Stay Out Of Strife

Wisdom mixed with a little bit of food for thought.

Be encouraged.

God Bless.

Stay Out of Strife

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right - by Joyce Meyer

Probably 80 percent of the places we visit in our ministry have church members who are riddled with strife. Strife is the devil's tool against us. It takes personal self-control to stay out of strife.

If you want to keep peace, you can't always say everything you want to say. Sometimes you have to control yourself and apologize even when there is nothing in you that wants to do so. But if you sow the godly principle of harmony and unity today, a time will come when you will reap the blessings of all it can bring to you.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to immediately recognize and avoid strife, and to always walk in peace and self-control, amen.

Close

Thankful. Wisdom overload mixed with a whole lot of encouragement.

God Bless.

Close

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (NLT) -Psalm 34:18

God knows your heart! He knows your hurts,

pain, grief, and how much you need his help to get through each day. He is

close to you as you navigate feelings of grief, loss, disappointment, stress,

and more. Ask God to give you the strength to be present, to find joy, and to

experience his supernatural peace even when you walk through a season of

heartbreak. He is close to you in every season. 

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Promise

He is faithful. And for me this little devotional gives my encouragement to keep the faith.

Be encouraged.

God Bless.

"Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him." - (Genesis 21:1-2)

Devotional 

Sarah and Abraham were old and way past the childbearing stage, but God gave them a promise and even though they doubted God, He was faithful in fulfilling the promise to them. You will not get an explanation from God, BUT you will definitely get a promise which will sustain you until its fulfillment. An explanation, however, will not suffice and is subject to change with circumstances. Trust the promise that God has given you He is FAITHFUL to perform it!

-Author Unknown 

Quote Of The Day - Trust Him

Words to live by. Thank you, Lord! 

God Bless.

Quote of the Day -Joyce Meyer

“Trust in Him If it’s not already here, your next change is on the way. Build your trust in God now by preparing your heart through spending time in His Word and coming to Him in prayer.” 

-Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

God Will Not

Thankful, Lord You have not let go no matter what happens in this life. 

Thankful for the encouragement.

God Bless.

God will not let you go. The big news of the Bible is not that you love God, but that God loves you! He tattooed your name on the palm of his hand. His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the shore. You never leave his mind, escape his sight, or flee his thoughts. You need not win his love. You already have it.

He sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise him; he sees them now. Every day and deed of your life has passed before his eyes and been calculated in his decision. He knows you better than you know you and has reached this verdict: he loves you still.

No discovery will disillusion him. No rebellion will dissuade him. He loves you with an everlasting love. God’s love – never failing, never ending.

-Author Unknown 

Good Things Are On The Way

Lord, we are all in need of changes. May good things indeed be on the way. 

Be encouraged.

God Bless.

Good Things Are on the Way

Adapted from the resource Quiet Times with God - by Joyce Meyer

Sometimes when you’ve had a long series of painful or disappointing things happen, you can get to a point where you are just expecting more of what you’ve already had. But if you are expecting something bad to happen, those expectations will steal your joy and make it almost impossible to live a victorious life.

Instead of expecting the worst, choose to expect the best. Decide in your quiet time with God that you are going to hope for and expect good things. When you do, this opens the door to God’s plan in your life (see Lamentations 3:25).

The next time you are having a bad day, examine your expectations, and if you find they are not what they should be, you can quickly make an adjustment that will bring God’s reassuring peace and uncontainable joy back into your life.

Prayer of the Day: Father, anytime I feel discouraged or weary, help me remember that there is always hope. Help me be filled with hope in You and positive expectation. You are good, and I believe You want to be good to me, amen.

Quote Of The Day - When You Pray

Wisdom! Let the word's sink in and we begin to live by them 

God Bless.

Quote of the Day -Joyce Meyer

“When you pray be sure that you listen as well as talk. You have things you want to say to God but He also has things He wants to say to you.” 

– Joyce Meyer

Defeating Discouragement

This! 

Be encouraged.

God Bless.

Defeating Discouragementby 

Joyce Meyer -

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God. 
—Psalm 42:5 

In today's verse, the psalmist is clearly discouraged. Discouragement destroys hope, so naturally the enemy tries hard to discourage us. Without hope we give up, which is exactly what the devil wants us to do. 

The Bible repeatedly tells us not to be discouraged or dismayed. God knows that we will not be strong or victorious if we lose our courage, and He wants us to be encouraged, not discouraged. When discouragement tries to overtake you, the first thing to do is to examine your thought life. What kinds of thoughts have you been thinking? Have they sounded something like this? I am not going to make it; this is too hard. I always fail; I may as well give up. God probably doesn't answer my prayers because He is so disappointed in the way I act. 

If these examples represent your thoughts, no wonder you despair! You become what you think. Think discouraging thoughts, and you will get discouraged. Change your thinking and be set free! 

Love Yourself Today: Instead of thinking negatively, think more like this: Well, things are going a little slowly, but, thank God, I am making some progress. I am sure glad I'm on the right path. I had a rough day yesterday. I chose wrong thinking all day long. Father, forgive me, and help me to keep on keeping on. This is a new day. You love me, Lord. Your mercy is new every morning. I refuse to be discouraged. Father, You sent Jesus to die for me. I'll be fine—today will be a great day. I ask You to help me choose right thoughts today. 

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

No Matter What

Amen. And some more amen! 

God Bless.

No matter what happens in our lives, Jesus is with us because He lives in us. When you feel happy, He is there. When you feel lonely, afraid, weary, or hopeless, He is there. You can talk to Him and hear from Him at any time, in any place, under any circumstance.

-Author Unknown 

Brevity Of Life

Wisdom and encouragement written below.

Be encouraged.

God Bless.

Brevity of Life

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (NLT) -Psalm 90:12

It's easy to push aside the knowledge that life is short. That is, until we hear of a loved one who passes. When we really come to value our life, it becomes less important to have additional time and more important to have quality time. We grow in wisdom with our choices of how we spend our time. Let's stay sensitive to how we spend our time, where we spend our time, and with whom we spend our time.

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Inspiration

This little devotional gives off some serious food for thought vibes.

Hope you find something meaningful in the word's written below.

God Bless.

Inspiration 

The Bible is a big book. And even when we try to read it daily, it’s easy to get distracted and forget what we’ve read. How vital it is that we invite the Holy Spirit to guide our study so that the word can be meaningful for us, and weave itself into the desires of our hearts and the thoughts of our minds.

Prayer 

Lord, thank You for Your word. As I read, please reveal Yourself to me through the words You’ve provided. Use Your word to conform the desires of my heart to Your love and compassion. And grant me wisdom through Your words so that my thoughts may dwell more richly on Your truth and the knowledge of hope that I have in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

-Author Unknown 

Each Time

Found this one interesting.

Be encouraged.

God Bless.

Verse of the Day

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.– 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

Prayer

Abba Heavenly Father, EL SHADDAI, God Almighty, thank You for this day. Thank You for the good plan You have for me. I believe it is my time of set favor; it’s my time to rise higher; it’s my time to experience every breakthrough and every blessing You have in store for me

Lord, do Your will in my life. If I live but one more day, help me make it the best day of my life. Help me to fill my life with peace, joy, contentment, and service. Prepare our hearts today for the battles we will need to face against evil and Satan. Equip us with the armor needed to fight so that we know that you are with us and protecting us.

YAHWEH-RAPHA , The Lord Who Heals, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me. I look forward to today knowing that You are with me, leading me in victory. I commit myself unto Your grace because it will guide me on and on.

Make my aspirations for myself realistic and worthwhile. Help me to keep my wits about me, to do the things I like rather than those things that are done merely to impress others.  In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Promise of the Day

I will meet all your needs so you can overflow with good works. God Promises He Will Meet All of Our Needs in Christ

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2nd Corinthians 9:8

Prayer Quote of the day

Our President has given symbolic support to the National Day of Prayer but I believe that our nation needs an impassioned call to our collective knees.

Author: Jonathan Falwell

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The Lord

Food for thought along with a little encouragement.

God Bless.

Deuteronomy 18:15

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

God our Father has been working through people for quite some time, revealing Jesus Christ in His perfect timing.  God did something amazing and sent His Son armed with a message of grace, mercy, and repentance.  We must listen to Jesus - He is the way, the truth, and the life: the only way to enter into relationship with God the Father.  There's no getting around Jesus.

Verse/Commentary courtesy of 'Verse-A-Day' android app.

http://www.verse-a-day.com/Apps

Love Each Other

We have to do better. We must represent.

Stay encouraged.

God Bless.

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (NLT) -Romans 12:10 

How sad it is to see Christians persecuting others for their religion. Of course, it's important to share our faith, but we need to do it as a light to others through love. Desecrating other religions only ostracizes and angers its followers further from wanting to learn more about the love of Christ. Use your faith for good. Respect others and keep the golden rule in mind - love one another. 

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Call Upon The Name Of The Lord

Thank God we can call upon Him and He head's our cry and will move heaven and earth to move your mountains. 

And more than anything, He will move heaven and earth to save you so He can call you His own.

God Bless.

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."(Acts 2:21)

Devotional 

A portion of Peter's sermon to the people during Pentecost referenced from what Joel the prophet had spoken. In times of deep distress and sorrow sometimes it's only the whisper of the name of the Lord that gets one through turmoil. Even as the tears stream down a face or runs silently inside with each breath you wait for salvation to come. Calling on the name of the Lord is therapeutic it calms your nerves, soothes your doubts, strengthens your bones, lifts your spirit, and definitely saves you. Whatever the situation you are facing today, call on the name of the Lord, you will be saved!

-Author Unknown 

Legacy

Wow. This little devotional will make you think. 

And while you think, just keep in mind how worthy He truly thinks you are to leave Heaven and give Himself for your sins.

Your worthy of it all.

God Bless.

Legacy

God has chosen you to leave a legacy of worthiness that can change peoples lives. At the core of who you are, believe that you are worthy! Keep fighting to leave this legacy. So that one day, you can hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Through this Bible study, I hope that you are now beginning to live a worthy lifestyle, and for the first time, you can look at others and yourself as worthy. There are people throughout your life who will need this message of hope.

When these people come across your path, share your strength, hope, and experience with them.

To believe and behave in a worthy lifestyle is a gift, which the grace of God and your hard work has given to you. God has chosen you to leave a legacy of worthiness that can change peoples lives. 

At the core of who you are, believe that you are worthy! Keep fighting to leave this legacy so that one day you can hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

-Author Unknown 

Quote Of The Day - God Tries

Thank heavens He doesn't give up.

God Bless.

Quote of the Day -Joyce Meyer

“God tries to tell us in His Word how much He loves us and He accepts us, and that even though He already knows every mistake we will ever make, He still chose us for Himself.” 

-Joyce Meyer, The Approval Fix: How to Break Free from People Pleasing

Worry

Whatever has you in out of your peace, it ain't worth it. 

But I understand it and offer this little devotional as encouragement for whatever you may be going through.

God Bless.

Worry has more questions than answers, more work than energy, and thinks often about giving up. Not enough time, luck, credit, wisdom, intelligence. We’re running out of everything it seems, and so we worry. But worry doesn’t work. You can dedicate a decade of anxious thoughts to the brevity of life and not extend it by one minute. Worry accomplishes nothing.

God doesn’t condemn legitimate concern for responsibilities, but rather the continuous mindset that dismisses God’s presence. Destructive anxiety subtracts God from the future, tallies up the challenges of the day without entering God into the equation.

Jesus gives us this challenge: “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:32-33 NLT).

-Author Unknown 

Devil Took Him

This little devotional offers some major food for thought. 

May we continue to fight Satan's way's and give him no room or any more power he already has had.

God Bless.

Matthew 4:8-11

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Ultimately, Satan wants us to worship him, instead of God. Too often, he succeeds in this, and we are tricked into worshiping idols to the extent that we endanger our ability to delight in the Lord God. We choose entertainment, hobbies, and so many other things and try to use them in place of our Lord. We worship them and look to them to fulfill us. Sadly, we do this with other people as well; both in friendships and marriages. No one can replace God in your life, and it's a fools errand to worship anything else in His place. Remain in the love of Christ: worship God alone.

Verse/Commentary courtesy of 'Verse-A-Day' android app.

http://www.verse-a-day.com/Apps

Trust God's Grace

Here's some good advice. Be encouraged.

God Bless.

Trust God’s Grace

Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman - by Joyce Meyer

I discovered years ago that every time I became frustrated it was because I was trying to do something myself, in my own strength, instead of putting my faith in God and receiving His grace (help). Receiving a revelation of God's grace was a major breakthrough for me. I was always "trying" to do something and leaving God out of the loop. I tried to change myself and my husband and children, tried to get healed, tried to prosper, tried to make my ministry grow, and tried to change every circumstance in my life that I did not like. I was frustrated because none of my trying was producing any good results.

God will not permit us to succeed without Him. If He did, we would take the credit that is due Him. If we could change people, we would be changing them to suit our purposes, which would steal their freedom to make their own choices. I finally learned to pray for what I thought needed to be changed and let God do it His way in His timing. When I began trusting His grace, I entered His rest. Grace is always flowing to us in every situation, but it must be received by faith.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, please give me the understanding of Your grace that frees me from doing things in my own strength. Help me to do my part and rest in the fact that You will do the rest, amen.

Phone A Friend

What if we just start thinking about others instead of focusing on ourselves and our problems. 

Maybe it's time to become an encourager instead of someone who fears someone else down without know all sides to a story. The world might have the ability to change in a day!

God Bless.

Phone a Friend

As a Christian, you know the body has many parts. You need another person with whom you can check in and be accountable while on this journey. 

Remember, James 5:16 says: "Confess your faults…so you may be healed." The reverse is also true. Keep your faults (secret thoughts, behaviors) to yourself, and you will stay sick! 

When you believe or behave sinfully, you keep yourself sick, which can cause more worthless thoughts to resonate in your heart. You must push past your comfort zone to become and stay healthy. There should be no "lone rangers" in the Christian walk, and there should definitely be no "lone rangers" in your worthy journey, if worthlessness has had a stronghold in your life. 

Remember, if you humble yourself, you can be free and experience the true feelings of being worthy. Taking time to make a daily phone call and saying, "Feelings of worthlessness are attacking me," is a big task all by itself to accomplish. When you are not alone, you are accountable, and you allow others to mentor you and pour words of life into your heart. We all need relationships. Part of the battle is making phone calls, feeling connected and getting acceptance right at the beginning of the day. If you can make a phone call early in the morning, you will find strength in your day. 

Like prayer, calling a trusted friend is a tool you can use to help yourself get stronger. The people you call may benefit just as much, if not more, than you will. Make a phone call every day. You do not need to philosophically agree with this concept or have a good feeling about it to decide if you will do it. This phone call serves the purpose of accepting your worth in Christ for the rest of your life. You are worthy of love, respect, honor, and a great life.

-Author Unknown 

Quote Of The Day - The Facts

Amen!

God Bless.

Quote of the Day -Joyce Meyer

“The facts about our past are powerless against the blood of Jesus and the Truth of His Word.” 

– Joyce Meyer

Jesus Will

Amen and Thank you, Lord!

God Bless.

Jesus will always help us make good decisions.

-Author Unknown 

God Is Good

Amen! Thank you, Father for Your goodness from start to finish.

God Bless.

God is good! Goodness is part of His character and essence...He is good all the time!

- Author Unknown