. John 14:9
Can you imagine what our marriage, families, churches, and communities would be like if more of us were walking in God’s unconditional Love?
Matthew 5:39, ” But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
*Revenges is thoroughly human. But Jesus calls us to a higher way.
This is why we see time and time again when Christians are attacked and persecuted the world over, we follow our Lord’s example on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” It’s true that many times also, Christians give in to their human nature and retaliate, but that is the way of the flesh, and not the way of the Spirit of Christ.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Meekness is not weakness — it is strength under control. Jesus did not submit to the crucifixion because he was weak: He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set Him free. But He died alone, for you and me.
Which would you rather have – God defending you, or you defending yourself?
That’s the choice that Jesus is offering us here. “Turning the other cheek” is not a prescription for abuse but rather the way to get the Lord involved in your defense.
Many people feel that these instructions of Jesus guarantee that others will take advantage of us.
That would be true if there was no God. But when we follow these commands of Jesus, the Lord is on our side. He said in Rom. 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
When we fight back, we are drawing on our own strength. But when we turn the other cheek, we are invoking God as our defense. Once we understand this, it becomes obvious that these instructions are for our own good.
James 1:20, says that the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Regardless of how appropriate our anger may seem, and regardless of how we think our wrath could make a person or situation change, we will never achieve God’s best that way.
The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew has great Truth on Jesus Teachings.
Matthew 6:15 Your forgiveness is dependent on you forgiving others.
6:19 Invest in heaven not earth, then you will be focused on heaven.
6:33 If you invest in heaven God will make sure that your needs are met on earth.
Matthew 7:2 you will be treated as you treat others.
7:7 be persistent, the solution will come.
7:12 do to others what you want them to do to you.
7:13 the way to hell is easy, many find it.
7:14 the way to life is hard, few find it.
7:20 you can identify a person (true or false) by their actions.
7:21 obedience is not optional.
7:24 in conclusion, the wonderful consequence of following what Jesus has taught.
7:26 in conclusion, the tragic consequences of not following what Jesus has taught.
7:29″ for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.” There is a context in which this teaching is given.
When we defend ourselves, we stop God from defending us. It has to be one way or the other. It cannot be both ways. Let God defend you today.
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.
Don’t settle for less than the Lord’s best for you. We are His Masterpieces! Keep pushing for the mark of the high call in Christ. Complacency is a threat, and laziness is your enemy. The Lord speaks to us of our spiritual condition and the danger of just going along to get along.
We live in dangerous times when the enemy of our soul will try to entice us
to compromise our convictions. But, the Lord is calling us to be led by His Spirit.
*Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”.
So, though it’s hard and it goes against our human nature, as followers of Jesus, we are to be conduits of God’s forgiveness.
Father, sometimes it’s hard to forgive. Help me to be a conduit of Your forgiveness and love. When someone hurts me, Lord help me remember to not get even, but turn the other cheek and Be the bigger person. Instead of doing something negative, help me give back to them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
***when feeling down about yourself read Psalms 6 and or 22.
Get tired of frustration in your life- Then take some Action and Move Forward!
Dream: We ALL Need to Dream and have a Vision for each area of our Life!
If we are “Fed Up” then let us “Fill Up” and then be “Fired Up” for some Action!
Being “Fed Up” is to accept a responsibility for your own wrong doing.
Being Fed is positioning you to CHANGE and make room for God to Replace things for you to “Fill Up”.
* Be Fill up with the Holy Spirit (Power)
* Be Fill up with FAITH
We need FAITH to believe the Dream will become fulfilled.
*Be Fill up with Grace.
Grace is God’s empowering presence
The Power to BE who you’re called to be to DO what you’re called to DO.
The greatest way to get GRACE is to “Humble” yourself.
Be “Fired up”! Never be lacking in Zeal! We believers have Victory already through the Cross. (1 John 4:4).
Gotta be Passionate. Passion fuels focus, which burns doubt and apprehension.
1 Peter 1:17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.”
The problem in our spiritual lives is: “spiritual malnutrition”.
Symptoms of spiritual malnutrition:
1. Energy depletion — We have grown tired of the wait. Lost our Dream!
1 Peter 1:13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
2. Excitement depletion. Hope has been wavering. “Fed Up”.
3. Holiness depletion– If it feels good, then we think “just do it”.
1 Peter 1:14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.
Causes of spiritual malnutrition:
*Lack of a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ!
*1 Peter 1:18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
The Spiritual malnutrition Cure:
1. Get saved! Renew and increase your personal relationship wit JESUS!
Romans 3: 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Read. Colossians 1:19-23
2. Be Holy!
1 Thess. 4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy,
1 Peter 1:15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
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!
3. Celebrate your New Life. (Eph 2:1-10)
4. Set your Hope and Trust on Jesus and be filled with Jesus Love so you in-turn-can give Love away to others and Heal!
1 Thess. 2:19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!
* They(New believers) are a source of joy, and hope – like a “crown” – as Paul said. Conversely, nothing is more troubling than when one of these falls away. So we need to encourage them, stay with them, and help them grow up in the faith.
Lord, help me to be faithful to encourage those you have entrusted to my care and leadership. Help me not to be so distracted by the next project or responsibility, that I lose sight of those You’ve entrusted to my care for today. And thank You for that trust.
Watch for the enemy to undermine your confidence by speaking lies about your Viability and Worth. Refuse to internalize Rejection, for it will assuredly bring condemnation and a sense of alienation. This attack is designed to cause spiritual paralysis and keep you from walking in the Spirit.
Rise up and remind yourself of the TRUTH. “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death”. You are the Lord’s Masterpiece and have great value in His kingdom.
*1 Peter 2:1-5 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and
all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
My Lord and savior, I come to You with this prayer of acknowledgment of who I am in you Father. Lord you have made me like no other, for I am not like the others of this world for You have renewed me through the blood and through your stripes of pain and suffering on my behalf. Lord, I am Your chosen one, You have made me one of your royal priest to bring forth Your Word and teach the goodness of your Father God. I am of a holy nation now, which is of You, for I am not of this world anymore for You have called me out of the darkness into Your wonderful light. I am Your personal possession oh Lord, for I am no longer blind of the deception of this world and of Satan’s tricks. I am not of this world for You have made me your possession to serve You, I am one of your royal priest. I thank You for this task set forth in front of me Lord. I receive it and I claim this in Your Holy and Majestic Name, Jesus Christ, Amen
Read MoreARE YOU AFRAID
Deut. 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
This scripture is so powerful. The Lord himself goes before me. Wow!
We are not in this alone. He will never leave me nor forsake me! Wow!
No matter what-God is with me for the long haul.
Do not be afraid or discouraged. Again I say Wow!
We are living in VERY uncertain times, BUT God promises he will go before us, he will never leave us and most importantly do not be afraid or discouraged.
Take heart Christ is returning soon. We have hope!!!!!!!!
Over the past two years there has been this freedom in Christ that I have felt unlike anything else in my life!
I appreciate the opportunity to be able:
* to read the Word of God anytime,
* to pray for my family and friends and even those who do not like me.
I will never take for granted again the reality that we have here- which is a freedom we can have in Christ when we surrender all of ourselves to Him.
I’ve learned that when you exposure yourself to God it’s like you allow Him to peel the layers away from your life like an onion. You start to stink- you become raw- you begin to see where the roots in your life are planted.
It’s OK for all of this to happen.
When we remove the walls in our lives that have been put up to prevent us from becoming authentic Christians it is a painful process… BUT there is nothing sweeter than the freedom you feel during the process and afterwards!
God will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Do you frequently feel lonely, abandoned, left out or neglected?
Have you tried to hide Your emotions and pain with a painted-on smile while deep inside you hurt so much?
BUT God knows your heart – He knows your personal struggles, your temptations in this busy fast competitive world.
For me I had no peace until I surrendered ALL to Him, then I begin to experience a renewing of my mind and freedom from the issues that kept me in bondage.
It was the freedom IN Christ that keeps me from being afraid or scared any longer. I do not have to lie awake at night wondering the same questions over and over in my head.
I know that God is in control and I can face every situation with more confidence.
With every painful emotion that you allow God to take control of comes a renewing of your mind and restoration of your soul.
To help you understand, the freedom you feel in Christ to do all things through Him is as large and wide as His unconditional love for us!!
Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Our lives are so short. Scripture says its like a vapor, a blooming flower… here and gone. I want to use the short time that I have:
* to tell my children/grandchildren how much I love them.
* To tell Laura how much I appreciate her and cherish her.
*To tell the Body of believers how blessed I am to be partaking in this journey with them.
* To tell my friends how much I love them. To tell them all to have courage. To not fear. To take strength in the knowledge of their Lord.
Lord-Thank you for the ability you’ve given us to encourage others. You put a song on our heart Lord and you help us to sing that song. Give us vision and strength for the future, but along the way remind us and help us to inspire and encourage those you have placed us around. Thank you for your heart for all of us. That you will never leave or forsake us.
Isaiah 52:12 For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Deut. 1:30 The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt.
Deut 1: 42 “But the Lord told me to tell you, ‘Do not attack, for I am not with you. If you go ahead on your own, you will be crushed by your enemies.’
Our own plans seldom avail to good purpose; while courage in the exercise of faith, and in the path of duty, enables the believer:
* to follow the Lord fully,
* to disregard all that opposes,
* to triumph over all opposition,
* to take firm hold upon the promised blessings.
Embrace the changes, both naturally and spiritually, that will take you on the next leg of your journey.
God loves YOU and You are His Masterpiece.!
Thank You Jesus for Your Perfect Love for me!
Amen
FORGIVENESS verses UNFORGIVENESS!
Forgiveness is probably the most difficult act we do, as humans–it is a God-like trait to be forgiving. It takes faith to forgive those who have offended us. Remember, among Jesus’ last words on the cross–“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
This morning, in prayer I was reminded of the last two weeks of communication with so many people in so many different situations and the one most common conversation we all had was: FORGIVENESS verses UNFORGIVENESS!
*So here goes a short thought on what I believe is one of the major problems we ALL phase in one area or another!
FORGIVENESS verses UNFORGIVENESS!
What are some Biblical verses to see what Jesus says:
* Matthew 6:13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. (From the Lord’s Prayer).
*Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
* Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
*Colossians 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
*Romans 12:19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
*Christ sets is free!
My favorite Two verses and most convicting to me is:
1. Mark 11:25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
*Forgiveness – God loves us so much that He sent Christ to surrender his life so we might be free from sin. He also promised us grace to see us through; but as mortals we fall short of His glory and He is quick to forgive when we repent. As sons of God, we should learn to forgive, though the hurt is hard to forget.
*Just because I can’t forget the hurt someone posed on me doesn’t mean I don’t forgive them. I forgive, move on with my life and wait for God to bless and heal me. Not forgetting keeps you from getting hurt the same way again and makes you grow spiritually. Amen
2. Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
*What this verse is trying to explain is that we as humans need to be KIND, TENDER and FORGIVING to each other SO we can be more like Christ Because Christ is kind and forgiving to ALL of us. We cannot be hateful and unforgiving and be with Christ the one and only Lord. GOD GAVE ALL-HIS SON JESUS!
*Our body is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:24-26
** FORGIVENESS: Giving of the resentment against someone and our right to get even, no matter what has been done to us.
*Forgiveness is the “Surrendering of MY Right” to hurt you back if you hurt me.
** UNFORGIVENESS: The deliberate willful refusal to give up one’s resentment an right to get the wrong done.
The Nature of Unforgiveness is like a match that can be lit at any time.
* Nothing good can come from unforgiveness.
* Unforgiveness leads to bitterness, bitterness will eat away at our soul like acid in a paper cup.
The Scripture is Clear Concerning God’s View of Unforgiveness.
** The Terrible Consequences of Unforgiveness: (As humans we All try to come up with reasons to try to justify bitterness and unforgiveness).
* Develop a spirit of bitterness. (Hebrews 12:15)
** Unforgiveness has a harmful effect upon every aspect of your spiritual life.
* Prayer life is affected. (MATT 6:14-15)
* By praying and not forgiving we develop a callousness to the spirit of God, deceiving ourselves (1 JOHN 1:8)
** Unforgiveness has a detrimental effect upon one’s physical health.
*Heart problems, high blood pressure, etc. all documented.
* I would say through years of listening to people that 90% of people that seek counseling have an unforgiving spirit.
**Unforgiveness affects all other relationships.
* A child that sees unforgiveness and anger in their parents goes through life and sees that exhibited in their own life later in life.
*Unforgiveness begets bitterness; the things just like itself: hurt, pain, more deep-seated unforgiveness.
**Unforgiveness gives Satan a foothold in our lives.
*Each time we do not forgive Satan’s foothold gets a little deeper.
THE KEY IS: HOW DO WE DEAL WITH UNFORGIVENESS!
*Paul said, lay aside the things that pull you down. (HEB 12:1) He would not have said that if it was not possible through Christ.
Unforgiveness– IT. IS. A. DECISION. YOU MUST LAY IT DOWN.
1. Treat it as a serious offense in the eyes of God.
2. Assume full responsibility for your unforgiving spirit.
3. Confess your resentment
*Don’t just confess “Unforgiveness”. Be Honest with God about what you really FEEL(He knows your thoughts. And heart and motives anyway): do you want vengeance? Do you want to get even? Do you want to harm someone?
4. Acknowledge it is un-Christ-like, violation of the Word!!
5. Ask God to enable you to forgive.
6. Ask God to forgive you.
7. Begin praying for the other person. (LUKE 6:28)
8. If they are aware may have to ask them to forgive you.
* if the Holy Spirit leads you–go to them and tell them, this is what happened and I nurtured a heart of bitterness. I want to ask you to forgive me for my heart of bitterness. Will you forgive me?
9. Ask God if He would have you do something specific on behalf of the other person. Act of kindness.
10. Suppose reminded of hurt, don’t give in; Satanic trap. Thank God for his forgiveness.
11. If the other person is not alive address with God.
Prayer is that master key that unlocks all the blessings promised us by our Father. Though the vision may tarry, wait for it. So many of us want instant answers to prayers, but Gods time is the best. Whenever we pray, believe that God is able to keep His promises; and that promise is ‘God will supply all your needs according to His riches through Christ Jesus.
*Miracles happen every second. Some people are just blind to see. I don’t know what you are going through, but I know who will see you through. JESUS!
** How will you know you have truly forgiven the other person?
1. Feelings about the other person.
2. Feelings of concern, caring.
3. Willing to accept them as they are.
4. Seek the Lord to understand why they acted the way they did.
The Lord is always near to the broken and contrite heart.
* “He gathers the outcasts…He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:2-3
*God really does heal our broken hearts, and make us clean again.
” This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.”1 John 4:10-11
Lord, we NEED YOU!!! COME and take over my life!! I surrender ALL to YOU JESUS! REVEAL my True HURTS! I want to be HEALED! RELEASE the people involved, the ones I know and don’t Know. Lord, REFOCUS me on Your plan for MY life with no more unforgiveness in my heart. Set me FREE Lord, knowing You are in Control and have our Best interests in mind for your Glory and our Joy. Thank You For Guiding Us Through This Darkness To YOUR Light.
Thank you for Your promise of Psalms 32:8 The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
In Jesus’ Name We Pray, Amen.
OTHER VERSES:
Romans 12:20
Luke 6:35-38
Proverbs 20:22
John 13:34-4:8
Psalms 66:16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.
*God often uses our testimonies as a link to someone else’s life.
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.
*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!
Revelation 12:11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
*When you tell your testimony, you tell everyone that God is good in everything.
* As long as you are ashamed of your testimony you will not be able to relate to real people.
God’s Love eternally embraces the poor, the afflicted, the broken and the unlovely.
* “…the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners…”Isaiah 61:1
We all long to hear Jesus say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
When we hear those words, it’s because of our intimate relationship and time spent with Him… more so than what we DID for Him! ( Psalm 107:1-5).
* “And I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.”Jeremiah 24:7
**Only when our hearts are ruled by God’s Love are we given the Hope that transcends Emotion or Circumstance.
*”…we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts…”
Romans 5:3-5
Jesus is “The Lamb of God” and
“The Light of the World”.
*Ask Him to lead and light your path today as you follow in His footsteps.
* “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom…” Isaiah 40:11
Revelation 12: 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.
*You are the only one who can unlock the door of your heart and allow God’s Love to enter in.
*The devils biggest trick is to make you think Your in control not Jesus. God forgave us, so we have no right to judge.
*One reason Jesus allows us to be hurt and suffer- is so we can have Kindness, Compassion and Forgiveness to others and be able to help and encourage, saying I know what your going through you can make it.
Eph. 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
“I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” – John 3:11
*The converts in the early Church changed the world they lived in because of what they saw and heard.
*It was the “Power of the Gospel” that changed lives, not what they learned from mere teaching.
*This power drew people to Christ. Things happened that could not be explained as anything other than the activity of God.
*Is that the kind of faith you are experiencing in your life?
**Many of us live a wholesome, moral life, but those we associate with do not see this activity as anything that cannot also be achieved by themselves. That is why many are not drawn to our lives. God’s power is not evident.
Jesus was the ultimate disciple maker. He states both his mission and his vision.
Mission is the purpose and Vision is how they will accomplish that. He made disciples and disciple makers. Everyone should be on a mission but not everyone is intended to be a missionary. Shouldn’t you be working on your purpose with everyone you know?
Be vigilant: so that this world does not consume us. (See Luke 10:1-7).
We are God’s own children…accepted, complete, forgiven, chosen, beloved and free. What an incredible identity He has given us! Let us Share our Hope!
* “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.”1 John 3:1
With just a little push, you can more easily access victory in your circumstances than at other times. This is a time when your spiritual atmosphere is charged with favor and blessings. Take advantage of this time to move forward to achieve your goals as you Trust JESUS to bring you through. Let go of all past failures that continue to undermine your confidence and boldness. This is a new day.
Psalms 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
*Know and believe what Jesus did for you on the cross.
*Be prepared to tell your story of what Jesus has done for you. You are His Masterpiece!
2 Timothy 1:8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
*As we proclaim to be Christians, people should see us living with confidence. It’s not a Sunday show, it’s a lifestyle.
John 1: 6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
*To be the light of the world, is to have the knowledge of God. The more the revelation,the more the light that you shine.
*The whole world is seeking to know Him. And God is trusting US to shine this light thru our Love for Him and our fellow human’s.
*Christ is the true Light that we bear in us of God. So let us arise and shine!
Lord, Thank You for all You have done for me. Help me now to take Your Goodness to others with these testimonies for Your Glory. Father, I pray that I can show others your love through my actions 24/7. Amen
1 John 5: 9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true.
Do we need a Foot Washing?
*We are to help people come to
salvation by sharing the correcting, healing, washing, comforting Word of God.
God’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
God’s Love eternally embraces the poor, the afflicted, the broken and the unlovely.
* “…the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners…”Isaiah 61:1
We are to take up the towel of God’s mercy and go to that hurting one.
* In the special love of Jesus we are not to judge him, expose him, lecture or find fault.
* Instead we are to commit to being his friend. We are to help him come to
salvation by sharing the correcting, healing, washing, comforting Word of God.
“And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
If you want to be kindhearted—to take up the towel to restore a brother or
sister—you do not need to know the details of how that person got dirty.
*Jesus did not ask His disciples, “How did you get such filthy feet?” He wanted
only to get the dust off of them. His love for them was unconditional.
Likewise, those who walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ must have this
Attitude of love toward those with dirty feet. We are not to ask for details.
Instead, we are to say, “Let me wash your feet.”
Too often Christians want to dive into all the gory details of a situation.
They come to a believer who has dirty feet, saying, “I want to wash your feet.
BUT tell me, what happened? How’d you get so dirty?”
At some point in the story of failure, the curious comforter realizes, “Oh, my,
this is worse than I thought. I can’t get involved in this.” And after a few
more details, he comes to the end of his puny human mercy.
** He judges the person as too evil, beyond help, and he drops his towel and goes his way.
***We cannot wash feet in a judge’s robes. *We have to take off our self-righteous garments before we can do any cleansing.
Paul says we are to be gentle and patient with all people:
“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).
Paul is saying, “You must be tenderhearted with everyone, willing to wash their feet. God will have mercy on them and deliver them from their sin.”
In a famous passage in John 13, Jesus took a towel and a basin and washed the feet of His disciples. He told them “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15).
The disciples were twelve men beloved of God—precious in His eyes, full of
love for His Son, pure of heart, in full communion with Jesus. Yet they had
dirt on their feet!
Jesus, in essence, was saying to these men, “Your hearts and hands are clean,
but your feet are not. They have become dirty in your daily walk with Me. You do not need your whole body to be washed—only your feet.”
**The dirt Jesus mentions here has nothing to do with natural dirt. It is about SIN—our faults and failures, our giving in to temptations.
I wonder how many of us this past week fell into a temptation or failed God in some way?
It is not that we have turned our
back on the Lord. On the contrary, we love the Savior more passionately than
ever, BUT we fell and now we are grieving—because our feet are dirty.
Scripture tells us: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who
are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself
lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
The Greek word for trespass here
means “a fall, a sin.” We are to restore every Christian who falls into sin
if there is a repentant heart.
Foot washing, in its deepest meaning, has to do with our Attitude about the
dirt we see on our brother or sister. So I ask you: What do you do when you are
face to face with someone who has fallen into a sin or transgression?
As Jesus served His disciples, He calls us to serve others. He is calling us to see people through the eyes of God and with His love meet their needs.
But how?
(John 13: 3) Jesus was profoundly anchored in the love of the Father. His identity was secure.
We need a radical receiving of His love!
** We need to be Filled with God’s love (our cup overflowing) in order to give others our richness of love.
Jesus was teaching us how important it is to Humble ourselves before one another and also that we are all equal in Gods eyes. He said that we are to love one another unconditionally– this is how we will know the ones who are called and annointed of God. They will be Love.
1 John 2:9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
The Lord is always near to the broken and contrite heart.
* “He gathers the outcasts…He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:2-3
Jesus, You showed true humility by washing the disciples feet. Jesus, Help each one of us to be more humble this day and follow Your example of Truth and Love so others may be set FREE for Your Glory. Amen
Mark 9:41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.
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.”
To Bless God simply means to bow in reverence. We can’t bless the Lord with stuff.. but we can bless him with US.
Life is all a beautiful continual of lessons and blessings. No bad, horrible days and events are any reason for regret.
God’s plan is perfect! And his lessons are full of love and nothing else.
His lessons and teaching not only prepare us for the joyous life he wants for us– they also continue to strengthen our faith bringing US closer to JESUS where we belong!
* In our Weakness is the stage that God demonstrates His strength.
” Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1–5
David, here, is speaking to his own soul. In effect, he’s saying to his soul, “Don’t be sluggish, don’t be unthankful, don’t be unresponsive. Bless the Lord for all His benefits,” and then he lists in succession six specific benefits.
*Number one, the Lord forgiveth all thine iniquities. Regardless if I hurt him, displease him, or ignore him, he forgives all my sins.
* Number two, He healeth all thy diseases. All the scars on my skin and the sickness within my body, and even the sickness mentally and emotionally, he’ll patch right up for me.
* Number three, He redeemeth thy life from destruction. From the traps I have fell into, he’s reached out his hand.
*Number four, He crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.
He’s been my only true friend with an undying affection for me.
*Number five, He satisfieth thy mouth with good things. I may not seem to have much to flaunt, but what I do have has certainly been an awesome blessing, even the things I never even asked for. I’m grateful.
*Number six, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Much of all these benefits He’s blessing me with is really all for my spiritual well being. So that it’s “renewed like the eagle’s”.
Surely if we understand these six unchanging benefits and mercies of the Lord, then we need to do as David did to his own soul.
* It Must Be Personal–We need to say to our soul, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.”
*If we don’t do that, it’s surely evidence that we’re forgetting His benefits.
* We can’t give god measured praise. We’ve got to give him our all. He wants it all.
*One good way never to forget those benefits is to stir up our soul and bless the Lord at all times.
*By serving God and following his commandments, we shall receive his mercy and amazing grace.
** Enjoyment does not reside in increased possessions; it is a gift that God must give. If He withholds it, no amount of effort is going to extract enjoyment from things. That is a difficult lesson for some to learn. Enjoyment is a gift of God.
**Gratitude only comes when we feel we do not deserve something, but we get it anyway.
This book of wisdom exhorts us to receive everything with a grateful heart, realizing that we do not have it coming; it is a gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
*Even if it is painful for the moment, there is a wise Father who has chosen it for you, and it will yield to you great and rich benefits. You can be grateful for the pain as well as the pleasure; that is the lesson of this book.
* Whatever you have in life, remember it was given to you by God.
* Count your blessings and name them one by one! The good times are FROM GOD, so when good times are here enjoy them as best as you can. They are gifts from God, don’t waste them.
* At least everyday say thank you to the Lord.
* God is a miracle worker!!
* Goodness and mercies shall follow me all the days of my life!
All through the Scriptures we are told that the proper relationship of a believer to God, and that which pleases Him, is to give thanks for everything:
*“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
The loving forgiveness of our Heavenly Father is like no other:
* He takes our sins and cast them into the sea. He Gives us yet another chance .
*God is also a God of redemption… He paid the price for sins we haven’t even committed yet.
**How can We Not Bless a God who has done these things for US.
**Even if I wanted to just go on, I HAVE to praise Him. I HAVE to bless Him. There is no other way. Bless the Lord O MY soul!
Galatians 3:13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
*All of these benefits came at the expense of Jesus Christ sacrifice on the cross.
*The finish work of the cross allows us to have these benefits that we don’t deserve. FREE GIFT!
******THIS IS GRACE!!!!!!
Lord. I have tasted the frustration of living for things that in the end do not fill me with joy but deprive me of it. Teach me to live gratefully, even when life is painful, knowing that You are still in charge and working and working out Your purpose in my life for Your Glory.
Thank you Lord Jesus for blessing me! Amen
GOD DELIGHTS IN MERCY
” But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!).”( Ephesians 2:4-5)
Psalm 103:17 But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children 18 of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!
*God’s commandments are not intended to make us miserable–they’re meant for our own happiness. Satan’s lie in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to question God’s motives behind His command (Genesis 3:5).
*Let us remember the good things God has done and how much He loves us.
Jude 1:20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.
* Despite of your hardships and slips ups– you are still here. The reason you are still here is because God Is ABLE.
* No matter what lies ahead it will be well because God is still able.
***God is still able:
1. To keep us from falling.
He is able to keep you from falling right Now. God will keep you if you want to be kept. You got to fight for your faith.
2. To present us faultless.
We will be presenting faultless because we been redeemed. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can bring us this. It never loses its power. Hold on and hang on.
3. To keep us faithful.
*The same God with you every month is still Able. Who was with you through rough times is still Able. Hang in there, he’s still able.
None of us deserve the mercy of the Lord. Not one of us walking the earth deserve His mercy- BUT because He loves us so much, The Father shows us mercy. What is mercy?
*Mercy is compassion, kindness, favor!
Even when some of us went our own way and committed unspeakable sins the Lord had mercy on us.
*Today if you are reading this devotion it is because of the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon those that fear Him, upon those that reverence are in awe of Him.
The Lord’s mercy never ends. That’s what everlasting means it goes on and on.
We should be Living Grateful and Thankful Lives unto God the Father, even some of us who are not walking with God as we should be.
We must, be grateful that He allows us to open our eyes and see another day, another day to turn our hearts to Him completely.
“11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. “(Hebrews 12:11).
God is talking about disciplining His own heart here, as well as ours. His are
not joyous to Him, but grievous and painful. Yet when God moves in to judge, He hovers over His children as He disciplines (chastens) them.
**God looks for even the slightest
sign of sorrow or repentance and He lets up at the first inkling of one.
**God longs to say, “Enough—no more. It pains Me too much to punish you.”
We must come to grips with this matter of God’s pain. When others are
trying to hurt you, you have to bring your thoughts into captivity, and say,
“Oh, Lord, let me pray for my enemies, for those who are trying to wound me.”
God loves the most wicked, vile sinner on the street and if He loves that
person, how much more does He love the Christian who hurts you and has made himself your enemy?
Perhaps you have an idea by now of how far we are from the heart of God. We have so much yet to learn of His heart.
No, God does not delight in judgment. He takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked, nor in His disciplining of His children. On the contrary, it pains Him awfully.
Let me tell you what the Lord delights in:
” Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!” (Micah7:18-19).
Thank God for His great compassion, available to all. He delights in mercy!
Pay attention to the rhythm of life as you endeavor to move in the flow of the Lord’s Spirit. If you try to make things happen instead of waiting for opportunities to come to you, you will get out of the flow and become unfruitful. Trust the Lord to put you in proper position to complete your assignments in the perfect order of your responsibilities and giftings. Be bold; be strong, for the Lord is with you.
** Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
* Our lives are short and will be forgotten. Only God and His love is everlasting.
*God loves mercy. It is His specialty according to His Word. I am so grateful for His mercy and grace.
God, thank you for having mercy on us and loving us. Thank you for giving us life and for creating us. Help me to use my short time on earth to honor You and share You with others. Keep me focused and not tempted by distractions.
Father, thank You that when You came into my life, You granted me wisdom from above. Teach me to listen and live by the wisdom You give through Your Word. “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.”
(2 Thess. 2:16-17)
Amen
Gen. 19:16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful.
Do not be impatient, God will give you the time you need to achieve the plan He designed for you.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven”. (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
There is an appropriate time for everything, the unpleasant as well as pleasant experiences.
* This is not merely a description of what happens in life; it is a description of what God sends. Many of us are familiar with the Four Spiritual Laws, the first of which is,
* “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”
That is the plan that is set forth here. All along, the Searcher is saying that God desires to bring JOY into human experience.
Many people think Ecclesiastes is a book of gloom and pessimism because of the findings based on the writer’s limited view of those things.
The key to reading Ecclesiastes is this term “under the sun.” The futility of life ‘under the sun’ forces us to consider things beyond life on earth.
**“under the sun,” the visible things of life. But that is not the message of the book.
God intends us to have JOY, and His program to bring it about includes all these opposites.
If you look carefully, you will see that these eight opening verses in Ecclesiastes 3, gather around three major divisions that correspond, amazingly enough, to the divisions of our humanity: body, soul, and spirit.
The first four pairs deal with the body:
**“a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Notice how this applies to the physical life.
* None of us asked to be born; it was something done to us, apart from us. *None of us asks to die; it is something God determines.
So this is the way we should view this list of opposites, as a list of what God thinks we ought to have.
It begins by pairing birth and death as the Boundaries of life.
“under the sun.”Then the Searcher moves into the realm of the soul with its functions of thinking, feeling, and choosing—the social areas—and all the interrelationships of life that flow from that.
Ecclesiastes 3: 4 tells us there is
“a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” All these things follow closely, and they are all appropriate.
“No one is going to escape the hurts and sorrows of life” is what he is saying here. God chose them for us!!!
In a fallen world it is right that there will be times of hurt, of sorrow and weeping.
The last six of these opposites relate to the spirit, to the inner decisions, the deep commitments. There is
*“a time to search [for work, marriage, new friends] and a time to give up” (Ecclesiastes 3:6).
There comes a time in life when we should curtail certain friendships or change our jobs, for instance, and lose what we had in the past. It is proper and appropriate that these times should come.
*If you keep doing the same things, you will keep getting the same results. *Insanity is doing the Same thing and expecting different things to happen!
*Change is inevitable, Misery is an option.
If you wanna make some Enemies, try to Change…Some people fear change.
** But God hasn’t given us the Spirit of fear but Power, Joy, Peace, & a Sound mind.
Refusal to change is called stubbornedness.
Truth Never changes. You can’t grow without it.
All of this is God’s wonderful plan for you to Move Forward in your life. The problem, of course, is that it is not our plan for our life.
If we were given the “right to plan” our lives— we would have no unpleasantness at all. But that would ruin us!!!!
*** God knows that people who are protected from everything almost invariably end up being impossible to live with; they are selfish, cruel, vicious, shallow, and unprincipled.
God sends these things in order that we might be TAUGHT!
There is a time for everything, the Searcher says!
The dryness in a Christian’s life comes when we substitute other things for the living water that only Jesus can give. *Anytime a Christian begins to thirst again, it is not a reflection on the living water that Jesus gives, but rather an indication that we have been drinking from some other source.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
*So on the good days I rejoice and on the bad days I rejoice. And I trust in His unfailing, never changing
Hand. I will get through and grow through this. I just keep my eyes on Him! Don’t live on extremes!!!
*The good times are FROM GOD, so when good times are here enjoy them as best as you can. They are gifts from God, don’t waste them.
“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
*- When you accept Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, a whole new world of previously unexperienced joy opens up to you!
God knew that life on planet earth was not going to be perfect but that we would experience heartache, sorrow and disappointment during our days here.
To combat those days of excruciating pain, God gave us the gift of joy to lift us above the circumstances of earth-bound living!
*Joy is a taste of heaven that is delivered to those who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
* Joy is the ability to experience in our humanity the blessings that the Lord enjoys in His divinity.
When you make a willful decision to partner with Jesus and to submit to His Lordship and authority, you are making a decision to receive joy into your life. When you choose to give your life to Jesus Christ, joy chooses you!
Gods plan is perfect! And his lessons are full of love and nothing else. His lessons and teaching not only prepare us for the joyous life he wants for us they also continue to strengthen our faith bringing us closer to him where we belong!
Thank you Lord for this amazing reminder in Your Word today.
Father, thank You for all the experiences of life that You have planned for me, so that I might be conformed to the image of Your Son JESUS. Amen
Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
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. (Romans 12:1)
*Total Commitment is the conduit for God’s biggest and best blessings.
*In securities are acts of bondage.
*Excuses are things that fog our Dreams.
Haggai 1:4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?
There is a crisis of grand proportions in the spiritual house of God today. The moral fiber of our world has eroded. Greed, idolatry, addictions and pleasure are the gods of our day. And it is no different in the Body of Christ.
The prophet Haggai wrote about a people who had lost concern for the need to build God’s house because they were so focused on their OWN worldly needs.
It is a dangerous place to get with God. When our world begins to focus around increasing our pleasure, building bigger and better homes, and failing to make what is important to God important in our own lives, this should be a warning to each of us.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will CONTROL his own body and live in holiness and honor 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.
*We must be people of God who live in complete holiness and honor to God in ALL areas of our lives. Even in our bodies.
SELF-CONTROL–Be in control; know what you stand for and WHO you serve!! The apostle assumes that ***Believers are able to control their passions.
**The unbelievers follow whatever passions they crave,
**But Believers are characterized by their self-control.
-Have self-control in order to receive the prize in the end.
-There is no temptation that you can’t overcome with self-control since God always provides a way out.
-Have self-control over your mind and think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
-Have self-control over your body and avoid sexual immorality.
-The Holy Spirit in us doesn’t make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-control.
-God’s grace, which offers salvation to all, also teaches us to have self-control and live upright, godly lives.
-Jesus is coming again, so be self-controlled and sober so you can pray to God.
-Have self-control by being alert and sober since the devil looks for anyone he can succeed in tempting.
-Have self-control by offering your body to God and not conforming to the world in order to have your mind renewed and have God’s will be done in your life.
ARE WE DEVOTED TO JESUS?
Our need to love is every bit as strong as our need to be loved.
* “And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less?
2 Corinthians 12:15
Devotion to Jesus means “Trusting Him Alone” to meet every need of your body, soul and spirit. It means giving up looking to any other person or source to
meet those needs.
Many single people say, “I’m sick of being lonely. I need a mate. If only God would give me someone!”
No, a mate would never be able to meet such a need. In fact, a mate could
possibly make you twice as miserable because you would have not only your own headaches but his (or hers) as well!
Until Jesus is Your FOCUS, until you see
Him as your only True Satisfaction, you will sink deeper and deeper into
despair. (For hope read Psalms 42).
At one point, Jesus wanted to prove to His disciples that He was on top of any
situation, so He called Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water to
meet Him. Peter obeyed—and as long as he remained focused on Jesus, he was above everything, actually walking on water!
* But when the disciple began to
focus on his surroundings, he started to sink (see Matthew 14:28-31).
The lesson here is elementary. Yet, I ask you: What do you do when you get that
sinking feeling? Do you call out to a friend for help or go back to an addiction?- Or do you keep your eyes focused on Jesus and cry out, “Lord, save me”?
The bride of Christ will be comprised of those who have given up trying to find
help, comfort or satisfaction from anything on this earth.
**They have learned to depend wholly on the One they love to fully satisfy their Every hunger and thirst.
Do you have this kind of walk with Jesus?
*I urge you to keep your eyes focused on your Bridegroom.
*** Expect His return at any moment and do not look to anyone or anything else to fulfill you.
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.
Rejoice and be grateful for the challenges that prove that you still have what it takes to face difficulties and overcome. It takes discipline and hard work, but you are well able to do what the Lord has set before you.
This is a time when you can come face to face with fear and presumption and walk away knowing the truth.
Renew your confidence and trust, and be convinced that you can do all things through the Lord and His anointing. Move Forward and Do Not be afraid!
Mark 10:27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
*The truth is, God has given each one of us gifts, talents and abilities. He has a great plan for you and has equipped you to do great things for His Kingdom. BUT until you see Yourself the way JESUS sees you and trust Him to enable you to use your gifts, you won’t live up to your God-given potential.
If you’re struggling with low self-esteem, a poor self-image and lacking confidence, I want you to know that God created you with amazing potential. And when you trust God and Believe you can do whatever He says you can do, you will fulfill His destiny for your life.
Remember, “all things are possible with God.” When you put your confidence in Him, you will be free to live up to your potential.
Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
God, help me to see myself through Your eyes, with the gifts and talents You’ve given me. I believe that You made me with great potential because You are a great God. Today, I put my confidence in You and believe that all things are possible with You!
*When my strength is gone, show me Your grace.
*When the enemies come to tempt, let Your strength within me overcome the pressure without.
*I ask for grace to overcome my addictions to sin.
*Keep me continually in Your love
As much as I keep my outlook new and ordered, teach me to keep my inner man refreshed by your word.
*Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
*Let the love of Christ enrich my very soul.
Give me Self-Control in All areas of my Life and give You all the Glory!
This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!
***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!
Do not despise the small jobs-for they are stepping stones to a greater purpose in God’s plan for your life and for God’s preparation for your ultimate destiny.
Some of these jobs are necessary for the message He is forming in YOU!
We often make plans in our lives without consulting God. Before making any plans, seek God to see if it’s his will.
* Is God Himself your source of sustenance and enjoyment?
**God is more than enough. We don’t need anything but Him. We fill our life with so much junk, but need to remember that He is all we need.
**I need to evaluate my life and see what junk I’m adding to mine that I’m trying to fill a void that should already be filled with God.
“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Ps 16:5-6).
* David reaffirms that the Lord Himself is his inheritance, not the heathen gods, and that it is the Lord who sustains him at all times.
*We should seek to live our lives in such a way that we win Christ’s approval and obtain Him as our inheritance.
*Philippians 3:8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
* There is no greater reward and inheritance in life than the Lord Himself. Let us press in, to win this matchless Christ!
Most of us will have many jobs over our lifetime.
With each of our jobs, God is building something in us that will be used for His purposes now and in the future.
Oswald Chambers says “In the beginning we do not train for God, we train for work, for our own aims; but as we go on with God we lose all our own aims and are trained into God’s purpose. Unless practical work is appointed by God, it will prove a curse.”
*Jesus was prepared for His ultimate calling by working with His father in his carpentry shop until He was thirty years old.
*Joseph was prepared to be head of a nation by serving prison time and being a slave in Potiphar’s house.
*Moses was prepared to lead a nation out of slavery by serving in Pharoah’s house and later working forty years as a shepherd.
Do not despise the small jobs-for they are stepping stones to a greater purpose in God’s plan for your life and for God’s preparation for your ultimate destiny.
Some of these jobs are necessary for the message He is forming in you.
Pray that God accomplishes His intended outcome in you through the work you are doing today.
We can minister for the Lord by doing some of the menial tasks that many consider to be unimportant.
*Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given in His name would not go unrewarded (Matthew 10:42).
Many people are waiting for the important jobs to come along where they can make a big impact or receive a lot of recognition, while they pass by many lesser opportunities every day. **But in the kingdom of God, we won’t be given any great opportunities until we are proven faithful in the small things (Luke 16:10).
Today, ask the Lord to show you ways you can minister to others by serving them.
I remember this day that Jesus never chose an apostle from among the religious system. Every one of his twelve disciples were men that He chose from the secular world.
It wasn’t because God didn’t have faith in those who were religious.
It’s just that most of those who were part of the religious system didn’t have any faith in God.
One of the most common mistakes religious people make is to put faith in themselves. They think God will use them because of their great holiness or special abilities. (See 1 Cor. 1:27-28).
People who recognize their own inabilities are of necessity more dependent on God. That is the way God wants it. (See Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-12).
The Lord is constantly searching for someone who recognizes they are nothing so He can do something through them (2 Ch. 16:9).
*Don’t Give Up!!
*Words of Encouragement from the Lord. God knows His plans for us.
*Romans 11:29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
*Today, if you’re feeling like you’ve blown it, if you feel like you are too old, too far gone or too off track, know that nothing you’ve done, no mistake that you’ve made — or ever will make — is a surprise to God.
God has already got it figured out. He’s arranged a comeback for every setback! He has grace for every weakness. He has mercy for every failure.
Receive it today and Move Forward with boldness into the destiny He has for you!
Father, thank You for the gifts and talents You’ve given me. Thank You for keeping me on track and ordering my steps. I repent today for any disobedience that has caused me to get off course. Keep me close to You always as I set my love on You.
Psalm 16:5-6, 11– Prayer: 5 You, LORD, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands. -No matter the my loss or my gain, You Lord are there with me. You are my greatest gift, because You became my closest friend and counselor. My future is bright because You guide me in my present and lead me to my destination.
*verse 6 How wonderful are your gifts to me; how good they are! -The gifts of love,patience,kindness,peace, and forgiveness are all so great because they show Your Spirit is apart of me.
*verse11 You will show me the path that leads to life; Your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever. -The way shown by You is only to lead to You. I have joy in knowing I belong to You. I am filled with true eternal happiness knowing I am being led by You to a place were I will dwell with You forever and I shall forever be in Your Grace. Amen. Amen!
*FEAR is the enemy of Faith for it festers in unbelief and doubt.
*Fear comes through lack of faith in the power of God.
*Fear exists to oppose faith and God’s power.
*Fear torments us to rob us of joy.
*Fear stops us from Moving Forward!.
What does the Word of God say?
*2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
*Numbers 14:9 Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
***”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you… Do not fear, for I am with you…”
Isaiah 43:2, 5
Perfect Love casts out all fear!
JESUS is Perfect Agape Love!
*Do not be afraid of what may be coming in the near future! Embrace what God HAS for you and never forget where he brought you from! For he will always be with you. From start till finish! Until his work is accomplished he will stand by you!!!!!!
When we really understand how much He loves us, we will no longer fear the circumstances He allows in our lives.
*”The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?”
(Psalm 27:1)
*God didn’t give us a spirit of fear! Though the enemy constantly tries to plant that into of minds and hearts. In even the worst of circumstances we should not fear anything.
BUT to trust in God that God will see us through all our struggles.
* We must learn to hand that fear over and not let fear manifest in our hearts.
* We must learn to not let worldly things consume us to the point we lose focus.
*The blood of Jesus has saved us. All we need is faith the size of a mustard seed!!
*No matter what God will not forsake you! He will not leave you to fight the battle alone.
Fear is set in by insecurities that we form in our own minds. Something that we feel God will not help us get through.
BUt God will!!! Nothing is greater then God! Nothing can tear from the blood of Jesus that saves us as long as we stay focused! And trust that we will be taken care of!!
You are the only one who can unlock the door of your heart and allow God’s Love to enter in.
* “Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.” Deut.10:16
*God wants us to obey his commands. David said obedience is better than sacrifice.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20
This is the Question to ask Ourselves:
* Have You merely invited Jesus into your home as a guest. Or have You given Jesus the keys to Your home [heart] and You are Jesus servant??
So often many of us enter a relationship with God that brings us salvation. This is the gospel of salvation.
**But what God really desires for us is to experience the gospel of the Kingdom.
*God wants us to experience His power and presence every day of our lives and to see His hand at work IN us.
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. “Action”
Luke 17:21 The Kingdom is within you.
The question is “Do I have the power to yield to God’s Spirit prompting me to love like Christ in any situation, no matter how hard?”
* This only happens when we give Him the key to our life; Jesus must be more than an honored guest.
Where are you today? Has your life with God been more like an honored-guest relationship, or does He have the key to your life?
How do you please God? In many places in Scripture we are told that without faith it is impossible to please God. It is faith that pleases Him, belief that He is there and that everything in life comes from His hand.
Underscore in your minds the word all. Pain, sorrow, bereavement, disappointment, as well as gladness, happiness, and joy—all these things are gifts of God.
When we see life in those terms, any and every element of life can have its measure of joy—even sorrow, pain, and grief. These things were given to us to enjoy.
This is also the message of Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
It is also the message of: Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
We at Times need to Change our Focus:
A) You cant depend on past success to sustain you.
B) You cant allow your past failures to possess and paralyze you.
We should Clarify our Focus – discover what God wants for you by:
A) Seeing yourself as God sees you.
B) Seeing your possibilities as God sees them.
Commit Yourself To God’s Plan and Move Forward with Trust and Hope!
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.
Father, all things come from Your hands. I thank You that You sent Your Son that I might have Your joy within me. Help me to Let Jesus teach me!
Earthy circumstances are able to steal are happiness from us but nothing can take the joy of you loving Christ and Christ loving you!. The next time a trial is headed my way I will count the reasons to be joyous and look to God to protect me from the inadequate feelings of fear and of life with out Him. Joy truly is the test that determines whether or not we have set our course by remaining in the presence of God.
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
Amen
Is Death final?
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. Do you believe this, Martha?”
The most important question we must ask of ourselves and others is:
What do we believe about JESUS?
Do you believe that HE is the:
1. Resurrection & The Life?
2. That JESUS is our LORD & SAVIOR?
Choose to believe that no matter how bad you have been or how bad it seems, if YOU Believe, and live a life pleasing to him, you can have Life instead of death.
And your new life in Christ(read Eph. 2:1-10) will testify of Jesus and many will come to Jesus because of YOUR TESTIMONY.(see Rev. 12:11).
Remember, after Lazarus was raised, people came to Mary and believed that Jesus was the son of God.
And when YOU show the New life of Christ in YOU and victory of New Life from dead works, it can cause many to believe as well.
Receiving Jesus guarantees eternal life in Heaven:
*Rom.6:23b The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
*Jn.11:26 Whosoever…believeth in Me shall never die.
*Jn.14:2-3 In My Father’s house are many mansions.
*Jesus returned to Heaven to prepare an Eternal Home for me and you.
*This World is not my home. JESUS PAID for my place in Heaven.
*1Pet.1:3,4 Incorruptible inheritance reserved in Heaven for you.
*2 Cor 1:22. Our inheritance cannot be taken away.
*1Jn.5:11 God hath given to us eternal life…in His Son.
*John 17:3 to know Jesus is to have Eternal Life.
2 Cor 1:3. God is our comfort and we can comfort others and use that affliction to help others.
*God allows my suffering so he can speak into the lives of those who are not believers.
1 Peter 3:15. Always be prepared to give an answer for the hope you have.
We are more than conquerors!
Do we understand the future that is coming?
John 6:47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.
***1 Corinthians 15:51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!
*The day Jesus Christ was conceived was the very beginning of the end of death.
** God put that miracle seed in Mary to be LIFE for this world and to take back the grip that death had over the world. Those that believe in Jesus Christ boasts that death has been destroyed lowered to inactivity deemed incapable of ravishing as it once did.
Experiencing God’s Love is the only thing that will give us hope for the future, even when we can’t understand the way in which He leads us.
* “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me…”Psalm 23:4
When were winning in Jesus Christ death is swallowed up in victory.
* We have been set free from the law of sin for old things have passed away.
So when you are feeling down when a love one is sick, things are at there worst, problems arising- Remember that’s similar of death and with God on our side we will always be VICTORIOUS because he sent his Son Jesus to defeat all that is bound by darkness.
*Heaven is a real place. Revelation 21:14
*Heaven is a relational place. Revelation 21:3, 22:2
*Heaven is a right place. (perfect place)
Revelation 21:4
*Heaven is a rewarding place.
Revelation 22:12
*The Good News is that Jesus lived the life worthy of Heaven and gives ME forgiveness for MY failure to live that perfect life.
* “Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children”. (Revelation 21:5-7).
Isaiah 43:1 But now, OJacob, listen to the LORD who created you. OIsrael, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
*Revelation 3:5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
* Victorious are those who commit to living their lives as Christ did.
* I praise God for knowing that my name is written in the Book of Life. Just because I’ve accepted Christ into my heart and my name is written in the Book of Life, does not mean that I can sit back and coast. I must remain faithful to God and my spiritual life continue to grow.
*I want my faith to continue to grow in Christ and depend on Christ daily.
Dear Father, Thank You that this World is not my home. Thank You that we need NOT fear earthly death. JESUS PAID for my place in Heaven. Thank you for my salvation and for my name being written in the Book of Life. Lord please do not allow me to get comfortable in this world. Help me to always continue to grow and to always be on mission for you. Thank you for all that you do for me. Thank You for the gift of knowing in my heart and through Your Perfect Word that I will be spending Eternity with You in Heaven! Amen
Read More