Old Selves

Galatians 2:20 - My old self has been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live,  but Christ lives in me.  So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

When we accept Christ into our hearts as our Savior, we understand that we are no longer living for ourselves.  We are living for His glory and His Kingdom.  The stakes are raised on our end of the deal, because we are now living for something that is so much greater than ourselves.

Although I accepted Christ as my Savior a long time ago, I never took the time to develop a relationship with Him.  I almost never read the Bible or prayed.  I never really went all the way and invited Him into my heart.  Some would say that I wasn't really saved then.  That's fair.  Once I did this a few years ago, my eyes were opened wide, and I finally understood that it's all for His glory, not mine.  And I'm totally fine with that.  What did doing things my way get me anyway? A drug problem...broken relationships...bondage to things that have no meaning beyond this world.  His way is much better.

Dear Lord, thank You for opening my eyes to Your truth, and transforming my heart into one that is after Yours.  I pray for Your continued strength and guidance as I prepare for another day in this world, and seek to bring You glory in all that I do.  I know that I will definitely fall short from time to time, but I am thankful for Your new mercy every day.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Comfort

Mark 16:7 - "Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.  You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died."

The angel made it a point to mention Peter by name here.  Peter, no doubt, was feeling terrible (to say the least) for his denial of Jesus, even though he knew Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of God.  This is a great illustration of God's unconditional love for us.  Even though Peter would make mistakes and say the wrong things sometimes, God knew his heart, and loved him because He knew that Peter's heart was true.

I love this illustration.  It gives me a good reality check to examine my own heart.  I already know that God examines it.  It also gives me hope and reinforces the promise that I already trust in, that God's love knows no end.  Things like this help me sleep better at night.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your unconditional and unwavering love for me.  I know I say and do stupid things sometimes - probably more than I would care to admit - but I trust in Your promise of salvation and redemption, and that gives me eternal hope.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Confident Faith

Genesis 22:5 - "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told his servants.  "The boy and I will travel a little farther.  We will worship there, and then we will come right back."

Abraham knew that God would provide one way or another.  He was confident that even if he had to sacrifice Isaac, God would raise him from the dead.  God had promised to create the nation of Israel through Isaac.  He confident faith in God is shown when he said, 'WE will worship, and WE will return'.

This is the kind of faith I strive for.  It's not that I'm not confident in God keeping His promises, but I can always get better.  I don't have kids, but if I did I don't know if I'd be willing or able to sacrifice one of them for God.  If I had been in Abraham's shoes, I'm not sure I wouldn't have asked, 'Are You sure, God'?  Abraham didn't ask, he just did.  THAT'S confident faith.

Dear Lord, thank You for the reminder that I need to stay strong and confident in my faith to You and Your promises.  I know my faith is strong, but it can always be stronger, and I am so grateful of Your reminders.  Please continue to shine Your light on my path.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Mighty Faith

Mark 11:24 - "I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe you've received it, it will be yours."

In this section, Jesus gives some great encouragement about faith and prayer.  If our heart is true when we pray, we will accomplish anything.  If our faith is mighty, so too will be our reward in Heaven.

Is my faith strong enough to move mountains?  Like anyone, there are highs and lows.  I'm still human.  When my faith is strong, I really do feel like I can move mountains.  When I am struggling, I feel as if I couldn't move a small pebble.  I need to work to make sure I limit these lows.  I know they are caused by me allowing Satan's influence to creep into my life.  If I limit the lows, God will increase the highs to soaring heights.

Dear Lord, thank You for moving mountains out of my path and making Your path rewarding.  I trust that You will increase my faith as long as I stay strong in my resistance to the wickedness of man.  I know that I truly can accomplish anything by Your strength.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Pray For Our Leaders

Psalm 21:1 - How the king rejoices in Your strength, O Lord!  He shouts with joy because You give him victory.

A true leader of the people will seek God's favor, wisdom, and discernment for governing God's people on this earth.  When he or she does this, God will reward them greatly for seeking His will to justly care for God's children.

Do I pray for the leadership of my country?  I'll be honest, I don't do it very much at all.  It has been difficult for me to do it when political ideologies don't align.  I should be ashamed of myself for this.  Jesus told us to love ALL, not just the ones we agree with.  I will be better about this.

Dear Abba Father, I ask for Your forgiveness for not treating everyone with the love You have shown us all.  I ask You to guide our leadership in all the difficult decisions they make every day.  I pray that they will seek Your guidance and wisdom for these decisions, so that we may have confidence in their governance.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Keep The Faith

Mark 8:18 - "You have eyes - can't you see?  You have ears - can't you hear?  Don't you remember anything at all?"

The disciples were seeing and hearing, but they weren't understanding.  They weren't understanding the bigger picture of God's Upper Story.  After seeing Jesus feed the 5,000 and then the 4,000, they took them to be isolated incidents of Jesus displaying His power.  He was trying to show them that by keeping thir faith in God, that He would provide for ALL of their needs ABUNDANTLY.

Have I stayed faithful to God during the good times and the bad?  Nothing or no one will ever make me stray from my faith.  I know that can be read as a bold or arrogant statement, and I'm sure I will be tempted even harder by Satan because of it.  But God has done so much for me, and I believe His word and His promises to be true. He will have the final victory.  I could never abandon my love for Him.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for all You have done for me throughout my life.  I realize You were working in my life even when I didn't accept or acknowledge You, because You chose me long before I was born for good and great things for Your glory and Your Kingdom.  From the bottom of my heart, thank You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Teachable Moment

Mark 5:34 - And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace.  Your suffering is over."

Jesus could have easily kept walking after the woman touched His robe.  With the crowd that was around, she probably wasn't the only one who touched Him.  But Jesus used the opportunity to show everyone what their faith can do for them.  That their trust shouldn't be in flesh and bones, but in the things they could not see.  Jesus always knew that He wouldn't always be with them, and he used this teachable moment to let them know that HER FAITH healed her, and not the robe, or the combination of them.  It is by FAITH we are healed, and it is by FAITH we saved.

Passages like this really strengthen my faith and trust in God.  I know that I can accomplish anything through Christ's strength, and I am confident that He will not allow me to fail Him, because of His unending love for me.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for this today.  You always know what I need to hear and when I need to hear it.  I don't know how it is You do that thing You do, but I don't need to know, because I DO know that You will make it all work together for my good and the good of those that love and trust You.  In Jesus' precious and holy name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

All Of Us

Mark 3:35 - "Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

If we stay true in our faith to God, we are rewarded with eternal life in God's Kingdom.  But we will be more than just visitor's or citizens of Heaven, we will be a part of the family!

Anyone who knows me well, knows how important my family is to me.  I often tell people that I don't understand how I made it as long as I did without this relationship I have with Jesus now, but I will not live another day without it.  My earthly family means a lot to me, yes, but my eternal family means so much more.

Dear Lord, thank You for offering all of us the opportunity to be a part of Your amazing and eternal family.  Particularly when we've done more than enough to make ourselves unlovable and definitely incorrigible. Thank You so much for the best gift of all, Your Son Jesus Christ.  Words will never express accurately how much Your love and forgiveness mean to me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Strong Faith

Job 19:25 - "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last."

Despite the trials and hard times that Job was going through, and the lack of support he wasn't getting from his friends, Job stayed confident and strong in his faith in God.  He believed God would redeem him, and he knew that God would have the final say in everything.

Job's story is such an inspiration to me.  To see him refuse to abandon his faith during these tough times he was going through is so uplifting.  I have certainly had my share of hard times, but nothing like what Job went through.  I must stay strong in my faith and trust in God through everything that comes up.  It won't always be easy, but being a part of such an amazing church family will certainly help.

Dear Lord, I thank You for the reminder of Your love and grace that I get every day.  Please fill me with the strength I need to stay faithful to You through everything that may come my way.  I also want to thank You for the amazing church family You have given me.  I know they will help keep me strong and loved when I struggle.  Thank You for everything.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Misunderstood

Job 18:5 - "Surely the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.  The sparks of their fire will not glow."

Job's friend who was initially trying to console him over the losses he had suffered, started to berate him because he misunderstood Job.  He took Job's words as a wicked person's rejection of God.  But they were not.  Job had been despondent because even though he had done nothing wrong, he believed God had abandoned him.  He didn't understand why God would have abandoned him, and since he had no way to plead his case to God directly, he didn't want to live.  Job wasn't cursing God, he just didn't want to live without the favor of God in his life.

I have always wondered how I made it so far in life without God being a part of it.  But He was always there, and I just didn't realize it.  God used Job's trials to demonstrate to others (including Satan) Job's strength and love for God despite his trials and tribulations.  God used my trials to build and strengthen my faith, so that He can use me for great things.  How blessed am I?!

Dear Lord, thank You so much for shaping me into the person I am today.  I know that I can accomplish anything as long as I am surrendered to You.  I know Your plan for my life is perfect, and I will trust Your will for me implicitly.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

All Are Welcome

Numbers 9:14 - And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the Lord, they must follow these same decrees and regulations.  The same laws apply to both native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.

God wants all of us.  His amazing gifts of love, grace, mercy, and salvation are free and available to everyone, not just a select few.  We are ALL His chosen people regardless of WHERE we were born, or HOW we USED to worship, or WHO we USED to worship.

I used to have this crazy notion, a very long time ago, that since I wasn't born into a Christian home, that I couldn't be a Christian.  I know, crazy.  Then as I got older and my behavior got out of control with drugs, among other things, I figured God wouldn't want me.  I was definitely a foreigner to faith, but God showed me His gracious love and that ALL ARE WELCOME.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me when I did everything I could to make myself unlovable.  I have been so blessed by Your love, and grace, and mercy, that I still struggle to figure out how I made it so long without You in my life.  However, I will stop trying to figure out why, and just trust You completely that You will always have my best interests at heart, and that You will make all things work together for my good.  In Jesus' precious and Holy name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Prayer For All

Acts 26:29 - Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God for both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains."

Paul was praying for their salvation.  He hoped that they would all come to know the love of Jesus and accept Him into their hearts as their savior.

Do I pray for the salvation of others?  You bet I do.  I know plenty of people who have not accepted Jesus into their hearts, and I regularly pray for their salvation.  I believe that we all have an obligation to do this.  It is easy to pray for only my Christian friends, but where is the reward in that?

Dear Lord, I lift up all the unbelievers I will encounter today, and ask that You will soften their hearts to You.  Give me the wisdom and the words to share with them what You want me to say so that they will come to know and experience Your unfailing love and unending grace as I have.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Trusting His Will

Acts 21:13 - But he said, "Why all this weeping?  You are breaking my heart!  I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus."

Paul had complete trust in God's will for his life.  The other disciples were scared for him, but Paul put them at ease by telling them not to fear.  Paul was prepared to do whatever was necessary and required of him for the sake of God's Kingdom.

I have always struggled with my complete surrender to God's will.  I have gotten better, but I certainly have room to improve.  I know God has great things planned for me in His time, and I need to stop trying to accelerate those plans.

Dear Lord, thank You for humbling me, and for building my patience more and more everyday.  I will work harder to totally surrender myself to Your will.  I know that is the only way that I will experience Your full plan for my life.  I trust You and love You with all of my heart, mind, and soul.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Assigned Work

Acts 20:24 - But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Paul knew his job.  He knew that he had one purpose in this life - to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.  And he knew that if he failed to do his assigned work, that his life wouldn't be worth anything.

I have had the awesome opportunity to share the Gospel with a couple of people.  I don't know about you, but I feel so alive and ecstatic when I do.  I know this is the Holy Spirit pumping me up for the work He has assigned for me, and I love that feeling.

Dear Lord Jesus, please continue to bless me with Your strength and passion to continue sharing the Good News of Your love and grace whenever I am presented with the opportunity.  I can accomplish anything with Your Spirit inside me.  In Your name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Speak Out

Acts 18:9 - One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, "Don't be afraid!  Speak out!  Don't be silent!"

Paul had been receiving some harsh treatment (to say the least) as a result of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  We are not told this here, but I believe that Paul must have been dealing with some confidence and self-doubt issues.  Jesus came to comfort Paul and to put his mind at ease.  God knows our hearts, and knows what we need to hear.  Jesus wanted to let him know that everything would be ok, because He was with him.

Am I afraid to share the Gospel?  No.  Then why don't I do it more?  The truth is, I'm not confident in my ability to not screw it up and say the wrong thing.  I need to trust the Holy Spirit to give me the right words to say when I share His Word.  Only through the strength of God will I be successful at anything.

Dear Lord, please fill me with the strength and wisdom I need to share Your Truth.  Help me to glorify Your Holy Name, and bring others to know and believe You so that we can all serve in Your Glorious Kingdom.  In Jesus' precious name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

One Way

Acts 15:11 - "We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus."

Peter was making a point here that anyone coming to Jesus as their Lord and Savior cannot do anything to be saved.  Only through the mercy and grace of God are we saved.

One thing (among many) that I have learned in my relationship with Jesus, is that no deeds can save me.  Only my faith in His love and grace.  There are no works that can substitute for this.  However, if I am truly walking with the Lord, His love and grace will transform my heart to do great things in His name and for His glory.  This is not doing works to be saved, it is doing good deeds to demonstrate what His love and power are capable of doing for even the most stubborn (me).

Dear Lord, thank You so much for my salvation through Your undeserving grace and love.  Please continue to work in my heart so that I can show people what it looks like to love like You love.  I am so thankful and blessed to serve You and Your Glorious Kingdom.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Free Will

Acts 13:40 - Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, "It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews.  But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy, we will offer it to the Gentiles."

The Jews here exercised their free will to reject the truth of the word of God.  By doing this, they condemned themselves to a life of darkness.  God will not violate free will.  If we disobey and go against His will for our life, we are making it worse for ourselves.  He will not force us, we have to choose Him.

In my old life, I chose my paths (or so I thought) according to what I wanted and what pleased me and made me feel good.  God didn't force me to accept Him, He let me choose Him for myself.  And what a choice it was!  I used free will to live apart from Him, and I now use free will to live with Him.  I have made the right choice.

Dear Lord, thank for the gift of free will.  It was through this gift that I found You and chose You for my life.  Thank You for your loving mercy and grace and acceptance of me even when I was condemning myself by ignoring Your truth.  In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Not Quite

Acts 12:8 - Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals."  And he did.  "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.

The apostles were being persecuted and martyred, and Peter was next on Herod Agrippa's hit list.  But God had other plans for Peter.  God wasn't finished using him for His glory, so He sent the angel to rescue him from prison.

The reckless behavior of my past, including two near overdoses, should have killed me.  This is how I know that God has spared me for working towards His glory.  He wasn't quite finished with me yet.  I have been so blessed.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for my life.  Thank You for the opportunity to serve, honor, and worship You.  I submit to Your will for my life, and look forward to the work You have planned for me to serve Your Kingdom.  In Jesus' precious and holy name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

An Unlikely Tool

Acts 9:15 - But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take My message to the Gentiles and to kings as well as the people of Israel."

In this whole section of Acts (several chapters), it is another demonstration of God's love for all.  And a demonstration that God can use anyone, no matter how unlikely, for His work.  Throughout the Bible, God chose so many unlikely people for His work, but I don't think one was as unlikely as Saul of Tarsus.

Passages like this renew my encouragement.  If God can use someone like Paul to be His biggest booster, I know He has great plans for me as well.  I can only hope and pray that I am up to the challenge of the work ahead of me, but I trust that God will make me ready when He decides it is time to use me to work for His Kingdom.

Dear Lord,  I pray that You will give me the strength that I need to do Your work here in this life.  I know I can only get this strength from You, and I am committed to whatever tasks You have planned for me, and hope that I am able to give You the honor and glory that You deserve.  Show me Your will for me Lord, so that I may serve You and Your people.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Blameless

Job 1:21 - He said, "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave.  The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it all away.  Praise the name of the Lord!"

Job knew that everything happened according to God's will, and all things were a blessing and gift from God.  Although Satan was the one testing Job, God was the one that permitted it.  He knew that Job would not sin and would not blame God for anything.  Job knew that God was blameless and that He would make all things work together for his good.

I love the story of Job.  It is one of my absolute favorites in the entire Bible.  Even though Job was tested to the limits of human patience and understanding, he still would not give in and blame or reject God.  I can only hope and pray for a fraction of Job's patience and love for God.

Dear Abba Father, I ask for Your blessing and strength to stay strong in my faith and love for You.  Please protect me and comfort me as only You can do.  I know You will not let any harm come to me because of Your unending love and grace.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Rejoice

Acts 5:41 - The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.

The apostles were whipped for teaching the Gospel to the people.  Jesus warned them that they would face heavy persecution for their teaching, so they knew they had to be doing something right.

Have I ever suffered persecution for my faith.  Not in the physical sense.  I have had a couple of friends leave my life, but I've never been physically attacked.  But it still hurts, because that means that is one less person I can share the Gospel with.  All I can do is pray that someone gets to share it with them, or that God will put them back in my life for me to share with them.  If it means that one person was saved and came to know Jesus, I would gladly endure anything for the Kingdom of God.  At least I would know that I was doing something right.

Dear Lord, I pray that You will use me according to Your will to spread the news of Your hope and salvation for us all.  This is too good of a message not to be shared, and I will gladly endure anything You desire for me to do this for Your Glorious Kingdom.  In Jesus' precious and holy name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

No Other

Acts 4:12 - "There is salvation in no one else!  God has given no other name under Heaven by which we must be saved."

The boldness of John and Peter here is such an encouragement.  They knew that they could be facing certain death for their words, but they had no fear because of their faith in Jesus to protect them.

Do I display this kind of confidence?  All I can do is pray that God will give me the boldness and confidence to declare His truth if I am ever confronted like this.  I trust His will for me and have faith in His promise of protection.

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me that I must stay strong whenever I am confronted and my faith is challenged.  I know You will guide my words and actions through the Holy Spirit, and that through You and BECAUSE of You, I can accomplish anything.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

God's Path

Isaiah 53:6 - All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God's paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.

Isaiah is telling us right here the purpose that Jesus was going to fulfill.  To bear our sins so that we may be saved.  He tells us that following our own paths leads to sin and death, but God's path will restore us.

I followed my own path for so long, and I am so blessed that God loves me so much that He waited for me.  I know He didn't want me to die.  He chose me a long time ago to share in His Glorious Kingdom.  It simply doesn't get any better than that!

Dear Lord, thank You for Your eternal patience and love for waiting for me to step off of my path to follow Yours.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Answer The Call

Acts 2:39 - This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles - all who have been called by the Lord our God.

As Peter illustrates here, God's promise of salvation is for everyone who answers His call - to all who accept it.  God wants that NONE should perish.

I have been so blessed since I finally answered God's call.  He was so patient with me.  I kept Him sitting on hold for a long time, and He waited.  That's how I know that He has special plans for me.

Dear Lord, thank You for waiting for me for so long.  I don't know what it was that You saw that made You want to wait, but I trust in Your plans and will for my life.  I pray that Your light will shine through me so that others will see there is hope for them if they answer Your call.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Reminder

Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

We are given a great reminder here of one of Jesus' last commands to His disciples and to all of us.  We are to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  A heavy task no doubt, but one worth taking on.

Have I been following this command?  Somewhat.  I have never shied from sharing the Gospel when it is brought up or I am asked about it.  But I believe I need to be better about creating the opportunities to share the Good News of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, I ask You to use me according to Your will to spread Your Gospel.  Shine Your amazing life-giving light through me, so that everyone I encounter will see what a beacon of hope and love You truly are.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Total Confidence

Psalm 146:3 - Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.

Powerful people are just that - people.  Everything they possess or are capable of doing is temporal and will pass away with them.  Our only confidence should be in God, who is eternal, and makes all things work together for good.

Have I put my confidence fully in God's hands?  Yes I have!  For a long time, I struggled with the concept of Total Surrender.  I always felt that I needed to maintain some control over my life.  But I have seen too often how much God blesses those (myself included) when they are surrendered to His will.  I will forever trust in Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for humbling me with Your amazing blessings, and for teaching me that no matter how much I may want to have some control over my life, that I do not, and it is all up to You, and You only work for my good.  I will forever be surrendered to You, my Lord and Savior.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Turn & Live

Ezekiel 18:23 - "Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?  says the Sovereign Lord.  Of course not!  I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live!"

A common misconception of God in the Old Testament is that He is vengeful and mean-spirited and that He only wants to punish us for our transgressions.  NOTHING could be further from the truth as shown in this passage.  If God really wanted us to be gone, all He would have to do is snap his fingers (figuratively speaking) and it would be done.  His plan for us has always been about our redemption.

Have I accepted God's redemption for me?  Yes I have.  Do I show that in my life every day?  I hope I do.  I pray every day for God's guidance and wisdom so that all I do will bring Him the honor and glory that He deserves.

Dear Abba Father, I cannot say thank You enough for redeeming me when You didn't have to.  Thank You for setting me free from my bondage to sin through the death of Your Son Jesus Christ.  He died so that I may live, and I will forever be grateful for that.  I ask that You use me in whatever way Your name will be glorified.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Honest Prayer

Luke 22:42-43 - "Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me.  Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine."  Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him.

In addition to being fully God, Jesus was also fully human.  He had fears just like us, but He is perfect, and did not let those fears control Him.  His prayer here is so honest, asking if it was possible to pass the cup of suffering away from Him.  He knew the pain He was about to endure, and his human side was afraid.  But his honesty and trust in God's greater plan rewarded Him when God sent an angel down from Heaven to strengthen Him.

God knows our hearts, and He knows what we are going to ask for before we do it.  If we are honest with our prayers and confessions to Him, God will happily strengthen us to persevere through the challenges we will face.  I love that promise.  I will work harder to make sure that I am being completely honest with God.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for showing me Jesus' humanity.  Please do a work in my heart so that I may be completely honest and forthright with You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Remembering

Ezekiel 16:60 - Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

Through most of the first 16 chapters of this book, God is talking about how bad and unfaithful Israel has been, but yet here He promises to remain true to His Chosen People regardless.  Redemption has always been His plan for us.  That's true love.

I have stumbled and fallen a lot.  And I'm quite sure I will do so again.  I have learned that God is not as worried about the stumbles and falls, as long as I get back up and turn directly to Him so He can dust me off.  How could I not be in love with a God like that?!

Dear Lord, thank You for showing me what true love is all about.  Thank You for helping me back up and dusting me off and allowing me to serve You.  I cannot imagine where I would be if I didn't know about and experience Your true love for me and all of us on this earth.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Praise & Honor

Ezra 7:28 - And praise Him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles!  I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me.  And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.

Ezra knew that everything that he was being given by the king was God's will and that God was blessing him because of his faithfulness.

Do I thank God for all that I am, and all that I have?  I know that everything that I am given and everything that happens, good or bad in my eyes, is God's will.  I have to remember that God is not punishing me for my sin by sending bad things to happen to me.  He is using the bad things to teach me, build me up, and to make me stronger through His grace.  I must be sure to give Him the honor and praise He deserves.

Dear Lord my God, thank You so much for teaching me that all things come from You.  Please help me to understand what You are teaching me, so that I may be stronger for the great work You have set ahead of me.  All that I am and all that I have I owe to You and Your unending grace and love.  Help me to keep that in mind so that I appreciate it even more.  Amen!

God Bless!!!