Please take a moment to relax your mind and humble your heart to
focus on Christ. Allow God to be the only person on your mind while you
read this prayer. If we can take the time to read long jokes, stories,
etc., we should give the same respect to this prayer. Friends, who pray
together, stay together.
If you pray this prayer, change the number in the subject box before
forwarding the message so people can SEE how many people have done so.
Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able
to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving
God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on
blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or
thought that was not pleasing to you.. I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this
day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of
each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let
me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And
when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and
receive the forgiveness of God. And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example
-- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when
I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to
my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me
strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of
encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find
their way. I pray for
those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who
don't know You intimately. I pray for those who will delete this without
sharing it with others. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you
that I believe. I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for
all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their
households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out
of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem,
circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands
for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of
every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.. This is my prayer.
In Jesus' Name, Amen
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”
(Matthew 5:6, NIV).
In the natural, what do you do when you’re hungry
for something and you’re just not sure what will satisfy
you? Maybe you think of something to eat but it doesn’t
quite hit the spot. Spiritual hunger works the same way.
You may feel a restlessness or unsettledness, but you
can’t quite figure out what will satisfy it. You may try
to fill that need with other things—food, addictions,
people—but only GOD can fill that hunger. The verse
above says that Righteousness will fill, or satisfy.
When you hunger and thirst for Righteousness,
God’s way of doing things, you will be Spiritually
Satisfied. But just like you have to take time to
eat in the natural, you have to take time to “eat”
or partake of GOD’s Righteousness.
Take time every day and Devote it to the LORD
with Prayer, Worship, and the Study of HIS Word.
Stay in Fellowship with other Believers by attending
Church Regularly. As you focus your hunger on
GOD’s Righteousness you will be filled and live
Satisfied in HIM all the days of your life.
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the Promise to fill my hunger. I open my Heart to You and ask that You draw me by Your Spirit. Teach me to walk in Your ways of Righteousness that I may Honor and Serve You all the days of my life. I Bless Your Name today. In JESUS’ Name. Amen.
How Can Hope for the Future Help Me Live Today?
"What we suffer now is nothing compared to the Glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when GOD will reveal who HIS children really are. Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to GOD's curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join GOD's children in Glorious Freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of Future Glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when GOD will give us our full rights as HIS children, including the new bodies HE has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently".
Romans 8:18-25 NLT
"Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have Eternal life."
Matthew 19:29 NLT
Facing Trials
We have Strength and Courage to face the
Trials of this life because we can look beyond
them to the Glory that GOD has in store for us.
We know the Sacrifices we make now will be
Rewarded by GOD.
How Does GOD Lead?
"My sheep recognize My Voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them Eternal life, and they will never perish."
John 10:27-28 NLT
Hearing HIS Voice
As our Good Shepherd, JESUS promises that we
can hear and know HIS voice. This does not,
however, have to be some mysterious, mystical process.
In fact, you may be surprised to learn that GOD speaks
to you quite often.
I would venture to say HE has spoken to you lately and
may be speaking to you right now in some way.
GOD speaks to us through HIS Word. GOD will never
lead us contrary to HIS Written Word.
It is our litmus test, our bedrock, our absolute.
GOD speaks to us through circumstances.
Those circumstances can include failure.
Jonah certainly heard GOD through his mistake.
GOD may even speak to us through tragedy or hardship.
C. S. Lewis wrote that, "GOD whispers to us in our pleasures,
speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.
It is HIS megaphone to arouse a deaf world."
GOD speaks to us through HIS Peace.
When we live in GOD's will, we enjoy HIS Peace.
Do you need GOD to make a crucial call in your life?
Then listen for HIS Peace.
And once we have heard GOD's voice, what should we do?
We must follow. JESUS calls, we respond. HE whispers,we move. We follow—and then we keep on listening.
"And become Useful and Helpful and Kind to one another, Tenderhearted, (Compassionate, Understanding, Loving-Hearted), Forgiving one another (Readily and Freely) as GOD in CHRIST Forgave you”
(Ephesians 4:32 AMP).
As followers of CHRIST, our Character should mirror HIS Character.
We should be helpful to one another, Kind and Tender toward one
another, Understanding and Loving. Most of all, we should be
extending Forgiveness to one another in the same way that
CHRIST extends Forgiveness toward us. In other words, Forgive Unconditionally.
Many times, people won’t Forgive until the other person says
they are sorry. Or, they won’t Forgive because they think
somehow they are punishing the other person or giving them
what they deserve. But the only person that is hurt by your
Unforgiveness is YOU. When you hold Unforgiveness, you can’t be Forgiven by GOD, and you are the one locked up
in the Hurt and Pain. Don’t hold Unforgiveness any longer!
Forgiveness simply begins with a choice to Obey GOD’s
Command.
When you open your Heart to Forgiveness, you open
your Heart to GOD’s Healing and Restoration in your life.
Make the Choice Today to Forgive Others—
Readily and Freely
—as GOD in CHRIST Forgave you!
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Shaping my Character and making me more like You. I invite You to work in every area of my life. I choose to Forgive just as You have Forgiven me. I Bless Your Holy Name Today. In JESUS’ Name. Amen.
Where is the Focus of Your Life?
"Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. This is true, and everyone should accept it. We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe".
1 Timothy 4:8-10 NLT
The Faithful Worker
"A friend of Bernie May's (U.S. division director of Wycliffe)
had the opportunity to meet a king and queen.
This man worked in a tiny nation, doing community-
development work. Struggling to encourage tribal
people living in the high mountain valleys was difficult,
and he often wondered if he was doing any good.
It was easy to get discouraged.
He was invited to a stand-up dinner party on the
castle lawn, hosted by the queen. He felt deeply
honored to be invited. In the crowd of about 400
local people, he stood out as an obvious Westerner.
The king and queen spent an hour and a half going
through the crowd, greeting each guest. When the
royal couple came to May's friend, he told them his
name and the work he was doing. The king hesitated.
He was not familiar with the mountain village where
the man worked. The queen, who had met him earlier,
gave a brief explanation to the king. The king then
asked how long he had been there.
He replied, "Sixteen years." The king seemed touched.
Looking him in the eye, he said meaningfully, "Excellent."
He then moved on to the next person.
Bernie May's friend admitted it was a short conversation,
but that was all he needed to hear. He had heard the
king say, "Excellent."
"I will lift up my Eyes to the hills, from where does my Help come? My Help comes from the LORD, Maker of Heaven and Earth”
(Psalm 121:1-2).
What are you Looking at Today?
Are there Challenges in your life to overcome?
Don’t just look at your problems day in and day out,
lift up your Eyes and Look Toward Heaven.
You will naturally move in the Direction that your
Eyes are looking.
If you are always looking at your problems—
Meditating on them, feeling sorry for yourself,
telling everybody about them—
you will become consumed by them.
But when you look up, your life will start to Move Up.
When you keep your eyes on JESUS, it is also a sign
of your Faith and Expectancy.
The Bible tells us that Faith is what Moves the Hand of GOD.
When you have an Attitude of Faith and Expectancy, you
open the door for HIS Power in your Life. Decide today to
Focus on the Goodness of our GOD. Lift your Eyes and
Heart to HIM and begin to Praise HIM with your Words.
As you lift your Eyes, your Help will come, and you will
live the Victorious life HE has in store for you!
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, Today I choose to lift my Eyes to You. I will look to You for my Help. Thank You for Showing me Your Salvation and Deliverance. I Bless You Today in JESUS’ Name. Amen.
JESUS said that our Actions give away our Value system. What we do shows what we really Believe (Luke 6:45).
Do your Actions clearly show you are living by the Values Taught in the Bible?
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF LIVING BY GODLY VALUES?
1 Samuel 12:4 . . . “you have never cheated or
oppressed us in any way, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”
2 Kings 12:15 . . . No accounting was required from
the construction supervisors, because they were honest
and faithful workers.
Living by the values of Scripture earns us a good reputation
and makes us trustworthy.
HOW DO I CULTIVATE THESE VALUES?
Genesis 39:8-9 . . . Joseph refused. “Look,” he
told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his
entire household . . . How could I ever do such a
wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
Refuse to give in to what the Bible says is wrong.
Matthew 7:12 . . . Do for others what you
would like them to do for you. This is a summary
of all that is taught in the law.
Galatians 5:22-23 . . . When the Holy Spirit
controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit
in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Psalm 15:1-5 . . . Who may worship in
your sanctuary, Lord? . . . Those who lead blameless
lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from
sincere hearts.
Micah 6:8 . . . The Lord has already told you
what is good, and this is what he requires: to do
what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly
with your God.
HOW DO I TAKE INVENTORY OF MY CURRENT VALUES?
Romans 1:29 . . . Their lives became full of every
kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder,
fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
Ephesians 5:4 . . . Obscene stories, foolish talk,
and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let
there be thankfulness to God.
Proverbs 30:8 . . . First, help me never to tell a lie.
How do you view acts the Bible calls sin, such as
gossip, flattery, profanity, lying, or cheating?
If you don’t see these as sin, you must face up
to the fact that your values differ from the Bible’s.
Matthew 15:19 . . . From the heart come evil
thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality,
theft, lying and slander.
The heart is the wellspring of moral, or immoral, behavior.
Conduct is the fruit of character, and character is the
fruit of belief.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR US TO LIVE CONSISTENT MORAL LIVES?
Psalm 24:3-4 . . .
Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place? Only
those whose hands and hearts are pure.
Proverbs 28:2 . . .
When there is moral rot within a nation,
its government topples easily.
Exodus 23:24 . . .
Do not worship the gods of these other
nations or serve them in any way.
PROMISE FROM GOD:
Romans 5:3-5 . . .
We can rejoice, too, when we run
into problems and trials, for we know
that they are good for us-they help
us learn to endure. And endurance
develops strength of character in us,
and character strengthens our confident
expectation of salvation. And this
expectation will not disappoint us.
For we know how dearly God loves us,
because he has given us the Holy
Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". (Romans 10:9)
BELIEVING IS A CONFESSION FROM THE HEART.
Have you ever been asked, “How do I become a Christian?”
These verses give you the beautiful answer-salvation is as
close as your own mouth and heart. People think it must
be a complicated process, but it is not. If we believe in our heart and say with our mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved.
"Obey the LORD your God by keeping all these commands and laws that I am giving you today".
(Deuteronomy 27:10)
BELIEVING INCLUDES ACTION.
Moses was reviewing the law with the new generation of people. When we decide to believe in God, we must also decide to follow his ways.
What we do shows what we really believe. Can people tell that you are
a member of God’s family?
"And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith".
(Genesis 15:6)
BELIEVING IS MORE THAN ACTION.
Although Abram had been demonstrating
his faith through his actions, it was his belief in the Lord,
not his actions, that made Abram
right with God (Romans 4:1-5).
We too can have a right relationship with God by trusting him.
Our outward actions-church attendance, prayer, good deeds-
will not by themselves make us right with God. A right relationship is based on faith-the heartfelt inner confidence that God is who he says he is and does what he says he will do. Right actions will follow naturally as by-products.
Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!
(James 2:19)
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BELIEVE GOD EXISTS.
At first glance, these verses seem to contradict Romans 3:28, “We are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”
Deeper investigation, however, shows that the teachings of James and
Paul are not at odds. While it is true that our good deeds can never
earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. Paul speaks against those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith; James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual
assent with true faith. After all, even demons know who Jesus is, but
they don’t obey him. True faith involves a commitment of your whole self to God.
Faith is more than just believing; it is trusting our very lives to what
we believe. For example, we can believe that someone can walk
across a deep gorge on a tightrope. But are we willing to trust that
person to carry us across? Faith says YES.
Faith in God says that we are willing to trust God with our very lives.
We are willing to follow his guidelines for living as outlined in the Bible
because we have the conviction that this will be best for us. We are
even willing to endure ridicule and persecution for our faith because
we are so sure that what we believe is true and that the Christian life
is what is best for us eternally.
WHY SHOULD I HAVE FAITH IN GOD?
Isaiah 25:9 . . .
This is the Lord in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!
John 5:24 . . .
I assure you, those who listen to my message
and believe in God who sent me have eternal life.
Faith is the only way to get to heaven. It is the only doorway to eternal life. If God created eternity, then only through God can we get there.
Hebrews 11:1 . . .
What is Faith? It is the Confident Assurance that what we Hope for is Going to Happen.
2 Peter 1:20-21 . . .
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture
ever came from the prophets themselves or because they
wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the
prophets to speak from God.
Jeremiah 36:2 . . .
“Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel,
Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message
back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message
you have given, right up to the present time.”
Ezekiel 1:3 . . .
The Lord gave a message to me, Ezekiel son of Buzi,
a priest, there beside the Kebar River in the land of the
Babylonians, and I felt the hand of the Lord take hold of me.
Zechariah 7:12 . . .
They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not
hear the law or the messages that the Lord Almighty had
sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.
That is why the Lord Almighty was so angry with them.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 . . .
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true
and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us
out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing
us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
God communicates with us through his Word, the Bible. So we should read it daily.
John 1:18 . . .
No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God,
is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him.
John 1:14 . . .
The Word became human and lived here on earth among us.
He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.
And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
Hebrews 1:1-3 . . .
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors
through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken
to us through his Son.
Colossians 1:15 . . .
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before God made anything at all and is
supreme over all creation.
Colossians 2:9 . . .
In Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body.
God communicates with us through his Son, Jesus Christ. So we should talk with him daily.
John 16:15 . . .
All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that
the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me.
John 14:26 . . .
When the Father sends the Counselor as my representative-and by the
Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit-he will teach you everything and will
remind you of everything I myself have told you.
John 15:26 . . .
I will send you the Counselor-the Spirit of truth.
He will come to you from the Father and will tell you
all about me.
John 16:8, 13 . . .
And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of
God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. . . .
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you
what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
Romans 8:16 . . .
His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us
that we are God’s children.
God communicates through his Holy Spirit. So we should interact with him daily.
John 8:9 . . .
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one,
beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle
of the crowd with the woman.
Romans 2:14-15 . . .
Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively
follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know
right from wrong. They demonstrate that God’s law is written within
them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them
they are doing what is right.
God communicates to us through our own human conscience. We should listen to the voice of our conscience daily.
Genesis 9:12-17 . . .
God said, “I am giving you a sign as evidence of my eternal covenant
with you and all living creatures. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds.
It is the sign of my permanent promise to you and to all the earth.
When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds,
and I will remember my covenant with you and with everything that lives.
Never again will there be a flood that will destroy all life.
When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant
between God and every living creature on earth.” Then God said to Noah,
“Yes, this is the sign of my covenant with all the creatures of the earth.”
Romans 1:19-20 . . .
The truth about God is known to them instinctively.
God has put this knowledge in their hearts.
From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth
and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible
qualities-his eternal power and divine nature.
So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
Psalm 19:1-4 . . .
The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is silent in the skies;
yet their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to all the world.
The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it.
God communicates with us through his creation of nature. All nature sings . . . and speaks. Look for God’s fingerprints, footprints, and even voiceprints in his handiwork.
Acts 14:16-17 . . .
In earlier days he permitted all the nations to go their own ways,
but he never left himself without a witness. There were always his reminders,
such as sending you rain and good crops and giving you food and joyful hearts.
Acts 17:26-27 . . .
From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth.
He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and
perhaps feel their way toward him and find him-though he is not far from any one of us.
God communicates through the providential order in life. God’s gifts are a sure sign of God’s presence, as surely as your gifts reflect your presence in someone’s life.
John 11:25, 43-44 . . .
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.” . . .
Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”
And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes,
his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them,
“Unwrap him and let him go!”
Acts 2:22 . . .
“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.” God communicates through the miraculous. There are great miracles like the resurrection of the dead and small miracles like a baby’s smile. Recognize the unspoken voice of God in every wonderful thing he does.
1 Kings 3:5 . . .
That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and
God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Daniel 7:1 . . . Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon,
Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed.
He wrote the dream down, and this is what he saw.
Matthew 2:13 . . .
After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.
“Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said.
“Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child.”
Isaiah 1:1 . . .
These visions concerning Judah and Jerusalem came to Isaiah son of
Amoz during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah-all kings of Judah.
Ezekiel 11:24-25 . . .
Afterward the Spirit of God carried me back again to Babylonia,
to the Judeans in exile there. And so ended the vision of my visit to Jerusalem.
And I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.
Daniel 8:1 . . . During the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign,
I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already
appeared to me.
HOW CAN WE KNOW WHEN GOD IS SPEAKING TO US?
Psalm 46:10 . . .
“Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
1 Kings 19:10-13 . . .
Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty.
But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you,
torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets.
I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him.
And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a
mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast
that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in
the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire,
but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was
the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped
his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance
of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
We are to be still, quiet and prepared to hear God speak. Sometimes we should spend time in his presence without feeling the need to verbalize prayer. Just go into his presence and listen, ready to hear him speak to your heart and mind.
John 10:27 . . .
My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 14:21, 25-26 . . .
Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me.
And because they love me, my Father will love them, and
I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them. . . .
I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.
But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative-
and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit-he will teach
you everything and will remind you of everything I myself
have told you.
John 8:47 . . .
Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God.
Since you don’t, it proves you aren’t God’s children.
The best way to be certain of God’s voice is to know God. If we don’t know the person, how can we recognize his voice?
HOW DO WE KNOW GOD HEARS US?
Psalm 4:3 . . .
You can be sure of this: The Lord has set apart the godly for himself.
The Lord will answer when I call to him.
Psalm 34:15 . . .
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
Proverbs 15:29 . . .
The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the
prayers of the righteous.
1 John 5:14-15 . . .
We can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him
for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening
when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
God is unmistakably attentive to us. God promises in his Word that he hears us. The God who is everywhere all the time is as close as our next word to him.
WHAT DOES GOD WANT IN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH HIM?
Ephesians 3:12 . . .
Because of Christ and our faith in him,
we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence,
assured of his glad welcome.
Psalm 145:18-19 . . .
The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help
and rescues them.
Hebrews 10:22 . . . Let us go right into the presence of God,
with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences
have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean,
and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Psalm 62:8 . . .
O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.
God wants us to approach him in confidence with honest,
trusting hearts. We can do this when Christ has changed us
and his Spirit is within us.
Colossians 4:2 . . .
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and
a thankful heart.
He wants us to make our communication with him a priority. You know our friends because of regular contact with them. Devote yourself to regular, consistent contact with God. Don’t bring a lazy mind and thankless heart to the Lord of life. Bring an alert mind and a thankful heart.
The Sunday before Easter, when Christians
remember Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
It is called Palm Sunday because the crowd
spread palm branches in front of Jesus as he
rode into the city on a donkey.
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
This term refers to Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem,
where the crowds welcomed him and hailed him as
Son of David, King of the Jews. Ironically,
this event occurred just a few days prior to
his betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
WISDOM
The Deeds of Wisdom throughout History
1 Wisdom protected Adam,* the first father of the world,
when he alone had been created.
Wisdom freed him from his sin
2 and gave him power to be master over all things.
3 But when Cain, an unrighteous man, abandoned wisdom in his anger,
he was destroyed because he murdered his brother in a fit of rage.
4 When water flooded the earth because of Cain’s sin,
wisdom saved it again,
steering Noah, a righteous man, by a mere piece of wood.
5 When the nations were thrown into confusion for planning
wicked things together,
wisdom recognized Abraham, a righteous man.
She protected him from sin before God
and gave him strength to be willing to sacrifice his son,
whom he loved.
6 She delivered Lot, a righteous man,
when the wicked were being destroyed.
He escaped the fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.*
7 Evidence of their wickedness still remains:
a smoking, desolate land,
trees bearing fruit that never ripens,
and a pillar of salt—a monument to Lot’s unbelieving wife.
8 By forsaking wisdom,
the people of those cities failed to recognize good things.
But they also left us a memorial to their foolish actions,
so that their failures would always be remembered.
9 Yet wisdom rescued those who served her.
10 When Jacob, a righteous man, fled from his brother’s anger,
Wisdom guided him well.
She showed him the kingdom of God
and gave him knowledge of holy things.
She made him successful in his work
and blessed him for his efforts.
11 While others tried to defraud him,
wisdom stood by him and made him wealthy.
12 She kept him safe from his enemies
and defended him from those who wanted to ambush him.
In his difficult fight she gave him victory,
so that he might know that godliness is more powerful than anything.
13 Wisdom did not forsake Joseph, a righteous man, when he was sold
but delivered him from sin.
14 She went with him down into the dungeon
and did not abandon him in prison.
In time, she made him the ruler of a kingdom
and gave him authority over those who oppressed him.
Then she exposed his accusers as liars
and gave him everlasting honor.
Wisdom Rescued the Israelites
15 Wisdom rescued the Israelites, a holy and blameless people,
from the nations that oppressed them.
16 She entered the soul of Moses, a servant of the Lord,
and resisted dreaded kings with wonders and signs.
17 She rewarded the holy people for their work
and guided them on an amazing journey.
She was a shelter for them by day
and a starry beacon in the night.
18 She brought them through the Red Sea
and led them through deep waters.
19 But she drowned their enemies
and cast them up from the watery depths.
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the wicked.
They sang hymns to your holy name, O Lord,
and together they praised your victorious hand.
21 For wisdom opened the mouths of the mute
and made the tongues of infants eloquent.
10:1 In 10:1-16, Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Lot,
Lot's wife, Jacob, Joseph, the Israelites, and Moses
are alluded to but not explicitly named in the Greek text.
10:6 Greek the fire that came down on the Five Cities.
"You made me and formed me with your hands. Give me understanding so I can learn your commands".
Psalm 119:73
GOD has gifted you with Talents.
HE has done the same to your neighbor.
If you concern yourself with your neighbor's
Talents, you will neglect yours.
But if you concern yourself with yours,
you could inspire both.
Two lessons here:
1) Realize how important it is to treat people well.
2) Realize that those who err in their own handling
of relationships have most likely had poor examples
from which to learn.
This is not an excuse for bad behavior,
but it does help to understand and break the cycle.
When possible, it helps to give a different response
than what a poor attitude typically engenders.
“You have heard that the Law of Moses says, "Love your neighbor" and "hate your enemy" JESUS said. “But I say, "Love your enemies"!
Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you
will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
For HE gives HIS sunlight to both the evil and the good,
and HE sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.
If you love only those who love you, what good is that?
Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.
If you are kind only to your friends, how are you
different from anyone else”? (Matthew 5:43-47)
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"I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins...I will remember no more".
Hebrews 8:12 (NKJV)
Wow! Now, that is a remarkable promise.
GOD doesn't just forgive,
HE forgets.
HE erases the board.
HE destroys the evidence.
HE burns the microfilm.
HE clears the computer.
HE doesn't remember my mistakes.
For all the things HE does do, this is one thing
HE refuses to do.
HE refuses to keep a list of my wrongs.
That's some POWERFUL MERCY If you really
think about it..Do you have that kind of Mercy
in your Heart?
"If you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins".
MATTHEW 6:14
Bitterness is its Own Prison.
The sides are slippery with resentment.
A floor of muddy anger stills the feet.
The stench of betrayal fills the air and
stings the eyes.
A cloud of self-pity blocks the view of
the tiny exit above.
Step in and look at the prisoners.
Victims are chained to the walls.
Victims of betrayal.
Victims of abuse.
The dungeon, deep and dark, is beckoning
you to enter.... You can, you know.
You've experienced enough hurt....
You can choose, like many, to chain yourself
to your hurt.... Or you can choose, like some,
to put away your hurts before they become hates....
How does GOD deal with your bitter heart?
HE reminds you that what you have is more
important than what you don't have. You still have your relationship with GOD. No one can take that.
There once was a rich man who was near death.
He was very grieved because he had worked so
hard for his money and he wanted to take it with
him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might
be able to take some of his wealth with him.
An angel hears his plea and appears to him.
"Sorry, but you can't take your wealth with you."
The man implores the angel to speak to God to
see if He might bend the rules.
The man continues to pray that his wealth
could follow him.
The angel reappears and informs the man that
God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase
with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest
suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places
it beside his bed.
Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at
the Gates of Heaven to greet St. Peter.
Seeing the suitcase St. Peter says,
"Hold on, you can't bring that in here!"
But, the man explains to St. Peter that he has
permission and asks him to verify his story with
the Lord. Sure enough, St. Peter checks and
comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed
one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check
its contents before letting it through."
St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items
that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims,
"You brought pavement?"
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Puzzled
On a shopping trip to the city a backwoods farmer bought
a 24-piece jigsaw puzzle. He worked on it every night for
two weeks. Finally, the puzzle was finished.
"Look what I've don, Jess," he said proudly to a visiting neighbor.
"That's surely somethin', Willard. How long did it take you?"
"Only two weeks."
"Never done a puzzle myself," Jess said. "Is two weeks fast?"
"Darn tootin'," Willard said. "Look at the box.
It says, 'From two to four years."
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The Saddest Story
Bill, Jim, and Scott were at a convention together
and were sharing a large suite on the top of a 75
story sky scraper. After a long day of meetings
they were shocked to hear that the elevators in
their hotel were broken and they would have to
climb 75 flights of stairs to get to their room.
Bill said to Jim and Scott, "Let's break the
monotony of this unpleasant task by concentrating
on something interesting. I'll tell jokes for 25 flights,
and Jim can sing songs for 25 flights, and Scott can
tell sad stories the rest of the way."
At the 26th floor Bill stopped telling jokes and
Jim began to sing. At the 51st floor Jim stopped
singing and Scott began to tell sad stories.
"I will tell my saddest story first," he said.
"I just realized that I left the room key in the car!"
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BIBLE
A little boy opened the big family bible.
He was fascinated as he fingered
through the old pages. Suddenly,
something fell out of the Bible. He picked
up the object and looked at it.
What he saw was an old leaf that had been
pressed in between the pages.
"Mama, look what I found", the boy called
out." What have you got there, dear?"
With astonishment in the young boy's
voice, he answered,
"I think it's Adam's underwear"
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“No one can be established through wickedness, but a Righteous Root cannot be moved”
(Proverbs 12:3, NET).
Do you ever feel tossed around by the storms of life?
Have you ever seen a tree in a hurricane? The winds
and the rain blow the leaves from the branches, and
sometimes the branches are torn off, or the tree is
blown over. But the tree's roots are protected from
the weather by being firmly established in the ground.
The same is true in our lives. If our thinking is not in
line with the Word of GOD, we become vulnerable
during the difficult times. But when our thoughts are
in line with GOD's thoughts, HE plants a Righteous
Root within us. We become Firmly Established. Our
thinking becomes Clear so we can be Strong and
Overcome the Storms of Life. GOD wants you to be
Solid. HE wants you to be steady.
He wants you to have an Established Life and Character.
HE wants your Roots to grow deep in His Word.
He wants you to be Righteous in HIM.
Ask the LORD Today to show any areas of your thought
life that might need to be firmly planted in GOD's Word.
As you develop your relationship with the LORD you will
grow deep Spiritual Roots and Stand Victoriously against
the Storms of Life.
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, Thank you for your plan for my life today. Help me to grow deep roots in you. Cause my thoughts to be your thoughts so that I will be Strong and Established. Thank you for your Favor and Blessing in my life today. In JESUS' Name, Amen.
Where Do We Find GOD's Presence?
"Open for me the gates where the Righteous enter; and I will go in and Thank the LORD. Those gates lead to the presence of the LORD, and the Godly enter there. I Thank you for answering my Prayer and Saving me"!
Psalm 118:19-21 NLT
"The LORD is Close to all who Call on HIM, yes, to all who Call on HIM Sincerely".
Psalm 145:18 NLT
"Because of CHRIST and our Faith in HIM, we can now come Fearlessly into GOD's Presence, assured of HIS Glad Welcome".
Ephesians 3:12 NLT
Prayer Brings Us to HIS Presence
[Psalm 118] pictures a victorious yet battle-weary king
at the helm of a throng of Grateful people entering the
gates of the Temple to Thank GOD for saving them.
During those times, the Temple represented GOD's
presence—the place where followers would go to
Pray to the LORD.
Today, we enter into GOD's presence in a car, at work,
or in the aisles of a grocery store—wherever we take
time to Pray to HIM. We can be sure GOD hears our
Prayers and answers each one wherever and
whenever they are uttered.
And by doing so, HE gives us even more reasons to Pray.
Just like the victorious king in this psalm, we should
enter GOD's presence by Thanking HIM for answering Prayers.
What answers to Prayer are you Thankful for today?
“Blessed (Happy, Fortunate, and to be Envied) are they who keep HIS Testimonies, and who Seek, Inquire For and of HIM and Crave HIM with a Whole Heart” (Psalm 119:2 AMP)
Often times when we hear the word “crave”, we automatically think about food cravings. Cravings can be triggered by just about anything. You may see an advertisement of your favorite burger or hear someone mention ice cream, and it produces an image in your mind. You replay that image over and over again until you have to get in your car and seek that thing you are craving! Your Spiritual cravings work the same way. When you focus on GOD and meditate on HIS Word, it starts to change your desires on the inside. Spiritual hunger for HIM will grow and develop into a craving-until you actually have to stop everything else in order to seek HIM! If you feel spiritually hungry, take a step of Faith and begin to focus your Heart more on GOD and HIS Word. The Bible says that when you seek HIM with your Whole Heart, you will find HIM. Just like the verse says, when you crave GOD and Obey HIS Commands, you will live Happy and Blessed all the days of your life!
A Prayer for Today
Dear LORD, Today I set my focus on You. I choose to seek You with an Open Heart. Remind me of Your Goodness today and keep me close to You. Thank You for filling me with Your Peace and Joy and for Empowering me through the Truth of Your Word. In JESUS' Name. Amen.
Should You Feel Guilty?
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commandments of the LORD are clear, giving insight to life. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin". Psalm 19:7-13 NLT
No Reason to Feel Guilty
In the beginning of this passage, the psalmist speaks of the perfect law of GOD and the way it protects us, makes us wise, and gives us joy and light. GOD's Word is sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb, warning us, and giving success to those who obey.
Recognizing the power, sweetness, and beauty of GOD's Word, however, brings us face to face with the darkness of the sins lurking in our heart—some that we are all too familiar with and others that we have committed unknowingly. Confession shines the bright light of GOD's forgiveness into these dark corners of the heart, exposes them, and cleanses them. This cleansing forgiveness in turn brings freedom from guilt. Once forgiven, we have no reason to feel guility anymore.
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. " They really should get lives. " He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came! , and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday! " He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown , and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. " Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. GOD puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for GOD in others.
There is no beginning or end.. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. ----------------------------------------------- "HE is not here; HE has risen, just as HE said." (Matthew 28:6)
JESUS is RISEN!
That's what we celebrate today and everyday! The cross is bare and the tomb is empty. HIS victory over sin and death provides each of us the opportunity to start over – to make a fresh, new beginning. As Christians, we believe in new beginnings. JESUS gave us unconditional Love and unlimited possibilities. HE doesn't care what you've done in the past; only about your future. I hope that during this Easter Season you find your way to a group of Caring people, dedicated to Worshiping the Risen LORD, reaching the lost, Praying for your Needs and helping you discover GOD's perfect plan for your life.
A Prayer for Today
LORD, I ask that you refresh my soul this Easter. I want JESUS to come alive in my heart to resurrect my hopes and dreams and lead me to the new beginning that is Your gift to me. Thank You for delivering me from sin. In JESUS' name – Amen.
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