OUR SHIELD AND PROTECTION

” His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” Psalm 91:4

As we read and meditate upon Psalm 91, we soon see that it is a Psalm of protection. It offers the assurances of God’s protection to those of us who trust in him and seek refuge in him. It is a lesson that not only encourages us to stand firm in the Lord in times of need but teaches us that we can and should turn to him as our ultimate source of strength. When we do, we will find comfort is in unfailing love. We are to build up a strong confidence in God. As we live in a world where people only live in the moment, we are called to not only live in the moment but to also live for the future, by believing and receiving everlasting life in Jesus. We are not to depend upon our ways and our thoughts, but we are to depend upon God and his faithful promises for our lives. He is our security system, and He never fails. We don’t have to change batteries or depend upon the electricity to run the system. He is our strength, our protection, and our safety net. He is the almighty one, the one who is all powerful. He is present everywhere and knows everything (Psalm 139). When we believe in him, trust in him and live within his shadow, we stay close to him. There is nothing more powerful than our God in heaven. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life?
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THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

“People do not live by bread alone, rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3

“And we know that He causes everything to work together for the good of those who have God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28

When your world comes tumbling down around you what is the first thing you think of? What is the first action you take when the world around you begins to crumble? Do you become angry? Do you begin to think of things that you can use as revenge? Do you run and hide in fear? As we read God’s word every day and as we build our faith in Him, we find that he provides everything we need to be overcomers. We begin to understand that our world is much more than eating and drinking but is full of spiritual strength that comes with our strong faith and inherent trust in Him. We begin to experience the joys with the heartbreaks and begin to realize that if we trust in our God in heaven, he will use our hardships for his good and that as we trust in him, we will be blessed. He loves us and will never give us more than we can handle. When we confront problems at home or at work we should immediately turn to our Lord for help. He is the force who has the answers. He is the one who sees our needs and the needs of those around us. Our hurts may be needed in order to bless someone else. We must realize that we are fighting a spiritual war and not a physical one that is touted by the world. Yes, there are worldly wars going on around us, but you and I are fighting in a spiritual warfare each day. Because we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are included in the attacks of the devil and his army. So, when we are attacked, we must go to our general, our Lord and Savior and follow him and not try to win our wars alone. We must remember that he is our first and only source of strength! He loves us and we should love him! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.
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SHARING WITH JESUS!

“But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” Romans 8:17

Have your ever met someone who has lived a perfect life? Have you ever seen someone who has gone through life without a problem, a worry or a struggle? You would think that that those who follow Jesus would be able to lead such a life. Well, that could not be further from the truth. As you look at the lives of those in biblical history who have followed Jesus, you see that they had great struggles. They were persecuted and some even died terrible deaths just as Jesus did. However, with faith in Jesus, our God in heaven has provided to us the tools we need to overcome our hardships in this life. Yes, we will have problems as we walk this earth. We will be looked down upon, persecuted, made fun of and some will even be thrown into jail for their beliefs. But it is through all of these terrible experiences that our Lord wants to shine through. He wants to be glorified through how we live our lives and how we are able to handle the struggles we face. We are told plainly that we are to believe, receive and put into action his promises he has provided for us. We are to believe in things unseen and not in the things of the world. It is by faith that we will become overcomers and it is by putting God’s promises into action that we will overcome our battles. It is by faith in the promises he has so graciously given us, that we will be able to share in his glory. However, we must first allow him shine through us in our times of struggle. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite thing to cook?
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HE IS THE REASON!

” And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries for tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 38-39

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the reason. He is the reason we draw a breath each morning. He is the reason we are not forsaken and the reason we are healed physically mentally and spiritually. He is the reason for our abilities to talk, walk & communicate with others. He is the reason that we have the freedoms that we have. There is absolutely nothing that can separate us from his gracious love. There is no force in this world that can tear us away from his loving arms. There is no power that exist that can hurt us because he is with us. He is the reason we have life. Jesus died so that we could live. We can be confronted with worries, doubts, fears, sadness, anger, jealousy, sickness, disease and all that the devil himself can throw at us, but we can never be separated from our Lord Jesus. He sets at the right hand of God and pleads for us each day. He is the reason we can pray and talk to our God in heaven. He is the reason we are overcomers of the evil that surrounds us. He is the reason that we have hope and eternal life ahead of us. He is the reason for our life and the way we live it. HE IS THE WHOLE REASON AND NOTHING BUT THE REASON FOR OUR EXISTANCE! JESUS IS LORD!

Daily writing prompt
Write about your first computer.
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OUR DUTY

“In the same way, when you obey me, you should say, ‘ we are not worthy servants we have simply done our duty.” Luke 17:10

Everyone who is put upon this earth must eventually make a choice. We make that choice between good and evil. It is between accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior or taking the other path of following the world we live in. If any have been in the service of this country, they know well that you take an oath and are trained up to defend our country, which becomes a duty and not your free will. It becomes a dedication within your life. You are paid a monthly check for the duty you perform. Joining God’s army is no different. When we enlist, we take an oath by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We repent of our sins, and we live our lives with faith in Jesus and according to his plan. We read the bible which becomes our guide and our manual for the war against evil that we enter into. We learn to pray and how to build our faith. We are taught how to keep our focus on our end goal and not the problems or troubles we face at hand. None of us are worthy to be accepted into God’s army. But because of God’s love for us and the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ, we have that great opportunity. When we join, we are accepting eternal life as our payment. Our faith in His word and His existence allows us the strength to move forward and to do our duties.  We must follow our leader and walk into battle each day with faith and complete trust in His leadership. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS! JESUS IS LORD!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?
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BIND YOUR FAMILY IN THE LOVING ARMS OF JESUS!

“When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them long life and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91:15

Our God in heaven is faithful in all he says and does. He never back tracks and never fails us. He clearly tells us that if we call upon him, he will answer us. He may not answer on our time schedule or even with the answer we desire. God sees the whole picture while you and I see only a small fraction of what he sees. He makes decisions that affect our whole life and not just a moment in time. He promises that he will deliver us from our problems and troubles. Again, he never fails. There are over eight thousand promises in the bible, and many come with conditions that you and I must meet. These conditions come in the name of trust and faith in the Lord’s decisions and actions. He promises to give us salvation (eternal life). Our salvation is based upon accepting Jesus into our hearts and laying our sins at his feet with repentance.  Let us all include those around us in this joy. Let’s not be fearful of the change, that loving and accepting Christ brings into our lives, but instead stand proud to defend him and believe in him in the face of persecution and trials. Stand firm and without fear and doubt. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What do you complain about the most?
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THE HEAVY WEIGHT

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18

The world that we live in is full of all kinds of obstacles that try to take us down daily. There is worry, doubt, fear, anger, pain, and sorrow, to name just a few. It is my guess that each of us have been attacked by these evils one time or another. When we are attacked, they become like a heavy anchor on a ship, they stop us in our tracks. They make us do things that we may not otherwise do. They make us say things that we not otherwise say. They hold us down in chains so that we cannot move with freedom and joy. There are those who have taken their own lives because they have allowed these factions to overcome them.  When we continue to focus on these evils, we sometimes allow ourselves to be controlled by them, and when that happens, we lose all joy and desire for life. Those around us are affected by the ways we act and speak. Our God in heaven has given us a way to overcome these things and live our lives with peace and understanding. He tells us that he is close to the brokenhearted and that he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. A few months ago, my wife and I lost our son to brain cancer. This was an event that we had hoped would never happen. Even though we knew it may be inevitable we held out hope. We prayed and worshiped our Lord each and everyday. Finally, the Lord decided that it was his time and took him rather quickly. Even though it was extremely hard to lose him we were assured, through our prayers, that he was with the Lord and that he was in a much better place. He had accomplished his purpose here on this earth. We will always love him, and he will never be replaced as a member of our family. Our hearts were broken. We had crushed spirits. We asked the question, “why God?” What we found out was that God is with us. He gave us a peace of mind that we never thought we would have. For as long as we live on this earth, we will never forget our son! We have all of the good memories stored in our minds, but we do know that we will be with him again someday. Just as we all go through tough times, we should always keep Jesus first in our lives. He does heal us physically, mentally and spiritually. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What are your favorite sports to watch and play?
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God’s Temple

” Do you not know that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We have been bought with a price. It was a very steep price at that. God displayed his love for us by providing his only son to come to the earth, walk through persecution, pain, and a cruel death, just so you and I could live. The life that Jesus gave upon that cross is beyond anything that we can really comprehend. As a result of the resurrection of Jesus, God sent His precious Holy Spirit to live within us. Our bodies, our lives and our very existence have become the temple of the living God. We are to treat our bodies with respect and honor. When Jesus walked this earth, the temple was a place where God’s people could go to be in his presence, preparing them to become that holy presence on earth. If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we are identified as a Jesus follower, and our role is the same as the role of the temple in the days Jesus walked the earth. Our bodies have become that temple, God’s temple. When we are around others, they should feel our Lord’s presence within us. They should be able to hear God’s words coming from our mouths, observe his joy in our hearts, and see his wisdom and understanding from the way we live our lives. As a follower of Jesus, we become separated from the rest of the world by our attitudes and way of life. We are his temple on earth and should be preparing those around us to become followers of Jesus. As we read and meditate upon his word each day, we better understand what his desires are for our lives. When we pray, he gives us the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and guidance for the correct path to take. He loves us so much that we have become his Holy Temple! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What would you do if you won the lottery?
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JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD!

“So, you should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11

“So, use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” Romans 6:13

Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the Son of God and was chosen as the sacrifice for both you and for me. In John 1:29, John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, ‘BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.’ When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we accept his characteristics as well. We accept his gentle nature and innocence. When we accept him, we should consider ourselves dead to the power of sin and alive to Jesus! That does not mean that we will never sin again. It means that we are no longer controlled by the world and the sinful nature within. We have submitted ourselves to God and his way of life. We are to reflect Jesus is our speech and our way of living on this earth. We are to use our whole bodies as examples of God’s ways, as He exchanged the life of his son, for ours. God sent Jesus to be slaughtered like a lamb of sacrifice because of our sins, and so that you and I can live eternally with him. Our focus in life becomes Jesus and not the world. Our focus is on Jesus and not our problems or any troubles we may encounter. We begin to build a faith that allows us to believe in the things unseen rather than the things seen in this world. Jesus is the Lamb of God, the sacrifice given for you and for me. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What books do you want to read?
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FAITH BRINGS JOY

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us to develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love.” Romans 5:3-5

There is not one in this world who has not endured some struggle within their lives. Everyday there seems to be something new thrown into our pathway that we must overcome. The true meaning of ‘endurance’ is the ability to withstand hardship or adversity. Spiritual endurance is the power to withstand hardship or stress with power from within. Faith in Jesus gives us strength and power in our lives. We look at all things in a completely different light than the world does. When things start to crumble around us, we as followers of Christ Jesus, do have the ability to withstand all that is happening. Our faith allows us to believe in the spiritual powers around us. Romans 5:3-5 tells us very clearly that God has given each of us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love. With this love comes joy and forgiveness. I have learned over the years that when any problem arises, no matter how small or large, the first thing I do is turn it over to God. Then a peace comes over me knowing that God is in control and will take care of me. This is not easy, but with faith and by putting our faith to work in our lives, it becomes a practice that develops over a period of time. Let us all take time to read his word, pray and practice the power of faith in our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.
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OBEYING JESUS

” When Jesus came by, he looked up and called him by name. ‘ Zacchaeus!’ he said, ‘ Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.’ “ Luke 19:5

Zacchaeus was a Chief Tax Collector in Jericho who had heard of Jesus. When the Lord had entered the town of Jericho, Zacchaeus tried to get a look at Him. However, scripture tells us that he was a short man and could not see over the crowd. Zacchaeus was so determined to see Jesus that he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree in order to get a glimpse when he passed by. As Jesus approached the sycamore tree he looked up and called Zacchaeus by name, told him to climb down, and then told him that he must become a guest in his home today. I am sure that when Zacchaeus got up that morning, he never had a thought that he was going to have Jesus as a houseguest that evening. But he did. You and I are much like that tax collector. We hear of Jesus and of the great things he accomplished while he was on this earth, but the question is, do we know him? Have we developed that personal relationship that Zacchaeus did with the Lord? Have we gone out of our way to climb our sycamore tree? Do we have the determination to get to know Jesus on a personal level or are we just satisfied to hear of him and continue to learn of his ways? The bible tells us that even the demons know of his name. However, Jesus wants to get to know us on a personal level. He wants to be our life. With him we can do all things. With a great faith and trust in his many promises we will shut down worries and doubts that the devil tries so hard to put in our paths each day. He already knows our name just as he knew Zacchaeus. There is no doubt that he is calling our name. If we do just as Zacchaeus did and obey him, and allow him in our lives, we will not be free from trouble but will be free from defeat. Open the door for him and let him in. He wants to be a guest in your house today. Begin to look to him each day in prayer, in the study of his word and with praise for what he does for us. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
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TRAIN UP AND PRACTICE YOUR FAITH!

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

For all the years from the time we are born until the day we accept Jesus, we practice the way the world instructs us to. But when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become a new person. We change. We become different and are no longer belong to the ways of the world. We are to live our lives completely opposite of most of the ways we have been taught. We no longer live by believing the truth is proven by what we see. We no longer believe that the only way is our way. We no longer live our lives to only take care of ourselves and no one else. We change our lives to be like Jesus. We are to live by faith. We may not like everyone in the world, but we are to show respect and love them. Our message is not just about who we are but about who we are to be in Christ Jesus. We are to pick up his bible, (our guide), and we are to read it, meditate upon it and to ask God in heaven to help us understand.  We are to go out into the world, and we are to practice what it says. When we practice over and over it begins to become a part of us, it becomes our way of life. We must have faith, build upon our faith and put our faith into action. We must remember that nothing is impossible with God but that all things are possible through him. We must yield to him and believe in his ways and not ours. We must listen to him and allow him to direct our ways and lead us through the best times and the worst times. We must train ourselves up in the Lord and practice his ways in our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
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WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD LIKE?

“Then Jesus said, ‘ What is the kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree and the birds’ nest in it’. “ Luke 13: 18-19

The Kingdom of God is the spiritual realm over which God reigns as king. Jesus explained that the Kingdom of God is within us. As we continue to grow in the spirit, we become like that mustard seed. As we grow, we become happier and more positive in our thoughts and actions. We begin to pray more often and pray to our Lord every day. When we sin, we are fully aware and go directly to the Lord to repent and ask for forgiveness. We begin to read his holy word each day and we worship him, praise him and give thanks. God begins working within us to change our hearts. Our lives begin to physically change and as we grow our faith becomes stronger. As born-again believers, the Kingdom of God is within us, it is among us, and it is at our door.  PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
List five things you do for fun.
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IT IS BY FAITH!

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

To be righteous in the sight of our God, we are to be in right standing with him. We are to show the qualities of obeying and believing in him. When we believe and begin to lead a righteous life our character or nature changes and we begin to desire the things of God. Our attitude changes. Instead of being self-righteous or going along with the ways of the world, we begin to live a life that demonstrates the goodness of our Father in heaven. We begin to consider the feelings and the lives of others. We begin to imitate the ways of our Lord Jesus. Our words and the way we present ourselves begin to change. There is no more using the Lord’s name in vain. There are no more curse words and disgusting thoughts and desires. Our right standing with God is based upon His standards and not ours. It is by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior that our life begins, our attitudes change, and our desires are holy and not of the world. Yes, we are still human and sometimes stumble. But when we do, we recognize it, ask for forgiveness and ask the Lord to help us move forward. Our righteousness is a result of our faith in Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?
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WEAR HIS NAME TAG!

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘ If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ “ Matthew 16:24

What does it mean to deny ourselves? While we have been given the desires of our heart, we are to deny our own way of achieving them and trust the Lord to do it His way. We also are to turn away from the ways of our old self and put first our new self in Christ. We are to run away from the actions of self-worship. We are to focus totally on Christ and push aside any thoughts of self-righteousness. We are to continually glorify and praise our Lord and Savior. We are to trust in Him to get us out of our troubles and believe in his great miracles. When people look at us, they are to see the ways of Jesus. They are to see the belief and faith in his promises and his Word. We are to take up our cross and carry it just as he carried the cross of salvation, healing and forgiveness to his death. We are to be overcomers by believing and receiving his mighty promises for our lives. We are to train ourselves up to focus totally on Him and nothing else. We must continue to glorify him, praise him and pray to him. We are to read and meditate upon his word every day and continue to ask for his guidance, strength and wisdom. We are to wear his name each and everyday so that those around us know, without a doubt, who we belong to. JESUS IS LORD! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
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SEEING GOD’S HANDIWORKS!

” For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and the sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20. 

It is virtually impossible for us not to see the greatness of our God. All we have to do is look and view the stars in the nighttime sky. All we have to do is look around us at all of the miraculous creations of our great God in heaven. Look at the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and streams. Look at the birds who fly high above us and the wild animals who live among us. Maybe it is because I live in the country that I can enjoy and appreciate what God has created. I see the red and gray fox running across the road. I hear the coyotes singing in the night. I see the deer grazing the fields. I see the opossum and its little ones lurking so that they might find food. I see the raccoons climbing into the trees and the garter snake slithering in the grass. These are all creatures of our living God. These are all miracles of God just like you and me. When we marvel at these things there is no way that we cannot say there is a great God. When we see these things, we are looking at God’s handiwork. He is our God, and he is loves as we should praise him and love him! We should thank him when we see anything that has been created by him. (That would be all things!) His proof is all around us and we cannot deny it. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

THE HARDENED HEART

” Go and say to this people: when you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes- so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” Acts 28: 26-27

In the above scripture Paul quotes Isaiah, the prophet, saying that the Jews at the time had closed their ears and their eyes to God. They had become incapable of listening and understanding the message of God. Paul turned from that effort and focused on the gentiles who were willing to listen and accept Jesus as the Savior of the world. You and I have been grafted into the family of our God. We are given the opportunity to be saved, to be healed and to be forgiven. He continues to be gracious and loving toward those who believe by faith and trust him. However, he has given us the choice to make. There are those today who also have hardened their hearts and closed their eyes and ears to God. They make light of living in faith. They make light of the miracles of God.  They don’t believe that our God is the ‘all powerful’ God who created the world and all things in it. They believe in their abilities and their wants and needs. They seek the things of this world and not the things of God. We see this play out everyday. We know that Jesus is returning soon. When that happens the period of grace will be finished. Our time is short. We must put our efforts of telling everyone about Jesus into high speed and move forward. We must strengthen our faith and trust in Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What makes a good leader?
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TRAINED IN THE WORLD REQUIRES TRAINING IN THE SPIRIT!

” Listen O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9

What a message we find our God of heaven giving his people. You and I are also his people. We were grafted in when Jesus came to this world to save us with his death on the cross. We, like those before us, were born into sin. We have been trained up in the ways of the world around us, if not by teachings, then by the way people live and act around us. Today is no different than it was thousands of years ago. We need to change the way we think and live. This is very hard to do. We must believe in things we cannot see and confess things that we sometimes are unsure of. However, God has given us solid instructions. We are to focus our lives on his Holy Word, meditate on it always and never allow a crack to develop in our armor. With sincerity we must support our faith in Jesus. We are to love our God in heaven with everything we are. We are to love him with our whole being which involves the whole man, both physical body and soul. We are to read his scriptures and to recite them in the morning, in the daytime, at noon, in the afternoon, in the evening and when we go to bed. He is to be our life. There will be great struggles put before us. We must never forget where our strength comes from! We must always look to our Lord first! Our God in heaven is our source for everything that belongs to us! We must look to him in good times and in times of anguish. He loves us and he loves us unconditionally! We must not only acknowledge that fact, but we must live our lives in such a way that represents his ways to those around us! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
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TRUST AND RESCUE

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

Psalm 91 is full of God’s promises. One portion of this Psalm has stood out to me often. There are two words that are so meaningful and important for living in Jesus. The word “rescue” and the word “trust” are action words that must be used and not just heard. This world is currently in an upside-down position. There is absolutely no solution to its problems other than trusting in our God in heaven. We as the people of this world can come up with solutions to any or all of the world’s problems and we can rest assured that all of our solutions will fail. Our Lord God has the answer. He is the creator of this world and the controller of all things good and evil. Until our God in heaven is trusted, he will not rescue. We must have a faith that is unswerving. Our faith must stand tall in times of trouble and in the face of danger and even death. Even when it appears that we have been defeated, we must continue to have faith and live by our faith. Our Lord God in heaven will come to the rescue of those who trust him. We must all take a step back at some point and ask the question, “how strong is my faith?” Jesus trusted God so strongly that he continued to walk toward that cross. He trusted God so strongly that he allowed the soldiers to nail his hands and feet to that cross. I don’t think that many of us can even imagine the pain he was in. However, his trust was stronger than any pain that could be put upon him. You and I are living in the end times. It is possible that things will become worse before they become better. Our hope is Jesus, our Lord and our Savior. To continue to build our faith we must continue to read and meditate upon his Holy Word! We must continue to pray to him as often as possible! And we must praise him and thank him for all that he does for us, even when it looks like nothing is happening. Our God is working hard behind the scenes. He always has been and will continue to. Have faith! Have trust! He will rescue us in his time schedule and not ours! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

CLEANING THE INSIDE AS WELL AS THE OUTSIDE

“You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish but inside you are filthy- full of greed and wickedness.”  Luke 11:39

Each morning as we prepare for our day we brush our teeth, take a shower, comb our hair and do all of the other things that will make us presentable to those around us during the day. We want to not only make a good impression on others, but we want to be sure that we are clean and not dirty. In doing so, we often forget our spirit being. At what point to we clean the inside as well as the outside. When do we prepare ourselves spiritually for the day?  When do we make the inside as clean as the outside? When do we regenerate our spirit and talk with our God? When do we read his Holy Word and meditate in order to prepare for any attacks of the world during the day. Are we the same on the inside as we are on the outside? Preparing spiritually is as important, if not more important, than preparing for our physical day. It is important that think of Jesus first in our day and do the things that are going to prepare us for what is to come. We are to be prepared to spread his word and live our lives to honor our great Savior. If we do not renew our spirits everyday, then we are leaving the door open for the enemy to creep in. Let us stay strong with prayer, praise and meditation of his word, just as we prepare physically for each day. PRAISE THE LORD INN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
Where can you reduce clutter in your life?
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GIVE IT ALL!

“And if you don’t carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27

We are all tested in this life. As Christians we all have our own crosses to carry and heavy loads to bear. We were never promised that our lives would be free of doubt, worry and fear. We were never promised that we would not have mountains to climb and boulders to remove from our walk with Jesus. We are, however, overcomers. Jesus paid the price for us by going to the cross and giving his life for our lives. We, as his children, are owned by him. He paid for us, and we are his possessions. Because we are his children, we are blessed with his promises and gifts. We must, however, believe in them and accept them. Yes, we will have troubles along the way. We will have worry, doubt and fear thrown in our paths. However, we are to overcome those evils and succeed in our ventures as disciples of Christ, by acting upon his promises. Jesus is very clear in letting us know that those troubles are our crosses that we must carry and overcome, just as he carried our sins to the cross and died there so that we could live. Our burdens and our problems are nothing in comparison to what Jesus did for us. So, let us keep our eyes on the cross of Jesus and always remember the sacrifice he made for us. Let us all put our trust and our faith in his actions and his results. We are surrounded by evil, but we are victorious through his cross! PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
What is your favorite animal?
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OUR SHEPHERD IS WITH US

“The Lord is close to the broken hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 24:18

Who would we define as the broken hearted, and those whose spirits are crushed? The righteous of this world, suffering because of the wrongs of the world around them can be defined as such. We can also include those who are sad and upset because they have had serious disappointment in their lives or lost loved ones along the way. You and I are included as the broken hearted and of those who are crushed in spirit. We have all suffered one way or another. We do have a choice, however. We can either plow through our problems and try to take care of things on our own behalf or we can go to the Lord and ask and receive his help. He promises that he is with us. He promises his truth and strength will be with the broken hearted and with those with crushed spirits. He is and has done his part. It is now up to each of us to believe him, trust him and receive the many gifts he has given each of us. As we build our faith it is important to realize that the world will be fighting against us. The reality of our problems set in, and we begin to believe in the things we see in the world. It is up to us to put Jesus first in our lives. It is up to us to go to him in prayer at the first sign of trouble. It is up to us to read his word daily and reinforce his strength within us. He has promised us the Holy Spirit to live in us and give us strength, confidence and guidance. He loves us more than the world loves us. We must also love him. We must believe and build our faith daily. We must overcome the world around us and not allow the world to overcome us! Pray, praise him and read his word daily! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
In what ways do you communicate online?
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THE DOOR IS NARROW

” Work hard to enter the narrow door to Gods Kingdom, for many will try but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late”. Luke 13: 25 &25 

There are many ways that people think they can get into heaven. Some believe that if they perform good works here in this world that God will see that they are a good person, and the door will be opened. Others believe that if they attend church every Sunday that God will honor them and open heaven’s door wide for them to enter. Still others truly think that if they just believe there is a God in heaven that they will be able to enter heaven’s gates. However, the Lord has made it very clear that the only way to heaven is through accepting Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Doing any or all of these things above, without first accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, will do no good. Our Lord makes it very clear that the way and only way to enter the narrow gates of heaven is by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is from that action that comes the good works and the desire to go to church and learn more about the Lord. It is from that simple action that comes the desire to spread his word. He loves us and we should believe, trust, receive and love him! Those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will have the door opened. Those who do not will be turned away. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Bloganuary writing prompt
Think back on your most memorable road trip.
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EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIFE

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” ” Though they stumble they will never fall for the Lord holds them by the hand.” PSALM 36:23-24

A person who is godly is a person who displays the characteristics of God. They conform to his will and obey his commands for their lives. Godly people live their lives with a deep respect for, and obedience to, God’s word. Our God is very clear in Psalm 36 that he directs the steps of the godly. Because they are trusting of his promises and obey his commands they listen, they do, and they please God in heaven. Those who are godly walk with God every day. Prayer is vital. Knowledge of his word is vital. Placing spiritual boundaries in their lives is vital. Reading his word, faith in his word, forgiveness, integrity, and meditating on his word are vital. The Lord is with the godly in every step they take. He holds their hand so when they do stumble, they do not fall. Where do you stand? Are you godly? To show your godliness demonstrate your faithfulness, humility, love, thankfulness, obedience, self-control, patience, meekness, joy, peace, and temperance. It is important to just not say that we are children of God but to also live it. When we do, we all can rest assured that he has our hand and will not allow us to fall. PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What snack would you eat right now?
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YOUR WORDS ARE LIFEGIVING!

” The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain.” Proverbs 10:11

Have you ever heard a great preacher who provides the true word of God to his congregation? God’s word, presented in the way our God intended, is powerful and affective. It has a special way of drawing you in. When you hear his word, and you accept it, you want more. When you hear that preacher, you want to go back and hear him again. You and I do not have to be preachers to spread God’s word. All we need is knowledge of God’s word and an audience. He wants us to hear his word and then go out and tell about it. We must hear it, believe it, live it, and tell about it. Our words can be a life-giving fountain, allowing others to drink and be filled with his commands and promises. Never be fearful, but instead be strong and courageous in living a godly life and spreading his word! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

JESUS LOVES!

“Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18

With Jesus, there is no fear. Fear runs away as fast as it can when we allow Jesus to be with us. Our faith allows us a free and unstressful life. With faith in Jesus, we can set back and go along for the ride. Our Lord has not, does not, and can not fail. Jesus is not backed by fear, but instead, he is backed by love, peace, and joy. Build your faith, hold onto your faith, and exercise your faith! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

GOD’S PROMISES OF PROTECTION AND SUCCESS!

“HIS FAITHFUL PROMISES ARE YOUR ARMOR AND PROTECTION.” PSALM 91:4

“SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED.” LUKE 12:31

Our world is a jungle that is full of obstacles. Everything that we do is cluttered with something standing in the way. God has promised us that he is with us at every step. He has promised that if we believe in Jesus and do his will, he is with us and guiding us. He has promised that the promises he has made are faithful and we should never doubt them. He tells us that his mighty promises are our armor and protection. With his honorable word there is nothing else we need in life. We must have strong faith in Jesus and allow the actions he took and the words he spoke, while he was walking on this earth, to live in us and to work for us. There are so many times that the devil is successful in getting us to take our eyes away from Jesus and to focus upon him instead. We then allow doubt, worry and fear to creep in and steal away portions of our faith. However, if we continue to seek the Kingdom of God above anything else we do, He will provide us everything we need, just at the right time. There is only one way to survive this worldly jungle and that is with unblemished faith in Jesus. When we fall, he picks us up and accepts our apologies through his forgiveness of sins. He loves each one of us beyond understanding. We must have faith, build upon our faith and put our faith into action! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What is your mission?
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BUILDING YOUR WEALTH

“YES, A PERSON IS A FOOL TO STORE EARTHLY WEALTH BUT NOT TO HAVE A RICH RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.” LUKE 12:21

In my life I know that I always had a goal of building up enough valuable possessions or money that I could provide well for my family. Sometimes I even found myself focusing totally on how rich I could be. I would look at others and see how much they had stored up and would even become envious. My whole goal in life was to become rich. I am sure that many of you have found yourself in the same boat at one time or another. But when Christ came into my life my goals slowly changed. My relationship with Him provided me with a different outlook on life. My focus was no longer on myself and my job. It soon was focused on Him and what his intentions were for me. We are all put upon this earth for a purpose. That purpose is NOT to become the richest person in the world. That purpose will be to serve our God in a way that pleases Him. Our focus should not be on our riches, our worldly goals, or how important we make ourselves look. Our Lord could call any of us home in any moment and our worldly riches become dust to us. He has the riches we should be after. He controls our destiny. He has the control to give us eternal life or throw us into hell itself. Our focus and our goals should be on Him and Him alone. He is our God and has given us life in order that we serve Him. In this day and age, it is important that we have great faith and that we trust our God in heaven and not the things around us. JESUS IS LORD! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?
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PRACTICE THE WORD OF GOD!

JESUS SAID, ” BUT EVEN MORE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.” LUKE 11:28

Hearing God’s word and listening to God’s word are two very different things. We can go to church and hear the words that are being spoken but are we actually listening? Are we attentive to the words being spoken and understand what is being said? To listen to God’s word is to consider what He says, recognize His great power, trust His guidance, and then follow his instructions. If we do these things, then we have incorporated His word into your life and we are living a life for Him. Our Lord always wants to guide us but if we are not listening, we will miss what He is telling us and go the wrong way. Our beginning point should always be with prayer. We should ask the Lord to open our mind to what he is trying to say. While reading His word we should become sensitive to what stands out to us. We then should take what stands out and apply it to our lives. Be sensitive to his holy word. Be sensitive to his voice and live your life with His holy guidance! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!

Daily writing prompt
What could you do differently?
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REPENT AND HAVE FAITH!

“I have one message to Jews and Greeks alike- the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and having faith in our Lord Jesus.” Acts: 20:21

The world we live in today has become unrecognizable. Evil has turned into good and good has turned into evil. People are being heralded for lying, cheating and going against what is right.  People of righteousness are being persecuted, mocked and even put into prison for standing up for what is correct. With each passing day the time of the arrival of our Lord Jesus is getting closer. With each passing moment this world is making it harder and harder to follow Jesus and to tell the world of his greatness. We were all born sinners, but Jesus came to this world to die for us so that we could live for him. He has given us an opportunity to save ourselves by his death on the cross over 2000 years ago. The devil and his army are real and are very active in the world today. His time is short, and he knows it. He is working hard to make sure that you and I are afraid of what the world thinks of us and will be too afraid to speak out about our Lord and Savior. It is so important that we continue each day, to grow our faith in our Lord Jesus. It is important that we recognize our sins and be truly sorrowful for them. Our Lord gives us strength, but we must have faith to receive it. We must have strong trust in Him in order to make it the way we live our lives. We must continue each day to read and meditate upon his word. We must continue to pray always and to praise him, even in times of trouble. As we stay focused on Him, we will become stronger and stronger. He loves us and will not allow us to fail! However, we must continue to build our faith and live our lives in the glowing light of Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS! JESUS IS LORD!

Daily writing prompt
If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?
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