Bread of Life, JIL

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him.” John 19:1-2

MESSAGE OF THE DAY: I don’t know about you but much of my day is spent thinking about staying out of harm’s way. I don’t like the feeling of being hurt or having my feelings hurt or being taunted for things I believe in. Yes, those things still do happen to us today but not to the extent that our Lord Jesus went through them. Take just a moment and put yourself in the place of Jesus before he even went to the cross to be nailed and displayed to the world. Think of the hundreds or maybe even thousands of people yelling to the leaders of the day to have you put to death. Think about being tied to a post and having your back torn open with a whip that was tipped with lead. Think of the pain endured when thorns are not just gently put upon your head but instead crushed down hard so that blood begins to run down your face and into your eyes. Think about the humiliation and the taunting of the soldiers as they placed a purple robe on you having fun by play acting your role as King of the Jews. Think of the pain, the bruising and the humiliation our Lord went through even before he was crucified on that cross. We must remember that Jesus was not superhuman. He became like us when he entered this earth, and he knew and felt the pain just as you and I would have. He went through all of those things so that you and I would not have to. Can you even imagine having to go through all of that before you die. And then be nailed cruelly to a cross to die a slow and painful death. I know that I would not make it. However, because Jesus knew the plan and knew what was on the line he was ready and willing to do it for each and every one of us. What a blessing He was and continues to be to us today. What a gift God gave to us. Sometimes we take it for granted. It is time to take a step back and realize the pain and humiliation that really went on. The next time you come upon a problem in your life just turn back the page and remember what Jesus did for you! It will make a difference! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to listen to those who worship him and do his will.” John 9:31

TODAY’S MESSAGE: Have you ever asked yourself just what it means to be a godly person? Or have you ever asked yourself if you are a godly person? Can you be godly and be a sinner at the same time? Everyone is born a sinner. We are all born with a sinful nature and there is only one way to overcome that nature and that is by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The term godly is a term used to describe the action of being like God. A godly person is one who is committed to obeying our God in this world. We know that our God in heaven does not listen to sinners. John 9:31 tells us that. So, how can we be godly and a sinner at the same time? Since we are all born sinners God sent his Son, Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He gave us each a choice as to whether to have belief in Jesus or not to believe and go our own separate way. A godly person is one who knows the Lord Jesus and is one who allows the Holy Spirit to guide him in the ways of the truth set forth by the Lord. As a godly person we become one mind with God. We begin to think like him and begin to live in ways that he desires. We begin to hate what he hates and love what he loves. We begin to measure everything in this world by the standard of His Word. We become godly when we decide to accept the truth and not the deception of what is going on around us. We are godly when we truly believe that our Lord Jesus did die for our sins, our healing and our salvation. We become godly when our actions begin to show our beliefs to the world without fear of what others will say or do to us. We become godly when we go to our God in prayer with the belief that he does answer our prayers. We stand firm in his Word and live the truth in every way we act. Yes, we may stumble but we are godly when we realize that our God in heaven will pick us up and put us back on the right path. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for?

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SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: “Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?” John 18:11

MESSAGE OF THE DAY: Jesus was well aware of his situation. He knew exactly what God had given him to do. As we read through scripture, we can see that his humanity may have thrown fear in his path, but he totally surrendered to God’s will. It was crucial for us that he did. The same is sometimes realized in our own lives. We confront problems on a daily basis. Some of these problems are created by circumstances beyond our control and others we create on our own. No matter where they come from our God in heaven allows these problems in our lives for a purpose. Just as Jesus went through his own struggles while here on earth, we too must fight through ours. Jesus was here to save creation, and his situation was to be crucified upon the cross and die for us to be saved. Our situations are varied. However, if we really look at each and every problem we confront through the eyes of our Lord, we can see that there is a purpose in each. Every situation we find ourselves in is a learning experience. Sometimes we respond irresponsibly and find ourselves being disciplined. Other times we may respond with honor and receive a just reward. But there is a purpose for all. We are being trained up in the Lord. We too are to be spreading God’s word and allowing for opportunities for others to come to Jesus just as we have had our chance. We should never run away from a situation. Instead, we should run toward it. We should pray and ask our Lord for strength and wisdom so that when we are working through the situation, we are the conquerors and not the conquered. If we prepare by study, meditation and prayer in the Word of God we will be overcomers. We have the tools at our fingertips, but we must have the faith and the trust in Jesus to use them. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt

Describe a family member.

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Today’s Scripture: “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Today’s Message: Our Lord never guaranteed us a sin free life on this earth. We were born sinners and our natural sinful being seems to lean towards our sinful nature. However, our God has given us the greatest gift ever. He gave us his son, Jesus Christ to die for us and to take aways our sins. As we live on this earth, we will continue to have temptations, to have sorrows and to have many kinds of trials that we will have to overcome. Without Jesus we would not be able to be overcomers. But with him we are given power to be strong, have understanding and wisdom. When Jesus left this earth, the Holy Spirit entered it. He came to live in each of us so that we would have the courage, the instinct and the nature of our God to be able to resist the devil and his mighty attacks upon our lives. What we have to do is believe. We are to become intimately acquainted with his word. When we do, we learn to recognize his power, his promises and his ways. We are able to turn our sins over to him to be forgiven and forgotten forever. We are able to begin the walk of strength that is provided through Christ. We are able to overcome the evils of this world. It is sometimes very hard to understand, but no matter the hardship or how terrible it might seem at the time, if we pray and believe we will receive. As we read his word we are reading his will for our lives. When we pray in his word we are praying his will for our lives. This is our strength and our power. The devil and his army are unable to defeat our God in heaven. He has overcome the world, and we belong to Him! We have become overcomers through Christ Jesus our Savior! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

How much would you pay to go to the moon?

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURES: “And the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me.” John 16:2-3 ” And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.” John 16: 8-9

TODAYS MESSAGE: I believe it is safe to say that confusion is the name of the game today. Confusion plays such a part in the lives of us all at times, but especially in the lives of those who do not know Christ Jesus. Whether you believe that we are living in the end times or not it is important to recognize the things going on around us in today’s world. Things are happening today that common sense no long takes care of. People are believing in things and doing things that are beyond our understanding. We are receiving people from other countries who have beliefs that we do not recognize. There are those who believe that when they take another’s life they are doing so with the support and love of their god. As we get closer to the judgment of God in heaven, we are beginning to see the chaos of the unbelievers. We are seeing the ruthlessness of evil that we have not had to experience in this country before. We, however, have the answer at our fingertips. We have Christ! We have the gift of the Holy Spirit right here with us! We cannot control the actions of those around us, but we can control our own actions. We can continue to stand up as believers and continue to shout the name of Jesus without fear. Our faith must be strong, and it must continue to get stronger! We must continue to put our God first in our lives and understand God’s plan. We must be willing to sacrifice for him no matter the situation. We must believe that no matter how terrible the situation looks, our God is in total control! We must believe that we receive because God is in control! Please continue to pray, study and live your life with complete confidence in God almighty! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!!

Daily writing prompt

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

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“Take delight in the Lord and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him and he will help you.” Psalm 37:5

When we delight ourselves in the Lord we are immersing our whole life in his ways. We are leaving nothing untouched or available for the wicked of this world to grab onto. We are to follow Jesus. We are to be Christ-like, and we are to walk in the truth. We are to put our complete trust in him and surrender to his guidance for our lives. We are to focus and believe on the light that our God shines on us. We are to stay within his light, knowing that it will always lead us in the right direction no matter how difficult or dark our situation may become. We should become a light for others to follow. By strengthening our relationship with Jesus, we are to partner with him in spreading his word and his ways. We must come to the realization that God is the ultimate source of light, and Jesus is the light of the world. We are to reflect the light of God and the life of Jesus by living in a way that is consistent with what pleases our Lord. We are to pray always and give praises to our great God in heaven. We are to study and meditate within his holy Word daily and feed our faith with truth and understanding. He loves us more than we can understand. We are to love him with all that we are. We are to give our lives by the dedicating of our ways and actions showing Jesus as active and working within us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What are you most proud of in your life?

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“Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.” Joshua 1:8

When we are called by God, we are called to live a refreshed and peaceful life. We are to be able to go about our lives in this world with the assurance of God’s persistent love and understanding working within us. Sometimes we find ourselves wandering outside the boundaries our God has set for us. Sometimes we find that our ways have taken on a nature that is inconsistent with our Lord. When we do, it is time to renew our mind, to renew our thoughts and to renew our relationship with Christ Jesus. When we find that we are just going through the motions it is time to reenergize. It is time to refocus our ways on what our God in heaven has planned for us. It is time to renew our relationship with the Lord. It is time to once again, be on fire for Jesus! We are to put ourselves in situations that allow us to focus on the things that are holy and trustworthy. We are to meditate on his Word and study hard to refresh each holy word in our minds. We are to allow his Word to become a part of us and then we are to live our lives within his plan. He loves us and wants us to live peaceful lives. We are not to become stressed by everyday situations and forget what we are really on this earth to do. We are to spread his word by living lives that represent him well. We are to handle the ways of this world in ways that the world considers to be uncommon. We are to place our trust in heaven above and not on the world below. Is it time for you to refresh your relationship with Jesus? If so, begin in prayer asking him for direction. Begin with praise, giving him the glory he so richly deserves. When you do you will become refreshed and once again renewed by his Holy Spirit! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What have you been working on?

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” But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, the people still did not believe in him.” John 12:37

” You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you at a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6: 19 & 20

There were many who lived and saw the miracles of Jesus who did not believe. Their eyes were closed, and their hearts were hardened to the many events that took place around them. They were so focused on the past and the laws of Moses that they were blinded to the future of Christ. They were hindered by the past and blinded by the future. It is the same today. As we are brought up in our families, we all come through our childhood believing what we are taught in our up bringing. We may have been taught about Jesus or we may not have been taught about him. Our focus is much like the focus of those during the time of Jesus. The focus was on the past and the future was not seen clearly. The same goes for us and our needs. Some of us have a hard time letting go of our teachings from when we were young, and we hang on to them so hard that our lives become embedded with those thoughts and desires. Jesus was sacrificed for our future, our salvation and our forgiveness. God purchased us, and he purchased us with a high price. When we believe and accept him as Lord and Savior, we become his and we must let go of the world. We are to honor him with how we live and how we treat those around us. We cannot completely let go of our past, but we are to follow the future, and that future is Christ! Even as followers of the Lord we will have good and bad times in our lives. That is why it is so important that when we grasp onto his cloak, we never let go. When we believe in him and are being led by him, we will never be defeated. We will always be overcomers. It is when we take our eyes off of Jesus that we begin to struggle and sink deeply in our ocean of struggles. It when we let go that we start to drift to another direction and become our own guide and try to take over our own lives once again. We must hold tightly to the ways of Jesus. We must stay in prayer with him. We must never allow the things of this world to influence how we think or live our lives. Hang onto Jesus tightly and he will guide you through to the end! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

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” And no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

“Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him.” Proverbs 14:2

“For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20

Our God in heaven has opened his heart and his very being to each of those who have been called. To all who have experienced the conversion from evil to good our God has given to us the free gift of salvation. The door has been opened and we have the option of walking through the door or turning our backs on his opportunity and taking our own path. We can all rest assured that if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior our lives will become what our God has planned. We will be able to hear his voice, and our spirits will be in tune with Him. He will create a desire within us for prayer and communication. We will desire to learn more and to want to be close to him. We will seek out his healing power for our lives and we will live under his protection and strength and be living witnesses on his behalf. However, there are those among us who have turned their backs on God. They have made the decision to take their own path in life. It may seem easier, or it may look good, but it will end in disaster. They will be blinded by the fruits of this world and be allowed to sin as they desire. They will not understand, nor will they want to understand the ways of our God. For those who have turned their backs on Jesus and deny his existence are doomed for destruction. There is, however, a continued opportunity for some to be saved. You and I are to live our lives so that others around us can see the fruits from our God in heaven. We are to present ourselves with love, peace, understanding and compassion, even to those who detest our very lives. We are to never give up on anyone until our Lord returns. Jesus is Lord and is in control! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

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” It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:17

” For we live by believing and not by seeing.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith is the result of believing that Jesus died for our sins and made a way for us to be right with God. As children of the living God, we live lives by believing and not by seeing. We must trust and obey God and not trust what we can see and feel around us. For many of us this is a major change in our lives. It is a trend that we must work hard at. We must stay embedded in his word and focus on him daily. We must understand and believe that the death of Jesus on the cross was the beginning of our journey. It was with his death and resurrection that we received everything we need to live lives that are in right standing with God in heaven. As we continue to study his word and go to him in prayer, we should begin to reflect Jesus and reveal him to this world. People should begin to see his reflection in our lives. They should see him in how we handle our problems and how we resolve conflicts around us. Our faith must show a quiet confidence that our God in heaven is working in our lives, and no matter what the situation is, he is working out all things for the good of those who love him. To strengthen our faith, we must spend regular time in his presence with prayer and praise. We must meditate on his many thoughts and promises for our lives, and we must stay connected to the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts. Jesus gave the ultimate for you and me to have faith that can be nurtured and grow. He gave it all so that we can live lives knowing that our God in heaven is in control. He died so that you and I can live our lives here on earth fulfilling the plan he has set forth for each of us. He gave his life so that we can live in faith! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

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” But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32

As residents upon this earth, we all fail. We are all human beings with many faults. As Luke tells us in verse 22:32 even Peter fail. Peter denied that he even knew Christ three times. You and I are no different. We may have the grandest of intentions, but we still fail. We may think that when the time comes to show ourselves worthy in this world, we are ready, but we may fail. However, even through failure, our Lord Jesus still believes in us. He is able and willing to restore us and make us whole again. Our Lord will help us through every bad experience we have if we just have the faith to believe in him. He will help us to rebuild our faith and give us the strength to move forward and learn from the mistakes we make. It is important that we go to him with our faults and sincerely repent of our sins and ask him for forgiveness. When we do, he will wipe our sin away and give us a clean slate. There are so many in the world today who pile their sins one upon another until they are so heavy that they can carry them no more and are burdened to despair. They see no future but only darkness. Without Jesus our world is bleak. Our future is nothing more than the edge of a cliff we are about to fall off of. But with Jesus we are overcomers. We are able to take our mistakes in life before him and let him deal with them. He is our redeemer, our helper, our refuge and our safety net. He is our life. We must continue to pray for faith, pray for strength and pray for guidance. He is with us always and never leaves us. How do you deal with failure? Are you shaken, taken back and believe there is no way out or do you believe in Jesus and his help? Jesus is not shaken by failure, and we should not be either. We should always be prepared to give all to Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What makes a good neighbor?

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” I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after they die. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die.” John 11: 25-26

Our Savior, Jesus Christ willingly went to the cross and shed his blood for you and me. Just what does that mean? It means that no matter what sins we have committed in our lives we can be forgiven. It means that because his blood was given on that cross you and I can live forever. It means that we have been given everything we need to live in this life such as victory, redemption, fellowship, healing, protection and authority over the devil himself. The blood of Christ has made a way for us to come boldly to the throne of grace without any guilt or condemnation. Anytime we need deliverance or healing all we have to do is ask. All we have to do to activate the blood of Jesus in our life is to pray faith-filled confessions and speak God’s word over our life. We must understand that we have been given, as believers, God’s promises of protection and favor through applying Christ’s blood to every area of our life. We must believe that no matter how bad things seem in this life our Lord is the answer. His blood is our saving grace and will be forever with us. The blood that Jesus shed for us on that grim day on Calvery, is the most meaningful part of our salvation. Without it, there is no forgiveness, there is no healing and there is no salvation. We should raise our hands every day and be giving thanks to our Lord for His great and wonderful sacrifice for us as sinners! We must increase our faith and live it daily! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt

What could you try for the first time?

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“Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:7

” The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

“The foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.” 1 Corinthians 1:25

As a born-again Christian we have complete access to all good and great gifts from our God in heaven. We have at our fingertips all tools that we need to live a justified and peaceful life that shows the ways of Jesus. Throughout thousands of years God has chosen the weak of the world to show his great and prosperous strength. There was David and Goliath, Moses, Peter and Paul, and Gideons’ army to just name a few. There are those in this world who will never understand the strength and the love that our Lord Jesus poured out on us when he was sacrificed on that cross. But you and I know the power that he set forth when he died and rose again. Jesus had to become weak in order to become strong again. He was beaten, spit upon, made fun of and persecuted. He was stripped naked and placed high above those who watched him die a slow death, but then he returned with glory and strength. It was through his weakness that he became strong and will make us strong. Our God has a plan. He has a plan that includes all who believe. He uses the weak to show the strong just how foolish they are in their ways. You and I must reach rock bottom in this world in order to truly come before God and humbly ask for his salvation, forgiveness and healing in our lives. We must push aside and eliminate our worship of all things from this world that we consider valuable and place our trust and faith in all the promises he has given us. When we do, we too will go from the rags of this world to the riches of heaven. Our God loves us more than we can understand. He is more powerful than our ability to understand. He is stronger, wiser and more loving than you and I can ever be. But with God’s sacrifice of his only son, we become a part of him. We are able to join his family and stand strong with a faith that never waivers. It is through that faith and belief in his truths that we once again become rich. He will bless our every move, and we will again live lives as kings and queens, but this time it will be through the blessing of our Lord. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What principles define how you live?

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“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways.” Romans 11:33

As joint heirs with Christ, we have access to God’s riches, his wisdom and knowledge. These riches include unspeakable joy, unconditional love, and peace beyond understanding. We don’t have to wait to get to heaven to have access to these wonderful gifts. We can tap into them today by believing with faith and then receiving through faith. Our faith allows us the ability to access God’s promises for our lives. Our faith allows us to know that our God is trustworthy and never fails us. It gives us the ability to trust our God in situations that may seem impossible to us. The true riches of our Lord are riches that money cannot buy. We are given the anointing of the Holy Spirit that guides us through life with strength. We have the ability to go to God in the name of Jesus and get our prayers answered without delay.

We come to understand that God’s wisdom is so deep that His ways are untraceable. His wisdom is worth more than silver or gold. There is nothing that compares to the wisdom of our God. However, we have access through Jesus to tap into it without doubt.

Paul tells us that God’s knowledge is unfathomably deep. God knows all the recorded facts, all the facts stored in all computers and all books in all of the libraries of the world. I could go on and on about his great knowledge and just be reaching the tip of the iceberg. We can take our whole life and try to get to the heart of God’s riches, his wisdom and his knowledge and never get close. We, however, have access to all of this because he loves us. He proved that when He sent Jesus to be sacrificed for us and to rise again to be our representative to God in heaven. We will never know the depth of Gods’ gifts to us, but we do know that because we trust in Him, and believe we receive through Him, we are blessed by Him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

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“Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins? It was not because of his sins or his parent’s sins, Jesus answered. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. John 9: 2-3

I know that I have often wondered why some are born into wealth, riches and great health and others are born into poverty, with mental and physical disabilities and poor health. It does not matter whether we are wealthy, healthy and wise or whether we are disfigured and blind. We are all God’s children, and we all have a role to fill in God’s great plan. It is very easy to become down and out in our lives. It is easy to look at others and wonder why we have such problems in our lives, while others seem to be cruising right along. It is easy to wonder why some die so young while others live to ripe old ages. These are all questions that go unanswered and may remain unanswered until we meet Him in the sky. However, when we read God’s Holy Word, he does explain and discuss things that will help to open our eyes. Just as the blind man followed the directions of Jesus, he became healed. You and I are to do the same. It may not seem right to us at the time, but we must listen to him and follow him without doubt. God has a plan, and we are all born with a purpose. Because God has given us a free will, we sometimes fulfill his plan for our lives, and we sometimes do not. We are to worship him in all situations but some stray and begin to worship the things of the world, the riches and the power. We are put on this earth to subject those around us to the salvation message, which is Jesus. Sometimes God uses the riches of the rich to be useful in his plan. He sometimes uses our physical abilities and disabilities to show others of his strength and powerful dedication to us each. It is not for us to feel sorry for ourselves in times of hardship, and it is not for us to gloat in our riches and good health. We are to recognize that we are all created in our own ways so that God can be seen in us. There will be blessings and miracles in times of struggles and there may not be at other times. We must represent our Lord no matter our situation. We must give Him the glory and depend on him to deliver us from whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Always remember that we were created by God for His purpose and not our own. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt

When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?

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” God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So, we will not fear when earthquakes come and mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge.” Psalm 46:1-3

Our world today is in crisis. It is not just here in the America or in just Asia or in Europe or just anywhere else. It is the total world. There are earthquakes taking place all around the world. There are weather patterns forming that are causing grief and horrible destruction all over the world. I beg to differ that this is due to climate change as so many seem to claim. I would suggest that this has to do with our God in heaven and his mighty plan. He fully describes in Matthew 24 and in the book of Revelation just what is going to happen before Jesus returns. We are living through many of these things today. We do not know when he will return but we do know the season from which he will return. We are living that season. We all have problems, some greater than others, but the depth of our struggles is not what counts. It is the depth of our faith to get through those struggles that count. A disaster is a disaster. It is how we come through our individual disasters that count. Psalm 46:1-3 is very plain. God is our refuge. He is the answer. He has prepared us all for our situations by giving his one and only Son, Jesus Christ to die for us. He sent His precious Holy Spirit to help us through good and bad times. However, it is up to us to accept and use what he has given to us. It may seem like our world is coming down on our heads but in reality, it is not. It may seem like our world is coming to an end, but it is not. If we have accepted Jesus and use the Holy Spirit for guidance, then our life is just beginning. We have been chosen for this time. If we depend upon our God in heaven for our safety and believe in his truths we will overcome and do it with strength and peace of mind. It is when we forget or decide to not follow Jesus that our lives turn upside down. It is then that we lose control and allow confusion, anxiety and fear to dominate our thoughts. We cannot allow this to happen. We must keep our focus on Jesus and nothing else. If our lives are going well then, we should be praising him and thanking him for our many blessings. If we are going through a problem, then we should be praying to him. Our focus is to be on Jesus and not the problems around us. Read the bible, study every word, pray hard and often and praise the Lord in all and through all situations! HE IS OUR REFUGE! PRAISE THE ORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

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” Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” Proverbs 12:25

” Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” Romans 13:14

The world we live in provides us with good and bad in our lives. It is easy to live a strong and happy life as long as things are going well. However, when the tide changes, when the waves of struggles begin to overcome us, we must be able to survive. Actually, we must be able to do more than just survive. We must be able to stand firm in our Lord Jesus and not allow ourselves to be swept away by our problems. At one time or another we all confront sadness, evil, worries and doubts in our lives. It becomes a war within us that can be successful with only one answer and that answer is Jesus. There is no way that you and I are able to overcome the evil that goes on around us without his help. We can try, and many do, but with little to no success. We need help. We need the help of the one who is stronger than our problems. We need Jesus! We need to have a strong faith that allows us to believe without doubt that He is beside us, in us and leading us. We must be able to believe and focus on Him and not what we see going on. We must be able to stand strong against sadness, against persecution and lies. We must not feel embarrassed or intimidated by the things of this world. We must focus on him and never allow our focus to wander from his truth. Worry, doubt and fear do nothing more than hurt us and eventually destroy us. God does not want his children to live defeated lives. He wants us to be victorious in times of trouble. He wants us to win the battles we face, and to do so with a confident hope of his trust and presence. He wants us to clothe ourselves with his presence. It is time to overcome with strength and dependence on Jesus! He is our hope, our strength and our successful life! PRAISE THE LORD INALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.

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” I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

True darkness can be scary. When you don’t know where you are going or what is happening ahead of you it can create a fear that will cause you to do things that you may not otherwise do. However, when we turn on the light, we can see what is ahead of us. We can see that there may be a deer running in front of our moving car, or a few toys left on the floor for us to trip on in the darkness. The light is a very good thing. Jesus is the light of the world. With him we can see anything that is lying ahead that may impede our journey. We see the pitfalls, the mountains and the valleys we are about to go through. He prepares us for these trials and allows us to better understand our situations. He gives us the ability to work through these problems with an out outlook that is peaceful, patient and understanding. We all go through our own struggles and sometimes we just give up. We don’t know what to do, so we turn around and lean upon our own understanding, and when we do, we most generally fail. We are overcome by sadness, doubt, worry and fear. We allow the things we can see to intimidate the things we cannot see. With Jesus our vision becomes much clearer. We may not totally understand but we do know that our Lord is trustworthy and patient. We know that he will never give us more than we can handle. We know that if we let him, he will help us by leading in the light of his salvation. We know that he has sent his Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom, and we know that cannot fail because he will not let us. Things may not always work out the way we think they should, but we know that things will work out for the good of our God in heaven. Our Lord God is in total control. We have a choice to either turn on the light and let him walk us through our problems or to struggle through the darkness on our own and do much tripping and falling along the way. What do you choose today? Even the best of the best will falter at times. We must lean on Jesus for everything no matter how small or how big. He is our armor and our protector. Let us never forget of his presence in our lives! Let us always read and study his Word. Let us always pray and lay our problems at his feet. Let us never feel sorry for ourselves but always let the Lord be our guide. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?

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” For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be too.” Romans 11:16

When we first accept Jesus into our lives it is a very exciting time. We are excited and want to yell to the world that Jesus is Lord, and we want to make sure that everybody understands the significance of our salvation. As time goes by, we sometimes get sucked back into to flowing stream of life. We, little by little, begin separate ourselves from the excitement we first experienced and begin to blend back into society. When this happens, we are not allowing our roots to grow deep. We hinder them by allowing the ways of those around us to influence what we do and think. We don’t take the time each day to water and feed our spiritual tree of life, and the branches begin to wilt, and our excitement and joy begins to fade away. It happens in such a way that many do not even understand what is happening. Yes, we confess our Lord as our Savior, but at times, we don’t live a life that represents what we speak. It is important that our roots are allowed the freedom to continue to grow deep every day. They must be watered and fed the right food. Our priorities must change, and the importance of reading God’s Word and praying must take precedence over anything else we do. When we get up in the morning, we feed our bodies so that we are ready for the day. We eat what will give us energy and strength for our day to begin. It is no different when it comes to our spirit. We must feed it the proper food. We must read his Word and pray. We must give our faith a chance to grow each day and grow in the right direction. We are not trying to be the maple tree where the roots sometimes are seen above the soil line. No, our spiritual roots are to continue to go deeper and deeper into the word of God. We are to meditate and commit to our Lord daily and not let the world interfere with our spiritual growth. Our God committed his love to us by giving his Son to die for us. We must reciprocate by allowing ourselves to stay tuned into the right source, our Lord Jesus Christ! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

Who are your favorite artists?

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” Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before the throne; and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. Revelation 1:4-6

“Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him- even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! Revelation 1:7

When faced with persecution and even death, how are we as followers of Christ Jesus to remain faithful to our Lord? The answer is really quite simple, it is through hope. Just as centuries ago, the world around us continues to be hostile and often times looks to be winning the battle. Just as those before us, we can stand firm. because just like them we know the end of the story. Jesus and all of his saints will be victorious in the end. At God’s appointed time, Jesus will come in glory and reveal himself to the entire world as the sovereign Lord. Those who love him will be glad and celebrate, and those who do not know him will be afraid, for they will be allied with Satan in a battle of doomed failure. Ultimately, Jesus will defeat them and usher in his eternal Kingdom. Where are you today in your relationship with Jesus? What does your relationship with Christ Jesus look like? Are you looking forward to His return or are you throwing hope to the wind with the hope that that the end of the story will never happen? I believe that God’s plan is in place and the last chapter is currently in process. Jesus is at the threshold and just waiting for God almighty to signal for his glorious return. It is going to happen! With prophesies fulfilled and with all of events of Israel happening around us it will be happening soon. If you have not developed a personal relationship with Christ Jesus, the time is now. It is time to ask him to come into your heart, repent of your sins and ask him for forgiveness. All we have to do is believe. He is coming soon! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

” You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive life.” John 39-40

” For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? Romans 10:14

” So, faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” Romans 10:17

I often wonder why human beings are so stubborn. I know that I have many moments when others think that about me. Our God has given us tools upon tools to have lives on this earth that lead to eternal life in heaven. We have the way to salvation, the way to healing and the way to forgiveness. We have Christ Jesus! However, only a small percentage of the world population know the pathway to Jesus. They have heard of him, and they have read about him, but many do not totally believe. Even some who are staunch church goers, and even some pastors of churches, do not teach or preach the true way to Jesus as Lord and Savior. It seems every denomination and every person have their own interpretation of the salvation message. If we look closely at the bible, and read it literally, with the Holy Spirit leading us, we will see the Scriptures lead to Jesus as Lord. We each have been given the assignment to come to Jesus on our own. Yes, we do have those who help us by introducing his word to us and living lives that show us examples of belief and true faith, but it is up to us to do our own praying, our own studying and to develop our own relationship with the Lord. It is not up to our minister, our neighbor or our best friend to do this for us. I know of many who go to church on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening and that is it. They give themselves no alone time with Jesus and learn nothing more than what others teach them. I am not saying that church is bad and that we should never cast a shadow at the doorstep of our church. I am saying quite the opposite. Our church should be an extension of what we know and what Jesus has taught us. We should now what we are being taught and always compare it to what the bible says. All signs point to Jesus. If this is not what you are being taught, then it is time to run away as fast as you can. The time is short, and God tells us in scripture that there be many false teachers that will teach and preach to tickle the ears of their listeners. They will give you what you want to hear and not what you need to hear. Be aware and be sensitive to the Word of God. Take your faith and belief to the Lord in prayer and praise! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?

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” My Father is always working, and so am I.” John 5:17

God never sleeps. There is no such thing as being tired or wanting to stop to rest when it comes to God in Heaven. Jesus was much the same. He did as his Father in heaven told him and required little rest in his journey. The world we live in requires of us much the same as our God requires. Because of the evil, the lies, the unrest and the self-fulfillment of those on this earth, we are expected to stay on our toes at all times. This is what the Lord wants of us, and it is what the world requires of us. We cannot afford to not be alert at every turn. We cannot afford to let down for even a second. We must be alert and stay alert. Our faith must continue to grow and gain strength at every juncture of our life. Due to being overwhelmed with ideas, thoughts, lies, and the mistrust of those of this earth, our faith must stay strong. We are pounded daily by these worldly ideas that come from what we experience at work or view from the television at home. We see worldly things going on around us at the stores we visit, the restaurants we eat at and the ball games we attend. It makes it extremely hard, for faith in Jesus and the promises he brings to us, to stick to our ribs. It seems that we fill up in the morning with his word and by night we are completely on empty. We are drained by the end of the day. It is important that we stay the path. We must refuel at every opportunity, whether that be through reading biblical scriptures, praying short and to the point prayers to our God throughout the day, or by praising him when have opportunities. Our faith must stay on the front burner. The flame must never be allowed to go out. We must be able to produce new life and new fruit from our faith plant at all times. We must fight doubt worry and fear with what our God gives us, and that is faith in Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What skill would you like to learn?

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” If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” Romans 8:31

” And I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither fears for today nor worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:38

Romans 8:31 pretty much sums it up. If we have the creator of the whole universe, the creator of all things on our side then who or what can come against us? We are fortified in the protection program of our God in heaven. Our God in heaven put on display his mighty love for each of us, by taking his only son and sending him to this world to be persecuted and sacrificed in ways that we sometimes take for granted. We forget that Jesus was God but that he was also a human being. We forget that he had feelings, emotions and hurts and earthly desires. We forget that he was not superhuman but instead he had to become like us. We forget that as he walked this earth, he had to make decisions, and those decisions had to be the right decisions. He was able to get through struggles that you and I will fail at because of his trust and dedication to his Father in heaven. He was able to display strength that you and I are unable to muster up. What Jesus was able to understand, is that nothing that the devil can do will separate us from our Father in heaven. He understood the strength of his Father, his dedication to those he loves and how he fulfills every promise he makes. He understood that when his mission was finished then all of mankind would have an opportunity to be saved through his sacrifices. We have the benefit of knowing the past as well as the future plans of our God in heaven. We have the benefit of knowing what Jesus did for us and knowing that because of what he did we have a chance for eternal life with Christ Jesus. There is nothing that can separate us from our Father in heaven. We, however, must be open to listening, learning and being a doer of his mighty world. We must be able to recognize the strength provided to us, the power in the name of Jesus and the wisdom and understanding that is put at our fingertips. Our faith must grow, and our mission must be accomplished. We must love the Lord with all of heart, mind and soul. We must turn our attention on what is from above and not what is from below. Remember, our Lord will never forsake us or abandon us. He is with us in all things! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt

What details of your life could you pay more attention to?

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