Move That Moutain
I Corinthians 13:2, “And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity(love), I am nothing.”
Greetings Friends! I pray today that this finds you content and happy in all you have. Today may we find ways to move mountains that may be standing in the way of achieving happiness, success, or a closer walk with God. Sometimes, as we go through life we continue to have obstacles get in the way of plans we have made. Many times, those bumps in the road keep growing until they feel like mountains protruding up from the very depths of the earth. We are succeeding in moving several mole hills, and pushing through the holes and bumps along the road. Several times we found no way around them until we put our focus back on God and allowed Him to guide us over the obstacles. Figuring out that, had we not chosen His way of survival in this world first, maybe those bumps wouldn’t have turned into mole hills. Sure, we need to make choices and we feel that we have what it takes to make the right ones; everyone does. But soon we realize that maybe there would have been so much less pressure on our hearts, minds, families; had we just sat down and conversed with the one constant who gives us all knowledge. So glad we have a God who lets us try the roads less taken so we can see the road He already has smoothed out. Making it through the little hills can allow you to search God for the necessary tools to get through and over the mountains. We all struggle with leaving it at Jesus feet; giving Him the opportunity to enlighten us on how He can help you climb. Climbing mountains are not for the weak. Climbing mountains also takes the right equipment and when you search God’s word, they will be found. Once you have the resources and the information about your mountain; God will provide the necessary equipment to scale the utmost parts and find victory. Move your mountain with the right equipment; then enjoy the trip!
Scriptures:
Read: Isaiah 54:10, Philippians 4:6-8, Mark 11:22-23, Matthew 17:20, Psalms 121:1-2, Romans 8:37-39, Jonah 2:6, Micah 4:1, Nahum 1:5,7, Psalms 90:2, Psalms 72:3, Isaiah 55:12, Isaiah 2:2, Psalms 95:3-6, Amos 4:13, Isaiah 41:10
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for the small hills, the valleys and most of all for the mountains along life’s journey. Thank you for giving us the necessary tools in which that distance from the bottom to the top gets shorter and shorter. Thank you for the tools you provide in your word to help us along this journey so we can scale the mountains. Amen.
Win The War
Deuteronomy 20:4, “For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
Good morning! So today we will want to bring our positivity out of the closet and into the world around us. Let’s reach for the win today in everything we set out to do. If we are just starting the day with cleaning, then prepare to complete it! Maybe you are just running errands, paying bills, then reach for completion! Could be that you are just trying to get to work and pushing out the negative thoughts of the things that may go wrong; then push through it! Never allow the devil to sneak in by using fear, doubt or dismay! Take on the positive by letting God take over the battle, showing you how to win. With every action there will be a reaction; it’s all in how you receive it. All battles we face need a plan to work with in order to find victory. Check your armor and see just what God has given you to wear against anything that is negative. By forcing yourself to become acceptable to the leadership, and guidance He has provided, you allow Him to work through you, and with you, for positive results. The way to win any battle is to have the right armor. Trying to create your own plan will not work as well as the plans God can help you to prepare. His success rate is beyond comparison to anyone else! To start winning the wars of this world we must start looking to Him for the necessary equipment in order to accomplish anything in life; including the simple ones! With God we cannot remain defeated, but we can win the war!
Scriptures:
Read: Deuteronomy 20:4, II Kings 6:15-16, I Corinthians 2:14-16, Exodus 15:2, II Timothy 2:5, Exodus 14:14, Hebrews 12:1-2, Psalms 73:26, I John 5:4, I Corinthians 10:13, Romans 8:37, Romans 14:8, II Chronicles 15:7, Ecclesiastes 9:10-11, John 16:33, Ephesians 6:13, I Peter 3:18
Prayer:
Lord, today we come to you asking for guidance in all things, whether great or small. Thank you, Lord for providing the armor we need to win the wars of this world. Lord continue to prepare us by supplying the right plans for our lives. God please be with us today and every day, strengthening us as we face the enemy. Help us Lord to continue to call on you for the means by which we may prevail against the evils of this world. Amen.
Mighty Warriors
Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Morning friends! Let’s be ready for another blessed day; a day we have been given to acknowledge all that is offered. Waking up we must greet the day with positive thoughts so all day positive actions will be our goal. Within each of us there is a strong desire to be all we can be, because the day is now ours. Some will have to fight the devil just to get through. But God has placed inside us a courageous spirit that makes us be warriors just for Him. By placing on the whole armor of God; we become equipped to face all things daily with great honor. Throw away the negative thoughts of not being worthy or able; because God makes no mistakes and He can do all things; thus, giving you the power of having His strength to conquer anything! We are not enough alone to commit to succeeding, but with God we have all the equipment we need to plunge into the task of making the day better and totally endurable. By letting God produce in you the needed elements; your life will be made complete. When you have trials or obstacles thrown in your path; His knowledge of how to push through will allow you to not accept defeat but to find victory. If you find yourself in the midst of making decisions, He knows the answers. When someone tries to take you down the wrong path; look for His warriors to help in guiding you back to the journey God has designed. Being in the same army as His mighty warriors will bring you stability, and strength. Finding peace, tranquility, faith, trust; all start with putting on the armor of God’s mighty warriors. Take time to learn each piece of the armor and then put them on with a committed spirit! The wars of this world will become smaller and smaller; although they will be never-ending! Accept God’s guidance and begin your day and life as a mighty warrior!
Scriptures:
Read: Deuteronomy 20:1-4, I Timothy 6:12, Isaiah 42:12-13, Ephesians 6:10-13, Exodus 15:2-3, Judges 6:12,14,16, Romans 8:18, 31-32, Psalms 139:14, Jeremiah 33:2-3, Psalms 56:3-4, Matthew 28:18-20, John 13:34-35, Acts 5:41-42, John 15:8-11, II Timothy 4:7-8
Prayer:
Lord, today help us to find the armor you have provided that will help us battle this world. Thank you for teaching us in your word how strong we can become when we put on your spiritual armor. Thank you for giving us other warriors who can stand with us during the obstacles of life; because your army is mighty. Lord, continue to train us in the ways that will lead us to victory. Amen.
Why Wandering?
Psalms 119:10, “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.”
Hello friends! Thankful that we are given another day! Today we want to make sure you are not wandering on the wrong path or journey. Maybe we just need to see why we are wandering at all! In the beginning, way back when you started on life’s journey, you wandered through just taking on whatever came. Some stopped long enough to accept salvation, while others said, maybe later. Those who accepted realized that just accepting didn’t stop the wandering from coming. There would be teen years, college years, then out on your own; the grown-up years. The problem was, they forgot that true acceptance would only be when they followed God’s plan and His guidance during all those years; so, the wandering continued. Finding your way to God or for some, back to God, will bring about a peace and understanding that will be all consuming! When you stop your journey long enough to accept God totally into your heart, and soul; you can then stop the wandering aimlessly. Your journey will now carry a greater meaning and the destinations within that journey will be like a wondrous adventure towards that ultimate goal of a heavenly eternity! You then can embark on a true journey that though there will be pitfalls, you will have a one constant to hold you up and carry you through. God provides all you need through your wandering and then through your journey. So today let’s find a way to stop for just a moment and finally accept that the wandering wasn’t caused by God, but because we didn’t totally give in to His guidance, His teaching, His promises and His love! Take time now and open back up to giving that wandering spirit up and accept the journey that God has laid out for you. Stop the wandering and begin wondering about what is next with God’s leadership!
Scriptures:
Read: Deuteronomy 32:10-12, Psalms 139:7-10, Matthew 28:20, Proverbs 27:8, Psalms 56:8-13, Psalms 119:10, 32-35, Proverbs 21:16, Psalms 107:3-6, Proverbs 8:32-36, Proverbs 29:18, Amos 8:11-12, Jonah 2:1-10, Romans 8:35-39, Luke 1:37, Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13, I Corinthians 9:24-27, Romans 5:1-5, Deuteronomy 4:29-31
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today we come to you asking for you to take us back into the folds of your arms so we can now stop the wandering. Please Father, guide us on the right journey; the one you have already planned for each of us. Thank you for never leaving us, and for waiting for our return back to the fold. Thank you for pushing us to stop the wandering and accept the journey. Continue to be present in our hearts and souls. Amen.
Learning To Follow
Deuteronomy 13:4, “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.” ESV
Good morning! I pray this day is finding you in a positive mood and that good opportunities are awaiting you. Most parents today always try and teach their children that it is better to be a leader than a follower. I know I grilled that into my children and now my grands! But even as we speak it, we must know that at some point they will need to follow the examples of true mentors. My thoughts are that to become a great leader we must first find the right leader to follow. My point to my children was that not all the people you follow are heading to good choices and the consequences of those choices should be thought through before the end result is devastating for all! Learning how to follow is hard when you believe your choice of paths are the only ones needed. We should always weigh the pros and cons of all choices. It’s not going to blow your chances for something if you research it first. Truth is, it just might add some extra knowledge to how the outcome will benefit you and others. When Jesus called the disciples, there is no mention of them choosing to check out who Jesus was, because they already knew. They were compelled to follow Him because He was the Messiah they had been taught about. They had already learned about Him and all that He provided, if they truly believed. Their inner soul knew that they could trust Him to lead them on the right path. Today we need to learn how many ways God will show you He is taking you through this life for a purpose. First step is acceptance of salvation by asking God to come into your heart; simple; much easier than you think. God will then teach you how to follow the right leaders, follow the right paths, and then become a leader yourself. Learning to follow for all the right reasons is exhilarating! All things begin with being taught, so today open your heart to the one who has the best answers to learning how to follow!
Scriptures:
Read: Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 16:24-28, Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 9:23-24, John 13:34-35, Deuteronomy 5:33, Psalms 119:133-135, John 8:12, Deuteronomy 13:4, John 12:26, I Peter 2:21, Colossians 3:16-17, Psalms 34:3-5, Deuteronomy 28:1, Jeremiah 29:11-13
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for providing your son as the ultimate leader and example for us to follow. Thank you for all the guidelines you have provided in your word that will give complete instructions on how to find the right leaders and to take the right paths by trusting in you. Today and every day please continue to teach us how to become the right leaders, to serve as good mentors, by following the master. Amen.
At His Feet
Proverbs 4:26, “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”
Good morning! May we be thankful for the allowance of another day to praise the goodness of God and His blessings. This is going to be a positive day with no negative thoughts and anyone arriving in our presence, we pray that our thankful outlook on life will just rub off on them! Every day we need to come to terms with the fact that not everyone will be willing to walk in the right path, or do the right thing to avoid conflicts. We also need to pray more for the healing of those we come into contact with, that they might receive Christ in their lives, thus enabling them to understand why being positive has such better results! This in itself leads us to find understanding that we need to be at the feet of Jesus; a position of constant learning. Placing ourselves in a position of gaining knowledge into the Lord and all He can do for us. Our lives are not perfect and we are all sinners; even little sins are as large as the big sins. We need to be constantly bringing our needs to the feet of Jesus thus allowing Him to work through us. Taking that step to give your burdens to Jesus will take faith and trust. In the world today, we find ourselves trying to make it through life by not depending on anyone. Most adults feel they show their independence by attempting to get through life on their own. Truth is, we aren’t alone at all. Though we think no one is helping, you would be surprised at how many supporters are sending up prayers for you daily. Could you imagine how much more success we would have if we finally brought all our needs to Jesus? The prayers of others are already helping you, but just think of the impact of having Jesus guiding you would make! It doesn’t mean you are less if you do! It means that you have increased your faith in the power of the almighty God! When you have reached the point of not knowing, open up to bringing the burden directly to the feet of Jesus. You will be enriched beyond your comprehension!
Scriptures:
Read: Ephesians 6:14-16, Isaiah 52:6-7, Proverbs 4:26-27, Revelation 1:17-18, Luke 10:40-42, Matthew 23:12, Psalms 119:105, Psalms 92:1-2, Matthew 6:6, Psalms 130:1-6, Ephesians 5:26-27, Matthew 19:26, Jeremiah 29:13
Prayer:
Father, today we are thankful that you give us the opportunity to bring our needs to you personally. Thank you for teaching us to know our limits on being independent. Thank you, Father, also, for all the prayer warriors lifting us up daily. Father, place in our hearts the ability to know when the time is right for letting go our worries and allowing you to help. We humbly ask that you continue to teach us how to grow our faith. Amen.
Lay It Down
Hebrews 12:1, “WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
Greetings! Why not take this day and work diligently to make it our own, in which letting go will help us to find peace and contentment? Many times, we get frustrated with anyone telling us to “just let it go”! Being 100% human, we have it engraved in us to not just let it go! This is a characteristic that was not given to us by God. One hundred percent of the time, this is a learned trait from which family has passed down for generations without even realizing the cruel impact that it brings to each of our lives. Today let us find strength to let God take the helm and lead us to understand that in letting go, we let God be in control. The essence of relief will truly fill your life once you arrive at the point of laying it down at Jesus’ feet. He beckoned His disciples to understand how important it is to love God only; but then to love your neighbors as yourself. Showing compassion in times of needing to release emotions of anger, fear, or hurt are the hardest of any task. The only way to receive complete fulfillment of the presence of God is to lay it down. For everyone, finding the strength to have faith that things will work out or come to pass, will be a daily workout with our minds and hearts. If you are a child of God, your salvation was a part of letting go. You understood the sacrifice Jesus paid in order that you would receive forgiveness and a transforming from the old self into a new self. At that moment you felt a rush of emotions filled with love, happiness, release. If you are not a child of God YET, take this moment today and lay it all down at the master’s feet! Reach out to Him, ask for forgiveness, and accept Him into your heart; guaranteeing you a place with Him in eternity! The rush you feel washing over you will be exhilarating! Once you lay it down, it will be carried by Him; He will help you to overcome all things. The weight that lifts from you will make you feel as though you are floating! Then take time to get into His word so He can further your education to how wonderful it can be to trust and obey. Lay it down today!
Scriptures:
Read: Philippians 4:6, Matthew 11:28-30, Psalms 119:105, I Peter 5:7, Psalms 55:22, Psalms 56:13, John 10:17-18, Galatians 6:1-3, John 16:33, Hebrews 12:1, Psalms 68:19, Isaiah 10:27, Psalms 138:7-8, Psalms 145:14, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalms 56:3, II Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalms 18:6
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for providing your shoulders to carry the burdens we have so that we can carry on through life here. Thank you for the guidance to find your presence that allows peace of mind to come over us. Lord, please continue to help us in understanding that all we need to do is lay it down at your feet. Continue to help us grow in faith and trust. Amen
You Belong Here
Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
Hello friends! Welcome to a new day of grace and mercy. Let us start by finding peace in the knowledge that we are all one in Christ. Today, begin with the understanding that no matter what the day entails you are fearfully and wonderfully made. That the opinions of others; unless they are words of encouragement and kindness; are not the reason we are here! We each should take time to grasp hold of the facts that we are loved, nurtured, sustained by a higher power than the opinions of the human race. Before we were created, born, God already knew us and made plans for us. With each detailed characteristic that our bodies and minds hold; are the makings of someone special. Your chosen path doesn’t rely on what the status quo is that people may latch on to you, because they do not yet know you. The negative or bitter people do not know the plans laid out for you. Your task is to take all of what God has given you; whether it is outward beauty or inward beauty, outward strength or inward strength; and use it to establish yourself as a child of the King. You use the gift of intelligence in whatever field God gave you and have faith that you will succeed by His standards and not the enemy’s. If they say you are not capable, show them capabilities. If they say your speech is not strong enough, then pronounce more prominently. You belong in this world as much as anyone because God doesn’t make mistakes and His creations will be seen and heard. He has fashioned His believers to His calling and with His guidance we can empower the world to follow after Him and the blessings will flow. By each different individual trusting in Him, listening to Him and then following Him; there is no end to what we can be. We belong here until we arrive there in heaven with Him. Take today to find where you belong with the gifts He provided and others will find their paths also. All it takes is faith in a Father who already knew the real you; you do belong here!
Scriptures:
Read: Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 2:4-8, Colossians 1:16-17, Romans 4:7-9, I Corinthians 12:13-14, Jeremiah 29:11, John 3:16-17, Romans 8:9,28, Isaiah 43:1, Psalms 100:3, Jeremiah 1:5, Psalms 139:14, I John 4:4, Ephesians 2:19-22, Romans 12:5, Psalms 24:1
Prayer:
Dear God, we thank you for opening our eyes to the beauty beyond the outward appearances. We thank you for creating each individual person with individual talents for your purpose alone. Take our hearts and fill them with your presence and develop the person you want us to become. Prepare us God for the obstacles along the path you provided, help us to navigate through life by being who you called us to be from the beginning. Show us the reason we belong. Amen.
Apprehension
I John 4:18, “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.”
Morning! This day is beginning and our opportunity for blessings are initiated again! Have you noticed that the one thing that causes the most negative thoughts or actions to appear is fear? Often we hear ourselves tell anyone who listens, “I’m not afraid of anything”! Yet, deep down there are so many fears just jumping around in your mind and in your heart. When you are alone they just creep out and force your mind to work overtime in creating scenarios of negative outcomes to situations. Most haven’t happened yet and unless we create that situation, it will probably never happen! For these times we need to call on God to come fill our hearts with peace. We need to see positive answers to all the problems and don’t be a pessimist at any time. It is okay to think something could happen, but if you plan on not giving in to the negative, the positive will outweigh it. Finding a controlling point inside your mind to help deal with apprehension will be an ongoing task if you attempt it alone. Allowing God to co-exist with your anxiety will give Him control over how you accept, relate, then succeed at defeating the fears. His power is stronger than ours. His words can give you the instructions you need to gain self-control not only on the inside but also on the outside for others to see. By succumbing to fear we lose our faith, and in this world our faith is how we survive. Never allow yourself to give in to any negative instructions that the devil fills your mind with! There are encouraging words in the verses in His word that can give you courage, faith, acceptance, understanding; all of which lead to positive thoughts. If you have an interview and fear is rising up; start praying for the spirit to come fill you! Your anxiety will be squashed because your faith believes in God’s power! If you have a speech for groups of many and you are panicking; start praying! All fear exists only as an obstacle on the path of your future. Faith takes that fear and turns it into continuance of positivity! Today, allow God to drive and your destination will arrive positive; so say no to apprehension!
Scriptures:
Read: II Timothy 1:7, Philippians 4:6, I Peter 4:1, Exodus 14:14, Psalms 46:1-3, 10, Hebrews 13:5-6, Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:37-38, Proverbs 12:25, Isaiah 35:4, Proverbs 29:25, James 1:25, II Timothy 3:16-17, Colossians 2:6-10, I Corinthians 10:13, John 16:13, I John 5:13, I John 1:7, I Peter 5:10, I John 4:13
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today we thank you for the existence of fear for which, by using its negative attributes, we can find you who can diminish it quickly so that our lives are positively led by you. Thank you for your word that adds encouragement to our paths we travel on through life. Please Lord, continue to fill our hearts with your presence so we can let you be our continued adversary to life’s fears. Amen.
Bitterness
Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Good Morning! Today is a blessed day because you are a part of it! Maybe today is the day that no matter how much negativity someone is willing to dish out; you are going to show that you are the bigger person! We are going to reach deep down and pull out the most positive strengths and emotions to tell the devil that today or any other day, will not be his! Today we will not let the bitterness of past disagreements, past relationships, nor the bitterness of others stand in our way to being happy, content and blessed. Let’s take a moment to dig deep remembering the good of every situation and how to be more positive by listening first, then speaking. It will take a brave and courageous person to stand up and be kind to those who hurt you; but God has you! Some people will remember the old wives’ tale, “kill them with kindness”! And the other one, “you get more flies with honey than vinegar”! This will be the most important ones. You will find strength in doing good for others; especially those who don’t return it. In Ephesians, Paul wrote, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”, thus giving the real reason for not having bitterness. Being the same as bitter people will make you become bitter! We do not want negative feelings or attitudes of bitterness overcoming us! Being the BETTER person instead of the bitter person will bring out the real endorphins! Because you have increased your life with stress free activities that improve your self-worth, you then are allowing God to use you in spectacular ways! Let go of anyone or anything that can steal your joy. Life is too short to keep fighting negative people, family, friends or situations. To achieve increasingly longer, more productive lives, we must become more humble, caring, giving and just kind. So today, let’s throw out the bitterness and start producing the better!
Scriptures:
Read: Romans 8:28, John 3:16-17, I Peter 2:1, Colossians 3:8-14, Mark 11:25, Romans 12:19, Luke 10:27, Proverbs 14:10, Hebrews 12:15,I John 2:15, Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32, I Cor.14:20, I Cor.5:6-8, John1:7-9, Matt.6:14-15
Prayer:
Lord today we thank you for giving us instructions on how to overcome the bitterness. Thank you for showing us that loving, caring and just being kind can increase our positivity. Continue to help us to find forgiveness for others as you did for us. Help us daily Lord to call on you when we fall, and help us to give our concerns, and our burdens over to you. Lord go with us daily ensuring that the better person will overcome the bitter person. Amen.
Bring Your Heartache
Psalms 147:3, “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Greetings Friends! May today find you at peace with all you are going through. Let today be a time of healing, forgiving, trusting and believing it will all work out. Every day there is someone, somewhere waking up still holding pain inside but putting on the best façade on the outside. We all have been there, done that. Finding a way to mask the pain is what we are all good at. But have you ever wanted to find peace that consoles you, protects you, listens to you, then heals you? I will say up front that losing someone is a pain that will not go away; but there is a hope for enduring and healing. Heartache isn’t always about loss as in death. There are many other occurrences that will also leave a feeling of brokenness inside your heart. Some parents have the empty nest syndrome, all the kids off to college, new jobs, etc.! They know they need to let go but there is an emptiness or brokenness that clouds their hearts. There are breakups with partners you have been with since high school, or dated several years. You have a heartache because you couldn’t see the things that made the relationship dysfunctional and toxic! There are also heartaches from family drama, personal failure, even infidelity. The heart is definitely a very fragile organ! It will simply cause the body to suffer from the withdrawal of “feel-good” hormones! There is also the heartache of a newly developed physical conditions, like addiction, diabetes, lupus, cancer; the list is endless. To many, there just seems that there is no avenue out; no light at the end of the tunnel. But there is; and accepting it takes only a small step for anyone wishing to find peace! If you are a Christian, you know with whom you need to rely on; to trust and obey. As someone who isn’t; your first step is to ask God to become your savior, to forgive you, then ask Him to dwell in your heart! Faith is the answer to all heartaches! We must have faith in God to have the answers, the healing, the resources in His word. In all things we must be accepting and give those pains to Him. He will open doors to the right people for the best friendships/relationships, open doors to new successes, open doors to the right physicians; then open your heart to the healing of peace! Open the Bible and start searching for the answers only God can provide, then bring your heartache to Him!
Scriptures:
Read: Psalms 34:18, Philippians 4:13, Deuteronomy 20:4, Isaiah 41:10, Psalms 51:17, Psalms 147:3, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 57:15, John 12:24, Psalms 31:12-14, II Corinthians 1:7-10, Matthew 5:2-11, Psalms 73:26, Isaiah 41:10, James 4:6, Galatians 2:20
Prayer:
Dear Lord, today we thank you for giving us an avenue out of heartache; a way to endure that pain. Thank you for your word that can heal, console, and re-generate our hearts. Help us Lord to learn to depend on you in all things, and to give our burdens over to you. Please continue to guide us through the heartaches of life and to look forward to heaven with you. Amen.
Waiting At The Door
John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Hello again friends! We have been given another day to find happiness by any means possible that will bring joy to ourselves along with anyone we encounter! Daily we wait for something; breakfast, traffic, the red light, your turn, your baby coming, your wedding date, test results, etc. There is no end to the waiting and in many things the wait is the best part. Though in the waiting, we have to find peace and understanding that the answers don’t always come quickly or in a blink of an eye! We also must learn to have acceptance in the results of some things. Every answer may not be the one we wanted, but it is the one God chose. The best things usually do come after the waiting. Jesus’ return relies on the entire world opening their door to receiving God’s message of salvation. He waits on the finished task that His disciples of faith have gone to every place and spoken to every person on the earth! When Jesus told the disciples to “go ye therefore”, He meant every part of the world; leaving not one person out. Jesus also will be waiting at your door; maybe your house or more like the door to your heart! Even at times when you are just a step away and your path was blocked by an obstacle; He is waiting for you to respond by letting Him back in charge! How about today we check on what we are waiting on, no matter how simple it may seem. Let’s open the door and let Jesus come in and guide us to the answers we’ve been needing. Maybe it’s just that one thing that you figured you could do on your own, yet somehow it isn’t working out! The time to turn it over to God has come so that the waiting will be less! Is Jesus waiting at your door? Are you ready for the outpouring of blessings? Let today be that day; a day of better waiting!
Scriptures:
Read: Isaiah 40:31, John 3:16-17, Proverbs 8:34-35, Revelation 3:20-22, John 14:2-4, Mark 13:32-37, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 24:42-44, Micah 7:7, Revelation 3:8, Philippians 4:13, Ps.24:7, Psalm 27:14, Matthew 7:13-14, Isaiah 26:2-4, Romans 8:28
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today we hear you knocking at the door! Today Lord, we want to thank you for not leaving and staying firm by our heart’s door. Thank you for giving us hope in the waiting. Please Lord continue to stand and knock so that we will open the doors and let you completely fill our lives so that we in turn will gain understanding into the waiting. Help us Lord to trust in you and your guidance so that we in turn can further the task of sharing the gospel with others. Amen.
Step Into His House
Psalms 122:1, “I WAS glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
Good Morning! I want to greet you with positivity and pray your day is worth every moment you put into it! Those days we start with positive thoughts will lead to a positive day. Something is sure to step in our path as we head into the day, but if we have the assurance of God’s presence, those obstacles will be as dust so we can brush them aside! Today let’s ponder on where we worship God. Do we have a church or a building where we can gather with other Christians to bring praise to His name? Or maybe we gather at a community center or recreation hall. Maybe you are one of many who watches services online, and are an online community. The Bible gives instructions on gathering together to worship because the actual building is not the body of a church or meeting hall. We as Christians and believers are what makes up a church body. When we accept Christ we step into a group of believers that placed together become one unified body! There are pastors, deacons, music directors, teachers, pianist, organist, ushers, secretaries, audio people, and the praying members. Every part of a church holds people as being each part of a working church. We step into the house of God to complete each needed part. Finding your place in a group of believers is simple. Just because you cannot step into the role of minister doesn’t mean you cannot minister. Through your obedience in living a Godly life, following His commandments, showing love and care for others; this is a ministry all its own! You may feel you are not called to teach a class but you are teaching someone by your behavior and your decision making! But, remember, that although you are not in a leadership position, just stepping into the family of God calls you to something more! Many times our faith and trust needs believers as mentors to help you grow and stepping into the house of God allows you to receive healing, knowledge, and encouragement. The church is the body of Christ and each of us are a part of that body. Without the body the building is nothing. Maybe it is time to find your house of God that needs you. Take the time now to step into His house. I have found that not only are God’s arms open wide, His house is too!
Scriptures:
Read: I Corinthians 3:16, Ecclesiastes 5:1, Psalm 122:1,8,9, Micah 4:1-2, Psalm 27:4, Deuteronomy 28:6, I Peter 2:4-5, Proverbs 24:3, II Corinthians 5:1, Ephesians 2:19-22, Psalm 26:8, Psalm 23:6, Revelation 21:3, John 14:2-3
Prayer:
Father, today we want to thank you for providing places of worship so that we can gather together with other members and form a body of true worshipers who can work together to continue your work here on earth. Thank you, Lord, for showing us how we all have a part in being that body of Christ. Continue to teach us about worship and praise. Help us daily Lord to know we can find fellowship with true believers. Amen.
No Fear
Psalms 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
Greetings Friends! May today be a day of renewing our spirits so that every moment will be counted as a win! Every day we wake up blessed to be granted one more day. Today let us begin a journey that will help us to overcome our fear; then to gain understanding into why we have fear. There are many people in this world who have phobias, or mental disorders that they struggle with on a daily basis. I would like to speak of fear itself, not the phobias due to their deeper meanings. Fear in a Christian’s perspective is what satan uses to control our lives; tending to use it as excuses or tools to stop our following God. The reason I like to push positive thinking is because fear is made up of negative thoughts and beliefs about the world around us. If we have negative thoughts about ourselves then we will have negative thoughts about everything around us. To become fearless, one must learn to replace all the negative thoughts with positive affirmations, thus bringing your mind to remember all your strengths and successes. There is no way to totally stop fear, for we are human; but having control of how you experience and face fear, will be a growth in knowledge you will not want to miss. We need to put our total trust in God and surrender all our fears to God. In every decision, in every moment of life ask God to provide strength, courage. This will mean trusting in God to be there, guiding you through every step of your life. Trust and faith are two of the main ingredients to overcoming fear. Faith, trust and fear are all part of our human makeup. Faith and trust in God as the one constant will help us to drown out fear. Leave fear at the altar and build on faith to allow God to work through all your trials. Acknowledge to satan that you can and will be fearless because you are placing all fear in God’s hands!
Scriptures:
Read: Hebrews 13:6, Psalm 34:4,7,9, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 27:1,3, Psalm 46:1-2, Psalm 54:3-4, Isaiah 41:10,13, I John 4:18, Proverbs 29:25, Isaiah 35:4, John 14:27, Matthew 6:34, Isaiah 43:1, Psalm 44:19, Romans 8:38-39, I Peter 5:6-7, II Timothy 1:7, Psalm 112:1, I Chronicles 28:20, I Peter 3:13-15
Prayer:
Father, thank you for bearing our fears and worries on your shoulders. Thank you for helping each of us to have trust and faith in you. Help us daily Lord as we fight satan’s advances on our lives. Give us strength daily to trust that you are in control of all things. Continue to dwell in our hearts so that we may one day dwell in your presence. Amen.
Love Big
I John 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Morning! Let us come into this day with a gladness in our souls so that outwardly we will show the world how much better it can be if we just love everyone! I know you probably just winced because you know of many people that you just don’t think you can find a way to show love. But, God didn’t say you had to “rub” elbows with everyone, but to love everyone as yourself. Even if you don’t like a person’s character, or their ways of behavior, or even their beliefs; it is not for you to judge; but to only love them as they are. The other thought that just jumps up at me is, homeless people. Many can’t help their circumstances but should you not love them because they can’t bathe every day? If a girl or boy at school can’t afford the same “name brand” clothes as you, should you not love them? Just because that elderly man/woman walks too slow in the store isles, does that mean you should get frustrated and not love them? Just because your boss lives rich and you struggle just to get to work, should you not love them? God ask us to love even the least of these and also the rich who know not what humble beginnings are! First He asked us to love ourselves and many times we will falter even in that because we judge ourselves by comparing to another! Each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made; separate and individually as God intended! So you are bigger, they are smaller; you are short, they are taller; differences are why we are all unique! But God intends on us using that difference to accept anyone and everyone else as brothers and sisters in Christ. We can even find ways to better love others with kindness, mercy, and grace! First love yourself, in all your “so-called” defects, then love others with all their “so-called” defects! We should love because Jesus first loved us, even with our faults. The saying “go big or go home” should be changed to “love big and have a heavenly home”! Find comfort in knowing how loving others will benefit your physical and mental health in so many good ways! Just love BIG!
Scriptures:
Read: John 3:16, Jeremiah 31:3, John 13:34-35, Ephesians 2:4, I John 4:7-12,16,19, Romans 8:37-39, I John 3:1, Psalm 108:4, Romans 5:5,8, , Psalm 86:15, Psalm 136:26, Deuteronomy 7:9, II Thessalonians 3:5, Ephesians 3:17-19, Isaiah 41:10, Lamentations 3:22-25, I Corinthians 16:14
Prayer:
Lord, please continue to shower us with your underserving love! Thank you for giving us your son to save us from sin. Thank you for offering unconditional love no matter our situation, or our worldly status. Help us Lord daily to love ourselves so that we can love others the way you love us. Guide us daily in learning the real meaning of true love, the love you offer. Amen.
Childlike Faith
Luke 18:17, “Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”
Hello friends, and greetings to you on this another day God provided to us! Even in seasons of turmoil or strife, one has only to trust God in faith that all things will work out. Through the good seasons faith is still the reason we can move forward through this journey. Even in the Old Testament, God proved that faith would lead His people to a promised land. The writers before Jesus’ time knew that faith would be their greatest weapon against an evil world. In every aspect of a child’s life there has to be faith. Their growth will be dependent on the adults who will show by example, and lead by following God’s commandments; thus proving that their own faith must be passed down from generation to generation. Jesus chose certain men to be His disciples on the journey to the cross. He wanted to instill in them the real meaning of faith and the innocence of how simple it would be. He wants us all to have the faith of a child because they have faith even when no faith is shown! They are ingrained to have faith in their parents, who in turn have faith in God. But we as believers need to find that childlike faith; to grow our own faith. We find that faith is in everything! Steven Furtick said, “We are saved by faith, changed by faith, sustained by faith, and explained by faith!” And it is true! In every moment of every day whether we are learning to walk, learning a skill, driving to work, etc., we are putting faith to work to sustain us until that next moment! The moment we are saved our whole life has begun a faith journey like no other because that faith has changed the old into something so much better. To make your faith grow and become the deep, rich faith that will work for the glory of God, you must have the faith of a child! Start today looking for that kind of faith and watch how God will use you!
Scriptures:
Read: Matthew 18:3,4,6, Matthew 19:14, Luke 18:17, Proverbs 22:6, Psalm 8:2, Mark 10:13-16, Matthew 21:15-16, I Peter 2:2-3, Ephesians 6:4, I Corinthians 14:20, II Timothy 3:14-15, I Corinthians 13:11, Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 127:3-5, Mark 9:37, Proverbs 17:6, Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Isaiah 54:13
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for your saving grace! Thank you for the teachings you gave through your Son’s words in all his sermons that will push us to grow in faith. Thank you for the gift of faith, and using it through us to show others how great you are, and the blessings you pour out once we accept that faith. God, please keep pushing us to realizing how much we can benefit from a childlike faith. Amen.
Irritation
James 5:8, “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
Good Morning! Hoping today is another blessed day in which you find joy even in this pessimistic world! Every day we have moments of frustration, anxiety and everything causes irritation! My happy greeting as you began reading, those birds singing outside, the microwave beeping its finished! So many things that just add to your feelings of dismay, disappointment, impatience. In these moments, we need to just calm ourselves by meditating with God. Find your prayer room, prayer corner, prayer bench outside; that one calming area where you can just be with God and yourself! If you have a family, kids, pets, etc., please make a scheduled time and inform them that this is valuable to your personal, physical, and spiritual well-being! When I was working full time and raising kids, my trip in the car on the way to work became my prayer room! If you are single, make sure you also plan a specific time daily that you need to put aside all things; job, friends and family. If you are a young person, ask your parents for a time that you can have this quiet time that will not interfere with family plans, school work, chores. But MAKE time to have time with God! This will be an enormous turning point in your life and the results will bring about a newer, better person who can find peace within the chaos! In this world, satan works continually to place irritating circumstances in every day moments, so that you will be tested on how faithful you are. Anger can become an addiction too! If you allow anger of any sort crowd out the joy that you have, then life will feel like an even bigger struggle than it actually is. If this morning you find yourself quick to snap out ugly, stop and focus on what started the ugly! Where did you allow satan to bring irritation to your moment? How did you allow that irritation to get hold? Did you stop and ask God for the necessary armor to fight this battle? Take time to turn that irritation into inspiration! Turn that ugly into positive and bruise satan’s head again! Let today be the day you begin to fight negative and push for positive!
Scriptures:
Read: Proverbs 15:1, Colossians 1:10-11, Psalm 1:1-2, James 5:7-8, Proverbs 16:32, Psalm 40:1-3, Ecclesiastes 7:8-9, Romans 8:25-26, Psalm 37:7-9, Proverbs 29:8,9,11, Proverbs 24:17,21,25, Romans 5:3-5, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 21:21-23, Joshua 1:8, Philippians 2:3
Prayer:
Precious Lord, today we want to thank you for the little irritations in life, because without you they would turn into huge struggles! Thank you for the knowledge of knowing that we need a specific time to just dwell in your presence, alone just the two of us, so we can be re-filled with you. Lord today we ask for forgiveness for those moments of anger, and frustration. Help us Lord to daily realize you are our rock, our comforter, our present help in every need. Thank you, Lord, for being you. Amen.
Angels Cry Too
Luke 4:10, “For it is written, HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE, TO KEEP THEE.”
Morning! I would like to start out by saying, let today be one step more to becoming and staying positive. Today I would like to talk of angels and what some believe is their purpose here with us and in heaven. No one really knows what angels look like except the few people in the Bible that God sent them to speak to. In Ezekiel, the scripture depicts their appearance, which is not like how we portray them today. Historians and artist alike have given them beautiful glowing, majestic faces and wings. But the descriptions in the Bible paint another picture. In truth, they are not as we would like them, but as God intended them. There are Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, as defined by historians. Their appearances were to bring good news, or to minister and strengthen those who were disheartened. Their presence is mighty, awe inspiring, but leaves a sense of feeling fear yet comfort. Today, as in Jesus day, they provide protection and comfort when God sends them. Sometimes they do take on human form, as many stories have been voiced and shared; this allows us as humans to comprehend them better. Many times, people have asked how miracles happened, but they know it is God’s angels sent to provide protection or comfort. They also cheer when a new soul has been won to the Lord, praising and worshiping God for another member of the fold! But I believe they too grieve when a soul denies Christ and is lost, just as Jesus does. They in turn do not like for the devil to succeed in anything, especially taking the soul of any of God’s creation. So, the next time you see someone being comforted, or maybe when you need comforting; know that the angels are nearby watching too! Realize that they feel what you feel; they can rejoice; but they can also cry with you.
Scriptures:
Read: Luke 15:7,10, Hebrews 13:2, Revelations 14:6-7,15, Psalms 34:7, Acts 1:10-11, Luke 2:8-15, Psalms 91:11-12, Matthew 26:52-54, Matthew 18:10, Psalm 148:2, Matthew 24:30-31, Luke 22:42-43, Matthew 25:31-33, Matthew 13:49-50, II Samuel 14:17, Hebrews 1:13-14, Matthew 16:27, Hebrews 1:6-8, Daniel 10:5-6
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for the presence of your angels and the ministering they do. Thank you for your presence in our lives. God, please continue to send your angels when we are in distress, or in harmful predicaments. Help us Lord to learn what real angels are and what their purpose is in our world and in heaven. Help us also to not rely on the worldly visions of what angels are but trust your word to explain their purpose and all things to us. Amen.
Lifted High
Revelation 4: 11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Hello again! Blessings to you friend on this day! Hopefully you have awakened to the new day and are expecting good or great things to come during all the moments of this day. Today let us look to the one who gave His all so that we might be lifted within and then show that lifting in our outward lives. Many of us wake up joyful, and thankful; and to plans of leisure for the day. Then there are those that fight to not have negative thoughts of something that shadowed their lives this week. To the ones who have let go by letting God; continue that positivity and pray for those still in the struggle! For those of us who need closure, release, freedom, peace within; the answers are close at hand. You may think the light at the end of the tunnel is just too dim. God’s light never dims, but the devil will make shadows of doubt and fear within those tunnels to try and stop you from moving forward! The devil will also use things or people in your life that are dearest to your heart! But you have an advantage that he doesn’t want you to rely on! You have the promises of God written in a book that the devil will try and keep you from reading! You have ministers preaching the words you need to hear; so he will find ways to keep you from listening. There are songs of praise and worship he will try to keep you from singing! But you today can tell that devil he is a lie! First, pray for courage and strength! Second, believe that healing is but a prayer away! Third, take that first step toward the positive by denying that devil to place another obstacle in your way! Lift up the name of Jesus the whole time you are moving forward in this day! Call out loud, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”! Now get dressed, make plans, be committed to finding peace! Lift yourself by lifting up the Lord and every step you take will bring an uplifting feeling from down deep inside until it wants to burst outside!
Scriptures:
Read: I Peter1:3, 13, Psalm 57:11, Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 145:1-3, John 14:6, Philippians 2:9-11,Psalm 113:1-7, Psalm 103:1-6, Isaiah 57:15, Revelation 4:11, I Peter 2:9, Revelation 15:3-4, Isaiah 9:6, I Timothy 2:1-5, I Corinthians 8:6, Luke 2:14, Revelation 22:13, Titus 3:5, John 14:26-28
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come now seeking you in every moment of every day. Thank you for the gift of your son and his sacrifice so that we could be forgiven. Thank you for your word that we can study and follow as we journey towards the day of your return. Today Lord, please grant us more of your presence while we struggle to push the negative aside. Lift us up to feel peace so that we can lift you higher. Amen.
Sing Your Song
Psalms 96:1, “O SING unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.”
Hello friends and welcome to today! Doesn’t just knowing you woke up to another day, just bring joy to your heart? I am sure there are people who don’t like music and singing; to them I wish they could feel the joy that it can bring them! Whether in sorrow or in happiness; there are songs and music that have been created to give us solace and joy. Songs of sorrow give us a gateway to those things or people who are no longer here. It provides an outlet of emotions releasing endorphins that cause our pain to disperse to places unknown! The words fill us with the presence of God; to allow us closure; to help us continue on. In joy, music and singing release endorphins also! Praising God, or singing of all God has provided gives our spirit a sense of outpouring emotions that we have to share. Every song, whether religious or not contains the deep feelings of what the writer was feeling or experiencing. Those words connect to others because they felt them also, but just didn’t know how to share them. Singing those happy dance worthy songs give us pleasure in that our excitement and joy needs to be shared with others. Maybe that happy song is uplifting and brings you away from all the sadness that has taken over your life! Worship in song and music lifts the soul from just inside to reaching high to God, and allowing Him to see your joy in knowing Him! Praising Jesus for giving us the gift of salvation is another way of showing others just how marvelous life can be with God inside you! Whatever music or song lifts you; sing it, play it, share it! If music is how you can bring someone into the fold of God’s arms, then sing your song!
Scriptures:
Read: Psalm 150:1-6, Psalm 96:1-2, James 5:13, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 28:7, Hebrews 2:12, I Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:19-20, Psalm 66:4, Psalm 105:2, Romans 15:9, I Chronicles 16:9,23-25, Judges 5:3, Exodus 15:2, Isaiah 38:19-20, Isaiah 25:1, Revelation 15:3, Luke 2:13-14, Daniel 2:23
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts of music, songs, dance, instruments! Thank you for allowing us to praise you with music and song. Help us Lord to find our voice and show our praise whenever the music opens our hearts. Show us Lord, how to sing our song! Lead us now Lord, today and always praising you until we can be in glory singing with the angels and worshiping you. Amen.