WHY ME LORD?

Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his sins or his parent’s sins? IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF HIS SINS OR HIS PARENT’S SINS, Jesus answered. THIS HAPPENED SO THAT THE POWER OF GOD COULD BE SEEN IN HIM.” John 9: 2-3

Have you ever asked the question, why me Lord? Have you ever run into a problem too big for you to handle or a sickness too strong for you to be able to overcome? Have you ever had a loved one succumb to a disease or be taken from this earth in a time that we consider to be too soon? As we live in this world it is easy to focus on things around us, the problems we face and the sorrows that seem to overwhelm us. Jesus had an answer for this, and his explanation was a simple one, if we just think about it. As he was asked this question about the man who was born blind, he quickly answered, that it was nothing the blind man had done nor his family. The blind man was being used as a tool for God to show others the power of God. The man would ultimately be healed by the power of God and there would be many witnesses to see this great miracle with hopes that others would become followers. The same can be said for both you and me. We may never see or totally understand why something happens to us or a family member. However, we can rest assured there is a purpose. Our God in heaven has a master plan. We all have a part to play and if we obey, we will be blessed with a successful ending, whether in this life or the next. Our purpose in life is to help others to come to Jesus. We are to accomplish his purpose in any way the Lord sees fit. He is in total control, and we are to listen to Him and obey his instructions for our lives. We are not to fear or be worried. We are instead, to be strong in our faith and push forward with confidence and the power our God has given us. Why me Lord? It is because God has a plan and you and I are a part of that plan. We must be willing to be used in any way our Lord needs us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence?
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HE CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF THIS WORLD!

“Cast all of your care upon Jesus as he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Our God in heaven created this world into its total existence. He created the trees, flowers, and the animals that crawl, fly and run. He created the oceans and the mountains, and He created you and me. He created all power that was to be, is to be and that will be. Everything that is going on, everything that has gone on and everything that will go on in this world is on the shoulders of our God. Our God is in total control. There is not a problem that you and I have that He doesn’t know about. There isn’t anything we do that he doesn’t know about. He sees and hears all things that we say and do. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He is all seeing and all powerful. He is the one, and only one, who can guide us and help us through each and every day. If He carries the weight of this world and all of its problems, then why are we so afraid to ask him to help us? He is omnipresent, meaning that he capable of being everywhere at the same time. I don’t know about you but this hard for my little brain to comprehend. We look at things from a human and not a spiritual standpoint. That is why it is necessary, and so important, that we build our faith in Him daily. We must pray and meditate in his word. His love, knowledge, wisdom and understanding will come raining down upon us, allowing us to soak in all that He has to give us. If He is carrying the weight of this world, then he will surely carry us and guide us in the direction we are to go. We are to cast our problems onto Jesus as he loves and cares for us. We are to be doers of his word and not hearers only. We are to put his promises into action and believe that we receive. We are to allow him to do our worrying and fighting for us, for He is the only answer! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What are three objects you couldn’t live without?
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THE HEAVELNLY TREASURE HUNT!

“I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me- he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” John 8:28 & 29

We are all on a treasure hunt. Some of us have already found our treasure and others are still looking. There are people in this world that are hunting for their treasures in this life. Money is the most sought-after treasure in the world. The world believes that with money all of our problems will be solved. With enough money we can have anything that we want. We can have cars, jewelry, friends and anything else that will make life easy. What a mistake this is. What the world is missing is the fact that with money we also purchase true loneliness. Even though we may be surrounded by many people they are usually those who are seeking money for themselves. They may even be seeking our worldly treasures. Their friendship is hollow and most generally cannot be trusted. They will say what we want to hear and do what we want to do because we are allowing our money to direct our worldly path. What is missed in the worldly view is that the true treasure we should be seeking is the treasure that our God has sent from heaven in the person of Jesus Christ! The only treasure that lasts is our relationship with God. As Jesus told those around him in John 8, God never leaves nor does he ever desert us, just as he never deserted Jesus in his journey on this earth. His love never wanes, and he gives us true peace. We can do all things and have all that we need with a true and solid relationship with Jesus. And when the end of our journey on this earth has been completed, we will receive the greatest treasure of all, eternal life with our God in heaven! Heaven’s greatest treasure is God’s only begotten Son. Our Lord God loves each of us do much that He surrendered his prize treasure, his Son, Jesus Christ, to this world to be sacrificed for you and for me. If Jesus is the greatest treasure in heaven, then why wouldn’t we want to seek that treasure as well. As a treasure hunter let us be focused on the greatest treasure ever, Jesus Christ. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS AND AT ALL TIMES!

Daily writing prompt
What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
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CHOOSING YOUR CUP!

“You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons too.” 1 Corinthians 10:21

” So when you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Unfortunately, the best place to observe those who try to drink from the cup of the Lord and then drink from the cup of demons too, is in our churches. It is very easy to find those who go to church on Sunday and act so religious but leave the church and go by the way of the world for the rest of the week. They seem to forget everything that is heard in the sermon on Sunday and focus all of their attention to what is meaningful to them throughout the week. They forget about what God wants them to do. They forget that they are to glorify him with their way of life. They forget that they are to give God credit and honor for His presence in their lives. They lose their focus on the Lord and begin to focus on themselves. They become concerned about only the things that will benefit them.

We are to let our actions reflect Jesus, His character and His nature. None of us are perfect so we will slip and fall. We will occasionally slide from God’s path, but with our focus on Him he will gently guide us back onto the right course. If we are drinking from the cup of the Lord, then He will constantly be our focus. We will continue to live our daily lives with Him on our minds. We will praise him during the day, we will pray in the name of Jesus during the week, we will read and obey His word and we will think of others and not just ourselves. We will live our lives in the Jesus way. We will love others and have a joy in our step. We will be constant in our thoughts, our words, and our actions by being wrapped in the arms of our Lord at all times. The lives we live should always reflect the glory of our God in heaven! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS AND AT ALL TIMES!

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM BUT WHAT CAN HE DO THROUGH ME?

” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

I have read, memorized and quoted Philippians 4: 13 on many occasions. However, I have never asked the question as to “what do I allow him to do through me? ” Our God uses his children in the world to help people get through all kinds of problems and anxieties. He uses you and me in all kinds of situations to help others. He will even put us into situations that will help us directly. He will put us in places that allow us to be used, but the question is, “do we allow him to use us?” You might say, “why wouldn’t I allow my Lord and Savior to use me?” The answer is quite simple. Fear, doubt, worry, embarrassment, our focus is on the wrong things, or we are just too busy to hear him. It should be our goal to be used by the Lord. Our mission should be the mission of our God in heaven. Our desires should consist of things that will help others in life and help those who need Christ to be brought closer to him. That was a mission that Jesus had when he walked this earth. He healed, he forgave, and he saved. As his children we are to help heal and help the process of salvation in any way the Lord dictates to us. Are we staying focused on our Lord? Are we listening to him? Is he first in our lives? If we are too busy and not responsive to Him then He will find others to do his work. He always succeeds and never fails, unfortunately as humans, we do fail. I don’t know about you, but I know that I don’t want to miss one thing that God can use me for. Stay focused and close to God in prayer! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Do you enjoy your job?
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THE FAITH FORT

” Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives my sins and heals my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagles!” Psalm 103:2-5

“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” Psalm 103: 8

By definition a fort is a strong or fortified place surrounded by defensive works that protect it from attacks. Our Lord God is loving and caring. In order for us to be able to receive the many blessings he provides to us; we must have faith that does not waiver. Our faith must be fortified and be able to turn evil away. Our faith in the Lord must be much like that of a fort. It should surround us and keep us safe from the evil things of the world. Our Lord is full of good things, and he reaches out to us each day to give us opportunity to receive these good things. Psalm 103 tells us that he redeems us from death. We are saved and delivered from our sins. We are to be crowned with his love and tender mercies. Our Lord is described as compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. Our Lord never fails! However, we do. We often allow evil to get in our way and succumb to it because our fort of faith is not fortified. We must be surrounded by God’s word. We must be surrounded by prayer and praise. We must be surrounded by his many promises. We must be surrounded by the Lord himself. If we don’t put these pieces in place, then our fort of faith is susceptible to be overrun by the world. Building our faith never ends while we exist in this world. Our faith must be fortified and grow stronger each day. It is not the faith of others that will save us, but it our faith and our faith alone that God looks to. So, build your fort of faith and stand strong! Remember, if our fort is made of God’s pieces then who can stand against us? PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.
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MY GO TO GOD!

” This I declare about the Lord; He is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust Him.” Psalm 91:2

Trust is everything in our relationship with the Lord. When we put our trust in things, we are never challenged to tell others of our beliefs. If we trust in Jesus, then we should be telling others about his great love and support in our lives. We should be telling others about the joys of Jesus and living our lives showing how Jesus wants us to represent him. We should declare our love for him and our faith in his promises by how we live and talk. As we continue to build our faith and trust in him, we must begin to put him first in our lives. We must put him at the forefront and follow his lead as he directs us through the wisdom of the precious Holy Spirit. When times are going great, we should go to him with praise. When times get tough, we should go to him for help. He is our refuge. He is the only refuge that we can trust to protect us and keep us safe. We can rest assured that he will pick us up when we fall. He will put us back on our feet and allow us to continue on with the assurance that he is right beside us and that things will be ok. He is our Go To God. He is the only God, and we should recognize Him as our only refuge and safety net. Without Him we are nothing! However, with him as our refuge, we are his and we are of his Kingdom! We then, cannot and will not fail! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?
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THE SHADOW THAT PROTECTS US!

” Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

Living on this earth gives us opportunity to pick and choose where we live. These choices are many times determined by money or where we were born. We often choose places that are known to be clean and safe. It is the same in our spiritual lives. We want to feel safe and be safe. With our faith in Jesus, we become better acquainted with God’s word and his many promises, by study and prayer. As spiritual beings we have the opportunity to live our lives with peace of mind and within a shelter that is invincible. Our Lord offers us a shelter that allows us to rest and grow within Him. When storms come, we feel secure and are able to overcome by being wrapped in his loving arms. This shelter is protected by God himself. His shadow falls upon those who believe and trust in him. He is always with us and never leaves us. It is by solid faith that he protects and saves us! We must believe that we receive and plug into the right source, Jesus Christ! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.
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IT IS BY YOUR FAITH!

“Because of your faith it will happen.” Matthew 9:29

When we live our lives with the Lord our God in heaven, we always run across questions that we cannot answer. We know down deep within us that what has happened, whether good or bad, has happened for a reason. We know that our God is in control and that all things work for the good of our Lord. However, these types of questions seem to linger and always seem to allow doubts to creep in. My wife and I lost our son to brain cancer this past September. We knew of this disease for 27 months and during this time we stood and prayed God’s promises and believed with faith that he would be healed. The result was not what we were believing for. Why didn’t he recover by a miracle of God? Why didn’t God keep his promise of protection over our son so that he could be alive today. I have asked God on many occasions to answer this question for me and this morning he did just that. God showed me that He has not changed. He is the same and has never changed and never will change. If you notice in Matthew 9:29 I have under scored the word YOUR. In this scripture Jesus was talking to the blind man and told him that “it is because of your faith that you have been healed.” It was not because of the faith of those around him or the faith of his parents, but his faith. You and I can never achieve enough faith to have faith on behalf of someone else. Our son had been brought up in Jesus. He studied the word and prayed faithfully. His faith, in our eyes was very strong. It was so strong that he lasted 27 months fighting the disease he was struggling with. Until someone goes through fighting a disease, or any struggle for that matter, we don’t not know the loss of strength and the anxiety that wears on a person. It is hard to get someone who is sick to stay strong in faith. When someone dies, those who have prayed faithfully for them have not failed. The person who goes to be with Jesus has not failed and God has not failed. We will see our loved one again in heaven. Faith is up to each and everyone of us. We cannot have faith for others, but we can lead them to the cross of Jesus where they can begin to build their faith. Our God is always faithful. I am sure that each of us will know when our faith on earth runs out and it is time to go home with Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
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LIVE IN PEACE!

” For God has called you to live in peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15

” God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” 1 Corinthians 7:23

Each of us as followers of Jesus have been called by the Lord. He has called our name to help bring others to Him. Because of our calling we can confirm that he has called us to live in peace. Our lives are to reflect a calmness with the assurance that our Lord will help us through anything we confront. Our attitudes and our temperament are to be calming and not irrational. In times when this world is in disarray, we are to stand tall with the faith that our Lord knows the answers to the problems, and that he is in total control. Our response to our calling should be one of strong and healthy reliance upon Him. We are not to think as the world does but instead to think as the Holy Spirit directs. Our relationship to our Lord is a oneness in thought, word and deed. We should think like the Lord, speak like the Lord, and live like the Lord. God has paid a high price for us, and we are not to allow ourselves to become enslaved by what goes on by the actions of the world around us. We are to stand tall and separate ourselves from those actions. We are to be different because we are different. We belong to Jesus and not the world! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
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FOR THE TIME IS NOW!

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

Time is running out. Trying to convince the world that we are Christians is so much more than talk alone. It is hard work. It takes time to retrain ourselves to believe the things that are unseen and not the things that are seen. In order to increase our message is to live a life representative of Jesus and reap the benefits thereof. Our God is a loving, compassionate and gracious God. He wants nothing less than for each of us to have long and prosperous life. He wants to bless us with all of his power. He gave Jesus to die for us. He sent the Holy Spirit to reside within us. All we have to do is have the faith to believe. We must continue to read and study his Holy Word. We must pray for knowledge and wisdom to help us to better understand his ways. God has a plan. He has had the same plan from the beginning and that plan will and is being fulfilled. We all have a part to play, but if we don’t understand how our God works and understand how much he loves us, we will never understand our place in his plan. We must stay focused on the right things and not the wrong things. God will not and cannot reveal but a portion of how he works for us. Our minds could never handle that much knowledge. So, we will not understand everything and we will always have questions. However, we can rest assured that he is fighting on our behalf 24/7. The time is running out. Our time is now! There will be those left behind in the rapture because they have never heard God’s word. That should give each of us the motivation to go out, with the time we have left, and spread his word. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
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WE ARE OF GREAT VALUE!

“Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?” 1 Corinthians 6:15

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

It is hard to break old habits. I know that as I was raised up, I was led to believe that I was first in my life and should always consider what was good for me first. When I accepted Christ, I soon learned that the way I thought and acted couldn’t be farther from the truth. My whole train of thought eventually changed because I was being trained up by my Lord and Savior instead of the world around me. The Lord showed me that all of his children are a part of him. We all are important and have a place in his kingdom. He helped me to realize that he loved me so much because I had been bought by him and at a very high price. He sent his one and only son into the world to die on the cross. He was sacrificed for me. WOW! God loves me that much! I realized at that point that I didn’t belong to myself, but I belonged to God. He became my joy, my patience, my protector, my voice, my safety net in troubled times and my true and everlasting Father in heaven. I soon realized that I had an important position with my God in heaven. I was special in his eyes and that I needed to up my game. I needed to act like my father and live my life as he directed and not as though I was the only one on this earth that I should be concerned about. As I read his Holy Word, I saw a picture of him and learned his nature. I tried to be like him, but I failed. I soon understood that I was not perfect and not expected to be, and that he only wanted my best intentions and effort. He wanted me to listen and to follow his ways to the best of my abilities. When I fell, he was always there to pick me up and put me back on track. I was to stay focused on him and live with his attitude and nature in me. We are to honor our God with our bodies. We are not to use them for things that tear them down. We are his and his alone. We are to respect our bodies as they are gifts from God. His Holy Spirit lives in us and has become a part of us. We must live, believe, receive and never doubt our importance to our Lord. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What bores you?
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GODLINESS MAKES A GREAT NATION!

“Godliness makes a great nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 14:34

Just what is “godliness”? According to the definition given on Dictionary.com, the term godliness used in biblical terms is “the quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devoutness and moral uprightness.” It comes down to simply reflecting the nature of the kingdom of our God in heaven in the course of our everyday life. As humans we are born with a sinful nature but when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are born again (this time spiritually, through the Holy Spirit of God). However, we live in a time where there are those who are attempting to put together a one world government. As each day passes, we get closer and closer to this becoming a reality. Every nation on this planet is becoming or already has become intertwined with one another. Our world has turned upside down. What once was, is no longer. It seems that right is no longer right and wrong is no longer wrong. We suddenly have men wanting to be women and women wanting to be men. We have our law enforcement becoming the bad guy and the lawlessness becoming the norm. We see lying and cheating becoming everyday occurrences and normal to our young people. We see things happen every day that are not able to be explained. What we are seeing in today’s world is that our governments, in our great countries, are not representing the godliness of our God in heaven. We are far from conforming to his laws and his wishes. Our governments are failing and falling to the evil around them. They also must be reborn. They too, must be reformed and begin to follow the laws and wishes of our God. Jesus is returning soon, but until he does, we must continue to fight and never give up. We must continue to pray and seek God’s help. We must build our faith to be strong and non-wavering. We can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives us strength! (Philippians 4:13) PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite drink?
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BORN AGAIN!

” I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth the Spiritual life.” John 3: 5&6

In the above scripture, Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that in order to be able to enter the Kingdom of God we must be born again. The term “born again” often turns people off, as most don’t understand the meaning. Being born again literally means being born from above. Just as you were brought into this world by a physical birth, you must also be born spiritually. The Holy Spirit gives us that rebirth. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior a change occurs from within us that begins to affect how we live and talk. We become a totally new person. We begin to think differently, focus differently and pay close attention to the Word of God. Our priorities begin to change and instead of living for ourselves we begin to live for our God in heaven. John 3:3 is very explicit in telling us that we must be born again in order to reach the Kingdom of God. Jesus says in John 3:3: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Being born again is a spiritual birth that is required by our Lord God in order to reach his heavenly kingdom. We must accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The moment we turn from our sins and trust Jesus to forgive our sins we are saved. We have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life, and we have been declared not guilty in God’s court of law. (Romans 3:21-26). Pray to him, praise him and trust him! Remember, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:13) PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Who are your favorite people to be around?
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PLUG INTO THE CORRECT SOURCE

” Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Romans 8:5

When you plug your phone in for charging you are careful to plug into a healthy source of electricity in order to get a healthy charge. If you don’t plug into an outlet that is healthy and strong then you will not get the result you want. The same can be said for our spiritual charge each day. We must continue to renew our spirit and keep it charged with a healthy charge. We must be sure that we plug into the right source and not the wrong one. If we get up in the mornings, eat our breakfast, watch a little news and weather on the TV, and then walk out the door and begin our day, then we have done nothing to recharge our spiritual battery. We are walking into a world that is full of confusion, evil and anger. We are leaving ourselves unprotected in a world of doubt, worry, fear and condemnation. The most important thing we can do each morning is to recharge our spiritual battery. We should go to our Lord God in prayer and turn over our day to God. We should pray for the fruit of the Spirit to be displayed in our lives. We should walk into the world with a renewed joy, love and peace. We should recharge our minds with study of his word and worship him, giving him all the glory He deserves. When we act upon these things our Lord will give us renewed strength and power from his word. He will remind us of his strength and willingness to walk beside us in any situation we may encounter. He will tap us on the shoulder and remind us to listen to his precious Holy Spirit when times get tough and to praise him in the good times. He refreshes us body, mind and soul. We must, however, do our part and plug into the correct source each day. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.
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STANDING TALL AS THE TEMPLE OF GOD!

“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

When we develop a deep relationship with our God in heaven, we become close to him, and he becomes close to us. He sent his Holy Spirit to live within us and to guide and help us live our lives in such ways that represent him. He is our first and everlasting resource in times of need, no matter how large or how small. I sometimes like to compare my relationship with God by the way I used to feel about my careers in both teaching and banking. I dedicated myself to my job. I would think of it when I was eating, when I was watching TV and when I was attending my children’s school events. The job overwhelmed me and became my life. Now I will say that as I look back on this time in my life, I am not very proud of the way I lived. However, this is the exact way our relationship with Jesus should be. He should be all encompassing and should be in every thought that we have. Afterall, he does reside within us. He lives in his temple, and we are his temple. The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 3: 17 that we as his temple are consecrated to God. We have been set apart to the service of God. We are holy in his eyes, and we must be devoted to his purpose. We are safe in his arms and protected in ways that we don’t fully understand. We are His Temple! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.
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PERFECTING OUR HOLINESS

” Let us purify ourselves from anything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

As Christians we are to spend our days perfecting our holiness for our God in heaven. We are to stay away from the very things that poison or pollute our body, minds and spirit. It is so easy to be contaminated within this world. Just by being around the wrong people can influence the way we live and think. Certain music, television and the internet are examples of things that can infect us with spiritual contamination. There are so many people in this world who can cause us to deteriorate and become spiritually unclean. We begin to focus on them and reflect their beliefs and the way they live and talk. We are sometimes subtly influenced by the encouragement of those around us. We begin to stray from the pathway that the Holy Spirit has set us upon. It is important that we stay focused and concentrate on our Lord and Savior. It is important that we are fully aware of what the word of God teaches us and that we know the difference between what is good and evil. We are to constantly strive to perfect our holiness out of reverence for our gracious God in heaven. As we build upon our relationship with the Lord, we develop a deep respect for the person and his word. That deep respect develops into a deep love for him, and we are able to fight off the evil that confronts us daily. Our God loves us with all of his heart. The devil and his demons are at work without rest and are trying hard to draw us away from the Lord we are to serve. They use subtle and evil things to influence our thoughts and lives. Without a strong faith in Jesus, we will fail. We can do nothing without him, but “we can do all things through him who gives us strength!” (Philippians 4:13) We must build our faith and never let down. We must pray constantly and develop a deep relationship with Jesus, who goes to bat for us every day. We must listen and obey to what the Holy Spirit tells us and never let go of his truths. Stay focused and never doubt! Jesus is Lord! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Write about your approach to budgeting.
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IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH!

” But the time is coming- indeed it’s here now-when true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23

” For God is Spirit, so these who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

True worship requires only you and the presence of God. And since the Holy Spirit abides in you then so does God. Therefore, God’s presence is always with you. I have learned over the years that I can have a conversation with my Lord at any time. When I run into trouble he is there. When I am having a great day, he is there. When I need to have a conversation with him, all I must do is talk with him. I don’t have to be in a special place; I don’t have to have a choir present and I don’t have to have anyone around me in order to talk with him, praise him, or to glorify him. Our God is spirit. He is the one who gives us life, energy and power in our lives. He is true. Everything he says and does for us is true. He is true in every instance and at all times. God lives in us through his Holy Spirit. He guides us, he teaches us, he counsels us, and He leads us in truth. He reminds us of truth so that we can live a life in truth. God’s truth is omniscient wisdom and knowledge, and not on our own worldly standards. We must begin to live our lives in spirit and not in the world. We must train ourselves to listen to and do as the Holy Spirit of God instructs. He loves us as we should love Him. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
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THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what you eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

The kingdom of God is not something that we can see and point to. The kingdom of God is the spiritual realm over which God reigns as king.  Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is within us. It lives in our hearts. As a believer in Jesus, it becomes a natural way of life and should be reflected in the way we live and speak. By living our lives in love, repentance, faith, obedience, and in prayer, we will be thrust into a life of freedom and intimacy with our God in heaven. We will become filled with his purpose and able to then live out his plan within our lives. Our lives should reflect happiness and a positive attitude. We should have a routine of study in his Word and pray everyday. We should recognize our sins and be able to go to him with repentance and be able to ask for his forgiveness. The kingdom of God is a process of events whereby God begins to govern in our lives. The key in the kingdom of God is the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit, the spiritual realm, where our God leads us to his mighty kingdom. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?
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SHINING THROUGH THE DARKNESS

” All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:20

” So, I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.” Romans 15:17

We too must be enthusiastic in our service to God. We are true children of the light, and we should march through each day as close to Jesus as we can get. We want to be sure that the world sees who we are and what we stand for. Our Lord accepts each of us where we are in life and has a straight path for each of us to follow. That path leads to a work that must be accomplished on His behalf. We must stay close to the light and continue to understand our assignment clearly. We are in a spiritual battle every day and we must not go out into the world unprepared. We must put on the armor of God not only for protection from the evil of the world, but to also be on the offense and win each battle we face. There is no fear in love. There is no fear where the presence of the Holy Spirit exists. God sent His Holy Spirit to live within us and the Holy Spirit gives us life in the spiritual realm and with that comes strength, fearlessness, wisdom, confidence and understanding. We are not alone but we are in the presence of our Lord at every moment of every day. We as participants in God’s army must be able to shine through the darkness and not be fearful of the evil on the other side.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
If there was a biography about you, what would the title be?
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LIVING AS ONE!

“May God who gives patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:5

” As a newborn in Christ I often wondered which church I should attend. Afterall, I wanted to get to heaven, and I wanted to be sure my church got me there. Which church was best prepared to help me get into heaven. As a child I was brought up in one denomination and married into another. Which one would help me be closer to Jesus? I remember that if I didn’t attend Sunday School and church, on any given Sunday as a child, I soon began to feel guilty. When I accepted Jesus, I was soon taught that I did not accept a religion but that He and I were in a very close and personal relationship. I didn’t need to worship in a certain way to make myself right with God. My eyes were opened to the fact that Jesus was my Savior and not my church. Sometimes I had caught myself worshipping the church and the activities within the church rather than what I should be worshipping. My focus was soon turned from the activities of the church to my activities with Jesus. I am not saying that church is bad and that you should stop going to church. I am not saying that at all, but what is being said is that our focus should be on Jesus and our worship should be of him and nothing else. I will say that if the church we attend, does not teach about a strong and healthy relationship with Jesus, then we should probably run. Our sole intent is to be in right standing with our God in heaven. There is only one way for that to happen and that is with a strong and trusting relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” PRAISE THE LORD I ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What were your parents doing at your age?
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OUR STAIRWAY TO ETERNAL LIFE!

“I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth. John 1:51

There is only one way to eternal life and that way is Jesus Christ. He is the link that we must use to be connected to the life we so eagerly wait for. He is the stairway from our temporary home on this earth to our eternal home in heaven. If we decide to travel any other road or go through any other doorway, we will miss our opportunity to reach eternal life. We must believe and have faith in him. As I have talked about many times in the past, we must begin to live our lives in the spiritual realm and leave behind the way we have been taught in the world around us. Seeing is no longer believing. Instead, faith allows us to believe by trusting in the truth and in the spiritual things of our God in heaven. Our faith continues to grow as we study God’s Holy Word. It grows when we put it into action and actually live it right here before the world around us. Jesus explains that even the angels travel up and down on the Son of Man just as you and I are to do. He is our extension cord and our conduit to God. There is only one way, and that way is Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
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BECOME A BECON OF LIGHT FOR OTHERS!

“We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.” Romans 15:2

As you and I continue to build up our faith in the Lord, we are also to become a light who shines the way to Jesus. There are those around us who are seeking hope and peace in their lives. We are to share what we have with those who are in need. We are to be hospitable toward them and help them in the ways that the Lord leads us. We are to encourage others when they are down. We are to share his Word and his promises. In faith, we are to shine our light so that others may see the way. We are to live our lives in such a way that our faith and strength in Christ shines through. We must become living examples of God’s way of life. Our struggles must become pathways to building strength and faith. The mountains we must climb must become as foothills. The words that come from our heart must be on display when we speak and be of promises and of the hope to come. We must radiate the love and warmth of our Lord to those near and dear to our hearts. We should inspire and encourage others and not tear them down. We are to be the guiding light that shows the way of Jesus. We must practice always, the way of our Lord through daily prayer, praise and meditation within his Holy Word. We must allow our light of faith to shine through the dense clouds that our world throws at us each day. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Write about your dream home.
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LET US STAY THE PATH THAT HAS BEEN MADE FOR US!

“Rejoice in your confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying.” Romans 12:12

“Don’t let evil conquer you but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:21

Life is a constant battle between good and evil. It has been from the beginning and continues to be. When I was a child, I was always doing things that would get me into trouble. I would tempt and dare things that I knew my mom and dad did not want me to do. As I got older my actions got larger and more difficult for my parents to handle. I would skip school and lie about it. I even got my brother involved by having him to help me in some of my evil endeavors. But then came 1972 when I met Jesus at a Kenneth Copeland meeting in Omaha, Ne. At that meeting, and at the moment I met him, my life changed. I suddenly began to see the light and to do things differently. It seemed that my life got harder rather than easier because I had now chosen a different side and my life was changing for the better. I struggled for quite some time with many things because the evil I was leaving behind was constantly trying to haunt me. But as I continued to grow in Jesus, I became a completely different person. Even though I was in a battle for my life I continued to trust in God and my faith began to grow and my life began to change.  No longer did I pick up my cigarettes and try to smoke them. My language changed and my complete direction took a turn for the better. It was, and continues to this day to be a struggle, because the devil wants to lose nobody. He will use every trick in the book and look for every crack in our armor to slither into our lives. But with the confident hope my Lord gives me, and with the patience he has taught me, I can be an overcomer and I can defeat evil. It is by continuing to push forward through any and all situations with, Jesus by my side, that I am the victor and not the defeated. Stay the course that has been put before you by Jesus! Continue to pray and study his Word. Never give up and always build your faith and trust in your Lord Jesus! He loves you more than you know. JESUS IS LORD! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?
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STRENGTH THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD!

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:49

As Jesus was about to be taken up to set at the right hand of God the Father, he made it clear to his disciples that they were going to receive the presence of the Holy Spirit as God had promised. He also told that them that the Spirit would come to them with power from heaven. You and I are no different from the disciples. We also have been given this promise from God. We are to believe, receive with that belief, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. God made this promise so that He can flow through us like a powerful river to impact others. In receiving the Holy Spirit, we will receive an outpouring of power and presence that overwhelms our hearts and lives. This power is given so that we can become overcomers with God’s power and not defeated by the devil and his evil schemes. It is important that we understand how our Lord speaks to us. We must spend time in His Word and swipe away the constant bustle of this life. We must be “Jesus First” and make Him the priority in our lives. When we run into troubles, we must think of Him and go to Him first for answers. When we are having good days, we must go to Him first with praise and thanksgiving. Our Lord must be a constant in our lives, and we must not allow ourselves to push Him away. We must recognize Him as the most powerful person we know and respect his covenants that have been graciously given to us. He is all powerful, forever forgiving and never goes back on His promises. We can depend on Him! We must believe, receive and act on his Holy Word! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Are there any activities or hobbies you’ve outgrown or lost interest in over time?
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SEARCH IN THE RIGHT PLACES!

“Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?” Luke 24:5

We sometimes get so entwined within the world that we begin to look in odd places for the power above. We begin to use worldly ways to seek out our all-empowered source of strength. Some will seek out alcohol or drugs and others will seek false gods who provide no real security or power. Others consider themselves to be the whole source of strength. They try to solve all problems and usually get themselves into more problems instead. Others use politics or the praise of others to support their thoughts and ways. Everyone, throughout history, has looked to find a god. All societies have looked hard to seek out something they believe to be the all-powerful source of life. They have all searched in the wrong places. The bible is our source of the truth, and it is the road map we are to use in our search. Just as the women who went to the tomb of Jesus with their spices, they had prepared, they were looking for something that was tangible and a body they could see and feel. They were searching for the right person but in the wrong place. Jesus was no longer there. We make the same mistakes in our daily lives.  When we run into problems, we try to fix them ourselves, or allow anger to overcome us and sometimes make complete fools of ourselves. The bible is very plain when it tells us that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. (John 4:16). There is no other way to our God in heaven but through Jesus, his only son, who sacrificed his life and died on the cross so that you and I could live. Jesus is at the right hand of God and speaks to the father on our behalf. He is our advocate and without Him we are unable to come before God. (Romans 8:34). Jesus, as our advocate, pleads to God for us who accept him. He pleads for those of us who have accepted the way, the truth and the life. Have you accepted Jesus? If not, please pray these simple words and believe. “ DEAR LORD JESUS, I BELIEVE THAT YOU DIED ON THE CROSS JUST FOR ME. I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE ME VERY MUCH. I ADMIT TO YOU THAT I AM A SINNER AND CONFESS MY SINS TO YOU. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN! If you made the commitment to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, please let me know. I thank you for reading my blog. Remember. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite candy?
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THE CHANGE

” but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2

As we begin our new life in Christ, we are to succumb to Him and allow Him to actively work in our lives. We are to allow a change that will create in us a new way of life. We are to trust and allow our God in heaven to change our worldly life into a life that is God-like. Our actions will turn into actions that represent our Lord, our desires will turn into God’s desires, and we will truly become a child of God. God has sent us the Holy Spirit to live within us. His purpose is to lead us and produce Christ-like character is each of us. We should listen to Him and follow his direction for our lives each day. To help us change, we should continue to pray and ask God to transform our minds. (Philippians 4:8). We should read his Holy Word and fill our minds with the things of the Lord. (Joshua 1:8). We should meditate on scripture throughout the day and allow his truths to sink in. (Psalm 1:2). We must do our part by listening, understanding and putting into action the things of God. We are all loved dearly by our God in heaven. He gives us ample opportunity to change and allows us access to all the tools that will help us along the way. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Do you need a break? From what?
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JUST KEEP FOLLOWING JESUS!

” How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways.” Romans 11:33

” For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.” Romans 11:36

I doubt that there is a person who is reading today’s blog that hasn’t tried to understand the ways of God. I know that I have. Even though I have no chance at really understanding why he allows things to happen as they do, I continue to try hard to put the pieces together, but I always fail. Romans 11:33 tells us directly that it is impossible to understand his decisions and his ways. We must never forget, as Romans 11:36 reminds us, all things (1) come from him; (2) exist by his power; and (3) are intended for his glory. Who is in control? Our God in heaven is in total control. We must remember that this is his plan and not ours. All things happen the way they do so that our Lord God will be glorified. We may not understand why we didn’t get that promotion at work or why some get ill, and others don’t. Why do you and I live in the greatest country in the world and others live in countries where people exist and not really live. God has the whole picture before him and not just a piece of the picture. He created the strategy, he created the world, and he created you and me to be in his great plan. Have you ever wondered why you were born in this age? We were born at this time because we have an assignment to fulfill on behalf of our God in heaven. It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, white, brown, black or yellow, we all have a mission to complete if we have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. We must stay in complete obedience to his Word and live our lives as he tells us. We must listen to the Holy Spirit and do as he directs. Our assignments come from prayer, meditation in his Word and glorifying him daily. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
The most important invention in your lifetime is…
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BELIEF TO FAITH

” for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.” Romans 3:26

“But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God, who forgives sinners.” Romans 4:5

What does the word “believe” really mean? To believe is to have trust in something or someone. It does not require proof, just acceptance. When we truly believe in Jesus, we have complete confidence in him. We have no doubts in his truths and existence. We are totally convinced, without doubt, that he walked this earth, was persecuted and nailed to the cross for our sins and our lives. It is because of belief in our Lord that our faith springs forward and becomes a seed that grows within us. It is because of faith that we are counted as righteous before our God. We are not righteous because we teach Sunday School every Sunday, or because we attend church faithfully. We are not righteous just because we say that we believe in a God. We are not righteous of any works we do here on earth unless those works are the result of our faith in Christ. It is by faith that we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is by faith that we accept the promises of our God in heaven. It is by faith that we put God’s word into action in our lives and are living testimonies within this world. It is by faith that we believe in eternal life with our God in heaven. I talk a lot about building our faith. It is so important that our faith is unable to be moved by any struggle or doubts put in our paths. It is our strong faith that will get us through sadness, worries, doubts, jealousies and other obstacles of this world. It is by our strong faith that we can continue to be joyful in a world of hate and disappointment. Let us continue to read the Word of our God each day, meditate on it, pray and communicate with our Lord and praise him in all situations. Let us continue to build our faith brick by brick each and every day! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
Describe your most ideal day from beginning to end.
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