JUST FACE THE RISING SUN AND YOU WILL SEE HOPE!

“You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and an undivided heart.” 2 Chronicles 19:9

“But Jesus spoke to them at once, DON’T BE AFRAID, he said, TAKE HEART I AM HERE.“ Matthew 14:27

All we have to do when we get up each morning is to look at the sun and see that our Lord continues to be with us. He is still handing out hope, love and salvation. As we begin each new day, we continue to have the opportunity to live God’s Word in front of others. We can be grateful that our God has given us another day to spread his word to those around us and to live lives that show his grace and mercy, not only in and through us, but show to others that grace and mercy are available for those entwined in today’s world. It is probable that we will be laughed at, prosecuted by being taunted or made fun of because of our faith and beliefs. There will be great efforts made to make us feel uncomfortable in our testimonies. However, we were not given another day to waste on feeling sorry for ourselves and indulging in self-pity. We were given another day to win someone new to Christ Jesus! We were given another day to show those we meet, how we have changed our own lives in ways that seem impossible. We will be attacked! Anytime we are standing with Jesus the devil and his company of demons will be on the offense. They hate to see goodness put into this world. They hate the very ideas that Jesus stands for. But we are stronger than anything the devil or this world can throw at us. With the faith we have been given, and the tools we have been given to build on that faith, we cannot be defeated if we stay the course. We represent the greatest force ever assembled, the Army of our God in heaven! We have the Holy Spirit to guide us, give us strength when we need it, and to love us when we are down. All we have to do is look at the sun each day and see the hope our Lord provides in his period of grace. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever been camping?
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FLOOD THE EARTH WITH THE WORD OF GOD!

“And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.” Mark 13:10

“He said unto them, ‘ Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation“. Mark 16:15

There is no time like the present. In fact, the time is now. Our mission on this earth is to spread God’s word to those who need it. We are living in a time of grace where the blood of Jesus covers the sins of those who need forgiven. His shed blood gives us opportunity to be saved by believing and receiving. There will soon be a time when God’s grace will be lifted, and his wrath will be on display. There will soon come a time when in order to be saved you will prove your worth by being beheaded. The time is now for the message our Lord has provided, to be spread throughout this world. Social media has made this a reality. This ministry alone has reached those in this USA, India, Pakistan, Uganda, United Kingdom and Hong Kong. The time is now. We all have the opportunity to read, study and meditate upon God’s word and then to spread it to those around us. There are so many in this world who are suffering for no reason. There are those who die without even hearing of the sacrifice Jesus has made on our behalf. The time is now! Our world is upside down. Our God did not create a world that supported the earthly things that the world represents to us today. He created a beautiful and loving world for us to live in and take care of. The time is now for each of us to take seriously the urgency in spreading the Word of God. The time is now! There may be no tomorrow! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
When do you feel most productive?
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WE HAVE IT ALL ON THE TIPS OF OUR TONGUE!

“For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from deceitful speech.” 1 Peter 3:10

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

” I tell you that on the day of judgement people will have to account for every careless word they speak.” Matthew 12:36

We sometimes take our tongue for granted. We use it to spread the gospel of Jesus and we use it to curse those with whom we disagree. We are sometimes very quick to use our tongue for the evil that will hurt those around us. I am sure we have all heard the expression, “we cannot take our words back”. A harsh word is like a bullet to the heart. It can do great and sometimes deadly damage.

However, our tongue is also our most prized possession when it comes to praising our Lord. It is with our lips that lift praise to our God in heaven. It is with our tongue that we can raise the spirits of those who are discouraged or depressed. It is with the tongue that we tell of and show our love for those around us. It is with our tongue that we pray to our God in heaven and request his presence in our lives. As a Christian our Lord sends us the Holy Spirit to live within us. The spirit directs and guides us in our ways. It is easy when we are listening to the Spirit to remember that our tongue needs to trained and disciplined. When we use our tongue in an evil manner our spirit will condemn us, and our feelings will be of sorrow and the need for forgiveness. Have you ever said something that you regretted saying? With the Holy Spirit living in us our hearts are changed and our words become soft and peace loving. When we say anything that goes against what the Holy Spirit stands for, we will feel regret and the need to be forgiven. Matthew 12:36 shows us how serious our words are. When we allow anger to overcome us, we should take a step back and look at the life of Jesus. What were his words like while he walked this earth? What actions did he take when he was being persecuted and spit upon? We should shadow his words and his actions in our lives. We are to bring others to Christ and not turn them away! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite emojis?
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EXERCISE YOUR MINISTRY

” Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.” Colossians 4:17

We are to understand and carry out the ministry that our Lord has given us. As Christians we all have a part to play and a duty to fulfill. As we continue to follow and grow in Jesus, we develop a passion for Him and for his ways. We begin to shape our lives to mirror his actions. We begin to think like he does and do things in his ways and not ours. Our deep love for him creates a deep desire to serve him in any way he desires us to. Our ministry should become our lifestyle. When we decide to get out of bed every day and serve others so they might see and meet Jesus, we are in a full-time ministry. That passion we have for the Lord swells up within us and begins to seep out to others. It may come in the form of spreading his Holy Word through testimony or through praying for others or by living a lifestyle that reflects our love for him. Whatever it is, we should do it with a 100% conviction.

If we are unsure of how to fulfill our mission for Jesus then we should go to him in prayer and ask, and when we ask, we should pay attention and watch for his answers. He never will fail us! Our ministry should always be presented in a way that helps spread the word of God, whether that is preaching his word, teaching Sunday school or serving in the community. It may come in the form of praying for others, talking with those who have never met Jesus, or by serving on the church council. No matter what desire or passion he has given us, we are to do it with a solid focus on Jesus, with the end result of spreading his Word to others. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What topics do you like to discuss?
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FOCUS ON THE THINGS OF HEAVEN!

” Set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of the earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

” Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your creator and become like him.” Colossians 3:10

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we become a new person. We are to follow the ways of our new leader in Jesus. We are to shed our old ways of thinking and begin to learn and adjust to the ways of heaven. For many, including myself, this is quite a challenge. In many cases we have mastered the ways of the world. We talk like the world; we act like the world, and we treat others in the ways of the world. When we begin our new life, we are to change our focus. We are to begin new classes under our Lord’s direction and begin to live in the ways of heaven. We are to change how we look to others, act toward others and speak with others. We are to think about the things of heaven and not the things of this world. Heaven is described as a place of beauty, peace, constant health, and happiness. It is just the opposite of what has happened on this earth. Heaven is everything we are searching for. When we begin living in Christ we are on our way. Yes, we are still living on this earth, but we are told to do a restart and begin new. We begin our journey as we train ourselves in the word of God and then talk about our experiences to others. We do away with fear in our lives. We throw out doubt and worry, and jealousy. We begin to build faith in Jesus and his ways, that are so eloquently described in the bible. When we follow Jesus, we are following him to heaven! Let us stay on the course and continue to build a faith that will never waver. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?
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THE NEW LIFE IN JESUS!

” Let your roots grow down deep into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7

A strong and healthy tree has a root system that grows down deep into the earth to seek as much water and nutrients as it can. The roots of a tree are the foundation of its life. Without a healthy root system, the tree would not last long as it has no strong source to draw from. The same stands for our relationship with our Lord Jesus. You and I are to be soundly rooted in our relationship with our Lord. The deeper our roots grow down the more truth and love and joy we will be a part of. Until we are deeply rooted, we are susceptible to the world around us. We are vulnerable to the things of the world and weak in our faith. However, we are to build our lives on Christ Jesus! As we go through our building process our faith will grow stronger and our trust in him will continue to grow. Romans 10:17 tells us: “ So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” We must continually put the word of God into our minds. We must always read and meditate in his mighty word. We must then become doers of his world and not hearers only. As we continue to put his word first in our lives, we will then begin to put his word into motion within the way we live. We will soon be overcome with love and concern for others. We will have joy and peace of mind even in the worst of times. We will overflow with thankfulness and begin to stand up for Jesus and not allow fear to stop us. Our root system seeks out its source, Jesus Christ. Jesus provides the holy nutrients and the everlasting water we need to live in faith. He never fails! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.
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LIVE THE DREAM!

” The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. Matthew 13:22

” I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12 & 13

I have learned a hard lesson in last few years that has begun to take me on a journey that I never would have believed. I have come to the realization that I must let go of the past to live out my dream. My dream began when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I was presented with a new life and a new opportunity in life. I was presented with salvation, healing and forgiveness of all of my sins. This was, however, just the beginning of my dream and my new journey. I soon learned that in order to obtain the wonderful things my God gave me I must be obedient to his word and live my life in such a way that represents Him well. The Lord showed me, that yes, I am saved but that I could begin to live my salvation and my healing and my forgiveness in the here and now. My dream of eternal life should begin now and not later. I was able to use his promises in my existing life. I could do things with Him in my life that without Him I could never do. However, I had to begin to put my complete and total trust in Him and never look back. I soon found out that this all sounded good but that it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. There were and continue to be many attacks along the way. There are obstacles consisting of problems that help me to grow and become stronger and help build my faith while I am living in this world. As I began to meet these troubles, I often failed but always remembered to go to God for forgiveness. I still today have many failures in my life. But I know that my Lord is right beside me. I know that the Holy Spirit lives in me and that my failures become my successes. I have learned that even if I do fail, I must continue to move forward in Christ Jesus and never look back. You see, my life is so much better when I am trying to live my dream of salvation, healing and forgiveness in the here and now, rather than when I am just waiting on my time for eternal life. Jesus is with each of us now and forever. All we have to do is to begin living the dream! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?
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OUR GOD’S PEACE!

“Always be full of joy in the Lord.” Philippians 4:4

Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

” Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, and right and pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about things that excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8

I cannot speak for everyone who is reading the Lord’s scriptures this morning, but I can say with honesty and truth, that I want to live within God’s peace. When we come to our Lord God in heaven and submit to him with appreciation and faith, he will give to us the ability to live in faith of his truths and promises. He will give us a permanent peace that can only be offered by Him. However, we must commit to him and live our lives in submission to his ways. He tells us to be full of joy in the Lord. We are to be filled with gladness of heart by knowing God, abiding in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to accept his gracious ways into our lives and live them before those around us. We must not be ashamed or slip back into our worldly ways. We are, instead, to march forward with a focus and desire to live in Him and no other place. Our first thoughts in times of trouble should be to go to our God in heaven with what we need and ask him for help. We should worry about nothing as worry is a sin and not a blessing. It robs us of our faith and does not give us the gracious promises that God wants us to live by. Instead of worrying we are to pray. We are to believe, receive and then praise him and thank him for answering our prayers. We should live beyond what the world offers us and keep our thoughts on our Lord and the good things he offers. We should think honorable and right things and not bad or ugly things that may never happen. Our Lord God never fails. He always provides! We should never doubt but always believe. Answers to our prayers may not come as fast as we want or in the way we think they should, but he will and does answer. Always be joyful in the Lord and always live in God’s peace! Always stay alert and don’t miss a single blessing! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What makes you nervous?
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PRESSING FORWARD!

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

” But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling.” Philippians 3: 13 & 14

Today is now. Tomorrow may never come. Yesterday is gone forever. Each day is special in its own way. We must take the time to take a step back and rejoice in the opportunities that our God has given us to enjoy this great earth that he has created. Yes, evil does exist and throws troubles our way. But we must understand that our Lord has given us an escape route, His name is Jesus Christ. Yesterday is gone forever, so why concentrate on what once was? Tomorrow may never come, so why dream about things that may never happen? However, today is here at our feet and we should rejoice that our Lord has given us the chance to celebrate our time with him here on earth. Our future is in Jesus. Our future is our hope of everlasting life with our eternal God in heaven. As we look forward to that day, we must forget what our past once was and concentrate on the now and what a life in Jesus will bring us in the future. We are all running in the same race. We may take different routes and face different obstacles, but the race is the same. We all want to cross the finish line with success and joy as we break the tape when we finish the final inch of our race. Even though we have many struggles in this life we must focus and continue to concentrate on pressing forward and not looking back at our past. Our future is now with Christ Jesus and our duty is to reflect his actions in our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
How do you unwind after a demanding day?
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I HAVE ALL THAT I NEED!

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23:1

” Yes, everything else is worthless when compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8

When we know Christ, we need nothing else. He becomes our shepherd and tends to our every need. The value of our relationship with Jesus is never ending. The value of our relationship with Him is unmeasurable and unlimited. It is boundless and eternal. We have no limits with our God in heaven. He created this earth and everyone and everything in it. He has the ability to save us, heal us, love us, forgive us, deliver us, protect us, help us to understand, and make us strong. He is all that we need! There is nothing in this world that compares to what our Lord is able to do for us. Without him we will fail. We will come to a disastrous ending without even realizing what is happening. Our God never has and never will play favorites. Whether we are rich or poor, black or white, disabled or in perfect health, our Lord is right next us waiting to serve our every need. He is our strength, our peace of mind, our compassion for others, and our saving grace. He is our Shepard and directs along the right paths. He is our Messiah, our Savoir and Lamb. His character reveals his compassion, truth and love for us each. He is merciful, gracious and kind. He is our freedom, the beginning and the end. He is all that we need! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?
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THE PRICLESS VALUE OF KNOWING JESUS!

“Whatever happens my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.” Philippians 3:1

When bad things happen in our lives, we all try hard to find peace and rest. Some will look to alcohol, others to drugs and still others will look to the occult. We are all looking for something. What we find depends on what we are seeking. When we seek Jesus, we are seeking the one and only person who can truly deliver the peace and rest that we are trying to find. Philippians 3:8 tells us,” I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Rejoicing in the Lord means there is a new song in our hearts- the song of the those who are redeemed- that the anxieties of this life cannot drown out. When we rejoice in the Lord, we are actively experiencing the redemption. Through Jesus we have been saved and delivered from our sins and their consequences. Knowing Christ is far more important and valuable than anything else in the world. When we develop our relationship with Jesus, we find that when we carry out our daily activities, He is with us. He is beside us when we go to work, go to a game or when we are making important decisions in our lives. He makes our lives fuller and more meaningful. He gives us more depth in the way we think and the actions we take. He is always there to take our questions and give us answers. We become more joyful and loving to others. Knowing Jesus is priceless. He is eternal life. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind.
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JESUS CAME TO SAVE THE SINNER!

” For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Matthew 9:13

When Jesus was sent to this earth, he came to help those who were sick and those who were lost. He came to pick up those who were desperate and had no place to go. He came to save those who had fallen so far that they could not get out of the hole they had dug for themselves. He came to walk this earth and take each step that you and I take each day so He could take our sins and burdens with Him to the cross. Just as he saved and healed those in need when he lived on this earth, he does the same for us today. He came to rescue, heal and forgive. We must recognize that we were born sinful and continue to be sinners. We must recognize that sometimes we take the wrong path in life or sometimes trip and fall and need to be rescued. As a sinner we call upon Jesus to save us, heal us and forgive us. We call upon him because we believe, we trust, and we accept his help. As a sinner we don’t think we are better than our neighbor. We don’t gloat about our salvation, our healings or our forgiveness. Instead, we try to live our life with guidance from the Holy Spirit. We try to take each step with our Lord in mind. When we make a mistake Jesus is the first we go to for repentance and forgiveness. We try to spread his Holy Word by living a healthy life but also by admitting and being humble because we are human in nature. Jesus came to call those who need him and desire a solid relationship with him. As a sinner He is our source for a life to be lived in purity, honesty and trust. He is our one and only refuge. Jesus came to call the sinner not those who think they are righteous. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.
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THE CONVERSATION

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.” Psalm 116:1

Just what is prayer? Have you thought about what you are doing when you pray to your God in heaven? When we pray to God we are having a conversation with our creator. We are submitting our heart, mind, body and soul to Him. There are times that we may not know what to pray but we know that we need to be in the presence of God and talk with him. It is in those instances that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Does God in heaven really hear our every prayer? Scriptures teach us that God will ALWAYS hear our prayers. Scriptures also tell us that He will answer our every prayer if we address Him with faith and real intent. When we run into problems or are filled with anxiety, we must realize that our Lord should be first place in our life. He is the only one who can truly solve any problem we might have. He is the only one who can get us across the wide seas of troubles that we face each day. The struggles we have can be small or large, narrow or wide, it doesn’t matter. A solid prayer will satisfy our soul. When we consistently go to God in prayer, we begin to feel the calm of his loving arms around us and his wisdom and understanding begin to well up within us. We begin to understand that our God is all powerful, gracious to us and loves us more than we can understand. Our Lord desires communication with each and every one of us. He wants our conversation to be real and not fake. He wants to help us, save us, forgive us and heal us. He DOES hear our prayers! He DOES answer our prayers! And He will NEVER fail us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.
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A HARVEST FULL OF WORKERS!

” The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So, pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest. Ask him to send more workers into the fields.” Matthew 9:37-38

Our God in heaven has posted a ‘WORKERS WANTED’ poster. As we live in this day and age the Word of God needs to be spread all over the world. With social media at our fingertips this makes it a bit easier to spread his Word widely across this earth. As followers of Christ, our God in heaven is calling on us to have an active part in his desire to build his church here on earth. There is not a one of us who does not have a special skill that God has given us, and with that skill we can become faithful and ardent workers for Christ Jesus. We are told to work with all of our hearts, no matter what we are doing. If we are a prayer warrior, then we are to be the best prayer warrior we can be. When we become a worker of our Lord, we will soon find that it becomes more difficult that we can imagine. There is no “people pleasing” just the truth of our Lord. We cannot allow ourselves to become tainted with the fear of what others think of our faith or how we live our lives for Christ. Every task we perform for Christ becomes an important one. There is no menial task in the eyes of Jesus. As God’s worker we must study his word and apply it to our lives. We are to become very diligent in our walk with Him. Our lives must reflect a Christ-like character that displays honesty, with diligence, with integrity and with humility. We all become ambassadors of Jesus as we talk with those around us. We become witnesses to others about His salvation message. The time is short, and the workers are few. Pray, ask and become a worker for Jesus! Our Lord God never fails! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?
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THE SUBMISSIVE LIFE!

“Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” Ephesians 4:22-23

To be in submission to others is not something to take lightly. It is also not something that is easily accomplished. Being submissive is defined as ‘ to voluntarily take a position where you put your trust in someone else and heed their leadership.’ I know that I was not brought up that way. I was taught to believe that I should stand up for myself, put myself out there and take charge when I can. I was taught to believe in myself and to make sure that I was in charge of my own life. That is why those of us who entered the military were constantly brain washed, for lack of better wording, in basic training to believe everything we were told and learn how to be submissive even in the eyes of death. Now I am not saying that either way is bad advice because we must be strong, and we must be faithful to the ways we live. However, when we come to Christ we are to bow down to our Lord and submit to Him. We are to put total trust in Him no matter what the situation looks like. We are to know his Holy Word, pray to Him regularly and praise Him for his existence, His strength, His wisdom and His graciousness in our lives. We should praise Him and glorify Him for providing us with the opportunity for salvation, healing and forgiveness. To submit to our God in heaven we are to listen to Him, obey Him, and follow Him. When we submit to our Lord God we are acknowledging His Lordship in our lives. We must give up our own desires, hopes, and wants and choose to follow Jesus wherever He leads us. Instead of the world we are now following Jesus and in submission we are in total trust of His mighty ways! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe a positive thing a family member has done for you.
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JEALOUSY- AN EVIL OF DESTRUCTION!

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” James 3:16

Jealousy comes in many shapes and sizes. It is created and allowed to live within us if we allow it to. It is an evil that will take us down quickly. We have all had an attack of jealousy in one manner or another throughout our lives. However, if we allow it to go unchecked it can and will lead to internal and external chaos. If we are allowing this evil to rule how we live, then we are not focusing on the right things in life. We are living in the world and allowing the things of the world to rule our thoughts and our thoughts sometimes will run amok. Our thoughts will begin to allow us to think and focus on the bad and not the good. We are then unable to see through the weeds of chaos and pay attention to what our God has provided in our lives. There is no doubt that envy is the source of jealousy. Envy and jealousy are one in the same. We should not envy others for their blessings or achievements in life. We should pay attention to our own life and what accomplishments and blessings the Lord has given us. When we allow ourselves to be selfish and jealous we are hindering God and the blessings that God wants to give us. We are meddling into the lives of others and not taking care of what God wants us to take care of. It is so important that we stay focused on the Holy Spirit and His message to our lives. I don’t know about you, but I know that after I have allowed such chaos in my life, I feel terrible. I know that I must go directedly to God and confess my sin and ask for his forgiveness. I know immediately that my spirit is not in tune with the Holy Spirit. I need the help of my Lord to help me get back on track. The message today is to love others, and to consider others better than yourselves. When we do these things, jealousy and/or envy cannot exist within us. Our lives become much more enjoyable and our relationship with God becomes stronger and stronger! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite restaurant?
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DON’T BE HESITANT WITH GOD!

” Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. Ephesians 3:12

When we come to Jesus and accept him as our Lord and Savior we become a new person. As we continue to grow with Jesus, we begin to develop a confidence that is like no other. We are able to go to God with confidence and strength. We are to be bold before him and stand up before him with the strength he provides to us. Jesus is our go between, he is our mediator before God. If we know Jesus then Jesus knows us, and if Jesus know us then God also know us and accepts us. We are to seek the Kingdom of God above anything else on our agenda and He will give us everything that we need to become successful and live the life we are to live in this world. We should never be hesitant before our God in heaven. We should continually be truthful with him and never be afraid to pray his promises for our lives. We must do away with the idea that he will send us to the outer darkness if say something wrong or misspeak. God knows our every action. He knows our every thought before we even think it. He loves us and will do all things within his power to help us along life’s journey. He is our hope! He is our strength! He is our Savior and our one and only God! He is merciful and not short-tempered. He is patient and not anxious. If we know Jesus, then we know God! We should fear Him by showing reverent awe in the midst of His holiness. We are to honor and praise Him as the God of great glory, majesty, purity and power! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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LIVE TO BE IN GOD’S PRESENCE AT ALL TIMES!

“He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths bringing honor to his name.” Psalm 23:3

“But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.” Matthew 7:26

Each day in our lives brings something new and exciting. Sometimes the new and exciting adventure is plowing through the weeds and trying to avoid a disaster that has been placed before us. Every new day is a new beginning for each of us. It is important that we come to God in prayer, worship and fellowship each morning before we go out into the world. We need to recharge our battery and refresh our spirit. We need to listen to God’s refreshing message and be able to build upon his words. There is a difference in hearing something and listening to that something. We can hear the birds sing, the wind whistling through the trees, and the thunder of a fast-approaching storm. Hearing requires nothing more than our ears. However, listening requires the use of our brain to interpret the message we are hearing. Hearing is a sense we have but listening is a learned skill that takes effort and focus. When we come to the Lord, we must hear his word and we must listen to what he is telling us. We must take time to live our lives within the commands he gives as his children. I speak a lot about building upon our faith every day. To build our faith we must build it upon a solid foundation, one that will never deteriorate and one that exists forever. We must pray to God for understanding and wisdom and then we must live our lives within his guidelines. We must live our lives as doers of his Word and not hearers only. When we focus and listen, we are able trust him and believe that he is with us always. We can draw upon his strength and understand that when we fall, he will pick us up. By living each day within his presence, we become stronger and are able to overcome, sadness, fears and anxieties of all kinds. He rescues us, he strengthens us, and he guides us. Let it be our goal to live each day in order to be in his presence at all times! The truth is that he never fails and is always with us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
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NEVER GIVE UP!

” Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

It is so important that when we go to our Lord in prayer, we understand that our Lord works on his time schedule and his time schedule alone. We are very plainly told that we are to ask, seek and knock. When we approach the Lord, we are doing so because we trust his promises. Hebrews 11:6 tell us “For he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” We are to seek him, ask him and keep knocking until we find him. We are to do so with persistence. When we believe in something we never give up. We stay the course until our mission is accomplished. We must do the same with our Lord. Our God wants us to be persistent in our efforts and never wants us to be lazy and give up. He wants us to strive for his best and believe that we are going to receive the best. We must be reminded that there is nothing better than our Lord God. He is the best and gives only the best. It is worth being effortless in our prayers and reminding God of his promises. He tells us that when we ask, we receive. When we seek, we find and when we knock the door will be open to us. I don’t know about you, but I do know that I can sometimes be very impatient. It is at those times that the Lord reminds me that he is working in my behalf and that his time is the best time. I am reminded to be persistent and never give up! When I go to the Lord, I believe I will receive, and I must continue to pray to him consistently until his answer is realized. It may immediately or it may take much longer. However, our Lord never fails us and will always give us what we need within his will. Remember, stay persistent in your prayer life and never give up! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe something you learned in high school.
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JUST WHAT IS WORRY?

Can all your worries add a moment to your life? Matthew 6:27

” Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously and he will give you everything you need. ” Matthew 6:33

Worry will often times consume our thoughts and our lives all together. It will be at the center of what we do, how we think, and in many cases, becomes who we are. It will shorten our life here on this earth because when we worry, we are not within the will of God. When we worry, we are in a place where we are doubting the goodness of God in our lives. Worry is the opposite of trusting in God. It produces the opposite effect of God’s natural ways. Why does God tell us not to worry? He doesn’t want us to become focused on things that are outside of our control. He wants us to trust him instead. He wants us to stop worrying so that we can have victory in Jesus! Satan would love nothing more than to keep each of us in a state of anxiety, doubt and fear. Worry demonstrates a lack of faith in God. Because of this lack of faith worry is a sin. It implies that God doesn’t really care about us or our needs. It demonstrates a lack of faith in God’s wisdom because it implies that God does not know what he is doing. Our God is the creator of all things! He is our redeemer through Jesus, he is our strength, our ability and our wisdom. If we have a great faith in our Lord, then we have total and unwavering faith in his promises and his love for us. Worry is a thief. It robs of the joy, wisdom, understanding and love our Lord provides to us. It robs us of being a good witness on behalf of Jesus. We are a child of our living and gracious God in heaven. We have no reason to worry or no authority to allow it to rein in our lives. We must continue to bow down to our Lord in prayer and read his world daily. We must stay strong in order to not become weak. We must not worry! We are told in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe one positive change you have made in your life.
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THE POWER IN PRAISE!

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Psalm 107:31

Praise enables us to remove our focus from ourselves and back onto God. It is his desire that our eyes be set firmly on Him, because that is where our true hope is found. He is worthy of our praise, no matter what we may face from one day to another. When we praise him, we are joining with other believers to declare who God is and to lift Him above any circumstance that tries to steal away our faith, joy and hope. When we praise Him, our hearts are prepared for God’s Word. Praise steers our attention away from our problems and back onto the greatness of our God in heaven. Praise invites the presence of God into our lives, brings us victory in tough circumstances, brings us deliverance from our enemies, repels depression in our life, brings us joy and liberty and draws us closer to Him. It is with praise that our problems shrink to a point that they become an afterthought. Praising our God releases a fresh faith that replaces doubt. It gives us a renewed courage that replaces fear, and it provides us with a great calm that replaces anxiety. It is impossible to praise God and not be changed. The darkness of our problems cannot overwhelm the bright light of God’s glorious presence surrounding us as we praise Him! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS AND AT ALL TIMES!

Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
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CRUCIFIED, COMMITTED AND RESCUED!

“because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified and the world’s interest in me has also died.” Galatians 6:14

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

“The Lord says. ‘ I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.’ ” Psalm 91:14

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior our life changes forever. We accept that Jesus went to the cross, and not only died for our sins, and for our salvation and healings, but he went there and crucified the meaning of living in this world. We no longer belong to this world even though we continue to live here. Our interest in the ways the world teaches us to live begin to fade as we now are the solid property of our Lord. Our interest in this world and the world’s interest in us has changed. We no longer have the desire to live our lives in fear of what others think. We no longer have a desire to live our lives with anger and distain for those around us. When we accept Jesus, we begin to focus on his desires for us. We commit ourselves to his presence in our lives and to the things of the spiritual realm. We start to believe in things unseen instead of believing only in things seen. We are viewed by the world as strange and in some cases unstable. Those around us begin to take note of these changes and will either break away from us or join us in our new lives. As we continue our journey in Christ, our love for him will grow and our faith will become stronger and stronger. We will begin to stand upon his promises and will put them into practice within our own existence. We will begin to stand out and our light will begin to shine brighter and brighter each day. Our Lord has promised to rescue us and to protect us when we show our true love for him. As our faith begins to grow the fears in this life begin to fade. We change because the Lord changed us within this world. We must not fear but instead we must obtain confidence, peace of mind, and understand our lives with Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What book could you read over and over again?
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A PRAYER FOR ALL!

“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.” Matthew 5:44

When someone tells a lie about you or persecutes you for how you believe in Christ or hurts you physically, it is very difficult to not want to turn around and do the same to them. In many cases that is just what we do. After all, the bible tells us about an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. However, when Jesus came to this world and died on the cross, he provided a new covenant, a new relationship between God and humans. In this new agreement between God and man we are to love our neighbor, we are to love one another and not hate them. We are to pray for those who are against us. We are to pray for those who persecute us and make fun of us. There are many in this world who think that these actions are a sign of weakness and not strength. When these thoughts try to enter our minds all we have to do is turn our thoughts to Jesus. We should take a look back and re-visit when he walked this earth and follow his example as we walk through our daily lives. We must be reminded to “Love the Lord God with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our mind.” We are also to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” In our relationship with Jesus these are pure actions of strength and not weakness. Because we are humans these are difficult to do. We must be continually drenched in the love and peace of our Lord God in heaven. We must know without a doubt how we are to react to all situations. If we are not sure, then we are to go to God in prayer and also dig deeply into his mighty word. We should allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in love, peace, joy and understanding. We can make our lives much easier if we just live our lives in Jesus and not the world. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?
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PARTTIME OR FULLTIME?

” If you’ll hold onto me for dear life, says God, I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 (Bible version: “The Message”)

Our Lord God has provided us with many promises throughout the bible and He never backtracks on a promise. He always delivers! The question then becomes, do we always accept his promises? Are we always on the same wavelength with God? Is He the first that we go to in a struggle, or do we first try other ways to deliver us from our problems? Is our God in heaven a parttime God or is He a fulltime God? Our Lord has promised us many things throughout his Holy Word. There is no doubt that God is aways there for us. He is with us in struggles and in our times of peace and understanding. He is our fulltime God! But where are we? Are we a parttime participant or a fulltime participant? Are we always doing our part or are we only going to our God when He becomes our last resort? Our God has promised that he is there to help us. All we have to do is ask and then believe that we receive. He may not always produce a miracle in our lives, but he will answer, and a solution will be given. It will be on his time schedule and not ours. We should always be plugged into our source and never give up on a prayer we have offered to God. It is important that we build our faith to the extent that we become a fulltime participant with our God in heaven. We must always believe that he is beside us. He is always there to pick us up when we fall. He is always there to comfort us in times of sadness. We must stay in his word consistently and pray always. We must glorify him and praise him for all things in our lives. We must always remember that our God in heaven is a fulltime God is always available for our needs! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What animals make the best/worst pets?
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ONE LIFE GIVEN; NOT TAKEN!

” After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed,’ My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.’ ” Matthew 26:39

It is so easy to think that the Romans took the life of Jesus by putting him on the cross to suffer a horrible death. However, as we read through the scriptures it becomes plain that the life of Jesus was not taken away from Him. Instead, Jesus willing gave up his life. All Jesus had to do was to ask God to take Him out of the situation and He would have given him his request. Instead, Jesus bowed to our God in heaven and said, “But do what you want, not what I want.” Jesus was willing to give himself to this world in order for each of us to have the opportunity to obtain eternal life. He gave his life to allow you and me to receive our life. Had Jesus decided to not go through with God’s plan then you and I would be going through what Jesus accomplished for us. We are born sinners and continue to be sinners, but because of Jesus we are forgiven of our sins, healed of our diseases and sicknesses, and saved by the grace of our God in heaven. There is nothing to be afraid of when we have Jesus. There nothing that can harm us if we trust in our Lord. With faith we are healed, saved and forgiven. Without faith we struggle, fear and doubt and are doomed to eternal damnation. We must be sure to plug into our source each day. We must stay in His presence in good and bad situations. We must never forget just how much our God loves us. It is important to give him glory and praise each day for his wonderful gift to us, our lives! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What job would you do for free?
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SHINING BRIGHTLY FOR JESUS!

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you, and say all sorts of evil things against you, because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” Matthew 5: 11-12

“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:15

It is becoming increasing harder and harder to live a life of morals in this world today. We see more and more people using the evils of this world to climb the ladder of success, or in some cases, to just plainly beat the system so that they can live a life without hard work or effort. It seems as though the good person always ends up on the bottom of the pile with all of the heavy burdens and workloads but with the satisfaction of doing it right. Sometimes we are persecuted for wanting to live a life of righteousness by following the ways of Christ. We are sometimes lied about and even mocked just as Jesus was. Our Lord tells us to not be angry or revengeful in these situations, but instead, look upward and be glad and happy because we have a great reward waiting for us in heaven. When Jesus appeared on this earth he became the light of the world. It was by him and him alone that life everlasting was attained. Nothing has changed. When you and I decided to follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior we took on the responsibility of spreading his Holy Word. We became lamps for those who need to be shown the way. If we do not stand up to be seen, then how are we useful? If we allow fear, temptation or doubt to rule us then how are we helping those who need eternal salvation? We must turn our fear, anger, doubt, worry and sadness into joy and peace and confidence on behalf of Jesus. We are all lamps that must shine brightly and not allow our joy and strength to be diminished by the evil of this world. We are overcomers and we are all a member of the greatest army ever, the army of our God in heaven! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?
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THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE!

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” Psalm 23:4

I am sure that as human beings we have all experienced fear at one time or another. Fear is a disruption. It is something that tries to tear us away from the promises of God in heaven and it tears down your strength and your trust in Him.

As followers of Christ Jesus, we become complete in his promises and his protection. We become sure, that in whatever experiences we must endure, our Lord is forever with us. We can all rest assured that whatever we are experiencing, He has experienced. He knows the pain we go through. He knows the suffering and the persecution this world puts before us. Over time and through a lot of prayer we develop a strong relationship with Christ Jesus. We begin to understand that He lives in us and that he will help us through any and all situations. We understand that we don’t have to fear any future punishment because of our fellowship with Him.

When we begin to experience fear in our lives then we know that we are suddenly not connected to our Lord. We are not perfected in His love. We may not have the mature relationship with our Lord that we need in order to live a peaceful life here on earth. We need to pray and fellowship with Him more often. We need to meditate and study His word. We need to stay connected in a way that allows Him to work in our lives whether our problems are big or little. He loves us and is patient with each of us. As we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He is always with us. We must stay connected and never depend upon this world. Jesus is love and there is no fear in love! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
How would you improve your community?
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DO NOT TEST GOD!

” You must not test the Lord your God.” Matthew 4:7

” For the scriptures say, ‘ It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’ ” Galatians 3:11

Have you ever tested God? Just what is it to test our God in heaven? Testing God is much more than trying to get him to do a miracle. When we are testing Him, we are insisting that He prove that He is trustworthy. To test Him is to walk through our problems with the attitude that ‘ God would never let me go through such difficulties.’ ‘ He would never let me suffer through such terrible things. ‘ Our God in heaven has nothing to prove to us. When he provided Jesus to walk this earth to be persecuted, beaten, tortured and then die on the cross for you and me, he did nothing less than prove that he loves us and will not be sold short of protecting us and helping us through anything and everything we go through. God tells us in James 1:13, that he will never tempt us to sin. The trials we face are not designed to lead us to sin. They instead, reveal that sin already exists in our lives. By taking our lives by the horns and living by our own standards leaves the door open for sin to display itself. We are not the Lord God. We are a servant of our Lord, and we are to have faith that allows us to depend upon Him to get us through. It is not wrong to go to Him in prayer and humbly ask for wisdom or confirmation, but we must be very careful as to how we ask Him to provided signs and wonders to prove Himself. Yes, God does allow us to go struggles in this life and He does work through those struggles to make us stronger and to provide salvation for others. However, it is how we conduct ourselves in these struggles that count. We are to display our faith in Jesus and not grumble and ask God WHY we are going through such things. Remember, “it is by faith that a righteous person has life.” Galatians 3:11 PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!