TAKE IT ALL PERSONAL!

“Lift up my eyes to you O’ God, enthroned in heaven.” Psalm 123:1

Our God in heaven is not someone who lives in some faraway place. He is not someone with whom we must make a long-distance phone call in order to talk with him. Our Lord has made our relationship with Him, personal. It is a relationship that is deeply rooted in the truths of our Lord and with the beliefs that he is with us at all times. God sent His Holy Spirit to live within us. He is with us all of the time and not just when he feels it is convenient to him or when we feel it is convenient to us. He is there to listen and help us in a moment’s notice. We don’t have to stand in line to wait to talk with him. He is with us in the present and will be the future.

It is sometimes easy to feel that God is good for someone else’s problems, but our faith will sometimes not allow us to believe his presence in our own lives. We must build upon our faith every day to allow ourselves the benefits of our personal relationship with Christ Jesus. When we develop that personal relationship, we begin to feel satisfied, content and peaceful. Our personal relationship with Him helps us in our relationship with others. We begin depending upon Him and not on those around us. We must take our relationship with Jesus as personal because it is personal to Him. When we do, he becomes our only source in life, and we know that He is with us at home, at work, on vacation, at church, in the car and anywhere else we may be. We don’t have to wait for even a moment to talk with Him. He is as at our side and ready to help us immediately. He is our personal Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Are you a leader or a follower?
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LIVING THROUGH PERSECUTION!

” Yes, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

” Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord.” 2 Timothy 4:5

As true followers of Christ Jesus, many have lived through persecution of their beliefs for years. When we follow Jesus, we are falling in line with the truths of our God in heaven and are committing our lives to his majesty our King Jesus! Our world has been in a spiritual warfare since sin entered the world. The devil and his army have been living their lives in the complete opposite ways of our Lord. There are only two choices in our lives, and those choices consist of either good or evil. We can live the life that our God intended from the beginning, or we can choose a life that is consistent with the evil ways of humanity.

The ways of evil give us the opportunities of the riches of this world. We fall in line with all other non-believers and live our lives by what we see and understand in this world. We abide by the rules of injustice for all and live by standards that are self-seeking and full of lies and disruption.

However, living in the truths of our Lord give us the opportunity for life everlasting. We live lives that represent how Jesus walked and lived in the world. We will stand out among the world and look and act differently. We will be harassed, punished, injured, and persecuted in ways that will breed grief and suffering. All of this for the love of Jesus and the opportunity to serve Him. Yes, we will be persecuted to the fullest if we are serving our Lord and Savior. We will stand out like a sore thumb in a world that breeds evil, disruption and persecution for those destined for an eternal life with God. What have you chosen? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
List your top 5 favorite fruits.
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THE UNCHAINED WORD OF GOD!

“For God has not given us a Spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

” The Word of God cannot be chained.” 2 Timothy 2:9

It is impossible to stop the Word of our Holy God in heaven from spreading his word throughout this world. It is spread by an army of those who believe and receive His message, His truths, His wisdom and His strength. As children of the living God, we are strong in our faith, our efforts, our knowledge and our self-discipline. Everything our Lord provides to us he provides in strength and power. There is no weakness in Him, and he provides us with no weakness. It is with faith that we are strong. It is by his power that we have power. It is impossible to stop God’s Word from spreading throughout this world. The evil of the world is trying. They use fear and lies to deceive us. They use threats and evil words to scare us into thinking their way and not in the ways our God has intended us to think and live. We, however, are in the victorious army and not the defeated army. We are able to stand in the face of danger and not be fearful but instead be fearless. His Holy Spirit, who resides within us, gives us the strength and power we need in order to defeat those who do evil. We may suffer for a short time. We may be persecuted and made fun of, but we are victorious in Jesus! We may be chained but God’s Word cannot be chained. Just as Paul sang the praises of God in his captivity, you and I can do the same. No matter our situation we are of God in heaven, and we are strengthened without end. Our faith will sustain us beyond what the world can do to us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
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WHO CARRIES YOUR LOAD?

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

There is not a person in this world who does not have burdens in their lives. The troubles of this world can mount up quickly and become extremely heavy. Sometimes our heaviness is so heavy that we succumb to the pressure and end up giving in. We become overwhelmed with the problems our world presents. Our God in heaven has given us an answer. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30. Jesus tells each of us to come to him. He tells us that he will give us rest. We, however, must be willing and be able to leave our troubles at his feet. If we take our burdens to the Lord, lay them at his feet, and then pick them up and take them with us, then we continue to carry the burdens on our shoulders. How will the Lord help us if we don’t allow him to? If we believe in his willingness to carry our burdens and trust him to deal with them, then we should not worry about them again. We should constantly thank Him for what he has done. We should continue to pray and listen. He will provide us with solutions to our problems and we will be overcomers through him. We must trust, believe and receive. We must not worry, be stressed or fear. Jesus loves us and we should love and believe in Him. Who is carrying your burdens? Are you walking around with the stress and pressures of the world on your back or have you given them over to the Lord to handle and carry them for you? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Share a story about someone who had a positive impact on your life.
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BEARING FRUIT!

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” John 15:4

” Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Just what is the fruit that we are to be bearing? What does it look like? Is it easy or is it hard to produce? The scriptures are very clear that the fruit of the Spirit consists of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. All of us who are truly in Christ Jesus are distinguished from those who are not, in that we have been gifted the Holy Spirit which enables us to bear fruit. If we are plugged into the right source, we will desire to produce the fruit that is required of us. Jesus tells us in John 15:6: “Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” We are all given a chance to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. There are those who will deny him from day one. There are those who will plug into him as their source, and try to live in the Spirit, but find it to be too hard and fall away. And there will be those who accept Jesus and will live lives that reflect the exact fruits our Lords want us to produce. No, it is not easy to live in this world, surrounded by evil of all kinds, and at the same time, live in the Spirit, producing his fruit in great amounts. However, if we are plugged into the correct source each day, our spirits will be renewed with the freshness of the fruits of the Spirit. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What does freedom mean to you?
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GOD MADE YOU TO BE YOU!

” You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I am far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.” Psalm 139: 2-4

It is very clear that God sees each of us as individuals, created in His image for a purpose that is specific to each of us. We each have unique gifts and talents and have a role to play in the world that is unlike anyone else’s. Each one of us are on display as God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we should walk in them. There is not a one of us who is an accident. We each were created on purpose and for a purpose. We all have work to do on behalf of our God in heaven. We have all been duly created so that God can finish his plan, for not only our lives, but also for the lives of those around us. We all intertwine. We meet and know each other for a reason. There is a purpose for us each, and our own purpose is well beyond our understanding. There are many in this world who do not like themselves. They don’t like the way they look or the way they talk or the sounds of their voice. They don’t like how they walk or how tall or short they are. The have a hard time in adjusting and accepting who God made them to be. There are no accidents or coincidences when it comes to our God. He puts us in the right place at the right time. We, however, are responsible for how we decide to accept or deny what God wants or desires of us. He gives us a free will so that we can make our own decisions about following him or following the world. God created each and every one of us to be ourselves. We are to be who God created us to be. We all have a purpose, but we must first recognize and accept who we are in God. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What public figure do you disagree with the most?
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THE LIFE OF HONOR!

“And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ whether I live or die.” Philippians 1:20

Our source of life is Jesus Christ himself. We are blessed beyond understanding to have eternal life in Jesus. We are created by God and given a physical vitality and an existence on this earth. However, our life in Christ begins when we begin our fellowship with Jesus. When we begin to turn to him in troubles and when we begin to praise him for who he is and what he does for us, he becomes our new life. We should always remember that our God values life. He has proven this, time and time again, by forming children in their mother’s womb. We are created in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 tells us: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” As we grow up in this world, we often stray from the way God wants us to live and represent him. He does, however, give us opportunities to turn from evil and begin a new life in Him. He is not only our creator, but he is our refuge in times of trouble and our Savior when we give up our evil ways and begin our live anew in him. We are to live our lives in honor of Him. We are to walk, talk, and in every way, be as much like Christ Jesus as we can. When we falter, we are to ask for his forgiveness and move on. When we leave this world, we should be remembered for the goodness and not the evil we lived. We should live a life that is honorable to the life of Jesus. We should live a life of honor! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your career plan?
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OUR BURDENS HAVE BEEN NAILED TO THE CROSS!

“Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Let us take a moment and reflect upon what Jesus did for each of us. Let’s put ourselves in his place and see exactly what the sacrifice was that he so graciously gave to us each. Let’s pretend, for just one moment, that instead of Jesus dying for us we are dying for our own sins. In order to be saved we must go through what Jesus went through. WE ARE WHIPPED SO SEVERELY THAT THE FLESH IS TORN FROM OUR BODIES. THE BEATING BECOMES SO HORRIFIC THAT THE FLESH FROM OUR FACE IS RIPPED INTO STRIPS OF FLESH. THE CROWN OF THORNS (TWO TO THREE INCH THORNS) CUT DEEPLY INTO OUR SCALP AS THEY PLACE IT FIRMLY ON OUR HEAD. AFTER OUR BRUTAL BEATING WE ARE REQUIRED TO CARRY OUR HEAVY CROSS TO THE SITE OF THE CRUCIFIXION WITH BLOOD DRIPPING SO PROFUSELY DOWN OUR FACE THAT WE CANNOT SEE. WE THEN ARE NAILED TO THE CROSS BY HAVING 5 TO 7 INCH SPIKES DRIVEN INTO OUR UPPER HANDS TOWARD OUR WRISTS, AND INTO OUR ANKLES, IN ORDER TO HOLD US TIGHTLY TO THE CROSS. WE THEN DIE A SLOW DEATH BEFORE ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE THERE TO PERSECUTE AND MAKE FUN OF US FOR OUR BELIEFS. There is little doubt that most of us would not have survived the beating let alone being nailed to the cross. After seeing what Jesus went through there should be no doubt of his great love for each of us. Our faith should be strengthened by his sacrifice so that you and I can be saved by his actions while he walked this earth. He carried a heavy load with him to that cross. He not only had your burdens weighing upon him, but he also had the burdens of the world upon his shoulders. Jesus sacrificed more that we can ever imagine and more that we could ever think of paying back. He has given us the gift of salvation and our only obligation is to accept the truth, live the truth and tell the truth! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
What was the last live performance you saw?
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OUR FUTURE IS TODAY!

“May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5

” Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Our future is today. We are to live our lives one day at a time. We are to live like there will be no tomorrow. We are to focus our attention on the things of God and how he expects us to live our lives and what he expects us to achieve when we live the way he instructs us to. We are to walk in the world with our head held high, our confidence in Jesus is to be as strong as the highest mountains. We are to be able to endure problems and other obstacles in our lives by using the faith and trust we have in Jesus. We are to be at peace with not only Jesus but with ourselves. We are overcomers through Christ who gives us strength. To begin each day with a prayer and to glorify our God in heaven will not only help to strengthen us but will also make us a part of God’s mighty plan. Our lives should be centered around Jesus. We should get up in the morning praising and glorifying him for another day. We should read his word and fill our tank with the nutrition that comes from the heavenly one. Our spirits are often left without its daily dose of strength and guidance that is so desperately needed for us to be able to function in life on this earth. We are not to wander around and become a part of this world and its ways. We are not to become drones to be used by this world for the purpose of promoting worldly ventures and the evil that surrounds us. Instead, we are to we are to function in the Spirit of God and listen to his ways and do the things he wants us to do. Our future is not guaranteed. We are guaranteed only the moments we live in. We are here on earth to complete an assignment for God and when we are finished, we will leave this world and join others who have completed their missions. We belong to the army of God and not the armies of the world. Our focus is Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What do you do to be involved in the community?
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WE’VE GOT YOU LORD!

“There is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity- the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:5 & 6

Humanity has been at odds with God since Adam and Eve. The devil and his antics began when he deceived Eve into eating the apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God has always had a plan and his plan has always been on his time schedule. The freedom and the opportunity for everlasting life, that you and I are afforded in this earthly life, has not come to us as a freebie. It is provided to us because God paid a heavy price to save us. He sacrificed his one and only son to die for each of us. We are given the opportunity to know Christ on a personal level. God has given us a chance to go through the troubles of this world with assistance. He has presented us with Jesus who brings with Him peace of mind, truth, strength, love, confidence, knowledge and wisdom. He brings with him every tool we need to pass through this life unscathed. However, we also have been given a free will and a choice to make. God does not force us into anything. He wants only those who truly love and trust Him. He wants those who are willing to stand up for Him and not fear the world and what it surrounds us with. We can either choose the life in this world today or we can choose Jesus and life everlasting. As a human this is not an easy choice. The devil continues to deceive and trick and deceives some into thinking that there is only this world and there will never be another. He tricks others into thinking that God is only a fairy tale and is not real. He shows up on our doorstep looking like a nice and gentle lamb when in reality he is an ogre who is out to destroy us. There is only one right choice. That choice is Christ Jesus. He is our Savior and our protector. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior we can say with confidence, “WE’VE GOT YOU LORD!” PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS

Daily writing prompt
What’s a job you would like to do for just one day?
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GOD’S WORD, MY SHINING LIGHT!

” Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105

Many years ago, when I was a child, I would go with my dad to the County Courthouse lawn, following a rain, to pick up night crawlers to use as fishing bait. We would usually go at night when it was very dark. We both had flashlights that shown brightly and we would shine them upon the ground where the nightcrawlers would lay. We could not have accomplished our goal without the flashlights. Our lives in this world are much the same. We live in a world of spiritual darkness and have a terrible time finding our way. We find ourselves lost and have a hard time doing the right things and walking the right path because we cannot see where we are going. Our Lord God has given us a roadmap for our journey in this world. He has provided Jesus as our Savior, and he provided his Holy Word as our flashlight. Through His Word we are able to see the right path and we are able to see the stumbling blocks that are put before us. As we become acquainted with our Lord, we are able to better understand which path he wants us to take. We can see to it that we don’t stumble and fall on the rocks and sticks that we encounter. When we know his Word, we are able to plainly see where we are going, and if we need help, we have the ability to ask through prayer. If we do stumble, he is there to pick us up and put us back on the right path. The Word of God is our flashlight. It is our roadmap. It shows us how to live our lives, love others, forgive others and to live in the truth. With his flashlight we are able to better understand the spiritual ways of our Lord and live our lives in strength, joy and understanding. With an effort, on our part, to read and meditate in his Word we are able to navigate our way through a world that is currently controlled by evil and disgusting ways. He loves us but we have to be willing to learn from him and trust him to lead us down the right path. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite brands and why?
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PUSHING THROUGH THE TRIALS!

“I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:81

We all have trials and tribulations that we go through in our lives. As children of God, we are expected to push through these problems with a patience and trust that is way beyond human understanding. It takes a great knowledge and understanding of God’s ways that help us through our trying times. It takes a firm study of his word and a great prayer life to be on the same page with God. We must understand his timetable and know that he is never late. He is always on time with his help, and we must stay patient in our ways and believe that no matter the length of time it takes for our answers to prayer to be recognized, our prayers are answered. We must build a trust and a faith that is so strong that the worldly ways will not move them. We must re-train ourselves to believe in the unseen and not the seen. As we put our hope in his word, we will gain the confidence that he lays before us and be able to move on in our lives knowing full well that our Lord is handling each and every problem we have. He never fails us and is never late! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
List the people you admire and look to for advice…
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PRESS ON WITH GREAT FAITH!

“The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.” Proverbs 20:27

“People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their hearts.” Proverbs 21:2

Our God sees it all! He knows before anything happens what is going to happen. Our human spirits are seen by God. He knows our thoughts and our motives. He doesn’t look into our eyes, but instead, he examines our hearts. He looks deep down to what our motives are. The Lord knows everything about us. He knows our innermost desires, our hopes and fears, our strengths and weaknesses, our mistaken ideas about ourselves, what we really want and what we pretend to want. He knows it all! There are no secrets from Him, so there is no use in pretending anything and no use in being hypocritical. He knows it all! We may be able to keep thoughts and ideas from those around us but to the one we are accountable to we can keep nothing secret. He digs very deep into our hearts to find out who we are and what our motives are. He digs deep to find the truth about our feelings and our faith. He knows every step we take, every thought we think and every word we say. He knows when we hate or when we love. He knows when we make a mistake and are truly repentant of the mistake. He knows each of us inside out. He is our Creator and our Savior. There is no way to hide from our God in heaven. When we accept Jesus, our lives change for the good. We may slip and fall but he is always there to pick us up. We must remember that even if we are fooling those around us with the way we act or think, we cannot fool God! He knows it all and we will be held accountable in the end either by being saved and having our sins forgiven or by answering to our God directly. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Do you vote in political elections?
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OUR ENTIRE LIVES SHOULD BE LIVED TO GLORIFY GOD!

“I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:81

How often have you thought to yourself that it sure is taking God a long time to answer my prayers. Our God is a very patient God. He has taken his time and continues to take his time in fulfilling his promises in our lives, because he wants as many of his children to be saved as can be. The devil, on the other hand, uses God’s patience and his goodness against us to try and trick us to believe that our God is never going to fulfill his promises. He tells us that God will never answer our prayers and he will never come back to rapture his people as He promised he would. The devil digs at us with his lies and continues to try and convince us that God in heaven is a liar and that His mighty Word is nothing more than a fairy tale. The devil tells us that we have heard these things for years and yet our God has not produced and never will. He throws out lies that try to convince us that anything that God does in our lives is just coincidence. It is because of the great spiritual warfare that is going on between God and the devil that you and I must stay strong in our faith. Our entire lives should be built around the promises of our God. Everything we do, no matter how small or how large, should be done in honor of our God in heaven. Even though living in this world is sometimes very hard, it can be much easier with our Lord by our side. We must, however, invite him to be with us. We must truly believe in him and what he has and will provide for us. Things may look bleak to us at the moment but if we believe and plow through the obstacles thrown in our way, our lives will become stronger and our testimonies real to those around us. Our entire lives should be lived to glorify our God in heaven. Always remember, “we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.” Philippians 4:13. Whatever we have, wherever we are, we can make it through anything through the One who made us who we are! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What gives you direction in life?
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TODAY IS THE FUTURE!

” Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people or fret about their wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:7

” God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So, encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

There is no one on this earth who is guaranteed that tomorrow will arrive. We tend to live our lives in the future. We plan and decide what we are going to do tomorrow, and in the days ahead, without any idea as to what tomorrow will bring, or whether tomorrow will arrive for us on this earth. It is important that we live day to day. We are to encourage those around us and try hard to be a blessing to them all. We are to build them up and not tear them down. We are to encourage them and not discourage them. Even though it is sometimes very difficult we are to be a joy in the midst of others and not the rain falling upon their heads. We are to stay encouraged within ourselves and there is only one way for that to happen. We are to pray, praise and glorify our God in heaven. We are to invite the Holy Spirit in and when he arrives, we are to host him with honor, patience and love. We are to listen and respect his every notion and thought. It is with our God in heaven and his grace and mercy that we are doing what we are doing. It is his through his power and his decisions that we are living our lives each day. Yes, we do have the right to live them the way we choose, but if we are living in Jesus our decisions will reflect strength, wisdom, compassion and love for others. We will reflect the ways of Jesus himself when he walked this earth. Today is our future! There is no guarantee that tomorrow will arrive! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?
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THE SIRENS ARE SOUNDING!

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

” For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” Matthew 24:7

I hear the saying all of the time that we are living in an upside-down world. We are living in times and through things that we just do not understand. We are seeing people looting stores, people killing people, law enforcement embarrassed and dismissed. We are seeing the arrogant begin to rule the world, the lovers of money begin to rule the money system, the lovers of pleasure create pleasure in things that are just unmentionable. We are seeing people put their ideas and their wishes ahead of Gods. We see foolishness in some who say that men can have babies and that anyone can change from a man to a woman and a woman to a man. We see churches beginning to accept these things within their own walls and beginning to preach about being equitable to all. I believe that we are in the beginnings of the birth pains that our Lord talks about in scripture. These pains will only increase over time as we as a society begin to accept them as a normal part of life. We as believers are not going to experience perfect joy and peace in this world but instead experience sufferings, birth pains- and he wants us to understand that these birth pains mean that our suffering in this world is almost over and salvation from these sufferings is almost here. Our Lord is returning soon. The sirens are sounding today louder than they ever have. We must pay close attention, stay close to God in prayer, build our faith to be immovable and continue to stand up in spite of evil efforts to keep us quiet. We must yell out the salvation message to those around us. Our God is our refuge, and he will protect us and keep us safe! Stay strong and stay safe in the Lord! PRASIE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?
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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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