You Are On God's Mind

I don't know about you, but about half of the time I'm awake, I wonder if I cross God's mind and if He truly see' s what I'm going through. Because most of the time, this isn't the life I wanted for myself. If someone would have said, Jan, you will be here at this point in your life going through the stuff I'm going through, I might have slapped someone. 

I'm a dreamer and my dreams seem far fetch and far away. So, when I came across this little devotional it helped put my perspective back where it needed to be. More focus on God and what He did for me and less of who I what to be. 

God Bless.

You Are On God’s Mind

I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed

you on the palms of My hands.- Isaiah 49:15-16, NKJV

Noah was totally helpless to change his situation. There was nothing he could do except to stay on the ark and tend to the needs of his family and those of the animals until God in some way brought deliverance. He had to keep his faith in God while simply waiting out the silence that followed the storm.

Although He had been silent, God had not forgotten Noah. In fact, since Noah and his family were the only living persons on the face of the earth, we can be sure they had God’s total, undivided attention every moment.

Do you think God’s silence in your life means He has forgotten you? Oh, no! God says He has engraved your name on the palms of His hands. He says that a mother could forget her nursing baby at mealtime before He could forget you! You are in God’s heart and on His mind every moment. He is fully informed of your circumstances and will bring about change when He knows the time is right.

From God's Story

Anne Graham Lotz

Making The Right Confession

This is a great devotional on confession. I'm a big believer that I don't necessary confess forgiveness for the same sin I keep committing.

What I do believe in is that I just don't understand the subject of confession. Not only that, I've come to realize that when I commit the same sin over and over again, I'm just not ready to let it go and make the changes I need to put the sin behind me.

This little devotional helps and I love all the insights it contains within it and the encouragement to make a change.

God Bless.

Making the Right Confession

Let us hold fast our confession.

I can illustrate “confession” from a book entitled Fear No Evil, written by Natan Sharansky, a Jewish refusenik. Sharansky was not a Christian, but even so, the KGB (Soviet secret police) arrested him and put him through nine years of misery. As I read his story, I saw in the KGB the most vivid demonstration of Satan and his tactics. In Natan Sharansky, I recognized the way to win. He was a highly qualified chess player, and he decided to deal with the KGB as he would with a chess opponent: by staying one move ahead.

Though he did not have a faith in a personal God, he did have a concept of God through his Jewish roots. Many Jewish prayers begin with “O Lord, our God, king of the universe.” In teaching himself Hebrew, he decided to write out a prayer that he could repeat whenever needed. It was a petition for God to be with him, protect his family, and bring him to Israel. Whenever he was under pressure—for instance, awaiting interrogation—he would repeat the prayer several times. He said that prayer about ten times a day for nine years—that amounts to more than thirty thousand times! 

How many Christians would go on praying the same prayer thirty thousand times?
One aim of the KGB was to get Sharansky to make the wrong confession. If he would just say that he was a traitor, they would release him. But he refused. The battle raged for nine years. By making the right confession and reiterating the right prayer, he won. Being victorious, he later immigrated to Jerusalem.

How that impressed me about Satan’s tactics! Satan uses every kind of pressure, every inducement, every lie— all with one aim: to get us to make the wrong confession. We defeat him, however, by maintaining the right confession. 

Thank You, Jesus, that You are the High Priest of our confession. I proclaim that we defeat our enemy by maintaining the right confession. I shall hold fast my confession. Amen. 

Author Unknown

Pray And Let God Have His Way

Yeah, I don't let God have His way in my life or anything in between. I love this little devotional and I love how the words jump off the page at me. I love how the devotional puts the words in a way that even a stubborn person like me can get it and put it into practice. 

I see my faults, and more than anything I want to change, and be free of fear of what might be and failure and just let loose and become who I am and allow God to have His way to change anything and all He see's as an obsticle for the plan He has or my life.

God Bless.

Welcome!

Today: Pray, and let God have His way!

Passage: Acts 12 (NIV)

¹ Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. ² Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ³And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. (Acts 12, NIV)

Peter was in prison because the ruler of the land found that it pleased the people when he got James the apostle killed

John the baptist was killed because the Herod at that time wanted to please his wife. Much persecution is going on in many places now, for various reasons

Peter was in prison, and should have been killed. But the church was earnestly praying in one accoed. God delivered Peter miraculously

⁵ Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant^[a] prayer was offered to God for him by the church. (v 5)

Sometimes we wonder why James was killed and Peter was spared When certain things happen to certain people, we also may think like that

But then, God knows what is best. Later on, Peter also went the way of James. But Herod’s end was terrible

²² And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12, NIV)

The other day, someone was mentioning about how people speak when things happen to others. When we go through “our own”, we won’t do that

We pray rarely, and most of the prayer is about ourselves

Even as we,the church is sleeping, satan is working 24/7

This is not the time to judge or wish the bad for others. What we wish for others can happen to us. So, it is better not to wish bad for anybody else

It is time to think of ourselves as part of the body-the family of Christ

None of us can stand on our own. We need God. We need the children of God

It is time for people to come together; families should get together; churches should come together in unity and pray for the land and for the leaders

God bless your day

BG

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to think of ourselves as pasrt of the whole. Help us to see ourselves as you see us, as part of your family. We pray for the persecuted,
and for those who persecute. Your name be glorified. Amen

“Had we known the power of prayer, we would have prayed much more”

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Psalm 119:105 & 106

I love how this little devotional took scriptures and put them in a form of a prayer.

I love this prayer! Let it sink in!!!!

God Bless.

Psalm 119:105-106 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.

Lord, I pray that we would remember that You are a light amid the darkness. Jesus, thank you for enduring the road to the cross and defeating the darkness of sin that overshadowed any hope for us.

 Let your Holy Spirit lead us God and press us to engage your Word that it may be coming alive always in our hearts, and clear in our minds. In the name of Jesus, the name that is above every name, Amen. 

Verse/Commentary courtesy of 'Jesus Daily: Bible Devotional' android app. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idelata.JesusDaily

The Genesis Record

I have always been fascinated with the life of Enoch. How can someone who walked during that period walked so close to God that God actually took noticed and took him to be with Him in heaven. Amazing! Truly that story is amazing! 

When it comes down to it, the story of Enoch isn't that difficult to understand. The difficulty of the story is it's plain and simple. So simple that sometimes we have passed by it and look for a more diffuclt point of the story.  

Enoch was a man of faith. A faith that was unshakable, unmovable, and uncontainable. I can tell you I want that kind of faith but the truth of the matter is I have the faith Enoch had in me. Jesus paid for it and if I don't start using it and believing in it, I'm slapping Jesus in the face and telling Him that what He did and paid for isn't good enough.

I don't want to be that person. I want to be an Enoch and with the faith to shake a nation. 

God Bless.

The Genesis record concerning Enoch should speak to us of our own troubled times, for that is the purpose of the Word of God. It should be our concern that we hear and that we obey! 

The faith and deportment of the man Enoch compose a vivid picture of a powerful object lesson to encourage every believer in his or her faith. There is only one conclusion to be drawn—

Enoch was translated into the presence of God because of his faith, and thus he escaped death! 

It is my strong conviction that Enoch’s experience of translation is a type, or preview, of the coming rapture of the Church, the Bride of Christ, described in the Scriptures. It is evident that there was no funeral for Enoch. 

Perhaps members of his family did not fully understand his walk with God, but they could answer with the facts! “He is gone! We thought he was extreme in his beliefs but now he is gone, and we are still here in a troubled world!”

Author Unkown

You Are Being Deeply Rooted

When I first read the title of this devotional I thought, deeply rooted? Yeah, that's like going to be like going through a potter's fire and I don't like or want any part of it. I've been though it enough, thank you. 

I almost skipped over this devotional but I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did. After reading the devotional, I want to be deeply rooted. Rooted in the things of God. I want to know who I am, where I can go, and the lives I can and will change. 

So if the potter's fire is where I have to be or I am in it right now, well okay. Let's bring it and change the world while we are at it!

God Bless.

You are being deeply rooted.

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” Colossians 2:6-7(NKJV).

Even though we are rooted and grounded in our knowledge of God, the enemy stops at nothing to try to uproot us. He quickly finds, however, that it is not an easy task. Deep down there are things that we know. 

Deep down we know there is a God and that He loves us. Deep down we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Deep down we know that He has chosen us for His divine purposes and plans. Deep down we know that we are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus and have been made new. This is what being rooted and grounded means—holding on with everything we have to what we know deep down.

It doesn’t matter what the enemy is trying to do, all that matters is what Jesus has already done on the cross!

Let us not uproot and give up! We must hold on and become even more rooted and grounded, and fully convinced of God’s love. We must let His words permeate our heart and soul to the very core of who we are. When we do this, we will see that the enemy will not be able to win in our lives. Through Jesus Christ, we are victorious! We are overcomers! We are champions! God is greater than anything we will ever face in this life and with His help we can do all things!

Prayer: Father God, I know You are with me and that You love me. I know You are bigger than anything I’m facing right now. I ask that you help me stay rooted and grounded in my knowledge of You. Show up and show out as I plant my feet in Your word and refuse to listen to the devil! In the name of Jesus! Be glorified in me Father and show everyone around me that You are my God! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

________

© 2015 Daughters of the King Daily Devotionals. All Rights Reserved.

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Faith That Works

Let's be honest, with the world like it is, we need hope. Something that we can grab a hold of and lean on during these times. 

Let's get real honest, we need more than a normal faith, we need something that will move a mountain. Like the devotional title says, we need faith that works! 

People are looking and are in need of people who can move the mountains and will not be shaken in these tough times.

I need faith that works. Sometimes I think I need it more than air. I want to see the signs and wonders of God and yes, I know He needs someone that He can move through and I'm working on making sure I'm apart of that group.

So I am thankful for this little devotional to have something to hold on to and one day, I'm going to move a mountain.

God Bless.

Faith that Works

October 23

"If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move."- Matthew 17:20, NKJV

Are you discouraged because you have not received “anything from the Lord” as it relates to your prayer life?

When Jesus’ disciples were discouraged by their inability to get answers to prayer and so were ineffective in helping others, He encouraged them by pointing out that even faith the size of a mustard seed could move mountains. The key to faith that works is the foundation on which it is placed.

Base your faith in prayer on God’s Word. Ask Him to give you a promise that applies specifically to your situation. Then claim it persistently in prayer until God keeps His Word.

                                                                      From: Why?

Anne Graham Lotz - Angel Ministries

Living Life To The Fullest

When I think of living life to the fullest, I choke down a laugh. I barely get through one day let alone allow myself to think there is something more to life. 

Yet, something inside me cry's and yearns for something other than the life I'm living now. 

This little devotional speaks to my very soul and draws the hope I have hidden deep within me out. And I cling to it like I need to breathe. 

So with that being said, let's begin again living life to the fullest!

God Bless.

LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

By George Vinkon 

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:32-36 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:10

It’s time to listen to Jesus. God is not a spoilsport, eager to make our lives dull or dismal. His Son came to restore what was destroyed, to give life instead of death. Christ’s message is the message of wisdom personified. We are called to live in harmony with the Creator and his creation. The Lord promises his blessings to those who keep Wisdom’s ways. It’s a matter of listening to Wisdom’s instruction, being wise, and obeying the life teachings presented. Lady Wisdom promises life and favor from the Lord. She anticipates Jesus’ promise of life “to the full.” Life as God intended it for his children is the life of dreams fulfilled, promises kept, and relationships enjoyed. It’s the life of doing what’s right and being a blessing to others, showing God’s love in all we do. Full life builds community

Prayer:

Lord, give us eyes of wisdom to see your design for the full life of loving, caring, and enjoying your favor. Empower us with your Spirit, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

George Vink

A Confident Heart

I am not a confident person at all. I struggle for everything. I get frustrated easier than most people. 

So when this little devotional gives me hope that all is not lost in my life.

Life is truly a heart issue. A strong heart makes for a confident and happy life willing to be used by God in a way He sees fit.

God Bless.

A Confident Heart

by Joyce Meyer

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident!
—Psalm 57:7

Notice that this passage says that not only must our heart be fixed and steadfast, it must also be confident. I have discovered that staying confident at all times is vital to successful ministry.
I have found that even while I am busy ministering, even while I am up in front of an audience teaching, the devil will try to introduce thoughts into my head to make me lose confidence. For example, if two or three people look at their watches, the devil whispers to me, "They're so bored they can't wait to get out of here." 

If a couple of people get up and leave to go to the restroom, the devil will say, "They're leaving because they don't like your preaching."

Whatever we do for the Lord, the devil will try to do something to cause us to lose confidence. He doesn't want us to have confidence in our prayers. He doesn't want us to believe we can hear from God. He doesn't want us to have any confidence concerning the call on our life. He wants us to go around feeling like a failure. 

That is why we need to keep a confident heart within us all the time. We shouldn't drag ourselves out of bed each day in fear or discouragement. Instead, we should get up every morning prepared to keep Satan under our feet.

How do we do that? We do it by confidently declaring what the Word says about us such as, "I am more than a conqueror through Jesus. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. I am triumphant in every situation because God always causes me to triumph." As we will see, that not only causes the devil to leave us alone, but it also strengthens our confidence.

---

From the book New Day, New Youby Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Moving Water

I don't drink a lot of water and when I do I think it's blah. If I have to have water, I like flavored water and I can drink several bottles. 

However back in Jesus' day, water was really the only drinking option and it didn't come in bottles but one had to get it from a well. Needless to say water is very important for survival. 

So when Jesus talks about water, people understood the meaning of what He was saying. But like us today, it is hard to completely understand how Jesus can be living water. Thankfully Jesus understood this and without condemnation, He is willing and waiting to teach us.

God Bless.

Moving water has a fascination of its own. Creeks gurgle, waterfalls plummet, springs bubble, ocean tides crash. The bubbles, foam and noise draws us. The water sustains us. We need water for our physical life, but it also somehow soothes our spirit.

Desert animals travel many miles to find a water hole. City birds cluster in birdbaths or rain puddles. Grocery shoppers pay several dollars for plastic bottles of water. For thousands of years springs and wells provided the only access to clean water. City planners designed their locations around reliable water sources. Hauling water from long distances was hard, thirst-inducing work.

When Jesus compared life with Him to a never-ending, thirst-quenching spring, the image resonated with a hardworking Samaritan woman. Water got her attention, for she was thirsty.

Though she had come to the well to draw water, Jesus knew she needed more than physical water; she needed Him. She had tried to find satisfaction drinking from wells of the world, but no man had truly quenched her thirst. Then she met Jesus, who knew everything she ever did. This Man became a wellspring of life-giving truth that overflowed to her community.

What do you really thirst for? Do you long to know the meaning of your life? Are you longing for the kind of love that fills you up rather than drains you? Are you forever trying to find acceptance and respect? Or are those longings so deep and buried that you can't even say what you want or need? Perhaps you can't even get beyond just feeling... empty.

Only Jesus can identify those deep longings and fill your thirsty soul. Seek out the One who offers you living water. Come to Him. He won't be surprised at how empty you are. He knows everything you ever did. He's the wellspring who will fill you to overflowing with His goodness and love.

In this dry desert season of the heart, we are watered by God's promise of sustenance and fullness of life to come. 

- Wendy M. Wright

Praying God's Word

Do you sometimes get stuck in your prayer life like I do? Don't know who to pray for or how?

Well I came across this little devotional and it helped put things in perspective for me. This little devotional gives me a direction and a little help on where I can now go in my prayer life. I can now set aside my worries as to what to pray for and focus on hearing from God and praying what is on His heart.

God Bless.

Praying God’s Word

Have you ever needed to pray for someone, but the words just wouldn’t come? I was having one of those moments, when the Lord took me into Psalm 1-6, where I found heartfelt prayers written by King David and other writers. Here are prayers from Psalms that you can pray for your loved ones.

For prosperity:

Thank you LORD, that ________’s delight is on the law of the LORD, and on his law ________ meditates day and night. ________ is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither. Whatever ________ does prospers, in Jesus Name (see Psalm 1:2-3)!

For protection:

Thank you LORD that you are a shield around ________, O LORD, you bestow glory on __________ and lift up his head, in Jesus Name (see Psalm 3:3)!

In the name of Jesus, away from ______, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard his weeping. The LORD has heard his cry for mercy; the LORD accepts his prayer. All ______’s enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace (see Psalm 6:8-10).

In intercession:

LORD, how long will ________ turn your glory into shame? How long will he love delusions and seek false gods? Lord, I pray that _______ will know that you have set him apart for yourself; and I thank you that you, O LORD will hear _______ when he calls to You, in Jesus Name (see Psalm 4:2-3)!

Thank you LORD, that in his anger, _______ will not sin; when he is on his bed, he will search his heart and be silent, in Jesus Name (see Psalm 4:4)!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you that your Word is powerful! Thank you, that when I don’t know how to pray, you intercede on my behalf. Thank you for taking me to your Word! I believe the word I’ve prayed won’t return void, but will accomplish all that I sent it out to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

________

© 2015 Daughters of the King Daily Devotionals. All Rights Reserved.

Designed by charity: themes

The Room

Do you long for Jesus to show up at your church? I do. I wonder what that might be like. I'm sure it wouldn't be anything like it is today. 

When I think about it, I wonder if people would fall on their faces and repent or would they, including me, would I flee to the nearest exit.

Yeah, you could say I'm a dreamer and I'm all tough and spiritual but if I saw Jesus in the flesh, I have no doubt I would be shaking in my boots. Shoot, I shake now at the thought He might seep into the cranks and want to do something dramatic and change up my life. I have to admit it, I may complain about it, but I like how my life is and I don't relish the thought of it changing. 

But I'm a dreamer and my dream is that one day, I will be strong enough to allow Jesus into my life but also in to my church and when He finally does show up, I would be one of the ones who would fall on their faces with a welcoming smile, and allow Him to have His way.

God Bless

The room remained dark, except for the brief moment when a latecomer opened the back door, ushering in light. From my view-point, that light was a brilliant flash blocking out the face of the person entering. 

Occasionally I daydreamed that the latecomer was Jesus.


I pictured Him walking down the aisle. He looked around and walked slowly toward the front, finally reaching the steps below me and then ascending them. At the top of the stage, He turned to receive the worship being offered Him.

Sometimes I desperately long to see Jesus walk into my church. Can you imagine what would happen? People would grab their friends with diseases and run toward Him. Parents would carry their hurting children to Him. Those with addictions, emotional hurts and illnesses would stretch out their hands just to touch Him. Others would drop to their knees in adoration.

Unfortunately, many times I'm simply hoping that Jesus will "show up". As if He might be too busy to stop by my church. Yet by Jesus' very own words, He is already there. Jesus said, "For where two or three gather in 
My Name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20).

My daydream is a reality. Jesus is the sanctuary every time we gather with other believers. We need that truth to soak into our hearts.

The same Jesus who healed the blind man and raised the dead has come to our churches this week.
* * *

Author Unknown

Burning Questions

Do you ever have burning questions that can't or won't ever be answered? 

I do. But I know that the someday scenario will come into play but I'm always wondering in the now.

Thankfully I also put a huge trust and faith in someone who can lead me down a path that will be good for me and not one of harm and this little devotional helps put mind at ease and in perspective.

God Bless.

Burning Questions

David Egner

Exodus 3:1-6,10-14

“I am who I am” Exodus 3:14

An old Native American story tells of a young boy who was sent into the woods alone on an autumn night to prove his courage. Soon the sky darkened and the sounds of night filled the air. Trees creaked and groaned, an owl screeched, and a coyote howled. Even though he was frightened, the boy remained in the woods all night, as the test of courage required. Finally morning came, and he saw a solitary figure nearby. It was his grandfather, who had been watching over him all night long.

When Moses went deep into the desert, he saw a burning bush that didn’t burn up. Then God began talking to him from the bush, commissioning him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of cruel slavery to freedom. A reluctant Moses began to ask questions: “Who am I that I should go?”

God simply answered, “I will be with you.”

“Suppose I . . . say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God replied, “I am who I am. . . . [Say to them,] I am has sent me to you’ ” (Ex. 3:11-14). The phrase “I am who I am” can be interpreted, “I will be who I will be” and reveals God’s eternal and all-sufficient character.

God has promised always to be present with those who believe in Jesus. No matter how dark the night, the unseen God is ready to respond appropriately to our need.

Dear Father, thank You for Your never-changing character.

God is always present and at work.

Moses’ early life was marked by great opportunities for education, and his status as prince of Egypt allowed him to speak with great authority (Acts 7:22). How different from his life in the Midian desert, where he served his father-in-law as a shepherd, even as God prepared him to lead His people out of Egypt. Bill Crowder

Isaiah 41–42; 1 Thessalonians 1

It's a Monday and the weekend is over and you have to go back to the daily grind. Do you ever wonder if anyone you pass cares about what you are going through or have been through?

The answer is mostly likely no. We are a selfish people. However, there is a battle cry that has gone out and a new generation of people rising up to acknowledge and put others ahead of themselves. It's a small group but the movement is beginning to pick up speed.

However, if you can't wait for us Christians to get our act together, there is someone who is and will always be there. He cares more about you than you can possibly imagine and His love for you has no boundaries or endings. His name is Jesus and He's my friend who is anxiously awaiting for you to acknowledge Him.

God Bless.

God Cares!

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.- Romans 5:8, NIV

When have you felt so totally helpless that your prayer was fathoms deeper than mere words-it was a desperate heart’s cry? Was it when some bad thing happened to someone you love? Was it when you experienced . . .

a physical illness?

a financial collapse?

a severed relationship?

a social rejection?

Did you think because something bad happened, it indicated Jesus doesn’t really know what’s going on? Or that maybe He knows, but He’s not pleased with you? Or that if He does know, He just doesn’t love you or your family enough to do anything about it? Are you interpreting His love by your circumstances instead of interpreting your circumstances by His love? When we are tempted to question whether or not God cares, we are reminded that, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God does care!

From Why?

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How Can We Be Holy

This little devotional talks about grace. Something I feel we as Christians take more advangage of than the world.

In fact, I lean towards the thought that grace isn't so much for us Christians to do and go and be and drink, and party and still be holy on Sunday. But it's for the genuine person who is truly trying to turn their life around and want to live a better life and still has struggles that they just haven't gotten control over and need a little pick me up.

But who am I? A no body who was saved by the very subject in this devotional who still struggles with life and wonders if it's all worth it all. Thank God, my hope isn't in grace alone but the author of it, Jesus Christ, Himself and He is looking to pour more of it out on others who are in the highway's and byways of life.

God Bless.

How Can We Be Holy?

Of His [Jesus'] fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

John 1:16 NKJV 

God first reveals grace in the New Testament as the empowerment that gives us the fullness of Jesus. Grace is not first mentioned as a free gift or as the remittance of sins, although both these things are aspects of grace.

Grace is more than a “get out of jail free card.” It’s an unstoppable force that enables us to fulfill all God has called us to do. The primary function of God’s grace is to empower us, giving us the ability to go beyond our natural ability.

My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 TEV

In giving us the richest abundance of grace, God has given us the fullness of Jesus Christ Himself! This includes all of His characteristics. So one way to put it is that God’s grace has re-created us to be like Jesus and to live on the earth like He did.

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6 NIV)

This is no suggestion; it is God’s command! This charge might seem intimidating, especially when we are struggling with sin. But holiness is not a work of the flesh; it is a product of His grace. We will always struggle with sin if we don’t tap into the power God has given us to set us free. If we see grace as only covering our sins, of course we’re going to struggle to find victory. But when we take hold of His grace as He truly intended it—as an empowering force that enables us to be like Him—then we can acceptably serve Him (see Hebrews 12:28).

God knows that we are human. He knows where we are weak. We cannot live rightly on our own, which is why He gave us His grace. It gives us the ability to do what we cannot do in our own ability.

…we beg you who have received God’s grace not to let it be wasted… 

…So then, let us purify ourselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and let us be completely holy. (2 Corinthians 6:1; 7:1 TEV)

When God calls you to be holy, He is not setting you up for failure. He didn’t send Jesus to die and conquer death just so you could survive in a small, sinful life until you finally make it to heaven. He has made available to you all that you need to live a relentless life of victory and righteousness. Do you believe you can appropriate the grace He has placed before you and use it as He intended?

Author Unknown

Seven Sayings From The Cross

This little devotional is from a bigger devotional on the seven sayings from the cross but I wanted to share today's lesson with you.

I can't imagine being on a cross with a thief let alone being on a cross to die for the sins of this world. I don't love anyone enough to go to a cross.

But Jesus is amazing here. His williness to not only die for us here 2000 years later but he is willing to love and die for a thief right up to the end.

Yep, that's just the kind of guy Jesus is!

God Bless.

Seven Sayings from the Cross

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, 'Today shalt thou be with me in paradise'

- Luke 23:43

The second lesson we learn as we look to Jesus on the cross is this: think of others in the midst of your own suffering. Here, in the darkest hour in human history, we find the One who is suffering is thinking of others.

On the cross, Jesus was not only bearing the wounds from scourging, beating, slapping, and crucifixion -- he was bearing all the sins of all His people and the wrath of God for them. There are no words to describe or parallel experiences to illustrate the misery this must have been. It was literally hell on earth.

How unexpected, then, to see one of the thieves crucified next to him turn to him and ask for a place in his kingdom. But, as striking as that scene doubtless was, it must have been even more shocking to see the One who was suffering so much turn to the thief and speak to him words of comfort.

If Jesus can think of others at a time like this, surely we are utterly without excuse for ever being self-centered or self-absorbed in times of personal struggle or affliction. If Jesus can help and encourage and comfort while hanging on the cross, then we can certainly minister to others in the midst of our own pain or grief or loss.

Are you struggling under the weight of some great difficulty or sorrow? Then look to Jesus on the cross. Not only does he have words of comfort for you, but his example is a model for you. May looking to Jesus take your eyes off yourself and inspire you to reach out to those around you who are hurting and hopeless and needy.

 http://baptistbiblehour.org

Growing In Discernment

I love the gift of discernment what I don't like is not fully understanding how it works and why's, the buts, and everything in between.

So, I'm not ashamed to admit, I need all the help in this subject because I want this gift. I don't want to lacking in any area where God is concerned. One could say I want it to do good and not evil.

I can also say I want it so I don't fall into a trap of lies, deceit, and temptations. Call it what you will be I need help in this area because I can and will fall for anything, that's how weak I am in self-confidence. If this subject was on self-centeredness, then yeah, I'd write the book about the subject.

I believe it's a gift every Christian should have, who knows if we put it into practice, this world may be a better place and questioning stupid things would be in the past, and God's voice and His movements would be so abound there would be no entry way for satan and his minions to get into peoples lives.

God Bless.

Growing in Discernment

Jesus lived His life by discernment. His discernment was not based on the superficial senses of His flesh, it was the result of His intimate communion and relationship with His Father God.

This same gift of discernment is available to you and me through our relationship with God.

So how does it work? Before you do anything, you must quickly check with your spirit to see if the thing you are about to do is OK. If you have peace, then proceed. But if you are uncomfortable, confused or frustrated, remain still.

For instance, at times I've been at the mall getting ready to purchase something, but before I reached the checkout counter, I sensed a frustration in my spirit, which was like a nudge from the Holy Spirit not to make the purchase.

The exciting thing about moments like these is every time you and I choose to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit's promptings, our spirits grow stronger in God, and more and more of God's power is released in our lives to operate in the fruit of the Spirit.

Yield to the Holy Spirit and follow His promptings, and you will grow in the same discernment that Jesus walked in.

Prayer Starter: God, I don't want to make decisions based on my own fleshly desires. I want to walk in discernment. As I check with You when I'm making decisions, frustrate the desires I have that are not of You, and give me peace to follow Your way.

Author thought to be Joyce Meyer 

Your Three Best Weapons

Sometimes I feel like I'm never going to get off these front lines of the battle that rages against me. I long for peace, and normalcy, and everything in between.

I'm always on the look out to new information, strategies, and weapons to win the war and when I came across this little devotional that I had tucked away, I knew I had something powerful to use in my arsenal that will lead me to victory.

I just had to share in the hopes this will help you in your battles now and in the future.

God Bless.

Your Three Best Weapons

Through careful strategy and cunning deceit, Satan attempts to wage war against you and keep you in a mindset of defeat. But God has given you spiritual weapons to use against him. Here are the main three spiritual weapons you can use to fight off the enemy:

1. God's Word: Receive it through preaching, teaching, reading and private Bible study. Continue in the Word until it becomes revelation given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

2. Praise: This defeats the devil faster and more efficiently than any other battle plan, but it must be genuine heart-praise, not just lip service or a religious ritual.

3. Prayer: Prayer is relationship with the Godhead. It is communication with God, asking Him for help or talking with Him about whatever is on your heart. To have an effective prayer life, we must develop an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. Know that He loves you and that He wants to help you.

There is a war going on, but God is fighting on your side and has given you the weapons you need. Use them to send Satan running!

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You so much for giving me the spiritual weapons I need to fight my enemy. With Your help, I know that I can win the battle today!

Author thought to be Joyce Meyer Ministries