Romans 12:2 - Don't copy the behaviors 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.
We don't have to change our lives in order to come before God in repentance. We don't have to change to be redeemed. We have already been redeemed. We just have to be willing to let God into our hearts, and He will do the heavy work of transforming our lives according to His good, pleasing, and perfect will for us.
This is something that a lot of people struggle with. They say they can't go to church until they get their life right, or they can't accept Christ until they make amends for the things they've done. It simply isn't true though. If we could get our life right without Christ, then He didn't need to die. If we are trying to get our life right without involving Christ, then we will continue to make the same mistakes over and over because we are operating according to the customs and behaviors of the world, and not the Word.
All we have to do is say yes to Him. We just have to let Him into our hearts and surrender our lives to Him, and He will make our lives right. That is all we need to do to make amends for anything. Just say yes to His transformation, and everything will get worked out. This doesn't mean it will always be easy, because it won't. There will be tough times, but once we invite Him in and surrender to Him, He gives us something the world could never give us. He give us the power, strength, and wisdom to persevere through anything.
Am I still trying to do it my way, or am I surrendering my will to Christ daily?
Dear Lord, thank You for giving me what I need to not just survive, but thrive. I don't expect everything to be easy, but I know with You taking the lead in my life, I can overcome anything. I pray for those that haven't surrendered to You because they have the belief that they need to change first. My prayer is that they will see that there is nothing they can to do be right with You other than inviting You in and surrendering their will to Your good, perfect, and pleasing way. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, March 31, 2014
Saturday, March 29, 2014
A Big Step
Genesis 12:1 - The Lord said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you."
God was asking a lot of Abram. He was asking him to give up every comfort He knew and become a stranger in a foreign land. That required a big leap of of faith for Abram.
The beauty of it, is that he did it. Verse 4 tells us that he did as the Lord instructed. He didn't try to bargain and ask God for a compromise. He just did it. How much do we try to bargain when we feel God asking us to step out of our comfort zone for something? Do we simply get up and do it, or do we say things like, "Really, all of that? How about we start with just this first?" God isn't in the compromise business.
More often than not, God isn't asking us to do something big like Abram. He is usually asking us to give up things that have no value anyway, at least not from an eternal perspective. Things that take away from our focus and worship on Him. How important are they to us really? He gave up His only Son for us, I don't think it is asking much for us to give up the minor (very minor by comparison) creature comforts we are holding on to. God will reward our steps of faith. The Bible is full of those stories. Look what He did for Abram.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for giving up so much just for me. I pray that if there is anything that I am holding on to that is drawing away from my focus and worship on You, that You will point it out to me so that I may do away with it. I pray for those that are holding on to things that are meaningless in the big picture of Your Kingdom. My prayer is that they will take the step of faith that You are asking, and give it up for You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God was asking a lot of Abram. He was asking him to give up every comfort He knew and become a stranger in a foreign land. That required a big leap of of faith for Abram.
The beauty of it, is that he did it. Verse 4 tells us that he did as the Lord instructed. He didn't try to bargain and ask God for a compromise. He just did it. How much do we try to bargain when we feel God asking us to step out of our comfort zone for something? Do we simply get up and do it, or do we say things like, "Really, all of that? How about we start with just this first?" God isn't in the compromise business.
More often than not, God isn't asking us to do something big like Abram. He is usually asking us to give up things that have no value anyway, at least not from an eternal perspective. Things that take away from our focus and worship on Him. How important are they to us really? He gave up His only Son for us, I don't think it is asking much for us to give up the minor (very minor by comparison) creature comforts we are holding on to. God will reward our steps of faith. The Bible is full of those stories. Look what He did for Abram.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for giving up so much just for me. I pray that if there is anything that I am holding on to that is drawing away from my focus and worship on You, that You will point it out to me so that I may do away with it. I pray for those that are holding on to things that are meaningless in the big picture of Your Kingdom. My prayer is that they will take the step of faith that You are asking, and give it up for You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, March 28, 2014
New Life
Colossians 3:1 - Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.
We have been given a second chance at life. When Christ rose from the dead, we were raised with Him so that we may focus on Him and His glorious plans for His people.
What a great reminder on my birthday. I may be 39 years old today (did I just say that out loud?!), but I am still an infant in my new life with Christ. And that's cool with me.
He has given me a new chance and a new life to do things for His Kingdom and His glory. What greater purpose could possibly be found. One of the things that I always lacked before I came to Christ, was purpose. Even before I knew Him, I always believed that there was something more for me in the world. I always felt stuck in whatever position I was in, and I was always looking for that bigger, better thing. When I found myself at the feet of Jesus in repentance and giving my life to Him a few years ago, I finally realized what that bigger better thing was. It was Him.
Now, I certainly don't have everything figured out, but that's fine with me. I don't have to have everything figured out. The great thing about this new life is that He already has it figured out, and He reveals it to me piece by piece. It can be hard to be patient sometimes, but it is worth the wait. He makes it worth the wait. I know I don't have all the answers, and that I am a work in progress, but I know that the work He is doing in me is preparing me for the day when I will finally be in His presence and perfected. Now that's a birthday blessing I am excited for!
Dear Lord, thank You for the new life You have given me. I pray that I will remain focused on Your realities, and not the realities of this world which will all be rendered meaningless. I am blessed beyond words that You are such an amazing God of second chances. I pray that I will bring You the glory and honor that You deserve by the way I live my life to love You and everyone I encounter. I know I am not perfect, and You do not expect me to be. I just want to serve You and Your people to the best of the abilities You have given me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
We have been given a second chance at life. When Christ rose from the dead, we were raised with Him so that we may focus on Him and His glorious plans for His people.
What a great reminder on my birthday. I may be 39 years old today (did I just say that out loud?!), but I am still an infant in my new life with Christ. And that's cool with me.
He has given me a new chance and a new life to do things for His Kingdom and His glory. What greater purpose could possibly be found. One of the things that I always lacked before I came to Christ, was purpose. Even before I knew Him, I always believed that there was something more for me in the world. I always felt stuck in whatever position I was in, and I was always looking for that bigger, better thing. When I found myself at the feet of Jesus in repentance and giving my life to Him a few years ago, I finally realized what that bigger better thing was. It was Him.
Now, I certainly don't have everything figured out, but that's fine with me. I don't have to have everything figured out. The great thing about this new life is that He already has it figured out, and He reveals it to me piece by piece. It can be hard to be patient sometimes, but it is worth the wait. He makes it worth the wait. I know I don't have all the answers, and that I am a work in progress, but I know that the work He is doing in me is preparing me for the day when I will finally be in His presence and perfected. Now that's a birthday blessing I am excited for!
Dear Lord, thank You for the new life You have given me. I pray that I will remain focused on Your realities, and not the realities of this world which will all be rendered meaningless. I am blessed beyond words that You are such an amazing God of second chances. I pray that I will bring You the glory and honor that You deserve by the way I live my life to love You and everyone I encounter. I know I am not perfect, and You do not expect me to be. I just want to serve You and Your people to the best of the abilities You have given me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Let Him In
Joshua 1:8 - Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
God's instructions to Joshua are great instructions to us as well. We should be reading the Bible every day. It's the best way to start to understand God's character and how much love He has for us.
I recently wrote a brief essay for a Philosophy class about the practice of being in God's word every day. One of the prompts I had to address was how do the inner goods that I get from this practice relate to the outer goods.
Talk about a conviction. Am I just going through the motions of reading God's word every day so that I can say I am being a good Christian, or am I letting Him into my heart? Paul reminded us of this in Colossians 3:16 when he said, "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives." At church recently, one of the Pastors was talking about this and said, "You're in the word of God every day, but is the word of God in you?" That was the crux of my essay too.
We need to remember to let God in, so that everything we are reading and studying in His word about His love for us, should be reflected in our daily lives in how we show His love to others. It isn't good enough to be a 'good Christian'. I have to remember that the idea is to be a 'good and faithful servant'. And not just to Him, but to His people as well.
Dear Lord, thank You for this conviction that I need to be taking in the wise instruction You give me every day in Your Word. I pray that I will let You in and let You reflect Your love through me to those around me. I pray that I will not just gloss over the words as I read them, but that I let them deep into my heart. I pray for those that are not completely committed to You. My prayer is that they will make the time to spend some time with You every day, in Your word and in prayer, so that they can know You more deeply, and reflect Your love to others. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God's instructions to Joshua are great instructions to us as well. We should be reading the Bible every day. It's the best way to start to understand God's character and how much love He has for us.
I recently wrote a brief essay for a Philosophy class about the practice of being in God's word every day. One of the prompts I had to address was how do the inner goods that I get from this practice relate to the outer goods.
Talk about a conviction. Am I just going through the motions of reading God's word every day so that I can say I am being a good Christian, or am I letting Him into my heart? Paul reminded us of this in Colossians 3:16 when he said, "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives." At church recently, one of the Pastors was talking about this and said, "You're in the word of God every day, but is the word of God in you?" That was the crux of my essay too.
We need to remember to let God in, so that everything we are reading and studying in His word about His love for us, should be reflected in our daily lives in how we show His love to others. It isn't good enough to be a 'good Christian'. I have to remember that the idea is to be a 'good and faithful servant'. And not just to Him, but to His people as well.
Dear Lord, thank You for this conviction that I need to be taking in the wise instruction You give me every day in Your Word. I pray that I will let You in and let You reflect Your love through me to those around me. I pray that I will not just gloss over the words as I read them, but that I let them deep into my heart. I pray for those that are not completely committed to You. My prayer is that they will make the time to spend some time with You every day, in Your word and in prayer, so that they can know You more deeply, and reflect Your love to others. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
His Favor
Isaiah 61:2 - He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.
Jesus fulfilled this Scripture when He came to be a sacrifice for our sin. He has come once and He will come again.
I love the promises that God has made to us. Not just because they're amazing and He always follows through on them, but mostly because He made them when He didn't have to. He made them because He loves us, and wants us to be close to Him.
What did we do, or could we ever do, to deserve these amazing gifts and promises from our Creator? Absolutely nothing. That's the beauty of it. A lot of people are hesitant to believe in something that doesn't have a price tag attached to it, or a catch. Well the fact is, there was a price tag attached to our redemption. It was the cost of Jesus' life. But even that was given freely by God because of His love. Some people have a trouble wrapping their head around the concept of being given something just out of love (I was one of them). How great is it for those that believe in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sins, and redemption to our Heavenly Father. More promises are coming our way (Jeremiah 33:3), and I look forward to what God has in store for us.
Dear Father, thank You for Your amazing and unfailing love. Thank You for for faithfully promising and following through even though I don't deserve anything but judgment and punishment for my sins and transgressions. I pray for those that are struggling to accept Your unmerited love and forgiveness. My prayer is that they will take the step of faith and accept Your loving grace, and begin a relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Jesus fulfilled this Scripture when He came to be a sacrifice for our sin. He has come once and He will come again.
I love the promises that God has made to us. Not just because they're amazing and He always follows through on them, but mostly because He made them when He didn't have to. He made them because He loves us, and wants us to be close to Him.
What did we do, or could we ever do, to deserve these amazing gifts and promises from our Creator? Absolutely nothing. That's the beauty of it. A lot of people are hesitant to believe in something that doesn't have a price tag attached to it, or a catch. Well the fact is, there was a price tag attached to our redemption. It was the cost of Jesus' life. But even that was given freely by God because of His love. Some people have a trouble wrapping their head around the concept of being given something just out of love (I was one of them). How great is it for those that believe in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sins, and redemption to our Heavenly Father. More promises are coming our way (Jeremiah 33:3), and I look forward to what God has in store for us.
Dear Father, thank You for Your amazing and unfailing love. Thank You for for faithfully promising and following through even though I don't deserve anything but judgment and punishment for my sins and transgressions. I pray for those that are struggling to accept Your unmerited love and forgiveness. My prayer is that they will take the step of faith and accept Your loving grace, and begin a relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Trusting Him
1 Corinthians 10:13 - The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.
God will never allow us to be tempted beyond our limits of what we can endure. His faithful love for us will always show us a way through the temptation, and it begins with trusting Him to deliver on His promises.
I read somewhere that God sometimes calms the storm, and sometimes allows the storm to continue in order to calm His child. I love that He is always trying to teach me and show me how to rely on Him more. He does it because He loves me. He doesn't do it because I'm a stubborn pain in the butt (okay that may be part of it).
There have been more than a few times where I have tried to rely on my own abilities to get me through whatever issue I was dealing with, and almost always without fail, I would usually make the problem worse (it's a gift, really). But the more I rely on God's faithful promise to see me through, the more I understand that He is refining me like gold in the fire to become more like Christ. He knows my shortcomings, and He doesn't expect me to be perfect. He just wants me to trust Him, and have the mustard seed faith that He will give me what I need to endure.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me enough to see me through. I know I can be stubborn and hard-headed, but You look past that and see something in me that I don't. You patiently work on me every day to refine me to be more like Your Son every day. I pray for those that struggle with that trust issue with You. My prayer is that once they begin to trust You, even in the tiniest things, they will see that You are indeed powerful, faithful, and full of love for them, and that You will pull them through everything when they trust in You more. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God will never allow us to be tempted beyond our limits of what we can endure. His faithful love for us will always show us a way through the temptation, and it begins with trusting Him to deliver on His promises.
I read somewhere that God sometimes calms the storm, and sometimes allows the storm to continue in order to calm His child. I love that He is always trying to teach me and show me how to rely on Him more. He does it because He loves me. He doesn't do it because I'm a stubborn pain in the butt (okay that may be part of it).
There have been more than a few times where I have tried to rely on my own abilities to get me through whatever issue I was dealing with, and almost always without fail, I would usually make the problem worse (it's a gift, really). But the more I rely on God's faithful promise to see me through, the more I understand that He is refining me like gold in the fire to become more like Christ. He knows my shortcomings, and He doesn't expect me to be perfect. He just wants me to trust Him, and have the mustard seed faith that He will give me what I need to endure.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me enough to see me through. I know I can be stubborn and hard-headed, but You look past that and see something in me that I don't. You patiently work on me every day to refine me to be more like Your Son every day. I pray for those that struggle with that trust issue with You. My prayer is that once they begin to trust You, even in the tiniest things, they will see that You are indeed powerful, faithful, and full of love for them, and that You will pull them through everything when they trust in You more. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, March 24, 2014
New Citizenship
Philippians 3:20 - But we are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.
How awesome is it that we have been given eternal citizenship in Heaven because of our faith in Jesus Christ?!
Because of our faith, God grants us so much in return. Eternal citizenship and new glorious bodies (v. 21). He has that kind of power. That is citizenship we can be proud of possessing not just for a few weeks every four years, but every minute of every day. At Church, one of the Pastor's was talking about this passage, and said we should be proud to be Christians and we should represent our citizenship in Heaven. That's being boastful in the Lord, because it is only because of His love and grace that we have been granted these things.
Am I proud of my citizenship? Am I representing God and His Son Jesus Christ properly by the way I live to all those around me?
Dear Lord, thank You for the eternal gifts You have given us because of Your love for us. I pray that I will remember that I am a citizen of Heaven, and I will act accordingly so that I represent that citizenship properly. I pray for those that haven't been granted this new citizenship because of unbelief. My prayer is that they will open their hearts to You and see all that You have waiting for them in their new home. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
How awesome is it that we have been given eternal citizenship in Heaven because of our faith in Jesus Christ?!
Because of our faith, God grants us so much in return. Eternal citizenship and new glorious bodies (v. 21). He has that kind of power. That is citizenship we can be proud of possessing not just for a few weeks every four years, but every minute of every day. At Church, one of the Pastor's was talking about this passage, and said we should be proud to be Christians and we should represent our citizenship in Heaven. That's being boastful in the Lord, because it is only because of His love and grace that we have been granted these things.
Am I proud of my citizenship? Am I representing God and His Son Jesus Christ properly by the way I live to all those around me?
Dear Lord, thank You for the eternal gifts You have given us because of Your love for us. I pray that I will remember that I am a citizen of Heaven, and I will act accordingly so that I represent that citizenship properly. I pray for those that haven't been granted this new citizenship because of unbelief. My prayer is that they will open their hearts to You and see all that You have waiting for them in their new home. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, March 22, 2014
His Children
Psalm 2:7 - The King proclaims the Lord's decree: "The Lord said to me, 'You are my Son. Today I have become Your Father'."
There is only one Son of God, and that is Jesus Christ. When we accept His free gift of salvation, we become children of the Most High, but we do not replace Jesus as His Son. We become like Christ, but we can never become Him.
How contrary is this to the way the world tries to teach us? Society today is obsessed with the "Church of Self". It is very easy to fall for the lies too. The culture today likes to tell us that we are in charge and control of everything we do. As if we are gods of our own universe, and the world revolves around us. This simply isn't true. I remember a few years back, Congress voted to move daylight savings time in the Spring and Fall. They voted that we would turn our clocks ahead a couple of weeks sooner, and turn them back a couple of weeks later in the Fall. When I heard about this I said to a friend, "Well once again, Congress believes the earth revolves around them." The sad thing about my statement, is that it wasn't far from the truth.
With these sorts of prevailing thoughts and teachings going on in the world today, it is difficult to stay focused on the Son, but it is ever more important. For someone like me who can be selfish, I have to remember that nothing is about me. If I'm not doing something that is for God's glory, then I shouldn't be doing it. Am I staying focused on the Son, or am I trying to replace Him and become the center of my own universe?
Dear Lord, thank You for the great reminders that You are faithful in giving me. I know I can be selfish and forget that all I am and all I have I owe to you, and nothing comes by anything I do. I pray that I will maintain my focus on You and Your loving grace, looking forward to the day when I am with You in Heaven, but not at the expense of serving You on earth. I pray for those that lose their focus from time to time, and get caught up in the Church of Self. My prayer is that they will recommit their ways, and reconnect their hearts to You and the wonderful things You have prepared for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
There is only one Son of God, and that is Jesus Christ. When we accept His free gift of salvation, we become children of the Most High, but we do not replace Jesus as His Son. We become like Christ, but we can never become Him.
How contrary is this to the way the world tries to teach us? Society today is obsessed with the "Church of Self". It is very easy to fall for the lies too. The culture today likes to tell us that we are in charge and control of everything we do. As if we are gods of our own universe, and the world revolves around us. This simply isn't true. I remember a few years back, Congress voted to move daylight savings time in the Spring and Fall. They voted that we would turn our clocks ahead a couple of weeks sooner, and turn them back a couple of weeks later in the Fall. When I heard about this I said to a friend, "Well once again, Congress believes the earth revolves around them." The sad thing about my statement, is that it wasn't far from the truth.
With these sorts of prevailing thoughts and teachings going on in the world today, it is difficult to stay focused on the Son, but it is ever more important. For someone like me who can be selfish, I have to remember that nothing is about me. If I'm not doing something that is for God's glory, then I shouldn't be doing it. Am I staying focused on the Son, or am I trying to replace Him and become the center of my own universe?
Dear Lord, thank You for the great reminders that You are faithful in giving me. I know I can be selfish and forget that all I am and all I have I owe to you, and nothing comes by anything I do. I pray that I will maintain my focus on You and Your loving grace, looking forward to the day when I am with You in Heaven, but not at the expense of serving You on earth. I pray for those that lose their focus from time to time, and get caught up in the Church of Self. My prayer is that they will recommit their ways, and reconnect their hearts to You and the wonderful things You have prepared for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, March 21, 2014
Good Plans?
Isaiah 53:10 - But it was the Lord's good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief. Yet when His life is made an offering, He will have many descendants He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord's good plan will prosper in His hands.
Most of us are familiar with this section of Scripture. Written several centuries before Christ came, it tells us what He was going to go through on our behalf. How could this violent punishment and death possibly be part of God's good plan?!
When Jesus took our place in His death on the cross, a lot of good came because of it. He died so that we don't have to. All of our sins were put on Him, and He received our just punishment for them. But the best part of all, we have all been made children of God when we accept Him as our Savior and Redeemer. Now, I love my parents. My mom and dad are great people, and I love them to no end. There is nothing they could ever do that would make me want to disown them. But I'm a child of God now. I have been granted eternal life in Heaven with the King of Kings. Sounds pretty good to me...
Jeremiah tells us that God has great and mighty things for us (Jer. 33:3), and that His plan (good plan?) for us is to give us a future and a hope, and not calamity (Jer. 29:11). I'd say that eternal life in God's Heavenly Kingdom qualifies as great and mighty. I like that hopeful future of spending life eternal with Him, don't you? There is nothing any of us could ever do to repay the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. But we don't have to. Friends and loved ones do because they want to do, not because they have to. When it is done out of love, it is a free gift. God loved us that much that He willingly offered up His Son as a sacrifice for us (John 3:16). Okay, I can see the good plans that came out of Isaiah's words now...
Dear Father, thank You. Thank You for saving and redeeming me. I know I could never repay You for what You have done, but I know that because of Your love, I don't have to. Please use me in whatever way serves Your Kingdom best to reach those who have yet to be reached and share the message of the Good News (Great News!) of Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray anyone I speak to will welcome You into their hearts so that they can become one of His descendants, and be part of Your good plans as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Most of us are familiar with this section of Scripture. Written several centuries before Christ came, it tells us what He was going to go through on our behalf. How could this violent punishment and death possibly be part of God's good plan?!
When Jesus took our place in His death on the cross, a lot of good came because of it. He died so that we don't have to. All of our sins were put on Him, and He received our just punishment for them. But the best part of all, we have all been made children of God when we accept Him as our Savior and Redeemer. Now, I love my parents. My mom and dad are great people, and I love them to no end. There is nothing they could ever do that would make me want to disown them. But I'm a child of God now. I have been granted eternal life in Heaven with the King of Kings. Sounds pretty good to me...
Jeremiah tells us that God has great and mighty things for us (Jer. 33:3), and that His plan (good plan?) for us is to give us a future and a hope, and not calamity (Jer. 29:11). I'd say that eternal life in God's Heavenly Kingdom qualifies as great and mighty. I like that hopeful future of spending life eternal with Him, don't you? There is nothing any of us could ever do to repay the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. But we don't have to. Friends and loved ones do because they want to do, not because they have to. When it is done out of love, it is a free gift. God loved us that much that He willingly offered up His Son as a sacrifice for us (John 3:16). Okay, I can see the good plans that came out of Isaiah's words now...
Dear Father, thank You. Thank You for saving and redeeming me. I know I could never repay You for what You have done, but I know that because of Your love, I don't have to. Please use me in whatever way serves Your Kingdom best to reach those who have yet to be reached and share the message of the Good News (Great News!) of Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray anyone I speak to will welcome You into their hearts so that they can become one of His descendants, and be part of Your good plans as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Staying Focused
Isaiah 51:7 - Listen to Me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish My law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorn, nor fear their insults.
God reminds us to stay focused and strong in the face of opposition to our faith. He promises to take care of us forever when we keep our focus on Him and encourage others to do the same.
How easy is it to give up? In my life, I have found it very easy, and sometimes it is just down right convenient to pack it in when I run into a road block of some sort. That doesn't mean it's the correct way to do it. When we don't call it a day after hitting a stumbling block, how much better do you feel when you press on and accomplish what you set out to do? Pretty great, huh?
Now multiply that feeling times infinity, and that's how much greater our reward will be in Heaven when we stay the course, and stay focused on His prize for us. We don't believe and encourage others to believe just for a prize, we do it because we love God and His people. But He still rewards us when it's all over. I have lost friends because of my faith. I have family members that won't speak to me because of it too. Those losses hurt me greatly, but God's love is worth so much more. All I can do is pray for them that they will see what they're missing out on.
Paul admonishes us in Philippians 3:14 to press on to receive the Heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Ask any sports champion how they were able to do it, and they will tell you that it was focus and determination more than anything. How many champions have you heard of that were told that they didn't have a chance because they didn't do things a certain way, or the way it was expected (Muhammad Ali), or they just weren't good enough? Imagine where they'd be if they listened to their detractors. Imagine where we'd be if we kept listening to the lies of the enemy...
Dear Lord, thank You for Your loving reminders that I need to stay focused on You and Your Kingdom, and tune out the naysayers in the world. I pray for Your continued strength and guidance to maintain my focus and keep encouraging others to do the same. I pray for those that lose their focus in the face of opposition. My prayer is that they will see that Your rewards are much more important than anything this world can offer them, and they will turn back to You and Your purpose for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God reminds us to stay focused and strong in the face of opposition to our faith. He promises to take care of us forever when we keep our focus on Him and encourage others to do the same.
How easy is it to give up? In my life, I have found it very easy, and sometimes it is just down right convenient to pack it in when I run into a road block of some sort. That doesn't mean it's the correct way to do it. When we don't call it a day after hitting a stumbling block, how much better do you feel when you press on and accomplish what you set out to do? Pretty great, huh?
Now multiply that feeling times infinity, and that's how much greater our reward will be in Heaven when we stay the course, and stay focused on His prize for us. We don't believe and encourage others to believe just for a prize, we do it because we love God and His people. But He still rewards us when it's all over. I have lost friends because of my faith. I have family members that won't speak to me because of it too. Those losses hurt me greatly, but God's love is worth so much more. All I can do is pray for them that they will see what they're missing out on.
Paul admonishes us in Philippians 3:14 to press on to receive the Heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Ask any sports champion how they were able to do it, and they will tell you that it was focus and determination more than anything. How many champions have you heard of that were told that they didn't have a chance because they didn't do things a certain way, or the way it was expected (Muhammad Ali), or they just weren't good enough? Imagine where they'd be if they listened to their detractors. Imagine where we'd be if we kept listening to the lies of the enemy...
Dear Lord, thank You for Your loving reminders that I need to stay focused on You and Your Kingdom, and tune out the naysayers in the world. I pray for Your continued strength and guidance to maintain my focus and keep encouraging others to do the same. I pray for those that lose their focus in the face of opposition. My prayer is that they will see that Your rewards are much more important than anything this world can offer them, and they will turn back to You and Your purpose for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Covered By Grace
Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Because of our faith in God, He has extended His unmerited favor and love to us.
How awesome is this? How awesome is He? His grace has us covered. When we seek His forgiveness and truly repent of our sins, He gives us grace. This of course does not mean we have a blank check to sin repeatedly (see Romans 6), but it does mean that when we do mess up (and we will), honest confession and repentance of our sin will cleanse us.
Before I really understood grace, I was convinced that there were some things that I just could not be forgiven for. I am sure there a lot of us who have felt this way from time to time as well. I would say to God, "Well what about - GRACE..." "Well surely you couldn't mean - GRACE..." " Okay, I've got you stumped on this one, how about - GRACE..."
During the time I've spent reading the Bible, it seems to me that the one thing that God desires above others, is a true heart. A heart that truly desires Him. When we really begin to trust in His promises and His grace, our heart becomes one that is free from the guilt we put on ourselves. The guilt that others try to put on us. And the guilt that the enemy tries to remind us of regularly. We break free from that guilt when we take our problems, worries, and sins to God in prayer, ask for His forgiveness, and repent. After that, we're covered by grace. He won't remember them or ever bring them up again. We could say, "Well remember that time - I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT..." "Yeah, but remember how I - NOT A CLUE..." "Okay, there's no way you forgot about - DON'T REMEMBER A THING..." The one thing He will always remember is that He loves us, and He wants us with Him in eternity. He extends His grace to cover us, now we just have to start accepting it.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for Your love and Your grace. I have been so blessed to learn about You and Your ways through some amazing teaching at my church and through my quiet times with You. I pray for Your continued presence in my heart and in my life, so that I may know You more intimately until the day I am with You in Heaven. I pray for those that haven't been able to believe that Your grace covers them when they confess and repent. My prayer is that they will no longer allow the lies of the world and the enemy to convince them that they aren't good enough. They are good enough, because You have already said so, long before they were ever born. I pray that they will realize that You have set them apart. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Because of our faith in God, He has extended His unmerited favor and love to us.
How awesome is this? How awesome is He? His grace has us covered. When we seek His forgiveness and truly repent of our sins, He gives us grace. This of course does not mean we have a blank check to sin repeatedly (see Romans 6), but it does mean that when we do mess up (and we will), honest confession and repentance of our sin will cleanse us.
Before I really understood grace, I was convinced that there were some things that I just could not be forgiven for. I am sure there a lot of us who have felt this way from time to time as well. I would say to God, "Well what about - GRACE..." "Well surely you couldn't mean - GRACE..." " Okay, I've got you stumped on this one, how about - GRACE..."
During the time I've spent reading the Bible, it seems to me that the one thing that God desires above others, is a true heart. A heart that truly desires Him. When we really begin to trust in His promises and His grace, our heart becomes one that is free from the guilt we put on ourselves. The guilt that others try to put on us. And the guilt that the enemy tries to remind us of regularly. We break free from that guilt when we take our problems, worries, and sins to God in prayer, ask for His forgiveness, and repent. After that, we're covered by grace. He won't remember them or ever bring them up again. We could say, "Well remember that time - I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT..." "Yeah, but remember how I - NOT A CLUE..." "Okay, there's no way you forgot about - DON'T REMEMBER A THING..." The one thing He will always remember is that He loves us, and He wants us with Him in eternity. He extends His grace to cover us, now we just have to start accepting it.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for Your love and Your grace. I have been so blessed to learn about You and Your ways through some amazing teaching at my church and through my quiet times with You. I pray for Your continued presence in my heart and in my life, so that I may know You more intimately until the day I am with You in Heaven. I pray for those that haven't been able to believe that Your grace covers them when they confess and repent. My prayer is that they will no longer allow the lies of the world and the enemy to convince them that they aren't good enough. They are good enough, because You have already said so, long before they were ever born. I pray that they will realize that You have set them apart. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
He Comforts Me
Psalm 37:8 - Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper - it only leads to harm.
God always knows what I need to hear at the perfect time. I love that about Him, because it gives me great comfort.
I had one of those days yesterday at work where things were not going right, and I let my temper get the better of me. I felt horrible about it later, and I prayed for God to heal my heart of the anger I had, and to calm my temper. And then this morning, I read these reassuring words of King David.
Being reminded that failing to control my temper will lead to harm was what I needed. Throughout this Psalm, David tells us that the wicked will get what they have coming to them. They will receive their just punishment for trying to harm the ones that are redeemed by God - His chosen people. I totally needed that.
It reminds me of God's encouragement of Joshua when he first took over for Moses and was about to cross into the Promised Land. God told him, "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). Such encouraging and comforting words. The next time I feel my temper trying to overtake me, and my anger starts to rise, I need to remember to meditate on these passages. It will remind me that the anger I have is from the enemy, but the comfort I receive comes from the One who saved me.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing and comforting words today (and every day). You always know what I need to hear at the perfect time, and for that I am eternally grateful. Help me to start this day fresh with the reassuring promises You gave Joshua and King David that You are with me everywhere I go, and the wicked will receive their just punishments. Thank You for calming the rage and anger inside me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God always knows what I need to hear at the perfect time. I love that about Him, because it gives me great comfort.
I had one of those days yesterday at work where things were not going right, and I let my temper get the better of me. I felt horrible about it later, and I prayed for God to heal my heart of the anger I had, and to calm my temper. And then this morning, I read these reassuring words of King David.
Being reminded that failing to control my temper will lead to harm was what I needed. Throughout this Psalm, David tells us that the wicked will get what they have coming to them. They will receive their just punishment for trying to harm the ones that are redeemed by God - His chosen people. I totally needed that.
It reminds me of God's encouragement of Joshua when he first took over for Moses and was about to cross into the Promised Land. God told him, "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). Such encouraging and comforting words. The next time I feel my temper trying to overtake me, and my anger starts to rise, I need to remember to meditate on these passages. It will remind me that the anger I have is from the enemy, but the comfort I receive comes from the One who saved me.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing and comforting words today (and every day). You always know what I need to hear at the perfect time, and for that I am eternally grateful. Help me to start this day fresh with the reassuring promises You gave Joshua and King David that You are with me everywhere I go, and the wicked will receive their just punishments. Thank You for calming the rage and anger inside me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Inside Info
1 Corinthians 2:12 - And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
As we accept the sacrifice and salvation of Jesus Christ, God's Holy Spirit comes upon us an starts to reveal the wonderful truths that God has set aside for those who believe.
The writer of Hebrews referred to God as his Helper (Hebrews 13:6). God uses His Holy Spirit to help us to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Never once does God say to the faithful, "I gave you my Son now figure out the rest." He doesn't work like that. As long as we continue to seek Him and His truths daily, He is faithful to reveal them to us.
In the time I have spent studying God's Word, I have learned so much. I enjoy my times of intentional intimacy with the Lord more than I enjoy anything else. I have felt God's presence in the pages of the Bible so much. Every morning as I am about to begin, I pray for God to reveal something to me. I don't ask for Him to show me what I want to know, I ask for Him to show me what He wants me to know. I feel His Holy Spirit moving inside of me as I read. I cannot imagine a feeling much greater than that.
What I appreciate about the Holy Spirit guiding us down our paths daily, is that He doesn't overwhelm us. He doesn't throw everything at us at once. He reveals little by little, bit by bit. It isn't to keep us in the dark. Quite the contrary. He is giving us the inside info we need to grow. I wasn't born 6'1 and 250 pounds. I grew this way over time. God does not expect us to be Biblical Scholars over night either. If we were, why would we seek to spend time getting to know Him through His Word every day. He wants us to grow our relationship with Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for sending Your Great Helper to guide me along every day, so that I can grow closer to You through my times of intentional intimacy. I have been blessed beyond words by the love and patience You have shown me. I pray that I can be a blessing to others. My prayer for those that don't know You will come to seek You out finally. That they will seek Your wisdom in guiding their every day lives, and come to know the love and grace and patience You have for them as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, March 15, 2014
The Right Perspective
Philippians 3:7 - I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
The things we did or found important before we gave our lives to Christ are not so important anymore since being re-born into God's family.
I used to be very materialistic. I had to have the newest phone or video game system, because I couldn't be behind the curve when it came to the latest technology. My car had to be cleaned spotless because I couldn't allow my friends to see me driving around in a dust bucket. Now, a lot of those things have been put into perspective and don't seem so important anymore.
While I do enjoy gadgets, because they are fun to play with, I don't need to have the latest and newest. I am not as much of a gamer as I used to be, because school has taken a higher priority. I go to school so that I can serve God's Kingdom better. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy gaming from time to time, it's just not that important anymore.
My car isn't nearly washed and waxed and shiny as often as it used to be, because the outside of the car isn't what's important. How it runs is what matters. Sure every once in awhile, I will make it look nice and pretty, but it's not that important anymore.
The friends I had a few years ago have all gone their separate ways from the path God has put me on. What they think about me doesn't matter. I have been blessed to come to know the God of my Salvation in a way that has shown me that the only thing that matters is understanding (as best my human mind can) how much He loves me by the tremendous sacrifice He made for me by giving up His Son. That is the most valuable thing in my life. That is what is important.
Dear Father, thank You for teaching me about having the right perspective, and keeping my mind focused on You and Your Kingdom. I thank for redeeming me by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, when I showed myself to not be worthy of it. Although I know I fail and will not be completely worthy in this life, Your love and grace make me more worthy every day until the day comes I am with You for eternity. Thank You for the many second chances. I pray for those that are holding on to the materialistic things that are keeping their full attention away from You. My prayer is that they will see that what they have doesn't matter unless they have You first and foremost in their lives. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The things we did or found important before we gave our lives to Christ are not so important anymore since being re-born into God's family.
I used to be very materialistic. I had to have the newest phone or video game system, because I couldn't be behind the curve when it came to the latest technology. My car had to be cleaned spotless because I couldn't allow my friends to see me driving around in a dust bucket. Now, a lot of those things have been put into perspective and don't seem so important anymore.
While I do enjoy gadgets, because they are fun to play with, I don't need to have the latest and newest. I am not as much of a gamer as I used to be, because school has taken a higher priority. I go to school so that I can serve God's Kingdom better. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy gaming from time to time, it's just not that important anymore.
My car isn't nearly washed and waxed and shiny as often as it used to be, because the outside of the car isn't what's important. How it runs is what matters. Sure every once in awhile, I will make it look nice and pretty, but it's not that important anymore.
The friends I had a few years ago have all gone their separate ways from the path God has put me on. What they think about me doesn't matter. I have been blessed to come to know the God of my Salvation in a way that has shown me that the only thing that matters is understanding (as best my human mind can) how much He loves me by the tremendous sacrifice He made for me by giving up His Son. That is the most valuable thing in my life. That is what is important.
Dear Father, thank You for teaching me about having the right perspective, and keeping my mind focused on You and Your Kingdom. I thank for redeeming me by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, when I showed myself to not be worthy of it. Although I know I fail and will not be completely worthy in this life, Your love and grace make me more worthy every day until the day comes I am with You for eternity. Thank You for the many second chances. I pray for those that are holding on to the materialistic things that are keeping their full attention away from You. My prayer is that they will see that what they have doesn't matter unless they have You first and foremost in their lives. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, March 14, 2014
Full of Joy
Philippians 4:4 - Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!
The peace that God give us when we accept His salvation in our hearts should be giving us joy, and we should celebrate that.
I used to think that since I became a Christian, I was supposed to be walking around with a smile on my face all the time. That everything would be fine and I wouldn't have any more problems. But that wasn't quite the case, as I found out.
Christians are still humans, which means we are fallible and imperfect. Although we are striving to achieve that perfection of Jesus Christ, we aren't there yet and won't be until we reach Heaven (Philippians 1:6). What I learned is that when troubles come, and they will come, we need to pray and turn everything over to God. When we do that, we realize that no matter what this world throws our way, God has it covered. He will always take care of us as long as we trust Him to.
God promised that no one could take us from Him and that no one could undo what He has done (Isaiah 43:13). That's where we find the joy and celebration! Knowing that God will always be looking out for us, and won't let anyone take us away from Him. That puts a big smile on my face, and reminds me that the next time I feel a big scowl coming on that I have to tell myself that God's got this...and me!
Dear Lord, thank You for rescuing me and taking care of me. Thank You for the blanket of protection You provide for those that believe and trust in You. I know I have let the things of this world get me down from time to time, but I pray for Your comfort and peace during those times to remind me that I have joy knowing You have my back, and I need to celebrate that. I pray for those that haven't felt that joy yet. My prayer is that they will open their hearts up to You and Your unfailing love and protection, so that You can plant that joy in their heart for eternity. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The peace that God give us when we accept His salvation in our hearts should be giving us joy, and we should celebrate that.
I used to think that since I became a Christian, I was supposed to be walking around with a smile on my face all the time. That everything would be fine and I wouldn't have any more problems. But that wasn't quite the case, as I found out.
Christians are still humans, which means we are fallible and imperfect. Although we are striving to achieve that perfection of Jesus Christ, we aren't there yet and won't be until we reach Heaven (Philippians 1:6). What I learned is that when troubles come, and they will come, we need to pray and turn everything over to God. When we do that, we realize that no matter what this world throws our way, God has it covered. He will always take care of us as long as we trust Him to.
God promised that no one could take us from Him and that no one could undo what He has done (Isaiah 43:13). That's where we find the joy and celebration! Knowing that God will always be looking out for us, and won't let anyone take us away from Him. That puts a big smile on my face, and reminds me that the next time I feel a big scowl coming on that I have to tell myself that God's got this...and me!
Dear Lord, thank You for rescuing me and taking care of me. Thank You for the blanket of protection You provide for those that believe and trust in You. I know I have let the things of this world get me down from time to time, but I pray for Your comfort and peace during those times to remind me that I have joy knowing You have my back, and I need to celebrate that. I pray for those that haven't felt that joy yet. My prayer is that they will open their hearts up to You and Your unfailing love and protection, so that You can plant that joy in their heart for eternity. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Infinite Power
Philippians 3:10 - I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death.
The mighty power that raised Christ from the dead, is the power of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Christ as our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to abide in us, and give us all the strength we need not just to survive and live our lives for Him, but to thrive and be a beacon of Christ's light shining for those around us to see.
At Church last night, the Pastor spoke about this during his message. It really resonated with me and stuck with me. God's Holy Spirit really does give us infinite power when we are fully trusting and obedient to Him and His will. We have to be willing to endure the suffering as well.
Being a follower of Christ doesn't mean that everything will be roses from that day forward. Anyone who believes that the life of a Christian is perfect and painless from the moment they accept Christ is either kidding themself, or just doesn't know what it is all about. Suffering for God's Kingdom and purpose brings us closer to Him and makes us more like Christ, which should be our main goal. God is attempting to perfect us during our walk with Him. The only perfect person that ever walked the earth is Jesus, so God is attempting to make us more like Him every day.
God won't test us, but He will allow us to go through the trials and tribulations, because they build us up and make us stronger. We gain infinite power (eventually) through the power of God's Holy Spirit by trusting and calling on God for everything, not just when we think it's necessary or it's something that we can't handle. If we could handle everything, then Jesus didn't need to die, and we wouldn't need God. But one thing I have proven over and over again through my life, is that I am not capable of doing it on my own, and I need God's guidance, wisdom, direction, and strength every minute of every day. And I need to trust Him and give my will to Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for me, so that I may know You and receive Your powerful Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that brought Your Son back to life. I want to be more like Him, but I can only do that by Your strength. I want to be totally surrendered to Your will and purpose for everything in my life. For those that don't know what it's like to have You in their lives, my prayer is that they will answer the knocking on the door to their heart and let You in. I pray for Your Spirit to enter them when they do and give them the strength they need to endure the suffering of Jesus and live their lives according to Your will and purpose for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The mighty power that raised Christ from the dead, is the power of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Christ as our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to abide in us, and give us all the strength we need not just to survive and live our lives for Him, but to thrive and be a beacon of Christ's light shining for those around us to see.
At Church last night, the Pastor spoke about this during his message. It really resonated with me and stuck with me. God's Holy Spirit really does give us infinite power when we are fully trusting and obedient to Him and His will. We have to be willing to endure the suffering as well.
Being a follower of Christ doesn't mean that everything will be roses from that day forward. Anyone who believes that the life of a Christian is perfect and painless from the moment they accept Christ is either kidding themself, or just doesn't know what it is all about. Suffering for God's Kingdom and purpose brings us closer to Him and makes us more like Christ, which should be our main goal. God is attempting to perfect us during our walk with Him. The only perfect person that ever walked the earth is Jesus, so God is attempting to make us more like Him every day.
God won't test us, but He will allow us to go through the trials and tribulations, because they build us up and make us stronger. We gain infinite power (eventually) through the power of God's Holy Spirit by trusting and calling on God for everything, not just when we think it's necessary or it's something that we can't handle. If we could handle everything, then Jesus didn't need to die, and we wouldn't need God. But one thing I have proven over and over again through my life, is that I am not capable of doing it on my own, and I need God's guidance, wisdom, direction, and strength every minute of every day. And I need to trust Him and give my will to Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for me, so that I may know You and receive Your powerful Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that brought Your Son back to life. I want to be more like Him, but I can only do that by Your strength. I want to be totally surrendered to Your will and purpose for everything in my life. For those that don't know what it's like to have You in their lives, my prayer is that they will answer the knocking on the door to their heart and let You in. I pray for Your Spirit to enter them when they do and give them the strength they need to endure the suffering of Jesus and live their lives according to Your will and purpose for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Heavy Lifting
Isaiah 41:10 - Don't be afraid for I am with you. Don't be discouraged for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
God's promises through the prophet Isaiah remind me of Jesus' promise in Matthew, when He promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
What I find awesome about this passage in Isaiah, isn't just that God has promised to always be there for us and with us, but He's going to be active in helping us. He isn't just going to be like a boxing trainer standing on the outside of the ropes shouting encouragement and advice. He does that through His Word already. But He has promised to be in the ring with us, taking and throwing the punches that will defeat the enemy that is always trying to attack us.
When we are faithful to trust Him to be there and help us, He promises to do the heavy lifting by holding us up with His victorious right hand. I love that promise. It reminds me that I NEVER have to go through anything alone, I just have to trust Him and give Him my worries. Jesus promised that we would have everything we needed when we stopped worrying about things, and seek His Kingdom first above all else (Matthew 6:27-33). He will always hold true to His promises.
Dear Lord, thank You for doing the heavy lifting for me. I know I have a tendency to not lift everything up to You, because I become overconfident to handle things. I am sorry for not always being obedient and trusting in You, and I beg for Your forgiveness. I pray for those that don't realize just how much You really care for all of Your chosen people. They don't quite understand how much You have promised to help and be there for them. My prayer is that they will seek Your Kingdom first and trust You with everything, so they can experience the joy of knowing You intimately. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God's promises through the prophet Isaiah remind me of Jesus' promise in Matthew, when He promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
What I find awesome about this passage in Isaiah, isn't just that God has promised to always be there for us and with us, but He's going to be active in helping us. He isn't just going to be like a boxing trainer standing on the outside of the ropes shouting encouragement and advice. He does that through His Word already. But He has promised to be in the ring with us, taking and throwing the punches that will defeat the enemy that is always trying to attack us.
When we are faithful to trust Him to be there and help us, He promises to do the heavy lifting by holding us up with His victorious right hand. I love that promise. It reminds me that I NEVER have to go through anything alone, I just have to trust Him and give Him my worries. Jesus promised that we would have everything we needed when we stopped worrying about things, and seek His Kingdom first above all else (Matthew 6:27-33). He will always hold true to His promises.
Dear Lord, thank You for doing the heavy lifting for me. I know I have a tendency to not lift everything up to You, because I become overconfident to handle things. I am sorry for not always being obedient and trusting in You, and I beg for Your forgiveness. I pray for those that don't realize just how much You really care for all of Your chosen people. They don't quite understand how much You have promised to help and be there for them. My prayer is that they will seek Your Kingdom first and trust You with everything, so they can experience the joy of knowing You intimately. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
His Work
Colossians 3:23 - Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Everything we do should be for the advancement of God's Kingdom, and God is our employer. He believes it is all important, and so should we.
I love when I feel God speaking to me directly through His Word. I've been having some frustrations at work recently in dealing with a new boss that believes she has all the answers without really talking to anyone for input. I was expressing these frustrations to a good friend last night.
I said that I wouldn't allow her to steal my joy from me, because I believe that God has me exactly where He wants me right now. I also said that I believe that if the time comes that God wants me to move on to somewhere else, then He will open that door. I truly believe these things, but at the same time, it can be tough sometimes when you're dealing with people like this.
The awesomeness in all this is that this wasn't even 12 hours ago when I was talking to my friend and expressing the problems I was having. And this morning, God gives me this reminder about working for Him and not people. What an awesome God I serve that takes the time to remind me that He isn't leaving me to figure out my problems. He is right there with me. How could I not praise and worship and amazing God like that?!
Dear Abba Father, thank you, thank you, thank you. I know You are always with me, but it is so refreshing to have You speak to me like this through Your Word. Your reminders are a comfort to me when I am dealing with issues like this, and I will take joy in knowing that I serve an awesome God that will stop at nothing to remind me that I am remembered and loved by Him. I pray for those that need that reminder today. I hope that they will be reminded that they are not alone in their work, and that they will be reminded that You are always there and always watching over them. Also, I pray for my new boss. I pray she will realize that she cannot do everything by herself, and that she will seek the right counsel from the right people so that she can do the best job possible according to the gifts and talents You have given her. And when that happens, I pray that You will be glorified for it all. I pray this all in the name of Jesus Christ my Savior, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Everything we do should be for the advancement of God's Kingdom, and God is our employer. He believes it is all important, and so should we.
I love when I feel God speaking to me directly through His Word. I've been having some frustrations at work recently in dealing with a new boss that believes she has all the answers without really talking to anyone for input. I was expressing these frustrations to a good friend last night.
I said that I wouldn't allow her to steal my joy from me, because I believe that God has me exactly where He wants me right now. I also said that I believe that if the time comes that God wants me to move on to somewhere else, then He will open that door. I truly believe these things, but at the same time, it can be tough sometimes when you're dealing with people like this.
The awesomeness in all this is that this wasn't even 12 hours ago when I was talking to my friend and expressing the problems I was having. And this morning, God gives me this reminder about working for Him and not people. What an awesome God I serve that takes the time to remind me that He isn't leaving me to figure out my problems. He is right there with me. How could I not praise and worship and amazing God like that?!
Dear Abba Father, thank you, thank you, thank you. I know You are always with me, but it is so refreshing to have You speak to me like this through Your Word. Your reminders are a comfort to me when I am dealing with issues like this, and I will take joy in knowing that I serve an awesome God that will stop at nothing to remind me that I am remembered and loved by Him. I pray for those that need that reminder today. I hope that they will be reminded that they are not alone in their work, and that they will be reminded that You are always there and always watching over them. Also, I pray for my new boss. I pray she will realize that she cannot do everything by herself, and that she will seek the right counsel from the right people so that she can do the best job possible according to the gifts and talents You have given her. And when that happens, I pray that You will be glorified for it all. I pray this all in the name of Jesus Christ my Savior, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Half Way
James 4:8 - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The closer we seek to draw near to God, the closer He will seek to be with us. We need to be sure to confess and repent of our sins and be single-minded of purpose while we do this.
I remember when I was a teenager, my father told me once (okay, probably more than once...) that the world meets no one half way and if I wanted something, I had to go out and make it happen. While this is true of the way the world works, it isn't necessarily true of how God does.
God is always seeking us to return to Him. But He won't enter our hearts and lives uninvited. When we accept the invitation of His free gift of Salvation and actively seek to have a closer and more intimate relationship with Him, He will meet us half way. He wants that closer and more intimate relationship with us, just as much as we should, and He is happy to draw closer to us as we seek and draw closer to Him.
How awesome is the God we serve?! He is happy to redeem us AND then He meets us half way to make it happen. As I have come to understand this, I realize just how blessed I am because of His unfailing love and desire for me to be close to Him, and to be with Him in His Glorious Kingdom for eternity.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for seeking me, and for being infinitely patient as I sought You. Thank You so much for meeting me half way every minute of every day as I seek to be closer to You. I am beyond blessed by Your love and grace. I pray for those that haven't sought You yet, because they are afraid You won't be there for them. My prayer is that they will understand and realize that You are waiting for them to ask for You, and that You are happy to meet them half way in their pursuit of Your righteousness because of Your love for them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Every Time?!
Proverbs 3:5-6 - 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.
Trusting God's wisdom and direction for everything we do is the only way we know that we are headed in the right direction and going down the right path. It is also one of the hardest things to commit ourselves to.
Situations seem to repeat themselves. We get a new job that is basically the same as we did at the last company. But is it? We tell ourselves, "Well I did it this way for the last 10 years over here, I got this covered." Situations like this are never the same. Especially when it comes to being in a position of leadership.
When we're in charge of a department in some capacity, we have people that we have to manage. They are not the same people we just managed for the last 10 years at the other place. Every one is unique, and every place we go to is unique in its own way as well. That's how God made us, and He did it on purpose.
Well what's the purpose? To confuse us? Hardly. He did it so that we would remember this Proverb. That we should not be trusting in our finite and fallible human understanding of things, but trust in His infinite wisdom that never leads us astray. He did it so we would remember to seek His will for us, and go where He wants us to go. He will lead us down different paths in our lives, but He doesn't just point and say, "Go there, and figure it out." He says, "Follow me this way, and let me show you something new and great." We have to remind ourselves when we get to that fork in the road to not tell our Guide, "I got it from here. See you in a bit." We have to invite Him to come along with us, and show us.
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to constantly be seeking Your will and Your ways in everything I do. I know I tend to get comfortable and trust in my own understanding of things, and for that I am sorry. I pray for Your will to be done in everything, so that I will have a greater understanding of everything You have for me. I pray for those that leave You behind at the fork in the road. I pray they will see that they need You to Guide them every step of the way, and not just point out where to go. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Trusting God's wisdom and direction for everything we do is the only way we know that we are headed in the right direction and going down the right path. It is also one of the hardest things to commit ourselves to.
Situations seem to repeat themselves. We get a new job that is basically the same as we did at the last company. But is it? We tell ourselves, "Well I did it this way for the last 10 years over here, I got this covered." Situations like this are never the same. Especially when it comes to being in a position of leadership.
When we're in charge of a department in some capacity, we have people that we have to manage. They are not the same people we just managed for the last 10 years at the other place. Every one is unique, and every place we go to is unique in its own way as well. That's how God made us, and He did it on purpose.
Well what's the purpose? To confuse us? Hardly. He did it so that we would remember this Proverb. That we should not be trusting in our finite and fallible human understanding of things, but trust in His infinite wisdom that never leads us astray. He did it so we would remember to seek His will for us, and go where He wants us to go. He will lead us down different paths in our lives, but He doesn't just point and say, "Go there, and figure it out." He says, "Follow me this way, and let me show you something new and great." We have to remind ourselves when we get to that fork in the road to not tell our Guide, "I got it from here. See you in a bit." We have to invite Him to come along with us, and show us.
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to constantly be seeking Your will and Your ways in everything I do. I know I tend to get comfortable and trust in my own understanding of things, and for that I am sorry. I pray for Your will to be done in everything, so that I will have a greater understanding of everything You have for me. I pray for those that leave You behind at the fork in the road. I pray they will see that they need You to Guide them every step of the way, and not just point out where to go. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, March 7, 2014
Seek Him
Jeremiah 29:12-13 - In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me.
In verse 11 (one of my favs) God tells us that He already knows the great plans He has for us. But in these two verses, He tells us that He wants to share them with us, and it's up to us to let Him in. He promises to listen to our prayers when we seek Him. And then in verse 14, He promises to not just redeem us, but also restore us to the great path He had planned for us from the beginning.
What an awesome God we serve! He knew His plans for me from the beginning, long before I was ever here. He kept those plans in His mind for me, because of what He wants me to accomplish for His Kingdom while I'm in this world. Could He have given them to someone else during all those years I rebelled against Him? Yes. Could someone else have done things better with what God has for me? I would say yes, but I believe God would say no. He has the plans He has for me, because He wants me to do them. I am the right man for the particular job He has in mind for me. He made me unique, and the plans He has for me are unique as well.
Now that I have finally started to seek Him over these last few years, and prayed for His guidance and wisdom, He has redeemed me and put me on the path He had planned for me so long ago. And He has promised to do that for each and every one of us. We are all unique and special to Him. He made us that way so that He could show each of us how unique and special His love for us is.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for waiting for me. You patience is certainly stronger than mine, and Your blessings for me thus far have shown me how exceedingly abundant Your love for me is. I pray for those that haven't started to seek You. My prayer is that they will start to feel the tug on their heart from the Holy Spirit so that they will seek You, and You will listen to their prayers, and You will redeem and restore them to the amazing path You have had planned for them from the beginning. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
In verse 11 (one of my favs) God tells us that He already knows the great plans He has for us. But in these two verses, He tells us that He wants to share them with us, and it's up to us to let Him in. He promises to listen to our prayers when we seek Him. And then in verse 14, He promises to not just redeem us, but also restore us to the great path He had planned for us from the beginning.
What an awesome God we serve! He knew His plans for me from the beginning, long before I was ever here. He kept those plans in His mind for me, because of what He wants me to accomplish for His Kingdom while I'm in this world. Could He have given them to someone else during all those years I rebelled against Him? Yes. Could someone else have done things better with what God has for me? I would say yes, but I believe God would say no. He has the plans He has for me, because He wants me to do them. I am the right man for the particular job He has in mind for me. He made me unique, and the plans He has for me are unique as well.
Now that I have finally started to seek Him over these last few years, and prayed for His guidance and wisdom, He has redeemed me and put me on the path He had planned for me so long ago. And He has promised to do that for each and every one of us. We are all unique and special to Him. He made us that way so that He could show each of us how unique and special His love for us is.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for waiting for me. You patience is certainly stronger than mine, and Your blessings for me thus far have shown me how exceedingly abundant Your love for me is. I pray for those that haven't started to seek You. My prayer is that they will start to feel the tug on their heart from the Holy Spirit so that they will seek You, and You will listen to their prayers, and You will redeem and restore them to the amazing path You have had planned for them from the beginning. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, March 6, 2014
More Of Him
John 3:30 - He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
John the Baptist definitely had the right idea here. He understood that the world needed (and still does) more Jesus and less self.
As I begin this period of fasting, the primary thing I am fasting for, is less of me and more of Him. I am seeking more clarity and direction for where God wants me to be. A better understanding of God's will for me. I can only get that by seeking a closer relationship with my Lord and Savior. By seeking more of Him every day, and a whole lot less of me.
Dear Lord, thank You for the blessings You provide through our intimate relationship. I pray that You will give me the clarity and direction I need to better understand Your will for me. I know that I can only get that by seeking more of You, and following Your prompting for me. I pray for those that have begun this period of fasting. My prayer is that this will be a time of great blessing and healing for them as they seek to be closer to You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
John the Baptist definitely had the right idea here. He understood that the world needed (and still does) more Jesus and less self.
As I begin this period of fasting, the primary thing I am fasting for, is less of me and more of Him. I am seeking more clarity and direction for where God wants me to be. A better understanding of God's will for me. I can only get that by seeking a closer relationship with my Lord and Savior. By seeking more of Him every day, and a whole lot less of me.
Dear Lord, thank You for the blessings You provide through our intimate relationship. I pray that You will give me the clarity and direction I need to better understand Your will for me. I know that I can only get that by seeking more of You, and following Your prompting for me. I pray for those that have begun this period of fasting. My prayer is that this will be a time of great blessing and healing for them as they seek to be closer to You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Finally Free
Romans 6:22 - But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News (Great News!) of our Lord and Savior has set us free. It has set us free from our meaningless pursuit of and bondage to sin, death, and destruction. What has it set us free to do? To pursue the things that God has always planned for us since the beginning. Things that will lead to holiness and righteousness in the eternal Kingdom of God.
I remember shortly after I first accept Jesus Christ as my Savior, I thought to myself now what? I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know how my life was supposed to be. So instead of doing the smart thing and picking up a Bible, I convinced myself that since I believed and I was saved, I was good to go. Had I read verses one and two in Romans 6, I would have seen that it doesn't work like that. We should never test God like that.
It's not enough to just accept Christ, we have to seek God's will for us and pursue it. That's what we were set free to do when we accepted Jesus Christ. I believe that most often, God reveals His will to us through His Word, and that is the first place we should be seeking and pursuing Him. Prayer is #1A. He wants to hear from us, and have an intimate relationship with us. We can ask Him about and for anything, and He won't get mad at us for asking (James 1:5), because He wants us to be seeking Him and His will. This doesn't mean He will give us everything we ask for, it means we won't know what His plan is until we ask, and we have to do the asking.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for my freedom! Thank You for setting me free by the blood of Your Son, so that I can pursue all the great and mighty things You have always had planned for me since the beginning of time. I am blessed more than I could ever deserve because of Your love, mercy, and grace. I pray for those that have not accepted Your free gift of salvation. My prayer is that they will finally let go of whatever they are holding on to, so that they can finally be free to purse You and all of Your holiness and righteousness. I confidently trust that You have amazing things for them and You are ready to give them to them when they accept You into their hearts and lives. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News (Great News!) of our Lord and Savior has set us free. It has set us free from our meaningless pursuit of and bondage to sin, death, and destruction. What has it set us free to do? To pursue the things that God has always planned for us since the beginning. Things that will lead to holiness and righteousness in the eternal Kingdom of God.
I remember shortly after I first accept Jesus Christ as my Savior, I thought to myself now what? I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know how my life was supposed to be. So instead of doing the smart thing and picking up a Bible, I convinced myself that since I believed and I was saved, I was good to go. Had I read verses one and two in Romans 6, I would have seen that it doesn't work like that. We should never test God like that.
It's not enough to just accept Christ, we have to seek God's will for us and pursue it. That's what we were set free to do when we accepted Jesus Christ. I believe that most often, God reveals His will to us through His Word, and that is the first place we should be seeking and pursuing Him. Prayer is #1A. He wants to hear from us, and have an intimate relationship with us. We can ask Him about and for anything, and He won't get mad at us for asking (James 1:5), because He wants us to be seeking Him and His will. This doesn't mean He will give us everything we ask for, it means we won't know what His plan is until we ask, and we have to do the asking.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for my freedom! Thank You for setting me free by the blood of Your Son, so that I can pursue all the great and mighty things You have always had planned for me since the beginning of time. I am blessed more than I could ever deserve because of Your love, mercy, and grace. I pray for those that have not accepted Your free gift of salvation. My prayer is that they will finally let go of whatever they are holding on to, so that they can finally be free to purse You and all of Your holiness and righteousness. I confidently trust that You have amazing things for them and You are ready to give them to them when they accept You into their hearts and lives. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Just Passing Through
Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
On the radio the other day, a lady was talking about going through trials and made reference to this well-known Psalm. When she was talking about it, she stressed the importance of the phrase, "Walk through the valley."
Her point was that when we are dealing with trials and tribulations, and are in the valley, we don't stay in the valley. When we put our faith and trust in God, He guides us through it, and doesn't leave us to figure it out.
Often times, I hear someone say that they are dealing with a problem, and they are in a trial right now, but they are trusting God. If they are trusting God, then they aren't in that dark valley, they are just passing through to greener pastures, and a mountaintop of light where God's glory will shine on them for trusting in Him to guide and care for them.
Am I trusting God to get me through, or am I allowing myself to be stuck in the dark valley because I am trying to figure it out on my own?
Dear Lord, thank You for guiding me through. I know I have the tendency to try to work things out on my own and not seek You for the guidance I need to get through the trials I am in. I pray for Your forgiveness and grace for that lack of faith, and ask You to be with me always, and that I remember that whenever I step into a dark valley I need to call out to You and put my trust and confidence in You, and that You will guide me through as You have always promised to do. I pray for those that are struggling with this too. I pray that they will see that You are always there for them, and they will seek You first to get them through their dark valley's as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
On the radio the other day, a lady was talking about going through trials and made reference to this well-known Psalm. When she was talking about it, she stressed the importance of the phrase, "Walk through the valley."
Her point was that when we are dealing with trials and tribulations, and are in the valley, we don't stay in the valley. When we put our faith and trust in God, He guides us through it, and doesn't leave us to figure it out.
Often times, I hear someone say that they are dealing with a problem, and they are in a trial right now, but they are trusting God. If they are trusting God, then they aren't in that dark valley, they are just passing through to greener pastures, and a mountaintop of light where God's glory will shine on them for trusting in Him to guide and care for them.
Am I trusting God to get me through, or am I allowing myself to be stuck in the dark valley because I am trying to figure it out on my own?
Dear Lord, thank You for guiding me through. I know I have the tendency to try to work things out on my own and not seek You for the guidance I need to get through the trials I am in. I pray for Your forgiveness and grace for that lack of faith, and ask You to be with me always, and that I remember that whenever I step into a dark valley I need to call out to You and put my trust and confidence in You, and that You will guide me through as You have always promised to do. I pray for those that are struggling with this too. I pray that they will see that You are always there for them, and they will seek You first to get them through their dark valley's as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Joy and Gladness
Isaiah 35:10 - Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.
When the day comes for Jesus to establish His Glorious Kingdom on earth, all those who have been redeemed get to enter Jerusalem with Him. And there will be no more sorrow in the world, only happiness.
Imagine what it will be like with no more death, disease, shame, or evil. Only joy and gladness will exist. And not just joy, but everlasting joy. It will last forever. I look forward to that day of return with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the mean time, I will stay joyful with the promise that He has given me of eternal life with Him in His Kingdom. A life filled with everlasting joy and gladness.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for ransoming me from eternal death. Thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ. I look forward to Your promise of everlasting joy and gladness in Your Kingdom forever. I pray for those that don't know You today. My prayer is that today is the day that they will invite You into their hearts and lives so that they will be able to experience the everlasting joy and gladness that You have promised them as well. I ask You to use me in whatever way I can be used to bring them closer to You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When the day comes for Jesus to establish His Glorious Kingdom on earth, all those who have been redeemed get to enter Jerusalem with Him. And there will be no more sorrow in the world, only happiness.
Imagine what it will be like with no more death, disease, shame, or evil. Only joy and gladness will exist. And not just joy, but everlasting joy. It will last forever. I look forward to that day of return with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the mean time, I will stay joyful with the promise that He has given me of eternal life with Him in His Kingdom. A life filled with everlasting joy and gladness.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for ransoming me from eternal death. Thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ. I look forward to Your promise of everlasting joy and gladness in Your Kingdom forever. I pray for those that don't know You today. My prayer is that today is the day that they will invite You into their hearts and lives so that they will be able to experience the everlasting joy and gladness that You have promised them as well. I ask You to use me in whatever way I can be used to bring them closer to You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Abundant Grace
1 Timothy 1:14 - And the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
Paul's message to Timothy is saying that the grace of God is abundantly more than any sin we could commit, using the example of himself.
Paul points out how bad he was before he came to know Christ. He was a blasphemer and he violently persecuted those who followed Christ. Yet because of God's unfailing love and abundant grace, Paul was saved and redeemed.
How often do we think that, "God certainly won't forgive me for that!" I thought this way for so long. I remember reading something in an article a few years ago that said, "Have you asked?" Talk about a V-8 moment. God is filled with more love and grace than we could ever possess in our lives. And Jesus promised that all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven (Mark 3:28). He didn't say some or most...He said all.
The faith and love required to forgive all sin and blasphemy are found only in Jesus Christ. Before we condemn someone for sinning different than we do, remember that God's grace has already been poured on them, just like it was poured on us. He has plenty to go around. As Paul said, more than abundant...
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me ABUNDANT grace. I pray that You will continue to work on my heart so that I may show others the love and grace of Jesus Christ, and not hypocritically judge someone for sinning differently than I do. I know I have struggled with this quite a bit, and I know that through the power of Your Holy Spirit and the love of Your Son Jesus Christ, I can overcome this. I pray for those that believe that they couldn't possibly be forgiven. I pray they will bring their sins to You and ask for forgiveness before it becomes too late for them. I confidently trust that You will forgive them, and pour Your love and grace on them, as You have promised. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul's message to Timothy is saying that the grace of God is abundantly more than any sin we could commit, using the example of himself.
Paul points out how bad he was before he came to know Christ. He was a blasphemer and he violently persecuted those who followed Christ. Yet because of God's unfailing love and abundant grace, Paul was saved and redeemed.
How often do we think that, "God certainly won't forgive me for that!" I thought this way for so long. I remember reading something in an article a few years ago that said, "Have you asked?" Talk about a V-8 moment. God is filled with more love and grace than we could ever possess in our lives. And Jesus promised that all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven (Mark 3:28). He didn't say some or most...He said all.
The faith and love required to forgive all sin and blasphemy are found only in Jesus Christ. Before we condemn someone for sinning different than we do, remember that God's grace has already been poured on them, just like it was poured on us. He has plenty to go around. As Paul said, more than abundant...
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me ABUNDANT grace. I pray that You will continue to work on my heart so that I may show others the love and grace of Jesus Christ, and not hypocritically judge someone for sinning differently than I do. I know I have struggled with this quite a bit, and I know that through the power of Your Holy Spirit and the love of Your Son Jesus Christ, I can overcome this. I pray for those that believe that they couldn't possibly be forgiven. I pray they will bring their sins to You and ask for forgiveness before it becomes too late for them. I confidently trust that You will forgive them, and pour Your love and grace on them, as You have promised. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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