DON’T FEAR BUT INSTEAD OPEN UP TO THE LORD!

“Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done.” Psalm 37:5-6

Each and every one of us have problems in our lives that seem to be so large and overwhelming that there is nothing that will allow us to live lives of strength and happiness. Our God did not put us on this earth to shy away from the things in this life that can give us joy and pleasure. He did not put us here to constantly struggle, to fear, and to doubt. He put us here to worship him and to believe in him, and to trust him, in his every move. He put us here to live lives of love, peace and understanding and to be witnesses to his Holy Word. There is nothing we cannot do if we just succumb to our God in heaven. There are things that have happened in my life that I would never be able to discuss with others in this world. However, I have a creator in heaven who promises me that if I come to him, ask him, believe him, and trust in him, I will receive what I ask for in his will. He gives us forgiveness for our sins, but we must ask and repent. He gives us protection in every situation, but we must ask. He gives us our seed of faith and allows us to grow it, if we ask. God tells us in the above scripture that we are not to hold back anything from God. We are to open up to him and believe! Our Lord God will do whatever needs to be done! We must remember, however, that he is God and that we are not. He has his own timetable and will use it and not ours. We must remember that the evil of this world will not leave us alone and will constantly be jabbing at us, trying to always keep us from our Lord. We will sometimes struggle more than other times, but we must always remember that peace of mind and strength of character are just a prayer away! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?
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A NEW BEGINNING!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16

“Don’t be alarmed, he said. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified.” Mark 16:6

Our God in heaven has given us an opportunity for a new beginning. It doesn’t matter how old you are or of what faith you might believe, he has wiped those thoughts from his mind and considers us all equals in his eyes, if we only accept and continue to believe. Jesus Christ, on this day was resurrected and went to set at the right hand of our God the Father and, is there today to be our comforter and our mouthpiece to God. It is by us knowing Jesus and Jesus knowing us that we are allowed the rights and privileges that are so graciously handed to us by God. We are afforded the opportunity for a new beginning by the cross of Jesus and his resurrection, that quite honestly, should be celebrated daily. As we celebrate this glorious day, we must remember it’s true meaning. Easter is not easter eggs and family reunions, even though those are important in their own ways, but it is that our God has given us a new beginning that we must latch onto and never let go! Happy Easter and congratulations on your new beginning! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?
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THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

” A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22

As a Christian just where does our joy come from? The bible tells us that our joy is produced by the Holy Spirit. When we go to God, we hope in his goodness to have a lasting effect in our lives. As we begin to believe in Him and trust Him, our hope turns into joy. As the Holy Spirit leads us through each day joy becomes a strength in our lives. If the Spirit is not producing joy in our lives, then it is important to consider that there is something that may be blocking the work of the Holy Spirit. Joy is connected to strength and if we allow doubt, worry and fear to enter into our lives, then they will drain our strength. Joy is not something that can be taken from us. It is something that we give away. We allow the things of this world to enter, and when we do, we allow the ways of the world to steal away our joy and strength. As believers, our source of strength is not found in our own abilities or circumstances, but rather in the joy that comes from knowing and serving the Lord. Joy is a gift from God, and it is something that needs to be celebrated and shared with others. As Jesus tells us in Luke 6:23: “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.” Our focus should be on the things to come. Our focus should be on Jesus and the future he provides for us. When our focus is right then our joy and our strength is great and will spill over to those around us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
If you could have something named after you, what would it be?
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WHAT IS GOOD FRIDAY?

” For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would dare to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 6-10

Good Friday is a day of reflecting on the suffering Jesus did for us by being persecuted, being spit upon, being ridiculed, being brutally beaten and by his death on the cross. This one event, his death on the cross, is the most important event that paved the way for the salvation of those who believe. Without his walking this earth and without his death on the cross there would be no resurrection. There would be no opportunity for you and me to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We need to take a step back and meditate upon this one sacrifice that is so meaningful to the whole world. We must reflect upon, and be reminded of, his love for us. It is so uncommon for someone to give their life for those who are sinning and living lives of weakness. But Jesus did. God loves his children so much that he gave up his one and only son to go through the most horrendous things possible, exposing the evil and the ways of the evil in this world. With his death on that cross, he carried the weight of our sins with him. He didn’t just die on the cross to prove a point. He died on that cross to save the world. He came to walk before us and to experience life as a human. He became one of us so that he could die for us. We should get on our knees every day, and not just on Good Friday, to praise and thank our God in heaven for his sacrifice! Good Friday should be on our minds and thankfulness on our lips every day of our lives for the love and the sacrifice God has displayed for us each. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What makes you laugh?
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THE POWER IN HIS NAME, JESUS!

“And by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” John 20:31

Just how powerful is the name of Jesus? We can rest assured that it is the most powerful name in all of heaven and earth. As we read through the holy scriptures, we see the name of Jesus casting out demons, healing sick people, raising the dead, bringing about peace and giving heroic courage in times of need. You and I have been given the most amazing gift. We have been given authority in the name of Jesus! We have been given the authority to pray in his name and to exercise His power in this world. The name of Jesus is so powerful that it will cause every bad thing to bow, and will pull us out of whatever we are stuck in. There is healing and deliverance in the name of Jesus. Jesus has given you and me the authority to use his name. His name is available to each and every believer and is to be use any time we see need.

Any power that we access in Jesus’ name comes from true faith in who Jesus is and what he does for us as sinners. To have faith in Jesus, and what he does for us, is to trust him. He must become our world, the world we live in. We must very simply, and without any reservation, trust him. Afterall, he is our Savior, and we trust him for that! If we don’t believe we can do something, then we will not be able to do it. It is the same with the name of Jesus. Jesus has given us access to the greatest tool to be used in this world. We must be able to trust his name in such a way that we have no fear in using it. You hear the name “God” tossed around a lot in this world but very seldom do hear the name Jesus, unless it is a true believer using the name. You see, the name “God” can be attached to about anything we want to call a God. However, the name of Jesus is specific to our God in heaven and so powerful that even the demons flee at the hearing of his name. There is no fear in love. Our Lord is love. Be strong, be trusting and use the name of Jesus in all times of need. His name is powerful! PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?
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TOMORROW MIGHT BE TODAY!

“Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9

” My Kingdom is not an earthly Kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36

Our kingdom is also not of this world. We fight every day to stay on the right path so that we can get to our heavenly kingdom. We are not of this world, but we are spirits who are finding our way home. We wake every day to new challenges that stand in our way. Sometimes we even take a break because we think it may be too hard and we are tired and need a rest from our presence in the Lord our God in heaven. We wander and slowly return on our own time schedule. However, we must be very careful. Tomorrow and its opportunities may never arrive. We are not promised tomorrow but are promised only the moment we live in. We are to display strength and courage in the moments our Lord has given us. We are to complete our tasks at hand and not fear or be timid about how we feel about Jesus. Tomorrow may never arrive for us. We must not take for granted our life and how to use it. Tomorrow is promised to no one, so it is necessary that we are clear about our relationship with Jesus and that we live our lives so that others can see our faith and our beliefs. It is by our faith and our way of life that we reach others in this world. It maybe you who reaches that poor ragged person sitting on the street corner. It maybe you who reaches that mother who is down and out and needs strength, encouragement, and most of all, needs Jesus. We just never know what life we are touching. We just don’t know into whose path we have been placed and who the Lord is using us to touch. Our lives in Jesus are so important. The way we live and represent Him is so critical for us and for those around us. We must stay strong! We must never be timid in our faith! Tomorrow may never come. Tomorrow may be today! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What’s something most people don’t understand?
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GOD’S STRENGTH THROUGH MY WEAKNESSES!

” My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

” That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships and persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

In comparing myself to the rest of the world I would consider myself to be weak and not strong. I am not the tallest or the most muscular or the best-looking person around. I don’t consider myself to be a great orator, a great student of learning or the most caring person I can be. My faults as a human are much greater in length than my strengths in this life. However, what I have found is that I was made by my God in heaven, and I was made like I am for a reason. With our birth into this world, we bring our faults with us. We bring our impurities and our sins because we are all born into this world as sinners. I am so blessed to have a God in heaven who is so gracious to me that he allows himself to be strongest in my weaknesses. It is when I am down and out that He is the strongest. It is when I have reached the wall of no return that He is there to help me. It is when I have no other place or person to turn to that He is there to pick me up and deliver me. I have learned (and it has taken me a long time for I am a slow learner) that when I am weak, I must continue to be joyful. For when I lose my joy, I lose the strength my God so generously gave to me. I must continue to be joyful even if I don’t consider myself to measure up to others in this world. I must continue to look to Jesus as my answer and believe his word when he tells me that he is with me, he is before me, and he is by my side. There is nothing in this world that can take my joy away. I only lose it if I give it away. There is not fault that I have as a temporary resident of this world that can strip me of my joy. What I must not do is forget who made me and continue to worship Him in all matters of my life. I must always remember that when I am at my weakest is when I am strongest! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
How has technology changed your job?
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THE CROSS BRINGS DISRUPTION!

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

When Jesus first came into this world the world changed dramatically. Even as a baby he was sought after. King Herod, the king of Judaea had innocent children of Bethlehem slaughtered in an attempt to the kill the infant Jesus. Herod feared that Jesus would eventually seize his kingdom. Jesus was sent into this world to be the light in the devil’s dark world of evil. He was sent to provide salvation to those enslaved to the sin of this world. The things that Jesus stood for, while on this earth, has not changed in today’s world.

Jesus was a disruptive force in the mind of all evil. Jesus remains a disruptive force in the beliefs and faith of all born again Christians. When you and I accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we accepted the true meaning of what the Cross of Jesus stands for. We are the light of the world as we take on the characteristics of our Lord and Savior. We accept and believe that his death on the cross provides salvation, healing and forgiveness. As we spread the Word of God and live by listening to the Holy Spirit, we too become a disruptive force in the face of the devil. He will fight us and do all that he can to defeat our purpose and bring down our faith and all of our beliefs in Jesus. However, we have overcome the world through our faith in Jesus. As we continue to grow and love God our resistance to evil will increase. We must stay the course and not allow the evil of the world to dictate our direction, our faith or our strength. We must stay in constant communication with our God in heaven with prayer through our Lord Jesus. We must continue to study his word and live our lives in accordance with his will. We must stay focused on Jesus and no other. We must not be deterred in the mission our God in heaven has given us. Remember, we are born through the death of Jesus on the cross and the cross brings disruption to this world of evil. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?
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INVEST WISELY!

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

“So, we don’t look at the troubles we can see now, rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Investing in our retirement in this world is something that is always on our minds. It all begins when we obtained our very first solid job. We are told from the beginning that we should begin to put away monies for our future retirement, so that when we become the age to settle into our golden years, we will have enough to take care of ourselves for the rest of our lives on this earth. That is wise information that everyone should take seriously.

There is another investment that is even more important, and this investment must be made while we are living on this earth. It is the investment into our eternal salvation. When we do pass into the next life we will go to one of two places. We will either go to be with our Lord God in heaven or we will go to be with the devil in hell. As we walk through this world each day, we make choices that may or may not affect our future presence in heaven. We have to make decisions that can and will affect the way we think and live. Sometimes we are able to recover from our unwise decisions and sometimes not. When we invest in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are truly investing in the future. We are investing in the unseen and not the seen. We are trusting in the promises that our God has made to us throughout history, and we are to abide by his commandments and his ways of life. We will all come to that fork in the road. The decision we make will determine our eternal destiny. The question is, will we try to enjoy our lives on this earth without our Lord by our side or will we accept him as our Lord and Savior and live a life worthy of his name? That is a choice that becomes the most important choice we will ever make. I truly believe that there are those who think that they may go to hell but that it will be nothing less than a huge party with all of their current friends. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hell is just what it says it is. We have never experienced anything like it, and we do not want to face it. To live in eternity is to live without an end. I want to live without an end in heaven! What is your choice? If you choose to trust in God then just say the following words: LORD JESUS, I ACCEPT YOU AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR AND REPENT OF MY SINS. I LOVE YOU AS YOU LIVE ME. I THANK YOU FOR DYING UPON THAT CROSS FOR THE FOREGIVNESS OF MY SINS AND MY LIFE, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE LIFE YOU ARE GIVING ME. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY, AMEN. If you prayed this prayer, then your God in heaven has accepted you as his child. Please continue to pray to him, praise him and study his word. Find a good bible believing church where you can find those who will surround you with the love of Jesus and encourage you. You just make a great investment into your future. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had?
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THE RIGHT SOURCE!

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.” 1 Corinthians 16: 13-14

” God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We are to be on guard, stay firm in the faith, be strong, and do everything with love. We must be plugged into the right source in order to stay connected with the one who protects us. Without a close relationship with our Father in heaven we stand no chance. We are weak in this world and the only way to fight the good fight is by listening and doing what he instructs us to do. We must not be anxious about anything but instead keep a level head and pray and listen as we are instructed by the precious Holy Spirit. In the world today, evil is running rampant. Evil acts as though it is superior to the goodness and the love our Lord wants us to display. Evil wants to overshadow the intentions we have through God by showing us as weak and unable to overcome the wickedness that surrounds us. Our faith is being attacked and these attacks will increase until our Lord returns. However, we are told that our God is the source of all comfort. He is beside us through every situation we struggle through. He gives us the strength we need to stand firm and to be faithful in our stance for good and not evil. To become courageous, strong and without fear we must first strengthen our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must pray continually. We must praise him for his goodness in our lives and we must read and study his word. As we do these things, our faith will increase, and we will become a person of faith that in not fearful to spout out the name of Jesus and live a life that represents him. We must, however, plug into the correct source each and every day. That source is our Lord Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite type of weather?
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BELIEVING IS SEEING

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

In the physical world we are taught to believe what we see. I’m sure you have heard the old adage that seeing is believing. When we live in this world this is how we live our lives. We must prove, with solid evidence, that we can be see and touch, in order to believe.

When we live in the spirit the truth is just the opposite. “Believing in” is to precede “knowing” just as “faith” is to precede a “miracle”. True belief can give us eyes to see and ears to hear, which enables us to understand and to know without doubt. We must train ourselves up to trust our God and not doubt his ways. We must first read his word and become accustomed to what his ways are. Little by little we must begin to institute his thoughts and his promises into our daily lives. We must begin to do away with the ways of this world and hang onto the truths of our God in heaven. Romans 10:17 tells us that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” As we get closer to God, we begin to allow our faith to become our motivation and the major factor in how we believe. I can testify that my life has change for the better, but it didn’t happen overnight. I can also tell you that living in the Spirit is a continual battle because there is always the world, and what it offers, tugging at my thoughts and ways, to make me believe the things I see rather than the way my God tells me to live. We must protect ourselves by prayer and knowing God’s word. I can tell you that the devil knows the word of God very well and he will try to twist and turn it to use against you and me. So, we must be able to know the Word of God frontwards and backwards. As we apply it to our lives and live it every day it becomes a part of us and not just a book with words that we hope are right. We are to believe and then to receive. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Who was your most influential teacher? Why?
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GODLY SORROW!

” Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

Godly sorrow is connected to both disappointment for the sins we have committed and the desire to never commit the sins again. We sin but we desire to turn away from sin. Godly sorrow is a sorrow towards God. It allows us to recognize that the sin we commit is against God himself. When this happens, the Holy Spirit directs us with the desire to never let that sin happen again. We go to the Lord with repentance, and with remorse for our actions and ask for His forgiveness. We immediately recognize that we have hurt our God in heaven and our desire is not to hurt him but to love him. We are focused on the relationship we have with the Lord our God and the motivation is love.

Worldly sorrow is just the opposite. When we display worldly sorrow, we may be full of regret for committing the sin, but we don’t change. We are sorry because it may not have worked out for us, but we do not change for the better. Instead, if the opportunity presents itself again, we probably do it again. Worldly sorrow draws our attention to ourselves and what benefits us. We are not thinking about our relationship with God but instead we are thinking of ourselves and what is good for us.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves us with no regrets. This is where our relationship to Jesus takes priority and helps us to feel true regret for our actions. This is where our Lord forgives us and takes our regrets away. This is Godly sorrow which is influenced by our relationship with the Lord. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What do you wish you could do more every day?
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I WILL WEAR HIS NAME!

We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.” 2 Corinthians 6:6

‘” For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: ” ‘ I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers and separate yourselves from them,’ says the Lord. ‘Don’t touch their filthy things and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters’, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

We are to wear our badge of honor proudly. We are to wear the name of our Lord Jesus proudly, by the way we live our lives, the way we talk, and the way we react and mingle with those of the world around us. In a world so full of evil and filth we are to stand out with confidence, love and peace. We are to be strong when the world thinks we should be weak. We are to speak and act with the love of our Lord from deep within our hearts. We are to be pure in the way we act and patient in times of stress. We are to live in this world and walk among those who actively participate in the ways of this world, but we are not to be of the world. We are the sons and daughters of our God in heaven. We are the temple of our living God in heaven. Our God has taken up residence within us through His loving and mighty Holy Spirit. Let us wear Jesus proudly on our chest and allow others to see the joy of knowing that following Jesus, is knowing without doubt, you are headed for eternal life with Christ Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?
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OUR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL!

“Though our bodies are dying, our Spirits are being renewed every day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

As we begin to age, we become very familiar with looking in the mirror and seeing a picture of a body that no longer reflects the strength of a young person. It shows the wear and tear of the years of our lives on this earth. It shows the wrinkles that reflect the struggles we have encountered in this life. It shows a human body that is slowly, and sometimes quickly, dying and fading away. However, 2 Corinthians 4:16 encourages us to not lose heart as we watch this process happen to our bodies. What is important is the spirit that is inside of us. It is our spirit that is renewed each day when we give our lives to God and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We never grow old when our spirit renews. It becomes new each and every day. God in heaven has poured out his Spirit on his people and he is working powerfully through each of us to show the world around us how real and mighty and good Jesus is. As our spirit is renewed daily, we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. We find a peace and joy in every situation we encounter while the world struggles with worry and concern about the events happening around them. We go to the Word for our answers and the Lord our God comforts us through prayer and meditation. He loves us and has promised to take care of us. With that promise we can renew our spirit daily with confidence that no matter the situation we will be victorious in Jesus! JESUS IS LORD! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
What is one word that describes you?
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I WILL!

” The Lord says, ‘ I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91:13-16

The Lord our God is not telling us that he might save us. He is not telling us that he should protect us. He is not saying that maybe he should be with us when we are going through troubles. He is promising us that he is going to be with us. The conditions that he has set forth are those of love, trust and honor. We are to love him, trust in him and honor him.

We should love him by obeying his commandments for our lives. We should live a loving faith-filled, and purpose driven life. We must allow God to lead the way. We should stay close to him at all times in our thoughts, words and actions.

We should trust him by seeking his truth through his scriptures. We should live in and walk with the Holy Spirit and wait patiently for him to answer us, knowing all along that he is faithful and trustworthy. We must surrender our lives to Him and put him at the center of our lives.

We should honor Him by talking about him to others. We should ask Him to open our spiritual eyes to find opportunities where we can honor him in our everyday experiences.

Our God is working in our lives everyday. He is showing his promises to be true and faithful. We are to be thoughtful, loving, sincere, prayerful and dedicated to Him and the life he will provide to us if we love, trust and honor him.

PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What was the best compliment you’ve received?
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THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!

” I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6

I have read this scripture many times over the many years that I have known Christ. It is one of the most important scriptures in my mind due to the direction the Lord wants us to go. I have broken down the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE in today’s message.

The Way: Jesus described Himself as the “only way.” A way is a path or a route. The disciples had expressed concern and confusion, at the time, as to where Jesus was going and how to follow him. As Jesus told them from the beginning, and continues to tell us today, “follow me.” He makes it clear that there is no other way to heaven but through faith and trust in him. We must come to Jesus and be saved. Jesus is the only way to salvation! When he knocks at your door, open it and invite him in!

The Truth: The truth in the eyes of Jesus is doing and being in God’s will in a consistent and obedient manner. Our faith and our trust in him must be strong enough to consistently drive us to him every day. Our lives must reflect his ways, his words and his actions. We must live in our Lord as He lives in us. Jesus is the truth, and we must plug into him each and every day!

The Life: Christ is the bearer and giver of everlasting life. He is the true source, of not only physical life, but also spiritual life. He is the true vine, and we must be attached to the true vine in order to live. When we are attached to him, we listen to his word. We pray and converse with him often. We strengthen our ways because we are receiving our power from the one and only source of life.

There is only one path that is important to follow, and that path follows Jesus into eternal life and into the presence of our God everlasting!

PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

OUR ADVOCATE THE HOLY SPIRIT

” And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth.” John 14: 16 & 17

“Our qualification comes from God. He enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant.” 2 Corinthians 3:5 & 6

But under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:6

Just what is an advocate? The definition defines advocate as being “one who pleads for another.” Jesus is our advocate with our Father in heaven. He pleads for us, using understanding, justice, and mercy. When Jesus was about to leave this world, and go to be the Father, he told his disciples that he would ask the Father, and the Father would send another advocate, and this advocate would never leave them. This new advocate was the person of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit lives directly inside each of us and goes to bat for us everyday. He teaches us everything we need to know and reminds us of the truths that our Lord taught us. He helps us to better understand the Holy Word of God and to interpret the deeper meaning of God’s thoughts and desires. He also gives us the strength to refute the evils that surround us as well as the misunderstandings of those who do not know the ways of Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and understanding. The Holy Spirit is God in the third person, and He dwells within us as believers and that makes us the temple of God. The Spirit gives us life and helps us to live our earthly lives in such a way that allows us to show those around us the ways of God. The one truth about the Holy Spirit that we must remember is that He is God! He is not a mere force that comes from God, but He is God himself. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

ORDAINED BY GOD

“For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” Romans 13:1

While the church itself has special services to ordain men as pastors and deacons to offices in the church, it should also be recognized that each believer in Christ Jesus is ordained by God himself to work on his behalf as duly committed believers. We may not be ordained to a church office, but we are appointed to be a fruitful Christian. We are chosen to represent our God and teach to others the ways of Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become accepted into his one and only church. We are then given the rights, the privileges and the responsibilities that come with this great honor. We are to live our lives as examples of our God. We are to teach others about his ways and how he expects us to live. We are to pray for others and console those who are in troubles they cannot climb out of. We are ordained by our God to be his representative as one who follows his ways and, in some cases, become living bibles to those around us. When we accept Jesus, we are appointed to his ways and his powers. We don’t have to be a minister to actually minister to others. The Lord has given us power through him to help others using his ways and under his conditions. We must read and study his word, pray and communicate with him, and praise him each day for the honor he has bestowed upon each of us. We all have a ministry. Let us not be neglectful of our duties. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?
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THE GREAT AMEN!

” And through Christ, our ‘AMEN” (which means yes) ascends to God for his glory.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

” for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.” 2 Corinthians 1: 24

We all have gone to our God in heaven in prayer. Have you ever wondered just what we are saying when we close our prayer with AMEN? When we say AMEN, we are confirming what we have said before God. We are responding and becoming personally involved in our conversation with Him. We are asking Him, through the name of Jesus, to take action in our lives, or the lives of others, and we are, at the same time, calling upon ourselves to act as well. We are claiming to be in complete agreement with God. We are claiming to support him and his decisions. We are to put forth our own effort and actions in our own lives that reflect our agreement with his holy Word and his actions on our behalf. It is by our own faith that we stand before him in prayer, and it is by our own faith that we believe he will answer us. It is by our own actions that we know what His word says, and it is by our faith that we stand on His promises and believe! When we finish with AMEN, we are sending our message to Him with glory and praise. We are trusting Him to help us without failure. We are thanking Him and surrendering ourselves to His actions. He loves us and will never fail us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?
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GOD’S COMFORT FOR OUR COMFORT!

“God is a merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all of our troubles so that we can comfort others.” 2 Corinthians 1:3 & 4

Our God in heaven is the source of all comfort. When we become discouraged, disappointed, or we are grieving or dealing with a painful situation of any kind, we can run to His Word for strength, healing and support. Our God provides whatever comfort it is that we need at the time. We as people are broken and are sinful. In Romans 3:23 it says, ” everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard.” Because of this, people do not have the same ability to provide comfort for others as God does. As we turn to God in prayer, pouring out our hearts and seeking his presence; as we read and meditate upon his scriptures to find verses of comfort, hope and understanding, we begin to feel his divine presence in our life. We begin to feel the warmth of his breath and His loving arms wrapping around us. The Holy Spirit comforts us through His assurance of our salvation. It is our Lord God’s desire that all believers in Jesus Christ experience the assurance of their salvation. He wants each of us to walk with confidence in the knowledge that we’ve been welcomed into His eternal family through Jesus, whom we have been united with through faith. As we become strong in our assurances in Christ Jesus, we are then able to display our love for Him to those around us and help them to gain insight to the comfort of our Lord God in heaven. We become His tools and His help in comforting others in this world, as we live our lives within the guidelines our Lord has set for us. Remember, he comforts us so that we can comfort others.

Daily writing prompt
What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?
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MY CUP OVERFLOWS WITH BLESSINGS!

” Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

If we take our time to step back and look at all of the things good in our lives, I believe that we will be tremendously surprised. We have a tendency to focus on the bad things that happen to us, therefore our lives seem full of troubles and problems. Living as a child of our God is not and never will be easy. We were never promised a problem free life upon accepting Christ. It is quite the opposite. However, if we change our focus onto the good and great things that are given to us, we will be surprised at all of the blessings coming our way. The many blessings from the Lord makes us rich. He blesses us with wisdom, protection, abundance, ability, grace, joy, freedom and peace, all of which are resting upon us and whatever we put our hands to. 1 Peter 4:10-11 tells us: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace… so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. As we look and see the blessings coming our way, we can see that our cup is overflowing. It is important that we put these blessings into action within our own lives so that we serve our Lord as he continues to bless our talents, abilities, capabilities, and opens up ample opportunities to display his gracious gifts. Remember, He loves us beyond our understanding! Let us count our blessings and not our problems! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Are you superstitious?
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OUR FOCAL POINT

“But don’t be concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.” John 6:27

We are not to be concerned about surviving in this world. Instead, we are to keep a straight view of our focal point in Jesus Christ. We are to trust him to help us and guide us through this life. We are not to allow worry or doubt to steal away our riches that have been given to us by our Lord God. He is our Father, our Protector, and our Guide in this life. We are to focus on Him and the gift of eternal life that is ahead of us. He will help us through any and all situations here on earth, but we must put our trust and faith in him and never allow doubt to enter. We must remember that with Jesus we can do all things! But without Him by our side we can do nothing but worry, fear and struggle through life. He loves us, he provides for us, and he will get us to eternal life, but we must believe, receive and live our lives in Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?
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WE MUST BE REMINDED!

” We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.” Proverbs 16:1

” And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

We often times forget who we are. We forget that we are human beings and that human beings make mistakes. We forget that we are not the answer to all of our problems, and we continue to try to solve them on our own behalf. There are so many times in the God’s Holy Word that he reminds us of his power and who he is. He has to remind us that our lives can be so much easier if we just take our problems to him, lay them at his feet and trust and believe for him to answer our prayers. We have to be reminded of the promises that he has given us and reminded that he never fails on any of his promises. We have to be reminded that we are to follow his ways and not our own. We have to be reminded that even though we are allowed to make our own plans that God’s answers are the only right answers. We have to be reminded that our God is faithful and is always in control of our lives, if we just step back and surrender to him. We have to be reminded that he loves us and continues to love us the same today as he did yesterday and will love us the same tomorrow as he loves us today. We have to be reminded that his love runs deep and that we must be able to tap into the richness of his love, his protection and his grace. Sometimes we must be reminded that he is God, and we are not. We are human beings who make mistakes and must constantly be reminded that our God loves us, strengthens us and gives us peace of mind and wisdom when we are in need. Our faith must be unwavering and continue to grow each day. We are humans and must always be reminded! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.
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BELIEVERS NEVER DIE!

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

“The body without the spirit is dead. ” James 2:26

“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7

Believers never die. They just relocate. We are all spiritual beings. When our body gives out and the Lord our God says our mission on this earth is finished, then our spirit returns to the one who gave it. We go directly into the presence of the Lord our God. We no longer live on this earth but in a much better location, heaven itself. As humans it is very natural for us to miss those who move away. It is natural to feel a sense of loss and a feeling of sadness in our own life. That is why our God gives us ways to grieve and to heal. However, if we look at death as it is, a transfer of live from one location to another, then we will better understand, that as born -again believers, we will again reunite with our loved ones and rejoice. Death is not the end all. It is not to say “good-by” but instead to say, “see you soon”. Those of our family who have relocated before us have done just that. They have relocated and have gone to be with the one who created and gave them to this earth. So, as we believe in the life and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who went to set at the right hand of God the Father, then we must also believe that we too will die and go immediately to be with our Lord God in heaven. Remember, we must not say “good-by but instead say, “see you soon.” PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Where would you go on a shopping spree?
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HE IS KNOCKING! OPEN THE DOOR!

” God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” 1 Corinthians 12:6

” The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.” John 10:10

The Lord our God in heaven is knocking at your door. It is important that you answer his knock and invite him in. There are many reasons that people knock on our doors. The action of knocking is the same but the purpose for the visit is, in many cases, different. The same is true with Jesus. If you have not been rescued and saved, then he is knocking to save you. He wants to come in and provide you the opportunity to live with him in eternity. He wants to invite you to be blessed with his salvation, healing and forgiveness of sins. He wants to invite you into the kingdom of God. He wants to recruit you into his mighty army. Open the door and invite him in!

For others he is knocking because he needs you to stand up and be counted for Jesus! We as children of God are in a mighty spiritual battle with the evil of this world. Scripture tells us that the evil one has a purpose, and that is to steal, kill and destroy. If we are not strong in our faith and trusting in the ways of our Lord God, then we will succumb to the attacks of the devil. If we are not strong in faith and belief, then we have no power and will struggle mightily. We must open the door and be renewed in the spirit and refreshed in the presence of our Lord. We must choose the winning side and not the defeated side. The devil knows quite well that his time is short. He knows that he is defeated and that will not be able to withstand the power of God and his army. Time is short. Open the door and invite him in! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?
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OUR RESCUE

” For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.” Psalm 91:3

Our lives are full of problems. Some are created by us and others are created by attacks from the devil. We face sickness and disease on a daily basis, whether we are dealing directly with sickness or whether we have those close to us dealing with these things. As long as we are living on this earth we are destined to deal with problems. However, we have a gracious God in heaven who has provided us with promises to protect us from sickness, disease, and other attacks from the evil around us. He has never failed, is not failing and will never fail on any of the promises he has given us. As our God holds up his end of the bargain, we must hold up our end. If we choose to do things our way, our lives will then reflect that. We will flounder, flip and flop trying to pull ourselves out of problems. In doing so we will many times cause more problems for ourselves. If you find this happening to you then it is time to call on Jesus. It is time to lay your problems at his feet and believe that no matter the outcome it is to glorify Him! It is time to read and meditate in his word. It is time to pray and have a conversation with the Lord. It is time to build up and put our faith into action. It is time to stand on God’s word and demonstrate to the world that we have the answer, and that answer is found in Jesus. It is by faith in Jesus that we are saved and that we have opportunity to live a life of strength and of joy and peace. Trust Him and be patient in the Lord. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is the last thing you learned?
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STRENGTHEN THOSE AROUND YOU!

” The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.” John 10:25

In John 10:25 Jesus was talking to those unbelievers around him. When Jesus was sent to earth by God the Father he was just not instantly accepted as the savior of the world. As we read through the scriptures, we find that Jesus did many things to convince others as to who he was. His life here on this earth was lived in the righteousness of God the Father. His love for others was displayed through his miracles and the love that radiated from him. He had to put God’s ways into action here on this earth. The people of this world required to see results rather than just hear the words. As followers of Jesus, you and I are in the same situation. We must perform within the righteousness of our God in heaven and be doers of his word and not hearers only. We must be able to have faith and trust in the word that is graciously given to us by God. We must go through the troubles and problems we face on earth with the power of belief in the results of his mighty promises. If the unbeliever sees us believing and trusting, then they too have a greater chance of doing the same. We have not been promised to be delivered from evil attacks or any other problems we may face, but we have been promised a way through these things. If we believe, trust and are doers of His word, our Lord will help us through these situations. Let us all reflect the life of Jesus and live in joy, love and peace of mind. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is the last thing you learned?
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OUR LORD IS EVERYTHING AND CAN DO ANYTHING!

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

As a born-again believer the Lord my God in heaven is everything to me. I focus on him from the time I get up to the time I shut my eyes at night. When I go through trials and temptations, I remember what Jesus did for me. He died for me. He knew that the only way I could go to heaven to be with him was through his death for my life. He put himself through things on this earth that I cannot even imagine. He was spit upon, persecuted, whipped, taunted, treated as dirt, threatened and then died a humiliating and painful death for me. As I read and meditate in his Holy Word each day, I learn something new. He shows me new insights that I couldn’t handle yesterday but can today. His love for you and me was so strong that he committed himself to death. He wanted all of those who love him to be able to come to him in the easiest way possible. He was willing to do anything in is righteous way to receive his children to his home in heaven. There is nothing our Lord cannot do. He sees the whole picture and works with us and helps create the most perfect ending for each of us. It takes time and sincere commitment to build faith and trust in our Lord. However, it is worth every moment of the time we put in. Each day will become a new spiritual revelation in our lives. Each day will bring our relationship with Jesus to a new and exciting level. Each day will be a new opportunity to help bring someone near us to Jesus and eternal life in heaven. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
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ONE FAITH MOMENT AT A TIME!

” Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

” So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing from the word of God.” Romans 10:17

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Just what is the building up of your faith? The word of God in heaven will build up assurance, confidence, and faith in our hearts. We are then to exercise our faith. We are to use it. We are not to put it on the shelf and let it collect dust. It is important that the measure of faith God has given to each of us is to be increased by doing two things: (1) by feeding it on God’s word, and (2) by putting it into action or practice it in our everyday living. When we come to God, we must believe in faith that He even exists. Without faith we cannot believe in His promises, wisdom or understanding. We all live by faith in something or someone. However, faith in Jesus Christ is different than having faith in something or someone. The purpose in our faith is not to make life easier or better. It is not to experience miracles of healing or deliverance, although God can do these things and has displayed them throughout history. We cannot trust the Lord as our rewarder until we see God himself as our reward. The purpose of faith is to know God and to please Him in all that we do. When we confront troubles of any kind or faith in our Lord must be strong enough to sustain us through those troubles. We learn through those circumstances and our faith becomes even greater. We may or may not receive a miracle in our situation, but faith, one moment at a time, will get us through and help us to our next adventure with Jesus. How we live by faith from the inside will reflect how we live by faith to those around us. We must remember that our “faith reward” is God himself! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
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