Trusting God's Competence

Do we truly believe what God's word tells us? Do we truly believe God will do what He stay's He will do?

Thank heavens God doesn't need our faith  to move the mountain but what He does need for us to believe He not only can but will move the mountain if it lines up with His will.

God hold's nothing good back from us and that is exactly what we need to know and have faith in.

Remember today and in the day's to come, God is good and He cannot lie. He will see us through.

God Bless.

Trusting God’s Competence

Praise God that he is able to bring about everything he says: ‘For no word from God will ever fail.’ Our God is the God of the impossible – he delights to take situations that seem beyond hope, such as that of the previously barren Elizabeth, speak his word of promise and then transform them. 

-Author Unknown

The Perfect Bride Of Christ

Who can't wait be atrend the ultimate wedding? For get rhe wedding of the century, this wedding is going to be one for the ages.

This wedding has been in the works for over two thousand year's and I believe it won't be much longer before we receive our invites.

Sure we are living in exciting times, but the time I am most looking for is the time when my Bridegroom calls me to come and be with Him and I say I do and will for all times. Oh what a glorious time that will be!

I can't wait won't you come with me so that together we can live the good life for evermore.

God Bless.

The Perfect Bride of Christ Song of Solomon reminds me of the unconditional love that God has for us. Every time I read it, I feel as if my eternal lover is describing me as a perfect being, despite my shortcomings, just like the Shulamite woman, who confesses that she is dark, yet lovely to look at. When we look at our spouse, we start comparing him or her to others, ignoring the fact that we are finding faults in God’s wonderfully and fearfully made creation. We harbor the spirit of covetousness. We whine about how he or she appears, dresses, walks and talks. On the contrary, Jesus says you are all fair, without spot or blemish. What an assurance we have in the Lover of our souls, Jesus Himself. He loves us, even when we sin because of wrong decisions. He gave His life as a sacrifice to redeem us from the wages of sin.

He sanctified and cleansed us with His blood, so as to present us to Himself, a glorious church, not having a single spot or wrinkle, so that His bride, the church, should be holy. The next time you start complaining about your spouse to another, look at him or her through the eyes of Christ. Then, marriages will last till His kingdom comes and divorces and extra marital affairs will be on the wane. His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Declaration I am the bride of Christ, holy and perfect, without blemish. My voice is sweet to His ears and my countenance is comely. Jesus is my beloved and I am His. He is my eternal lover and spouse.

-Author Unknown

Some Of Us Have Been Told

Have been told what to do with your life by someone you thought cared? If so, then this little devotional is for you.

Surely I can be the only one and ended up with massive scars because of it. Whether it was right or wrong, the only people who should have a say about your life is you, a spouse if you have one, and God.

Believe you me, when you make Him.the last choice instead of the first choice life can end disastrous leaving bitterness and hatred where love once stood.

So take it from me, don't let anyone deter you from your calling for the benefits outweigh the negative.

God Bless.

Some of us have been told what we want our whole lives. We’ve been told we should want to go out for sports or not. We should want a college education or a graduate degree or a particular career. We should want to date this person and not the other one. None of it is mean-spirited, of course, and no one means any harm. It just doesn’t sit well with us. It happens in our churches and schools and faith communities too. We’re told by someone what God wants us to do and not do. We’re told we shouldn’t drink or cuss or watch certain movies. We’re told we should want to have “quiet times” in the mornings and talk to strangers about “a relationship with God.” We’re told we should want to go on “mission trips” and “witness” to people, so we do it even if we don’t really know what the words mean. But often just for a while. After long enough, what looks like faith isn’t really faith anymore. It’s just compliance. The problem with mere compliance is it turns us into posers. Rather than making decisions ourselves, we do what everyone we respect tells us we ought to do, and we sacrifice our ability to make choices of our own.

The fix is as easy as the problem is hard. Instead of telling people what they want, we need to tell them who they are. This works every time.  We’ll become in our lives whoever the people we love the most say we are. God did this constantly in the Bible. He told Moses he was a leader and Moses became one. He told Noah he was a sailor and he became one. He told Sarah she was a mother and she became one. He told Peter he was a rock and he led the church. He told Jonah he’d be fish food and, well, he was. If we want to love people the way God loved people, let God’s Spirit do the talking when it comes to telling people what they want.  All the directions we’re giving to each other aren’t getting people to the feet of Jesus.

More often, the unintended result is they lead these people back to us. When we make ourselves the hall monitor of other people’s behavior, we risk having approval become more important than Jesus’ love.

-Author Unknown

Trusting God's Communication

Ever wonder if God hears you, or answers the way He does? Maybe it's time to look at the people of Israel and see how God communicated with them.

I can assure you He didn't always say yes and He wasn't always gentle but if you want to tell you like it is and His reasoning behind every word and every no, then God's your man.

Just remember if He doesn't sleep or slumber where Israel is concerned, then how much more is He watching over you? Yep, you guessed it...so trust in Him and trust He has your very heart in His hands.

God Bless.

Trusting God’s Communication Like Israel, cry out to God in all the battles you face today: ‘He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.’ Resolve to ask God for his insight into the situations you face – often it is only godly wisdom and not human strategy that will provide a way out. 

-Author Unknown

Are Any Of You Suffering Hardships?

This is a little bit of encouragement for any and all individuals who are going through a hardship.

Hardships aren't easy and it put it bluntly, they are hell and that is exactly what you think your going through when your in them. But this little devotional is here to encourage and uplift you.

And I don't care who you are, every one could some at one point or another in their lifetime; so be blessed.

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. (NLT) -James 5:13

Prayer is a silent, powerful tool, often overlooked. We should pray through the good times and the bad and everything in between. Take just one minute, think of a friend, and take slow deep breaths as you pray for that person. Be comforted in knowing that God heard you.

Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://www.jctrois.com/dailybibledevotion/

Free To Belong

What a title! Free to belong. But to belong to what? Great question and my answer to that would be: Free to belong to the one who bought and paid the ultimate price for your redemption.

When your in Him, this opens the door foe Jesus to move through you so you can help the hurting people in the world. That's what it is all about in a nut shell.

And if your like me, you need a friendly reminder: it isn't about me it's about the one who is living within me so that others might see His glory.

Amen and God Bless.

Free to Belong

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14-17 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. - Romans 8:16

When we find ourselves in a new job or a new school where we do not know anyone, it feels welcoming to have someone come alongside and help us become familiar with our new surroundings. A person who does that may show us around, introduce us to coworkers or friends, and help us to feel at home more quickly. That person is showing hospitality. Hospitality helps to make people feel welcome. Hospitality invites people in and gives them a sense of belonging. We all seek a place where we can feel comfortable. We seek a place where we belong and where we are accepted for who we are. We feel secure when we’re in a place where we do not have to pretend to be someone we are not. Through the resurrection of Jesus, the Spirit of God offers us the gift of hospitality and welcomes us into his family. God invites those who seek new life in Christ to come and make themselves comfortable in his presence.

Not all earthly families are welcoming and comfortable, but the freedom God offers us through the resurrection is the gift of belonging to his family, where we can come and share in all the privileges and responsibilities of being called God’s children. As our loving Father, God accepts us and loves us for who we are in Christ. Through the resurrection we are free to belong! Prayer: Father God, thank you for accepting us as your children. Just as you invite us through the gift of hospitality, may we extend that loving hospitality to others. In Jesus, Amen.

Laurie Zuverink https://today.reframemedia.com/devotions/free-to-belong#noredirect

God Shows His Love For Us

How do we see God demonstrating His love for us is a question I'm not sure we really take the time to fine the answer to.

Sure we answer it by saying all the right things; you know the ones, the sun in the sky, the moon at night, and the goosebumps that run up and down our arms.

But if we had to answer the question as if our lives depended on it, could we? Is it because it's too much of a heart issue? Or is it because we are to busy to care.

Either or, God loves us and He show's that love in a unique way that is special just for you and me.

Remember God is a individual God and what I need to see to know He loves me isn't going to be the same for anyone else but in when it all comes together, then stand back world, because son's and daughters of the King of King's will rise with power on their wing's to change the world.

God Bless.

God shows [demonstrates] his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Notice that “demonstrates” is present tense and “died” is past tense. “God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The present tense implies that this demonstrating is an ongoing act that keeps happening today. And will keep happening tomorrow. The past tense “died” implies that the death of Christ happened once for all and will not be repeated. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Why did Paul use the present tense (“God demonstrates”)? I would have expected Paul to say, “God demonstrated (past tense) his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Was not the death of Christ, when it happened, the demonstration of God’s love? And did not that demonstration happen in the past? I think the clue is given a few verses earlier. Paul has just said that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3–5). In other words, the goal of everything God takes us through is hope. He wants us to feel unwaveringly hopeful through all tribulations. But how can we? Paul answers in the next line: “Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). God’s love has been poured into our hearts. The tense of this verb means that God’s love was poured out in our hearts in the past (at our conversion) and is still present and active. God did demonstrate his love for us in giving his own Son to die once for all in the past for our sins (Romans 5:8). But he also knows that this past love must be experienced as a present reality (today and tomorrow) if we are to have patience and character and hope.

Therefore, he not only demonstrated it on Calvary; he goes on demonstrating it now by the Spirit in our hearts. He does this by opening the eyes of our hearts to taste and see the glory of the cross and the guarantee it gives that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).

-Author Unknown

Love Your Enemies, Do Good To Those Who Hate You

Yeah, love your enemies and do good to hate you is somerhing I would rather read over and pretend it isn't even in the bible. You know the saying, see no evil and this bible verse is evil.

However, I hate when there is a however because I know something is about to go down to not only help me grow but open the doors for God to move on my behalf as well as others.

So, however, if I love God, I have to make His word the authority in my life and set about to do what He tells me to do and He lay's it out plain and clear what I am to do when someone who hates me and who had made themselves my enemies. It just my pride who stops God's word from working in my life.

So with that being said, I have to tell myself to get over it and learn the art of what love can do.

God Bless.

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)

There are two main reasons why Christians should love their enemies and do good to them. One is that it reveals something of the way God is. God is merciful. “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10). “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). So, when Christians live this way, by God’s power, we show something of what God is like.

The second reason is that the hearts of Christians are satisfied with God and are not driven by the craving for revenge or self-exaltation or money or earthly security. God has become our all-satisfying treasure and so we don’t treat our adversaries out of our own sense of need and insecurity, but out of our own fullness with the satisfying glory of God. Hebrews 10:34: “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property [that is, you didn’t retaliate against your adversaries], since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” What takes away the compulsion of revenge is our deep confidence that this world is not our home, and that God is our utterly sure and all-satisfying reward. We know that we have “a better possession and an abiding one.” So, in both these reasons for loving our enemy we see the main thing: God is shown to be who he really is as a merciful God and as gloriously all-satisfying. The power to be merciful is that we have been satisfied with God’s mercy toward us. And the ultimate reason for being merciful is to glorify God, that is, to help others magnify him for his mercy. We want to show that God is magnificent. We want our love, by God’s mercy, to make God look great in the eyes of man.

-Author Unknown

A Prayer Of Forgiveness

Most of the time there seems to be a theme happening in my life that God is trying to deal with a certain area in my life and today and in the past that theme seems to be about forgiveness.

Forgiveness isn't an option but a command for a long and happy life. So in the end, the benefits of forgiveness outway what unforgiveness can do but that doesn't mean I have to like it but I choose life and it's my hope you will do and allow forgiveness to reign supreme.

God Bless.

A Prayer of Forgiveness

David C. McCasland

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27–28 Luke 6:27–36 1 Chronicles 13–15; John 7:1–27

In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to integrate an all-white public elementary school in the American South.

Every day for months, federal marshals escorted Ruby past a mob of angry parents shouting curses, threats, and insults at her. Safely inside, she sat in a classroom alone with Barbara Henry, the only teacher willing to instruct her while parents kept their children from attending school with Ruby.

Noted child psychologist Robert Coles met with Ruby for several months to help her cope with the fear and stress she experienced. He was amazed by the prayer Ruby said every day as she walked to school and back home. “Please, God, forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing” (see Luke 23:34). The words of Jesus spoken from the cross were stronger than the hatred and insults hurled at Him. In the most agonizing hours of His life, our Lord demonstrated the radical response He taught His followers: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you . . . . Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:27–28, 36). This remarkable approach is possible only as we consider the powerful love Jesus has given us—love stronger than even the deepest hatred. Ruby Bridges helped show us the way. Father, You have so graciously forgiven us. Help us today to forgive others who have wronged us.

Bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.

A Youngster's Heart

This little devotional is for all of us parents who are dealing with teenagers.

Who can't use some wisdom in how to deal with all those wonderful boy's and girl's who are living in a new generation where learning is a hassle, chores are a form of abuse, and spending time together as a family is boring.

God Bless each and every one of us parents today and in the times to come.

A youngster's heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away. (NLT) -Proverbs 22:15

This proverb is filled with valuable wisdom and can be applied with the struggles of parenting a teenager.

Students who have time on their hands often find themselves getting into trouble. Implementing a physical routine such as training for a marathon, playing tennis or working a job requiring physical labor and is good experience for them. It trains a teenager to be disciplined, focused on time management, and works out their extra energy. It's a rough road walking alongside and parenting a teen, but this wisdom is practical when applied.

Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://www.jctrois.com/dailybibledevotion/

Quote Of The Day - If You Focus On Your Problems

Who needs an attitude adjustment? And why does it matter? Here is a little devotional to give an insight as to why you attitude matters.

Remember, we have others watching what we do, what we say, and how we live. People are longing for something real, let realness be found in us!

God Bless.

Quote of the Day

-Joyce Meyer

“If you focus on your problems or your frustrations, your attitude is going to be negative and defeated. But when you put your focus on God and His promises for your life, your attitude will immediately change.” 

-Joyce Meyer, You Can Begin Again: No Matter What, It’s Never Too Late

Worry Is A Sin

Worry, can't live with it but according to God, we can live without it. And if we want to be in God's will, we must learn to be free from it.

But I say to the Lord all the time, do you see what is going on down here? Like David, I wonder at times if God has left us to our own device's. But thank God, He hasn't and no matter how big of a pity party I throw and devote myself to worry, God still loves me.

However, if I love God and want a better way to life, then I need to get off my high horse and show worry to the curb and demand it never return.

And if necessary, remind worry it has no place in my life if it is stupid enough to keep coming back. What can I say, it is a process.

God Bless.

"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" - (Matthew 6:27)

Devotional

Jesus warns that we should not worry.

Margaret Feinberg penned this quote, "worry is a subtle way of telling God that Hes fallen asleep at the wheel and that things arent under His authority, but ours". How dare we challenge God's control of the universe? Worry, anxiety, doubt, fear, and unbelief cause us to. Worry is a sin it's like a rocking chair that keeps us moving, but takes us nowhere. The recipe for overcoming worry: learn to trust God and all that He does and allows. We can't change or control anything. God is trustworthy He has a proven track record therefore we can trust Him and overcome worry.

-Author Unknown

Instead, Be Kind To Each Other

What the world needs now is a little bit of kindness and a whole lot of love.

I can't help but wonder, if we do one act of kindness per day, it might start a revolution that not only can change your neighborhood, you town, your county but also your state, then eventually the world.

Let's try something new and be kind to one another.

God Bless.

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (NLT) -Ephesians 4:32

Is there someone in your life you struggle to show kindness towards? Maybe that one person who just pushes your buttons? God instructs us to instead of responding with irritation or anger, to be kind and forgive. How might embracing this model might transform some of your relationships? Imagine how laying down your “right” to be offended could pave the way for you to show a bit of God’s unconditional love to others! Be a vessel of God’s goodness through the simple choice to show kindness as you go through your day.

Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://www.jctrois.com/dailybibledevotion/

Tips For Joy

You need or want joy in your life, well this little devotional will and can help you out.

Joy is a wonderful thing and has so many benefits to living a ling and healthy lives. One might say, you can't live without it. So be blessed and make a decision to live a life of joy from this point forward and see what it can do not only for you but also for those you love, and for those you don't. You never know, your joy just might be their answer to seek  a life change.

God Bless.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

In this life of sin and pain, joy is embattled. Just like faith. And Paul says to Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12).

So it is with joy. We must work for it and fight for it. Paul said to the Corinthians, “We work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

How then shall we fight for joy? Here are 15 pointers.

Realize that authentic joy in God is a gift.

Realize that joy must be fought for relentlessly.

And don’t be put off by the paradox of these first two pointers!

Resolve to attack all known sin in your life, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Learn the secret of gutsy guilt — how to fight like a justified sinner.

Realize that the battle is primarily a fight to see — to see God for who he is.

Meditate on the Word of God day and night.

Pray earnestly and continually for open heart-eyes and an inclination for God.

Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself.

Spend time with God-saturated people who help you see God and fight the fight.

Be patient in the night of God’s seeming absence.

Get the rest, exercise, and proper diet that your body was designed by God to have.

Make a proper use of God’s revelation in nature — take a walk in the woods.

Read great books about God and biographies of great saints.

Do the hard and loving thing for the sake of others (your verbal witness and deeds of mercy).

Get a global vision for the cause of Christ, and pour yourself out for the unreached.

Every one of those has Bible verses to support it. If you want to see them, they are in the book, When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy.

Ask, Seek, And Knock

This has seems to be one of the most easiest things God ask us to do except for when we don't receive the thing we are asking for.

It is at this moment when doubt and anger seep in. So I have to wonder, seeing I've experienced this sort of thing a time or two, where did I go wrong or did I?

Maybe after reading this little devotional, I had better start at the beginning again, take my time, and maybe ask God for His advice in getting my end results. 

According to the scriptures, everything has to have His stamp of approval and what better way of getting it than to put my faith not in myself but in the one who told me to ask, seek, and knock in the first place and keep the faith until the bitter end.

God Bless.

"Ask, and it shall be given you seek, and ye shall find knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" - (Matthew 7:7)

Devotional

Jesus tells us to ask, seek and knock for what we desire. A child is relentless and fearless in pursuit of what he or she wants. They will ask for what they want without processing the claim beforehand. They ask! Here Jesus tells us to ask, seek and knock for the things we desire. It's common sense really, but our adult minds sometimes rationalize everything to the nth degree and before we know it, we chicken out and keep silent. Today, we will let common sense prevail we will ask to get, seek to find, and knock for the door to be opened for us.

-Author Unknown

Focus On God

Where is our focus now a day's? Our job? Money? Bill's? Kid's?

We talk about the kids having so many distractions, we adults don't realize just how many we have in our every day life.

We can blame the government, others, and our circumstances for the change that has taken place but haven't we, ourselves committed to some of those things buky allowing ourselves to focus on the now moment's rhat we have pushed God to the background all the while saying, I will make Him a priority tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow might be better but somehow never is.

I am just as guilty as you are and all I can say it is time to stop and get back to the basics of being a Christian and start putting God first. I can't help but wonder what our world might be like if we did just that.

I will just let that sit right here to be pondered and end it with a God Bless.

Focus on God

We must focus our eyes, attention, desires, wants, needs and thoughts on Jesus. We must be rooted and grounded in Him. In today’s world, we can easily get caught up in the daily routines and problems and lose sight of our true purpose in life. Scriptures emphasize the need for Jesus to be the center of everything. We need to place Him first in everything we do. When we focus on God, in our walk through life, we will start running towards all the promises that God has in store for us. We will start running towards victory in every aspect of our life, and who doesn’t want a life of victory?

The Bible tells us about the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:39-40). Martha was so engrossed and busy working that she missed out on spending time with Jesus. She lost her focus. Mary, on the other hand, sat down at the feet of Jesus and decided to keep her focus on God. Similarly, our attention must be fixed on God. All we need to do is eliminate all the other voices, sit down at the feet of Jesus, meditate on His Word and spend time with Him in worship. I encourage you today to make Jesus your everyday priority and the center of your life. Make it your goal to have a deep and intimate relationship with God. Let Him into every area of your life. In everything you do, seek God’s kingdom first, and He will give you everything you need.

Prayer Father God, no matter what the situation or struggle I may find myself in, help me to focus and keep my eyes on Jesus. Amen.

-Author Unknown

Quote Of The Day - Faith, Gratitude, And Rest

The secret to coping with life is found right here in this little devotional and the only thing we have to do is live by the word's found written below.

It's time to grow up and get over ourselves  and live a life of victory by not allowing the circumstances to pull us down to thw pit's of hell so satan can have his way with us.

Arise and look up, indeed our redemption is near! Thank you, Jesus for standing with me and for me when I turn my eyes to the problem and not to the source of my answer. You are indeed, the only thing I need to make it through this thing call life.

God Bless.

Quote of the Day

-Joyce Meyer

“Faith, Gratitude, and Rest So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God. 1 CORINTHIANS 2:5

Faith allows us to rest—both mentally and emotionally. Even our will gets a rest when we have faith in God. We don’t worry or reason, we are not upset or downcast, and we are not trying to make something happen that is not God’s will—we are thankful that God is in control so that we can rest! Paul sang praises to God while he was in jail. Jesus prayed for others while He was being crucified. Joseph decided that if he was going to be a slave, he would be the best slave his owner ever had. All throughout Scripture, we see the connection between faith, gratitude, and rest. We need to be honest about what the real cause of our stress is. Is it really our circumstances in life, or is it the way we respond to the circumstances? There is a rest that comes with gratitude and faith. This is a rest we can live in every day.

Prayer of Thanks I thank You today, Father, that I can live in rest. I don’t have to worry or be downcast when I face challenges. Thank You that I can have faith, knowing that You are the One in control.”

-Joyce Meyer, The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for

Here Is The Deal

Here is the deal, your special; created im God's image which makes you very uniquely beautiful. There will never be anyone like you again.

So with that being said, it's okay to be you. Be you, living a life by the scriptures, not allowing satan to tell you anything otherwise, and sit back and watch what God can do through you.

You were meant for great things so stopping being so stingy and share the wealth of who you are in Christ.

God Bless.

Here’s the deal: when we act like someone we’re not, it’s because we’re not happy with who we are. We usually think we need other people’s permission or love or approval before we can live our lives and pursue our beautiful ambitions. It’s both good and bad. It’s good if it causes us to want to pursue Jesus’ love and approval more. But it’s bad if we miss out on who God uniquely made us to be so we can be who someone else thinks we should be.  God has never looked in your mirror or mine and wished He saw someone else.

Every time we fake it and aren’t authentic, we make God’s love for us look fake too. He doesn’t have a wax figure of us somewhere that looks smarter or taller or shorter or skinnier or more ripped than us. He doesn’t want us to just look different. He wants us to become love. It won’t be because we talked about who we wished we were over and over again or because we gave ourselves enough positive affirmations in the mirror. Only love has the power to get us there. God is not shaking His head in disapproval as we make our way toward Him. He’s got His arms outstretched, welcoming us home to Him with love. I bet if we could hear what He’s thinking, we’d hear Him whispering, “You’ve got this. Just keep moving toward Me.” Do you want to do something amazing for God?

Trade the appearance of being close to God for the power of actually being close to God. Quit talking a big game and go live a big faith. One of Jesus’ friends said if we want to get it right, we need to live a life worthy of the calling we’ve received. The call is to love God and the people around us while we live into the most authentic version of ourselves. We weren’t just an idea God hoped would work out someday.

We were one of His most creative expressions of love, ever. Lose the wax. Don’t fake it; sync it up. Go be you.

-Author Unknown

Why Are You Afraid?

Fear, I got to say, it's on my top ten list to never deal with it or to acknowledge it even exists.

But it stares me in the face when I fear we don't have the money to pay the bills, or something touches my son and I'm the new WebMD, or when I fear my husband's cancer will come back.

So in essence, fear is never a good thing and must be dealt with right away because if you don't, it will find a crack in your soul and plant itself deep making it that much harder to get rid of.

I know it can be conquered because Jesus said it could and if I kove Jesus like I say I do, then it must be cast out to the deepest end of the sea and when it's no longer in control of my life, I am free to be me and there isn't anything better.

God Bless.

Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (NLT) -Mark 4:40

The disciples had been with Jesus enough to see many miracles done but yet they underestimated the power He had to control the wind. You may not be aware of your fears, but they drive at the heart of your words, actions, and attitudes. Take a moment and think about your fears. Now, think about each time Jesus has performed miracles in your life. When you uncover your fears and approach them with His past faithfulness, your fears will lose all control. Do you allow your fears to overtake your faith?

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Don't Forget To Show Hospitality To Stangers

When I am out and about, I never give it a thought, I might be in the mist of an angel.

Most of the time, I just want to get my stuff done and get back to the comfort of my home.

So when I came across this little devotional, you might say I had a lightbulb moment....what if and it could have already have happened without me knowing and maybe it is time to shift my mindset.

I can't help but wonder if and when I do, the benefit will be beyond what I could think or imagine.

And of course, it would be the coolest thing to ever have happen to me. So yeah, let the mindset change begin.

God Bless

Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (NLT) -Hebrews 13:2

Is it possible an angel has dined at your table? Have you ever shown hospitality to a stranger? If the answer is yes, well done faithful servant! Imagine how believers would be received among nonbelievers if we had a reputation of showing uncommon kindness to strangers. What are some thoughtful ways you could show hospitality to strangers this week?

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Glory In All Things

This little devotional is soooooo good! If you are dealing with self-doubt, worthlessness, or anything in between, then this little devotional is for you.

We must stop complaining about where God is when the big thing's doesn't happen and begin to look at where God is and we will more than likely find Him in the small things.

In fact, it's about time we start giving God glory in everything not because we want to but because He deserves it.

As I get older in life, I can't help but think where I might have been if I adapted this concept when I was just starting out. But thank God, for His mercy and grace that are new every morning so that I might have the chance to give Him the glory every chance I get.

God Bless.

Glory in All Things

Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow aspects of life are all not ordained by God. They are ordained by Him equally as much as the profound. A famous athlete in America hated warming up before his training. One day, he pulled a muscle so badly he had to be in bed for days. Then he remembered his coach’s advice and changed for the better. The coach always said, “You not only represent the country, but also represent me.” Similarly, we not only represent the kingdom of God, but God Himself. We are His ambassadors on this earth. Our very life must bring glory to His name. Beware of posing as a profound person - God Himself became a baby (to fulfil His plan for mankind). To be shallow is not a sign of being sinful nor is shallowness an indication that there is no depth in your life at all. Every ocean has a shore. Even the shallow things of life such as eating and drinking, walking and talking are ordained by God. We are safe guarded by the shallow things of life. There are times we become so pompous and proud that we do not want to be mixing about anymore. We consider ourselves superior.

The Supreme God fellowshipped with Adam and Eve, Jesus ate and drank with His disciples and the people. So, shouldn’t we be more like our Lord and reach out to the ‘least’, loving the ‘drop outs’ of life and inviting them to the same place of worship we go to? The Church is not made up of a set of perfect people, but it is a set of sinners, saved by a Savior who has got them on the right track and are now in turn leading others to Christ.

Prayer Lord, help me not to think more about myself but about others, and consider others better than myself, bringing glory to Your name. Amen.

-Author Unknown

Have No Fear

Fear has no place in the life of a Christian.  We must learn to overcome it if we want a life of freedom and isn't that what we are all striving for? Freedom in Christ is life worth living!

God Bless.

Have No Fear

by Joyce Meyer

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
—1 John 4:18 KJV
Have you ever started to step out in faith and, even at the thought of it, felt fear rising up in you? It happens to everyone, but it is important to realize that the source of fear is Satan.
Satan doesn’t want you to do what God wants you to do and receive all God has for you, so he sends fear to try to torment you into being doubtful and miserable. Fear is an evil spirit that hinders progress.
But you can live without fear by building your faith on what God has said in His Word. There is great power in confessing the Word of God. So when Satan attempts to torment you with fear, confess what the Word says—that the Lord is with you and “will not fail you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Take steps of faith even if you have to “do it afraid.”

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From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

It's Easy To Love Kind, Lovely Humble People

Isn't this the truth? Humble, kind, and loving people are so much more easy ti get along with and find things in common with and even laugh with.

I will take these kind of people any day over people who think they are a know it all but if I love love God like I say I do, then I must see people through God's eyes and I just might be surprised at what I see in them for God loves them all, each and every one.

God Bless.

 It’s easy to love kind, lovely, humble people. I mean, who wouldn’t? These are the ones I’ve spent much of my life loving. Loving the people who are easy to love made me feel like I was really good at it. Because the people I loved were kind and wonderful, they made sure they told me what a great job I was doing loving them.  What I’ve come to realize, though, is that I was avoiding the people I didn’t understand and the ones who lived differently than me. Here’s why: some of them creep me out.

Sure, I was polite to them, but sadly, I’ve spent my whole life avoiding the people Jesus spent His whole life engaging. God’s idea isn’t that we would just give and receive love but that we could actually become love. The way we do this can be summarized like this:  His plan is that we would love everybody, always.  People who are becoming love see the beauty in others even when their off-putting behavior makes for a pretty weird mask. What Jesus told His friends can be summed up in this way: He wants us to love everybody, always—and start with the people who creep us out. The truth is, we probably creep them out as much as they do us. Are there people you should give a wide berth to? You bet. There are people in my life and yours who are unsafe, toxic, and delight in sowing discord wherever they go. God gave us discernment, and we should use it as we live our lives. He’s also given us love and understanding and kindness and the ability to forgive, which have power we often leave untapped. There’s a difference between good judgment and living in judgment. The trick is to use lots of the first and to go a little lighter on the second if we want to live the big life Jesus talked about.   

To learn more about Bob Goff's book, Everybody, Always, click here: https://amzn.to/2I5UF4K