Thursday, September 28, 2006
Something About God's Grace
Scripture:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8
Saints, So many of us often make the mistake of thinking that we are all of that and a bag of chips. For those of you, who may not understand this very popular saying, let me explain.
When we do certain things, obtain certain goals, or purchase our dream house o car, we think that we have done it all by ourselves. Some of us think that it was our intelligence, good looks, attitude, or hard work that got us that position in the church or that promotion on the job. It was going that extra mile that made you look good to your superiors and that’s why you got that raise.
Well saints, I will not discount how wonderful it is to have all of these things going for you. But, I am here to tell you, all of these things mean nothing without God's grace.
You see, no matter how smart you are, you still need God to wake you up in the morning. You still need God to give you your right mind. You still need God to provide the opportunities for you to convey your intelligence. And you still need God to help you along the way because we are all human and we will mess up!
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see.”
Open your eyes and recognize that you are only who you are, where you are, and have what you have, because of his amazing grace.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, we come thanking You once again for fresh grace and mercy. Forgive us Lord if we sometimes take You and Your gifts for granted. I know Lord that without You, I would just be another sinner lost to the lies of the evil one and thinking of myself more highly than I should. Help us Lord to be humble and not forget just how much we are loved. Help us Lord, to not let our accomplishments blind us from what truly counts. That You keep on blessing us despite us. We know that there is nothing that we could ever do to earn Your favor and Your grace and that You give both freely because You love us that much. Continue to allow fresh grace to rain down into the lives of each of Your saints and their families today. Touch, bless, heal, and forgive us Lord, even when are not worthy. We Love You and thank You Lord at all times. May the children of God say, Amen.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8
Saints, So many of us often make the mistake of thinking that we are all of that and a bag of chips. For those of you, who may not understand this very popular saying, let me explain.
When we do certain things, obtain certain goals, or purchase our dream house o car, we think that we have done it all by ourselves. Some of us think that it was our intelligence, good looks, attitude, or hard work that got us that position in the church or that promotion on the job. It was going that extra mile that made you look good to your superiors and that’s why you got that raise.
Well saints, I will not discount how wonderful it is to have all of these things going for you. But, I am here to tell you, all of these things mean nothing without God's grace.
You see, no matter how smart you are, you still need God to wake you up in the morning. You still need God to give you your right mind. You still need God to provide the opportunities for you to convey your intelligence. And you still need God to help you along the way because we are all human and we will mess up!
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see.”
Open your eyes and recognize that you are only who you are, where you are, and have what you have, because of his amazing grace.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, we come thanking You once again for fresh grace and mercy. Forgive us Lord if we sometimes take You and Your gifts for granted. I know Lord that without You, I would just be another sinner lost to the lies of the evil one and thinking of myself more highly than I should. Help us Lord to be humble and not forget just how much we are loved. Help us Lord, to not let our accomplishments blind us from what truly counts. That You keep on blessing us despite us. We know that there is nothing that we could ever do to earn Your favor and Your grace and that You give both freely because You love us that much. Continue to allow fresh grace to rain down into the lives of each of Your saints and their families today. Touch, bless, heal, and forgive us Lord, even when are not worthy. We Love You and thank You Lord at all times. May the children of God say, Amen.
Scripture:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8
Saints, So many of us often make the mistake of thinking that we are all of that and a bag of chips. For those of you, who may not understand this very popular saying, let me explain.
When we do certain things, obtain certain goals, or purchase our dream house o car, we think that we have done it all by ourselves. Some of us think that it was our intelligence, good looks, attitude, or hard work that got us that position in the church or that promotion on the job. It was going that extra mile that made you look good to your superiors and that’s why you got that raise.
Well saints, I will not discount how wonderful it is to have all of these things going for you. But, I am here to tell you, all of these things mean nothing without God's grace.
You see, no matter how smart you are, you still need God to wake you up in the morning. You still need God to give you your right mind. You still need God to provide the opportunities for you to convey your intelligence. And you still need God to help you along the way because we are all human and we will mess up!
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see.”
Open your eyes and recognize that you are only who you are, where you are, and have what you have, because of his amazing grace.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, we come thanking You once again for fresh grace and mercy. Forgive us Lord if we sometimes take You and Your gifts for granted. I know Lord that without You, I would just be another sinner lost to the lies of the evil one and thinking of myself more highly than I should. Help us Lord to be humble and not forget just how much we are loved. Help us Lord, to not let our accomplishments blind us from what truly counts. That You keep on blessing us despite us. We know that there is nothing that we could ever do to earn Your favor and Your grace and that You give both freely because You love us that much. Continue to allow fresh grace to rain down into the lives of each of Your saints and their families today. Touch, bless, heal, and forgive us Lord, even when are not worthy. We Love You and thank You Lord at all times. May the children of God say, Amen.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8
Saints, So many of us often make the mistake of thinking that we are all of that and a bag of chips. For those of you, who may not understand this very popular saying, let me explain.
When we do certain things, obtain certain goals, or purchase our dream house o car, we think that we have done it all by ourselves. Some of us think that it was our intelligence, good looks, attitude, or hard work that got us that position in the church or that promotion on the job. It was going that extra mile that made you look good to your superiors and that’s why you got that raise.
Well saints, I will not discount how wonderful it is to have all of these things going for you. But, I am here to tell you, all of these things mean nothing without God's grace.
You see, no matter how smart you are, you still need God to wake you up in the morning. You still need God to give you your right mind. You still need God to provide the opportunities for you to convey your intelligence. And you still need God to help you along the way because we are all human and we will mess up!
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see.”
Open your eyes and recognize that you are only who you are, where you are, and have what you have, because of his amazing grace.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, we come thanking You once again for fresh grace and mercy. Forgive us Lord if we sometimes take You and Your gifts for granted. I know Lord that without You, I would just be another sinner lost to the lies of the evil one and thinking of myself more highly than I should. Help us Lord to be humble and not forget just how much we are loved. Help us Lord, to not let our accomplishments blind us from what truly counts. That You keep on blessing us despite us. We know that there is nothing that we could ever do to earn Your favor and Your grace and that You give both freely because You love us that much. Continue to allow fresh grace to rain down into the lives of each of Your saints and their families today. Touch, bless, heal, and forgive us Lord, even when are not worthy. We Love You and thank You Lord at all times. May the children of God say, Amen.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
What Do You Crave?
Scripture:
all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:3-4
Have you ever been hungry and craved something but didn't know what it was that you were craving? Have you ever been thirsty and didn't know what you wanted to drink? Have you ever felt like there was something missing in your life but couldn't quite put your finger on it? I know that from time to time, I have.
On television we see many commercials that try to tell us what we crave. White Castles, "What you Crave"; Big Macs, "Mac Attack"; Sprite; "Obey Your Thirst", and the list goes on and on.
Everybody is going to have a craving in their lives at some point in their lives. Unfortunately everything that we crave isn't always good for us. For example, I am a cigarette smoker and I crave nicotine. The alcoholic craves liquor, the drug addict will try to satisfy his craving for drugs. Again, this list is too long to name all of the negative cravings that some of us have.
The word of God tells us to crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in our salvation. It tells us of the bread of God; For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
The word of God tells us whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Now that’s the kind of meal that I want!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Lord, we come before the throne of Grace this morning hungering and thirsting after Your word. Let us feast this day on the bread of life and drink from the fountain that never runs dry. Thank You Father for providing all of my needs. Lord, that You for blessing me even when I am ungrateful. Thank You for keeping me, my family, friends and loved ones safe from all hurt, harm and danger. But most of all; thank You for Your son, Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.
all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:3-4
Have you ever been hungry and craved something but didn't know what it was that you were craving? Have you ever been thirsty and didn't know what you wanted to drink? Have you ever felt like there was something missing in your life but couldn't quite put your finger on it? I know that from time to time, I have.
On television we see many commercials that try to tell us what we crave. White Castles, "What you Crave"; Big Macs, "Mac Attack"; Sprite; "Obey Your Thirst", and the list goes on and on.
Everybody is going to have a craving in their lives at some point in their lives. Unfortunately everything that we crave isn't always good for us. For example, I am a cigarette smoker and I crave nicotine. The alcoholic craves liquor, the drug addict will try to satisfy his craving for drugs. Again, this list is too long to name all of the negative cravings that some of us have.
The word of God tells us to crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in our salvation. It tells us of the bread of God; For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
The word of God tells us whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Now that’s the kind of meal that I want!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Lord, we come before the throne of Grace this morning hungering and thirsting after Your word. Let us feast this day on the bread of life and drink from the fountain that never runs dry. Thank You Father for providing all of my needs. Lord, that You for blessing me even when I am ungrateful. Thank You for keeping me, my family, friends and loved ones safe from all hurt, harm and danger. But most of all; thank You for Your son, Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Hold On
Scripture:
And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" Luke 8:24-25
This year has really been a challenge to not only me but to so many of you as well. Some of us have lost jobs, lost loved ones, lost homes and cars. Our faith is challenged almost on a daily basis.
It seems as though we are walking in perpetual darkness. There are actually days when there doesn't seem to be any hope for our situations. We haven't found the job that we want. We are forced to move out of a house we have lived in for many years. We miss our mother, our father, our sister, our friend. We have to depend on others to get us around because we don't have a car.
We cry at night because the burdens become too heavy for us. We can't tell others about our problems because maybe they won't understand and even if they do, could they or would they even help?
Saints of God, Hold on! Our storms won't last forever. It is a part of our journey through this life. Hold On! A change is coming. Hold On! We are on our way to the Other side! HOLD ON! Jesus is on board this ship! HOLD ON!
Even the winds and the rains, our individual storms will obey his will, if we just HOLD ON TO GOD'S UNCHANGING HAND!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace to praise and uplift Your name once again. We enter into Your courtyard, lifting up our hands in total praise, honor and submission. We surrender our will to You alone. Lord, we humble ourselves before the throne of grace, in reverence to You. Father, thank You for yet another day. Father God, today, right here, right now, I ask that You speak to the storms in the lives of my brothers and sisters. Peace. Be Still. I ask O'Lord, that You would cover them with the wings of Your salvation. I Plead the Blood of Jesus over every saint reading this prayer right now. Father, we come touching and agreeing and on one accord that You would tend to the individual needs of Your saints. Lord, so many are under attack by him who seeks to destroy us. We ask Lord, that You would touch each and every saint as well as each household represented here. Touch, Bless, Anoint, and most of all cover Your saints with the Holy Spirit right here, right now. In the name of Jesus we submit our prayers, Amen.
And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" Luke 8:24-25
This year has really been a challenge to not only me but to so many of you as well. Some of us have lost jobs, lost loved ones, lost homes and cars. Our faith is challenged almost on a daily basis.
It seems as though we are walking in perpetual darkness. There are actually days when there doesn't seem to be any hope for our situations. We haven't found the job that we want. We are forced to move out of a house we have lived in for many years. We miss our mother, our father, our sister, our friend. We have to depend on others to get us around because we don't have a car.
We cry at night because the burdens become too heavy for us. We can't tell others about our problems because maybe they won't understand and even if they do, could they or would they even help?
Saints of God, Hold on! Our storms won't last forever. It is a part of our journey through this life. Hold On! A change is coming. Hold On! We are on our way to the Other side! HOLD ON! Jesus is on board this ship! HOLD ON!
Even the winds and the rains, our individual storms will obey his will, if we just HOLD ON TO GOD'S UNCHANGING HAND!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace to praise and uplift Your name once again. We enter into Your courtyard, lifting up our hands in total praise, honor and submission. We surrender our will to You alone. Lord, we humble ourselves before the throne of grace, in reverence to You. Father, thank You for yet another day. Father God, today, right here, right now, I ask that You speak to the storms in the lives of my brothers and sisters. Peace. Be Still. I ask O'Lord, that You would cover them with the wings of Your salvation. I Plead the Blood of Jesus over every saint reading this prayer right now. Father, we come touching and agreeing and on one accord that You would tend to the individual needs of Your saints. Lord, so many are under attack by him who seeks to destroy us. We ask Lord, that You would touch each and every saint as well as each household represented here. Touch, Bless, Anoint, and most of all cover Your saints with the Holy Spirit right here, right now. In the name of Jesus we submit our prayers, Amen.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Living In A Ball of Confusion
Scripture:
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:9-10
How many of you are familiar with a song called "Ball of Confusion", by the Temptations? It was a song from the seventies; for those of you too young to remember, that talked about the condition of our world. Wrong kinds of conditions.
Some of the lyrics talked about war, drugs, hate, segregation, and a multitude of other situations. "Round and around and around we go where the world's headed, nobody knows." Many of the same problems and situations still exist today.
As some of you know, I like to write. A very interesting tool that I use is called "the reverse dictionary lookup. What you do, is type in a phrase or concept that you are trying to find a word for. I typed in ball of confusion, and interestingly, some of the words that came back were, mess, interference, bewilderment, turmoil, mayhem, upset, and the list went on and on.
Sometimes we find that our lives are caught in a ball of confusion. There is confusion all around us. We find that our lives are a mess, we are lost and bewildered. We live tumultuous lives; there is mayhem all around us. We are constantly upset, and the band played on.
Saints, when there is confusion all around us, we can't hear the word of God. When there is turmoil and mayhem all around us, we tend to take our minds off God. When we are bewildered and upset, we can't be in tune to what God is trying to tell us.
Saints of God, when you find yourself caught in a ball of confusion, find yourself a quiet place. Even if you have to go hide in a closet. Tell satan to "shut up and get out of my way. Focus on the word of God, not on your problems. Concentrate on the Promises of God. Turn those very same problems over to God. He has said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. "The LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
And finally he say; ""I am the LORD , the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, we come before Your throne of grace seeking peace. We come kneeling before You today, seeking the restoration of our quiet time with You. Lord, so much is going on around me that I need to just stop and spend some time with You. Lord, I will keep my mind and my eyes staid on You today. I will leave my problems, my situations, all of the confusion and the mess of my life, on the alter of sacrificing. I will not listen to the negative words that are spoken in my life today. I will seek only Your love, Your comfort, Your strength and Your joy. These are the things that You have already given me if I would just take a moment to find them in Your word. Your word which is the master plan for our lives. Your word that has all of the answers that we seek. Lord, I also have to stop and admit that much of the confusion around me I have allowed to happen. I have made wrong decisions and choices that have blocked me and prevented me from being in right relationship with You. Forgive me Lord, for my wrong choices. Deliver me Lord, from bad situations. Hold my hand Lord, as I find my way back to You. Thank You Lord, for being there when I need. You. Thank You for blessing and keeping me. Thank You for Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:9-10
How many of you are familiar with a song called "Ball of Confusion", by the Temptations? It was a song from the seventies; for those of you too young to remember, that talked about the condition of our world. Wrong kinds of conditions.
Some of the lyrics talked about war, drugs, hate, segregation, and a multitude of other situations. "Round and around and around we go where the world's headed, nobody knows." Many of the same problems and situations still exist today.
As some of you know, I like to write. A very interesting tool that I use is called "the reverse dictionary lookup. What you do, is type in a phrase or concept that you are trying to find a word for. I typed in ball of confusion, and interestingly, some of the words that came back were, mess, interference, bewilderment, turmoil, mayhem, upset, and the list went on and on.
Sometimes we find that our lives are caught in a ball of confusion. There is confusion all around us. We find that our lives are a mess, we are lost and bewildered. We live tumultuous lives; there is mayhem all around us. We are constantly upset, and the band played on.
Saints, when there is confusion all around us, we can't hear the word of God. When there is turmoil and mayhem all around us, we tend to take our minds off God. When we are bewildered and upset, we can't be in tune to what God is trying to tell us.
Saints of God, when you find yourself caught in a ball of confusion, find yourself a quiet place. Even if you have to go hide in a closet. Tell satan to "shut up and get out of my way. Focus on the word of God, not on your problems. Concentrate on the Promises of God. Turn those very same problems over to God. He has said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. "The LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
And finally he say; ""I am the LORD , the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, we come before Your throne of grace seeking peace. We come kneeling before You today, seeking the restoration of our quiet time with You. Lord, so much is going on around me that I need to just stop and spend some time with You. Lord, I will keep my mind and my eyes staid on You today. I will leave my problems, my situations, all of the confusion and the mess of my life, on the alter of sacrificing. I will not listen to the negative words that are spoken in my life today. I will seek only Your love, Your comfort, Your strength and Your joy. These are the things that You have already given me if I would just take a moment to find them in Your word. Your word which is the master plan for our lives. Your word that has all of the answers that we seek. Lord, I also have to stop and admit that much of the confusion around me I have allowed to happen. I have made wrong decisions and choices that have blocked me and prevented me from being in right relationship with You. Forgive me Lord, for my wrong choices. Deliver me Lord, from bad situations. Hold my hand Lord, as I find my way back to You. Thank You Lord, for being there when I need. You. Thank You for blessing and keeping me. Thank You for Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Are You Setting the Right Example?
Scripture:
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:6-8
Recently, I visited with a younger cousin and as we talked and reminisced about growing up, she told me how she had always looked up to me. I was ashamed for a moment about the person I used to be.
You see, what she looked up to me for were all the wrong things. She told me how glamorous I always looked. The expensive clothes and shoes I used to wear. She told me how she wanted to date the kind of men I did, the ones who drove flashy cars, rode motor cycles and brought me roses.
She told me how she wanted to go to the clubs with me and party and have as much fun as I seemed to be having. What she didn't know was the price I had to pay for that lifestyle. What I didn't realize was that she, my younger sisters and other younger female cousins were watching me.
Just as we read in the above scripture, we who are the elders, in our families and in our churches, must set the good example. Others are watching us. Others aspire to be like us. That goes for men and women alike.
When I was young, I was not setting a good example at all. You see ladies, not only must we be a good example for our blood sisters, we must set a good example for all of the young ladies coming up in the world. I know mothers are the one we should look up to, but guess what? Our sisters, cousins, neighbors, and other young ladies that are around you, may be looking at you as their role model.
Are you being good role model and leading by example?
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, I come once again asking that You would forgive me of my sins. In my Youthful arrogance, I did not realize that others were watching and learning from me. Forgive me Lord, for leading others astray. Father, teach me to walk in Your word, to be a living testimony to You and not to the sins of this world. Father, may the things that I do and say be acceptable in Your sight. May others see You light shining in me. Teach me Lord to hide Your word in my heart. Father, we come asking that You would continue to bless Your saints. Breathe on us Lord, cleansing us, renewing Your power and Your strength within us and healing us. Bless Your name Lord. We thank You Lord as we ask and submit our prayers in the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:6-8
Recently, I visited with a younger cousin and as we talked and reminisced about growing up, she told me how she had always looked up to me. I was ashamed for a moment about the person I used to be.
You see, what she looked up to me for were all the wrong things. She told me how glamorous I always looked. The expensive clothes and shoes I used to wear. She told me how she wanted to date the kind of men I did, the ones who drove flashy cars, rode motor cycles and brought me roses.
She told me how she wanted to go to the clubs with me and party and have as much fun as I seemed to be having. What she didn't know was the price I had to pay for that lifestyle. What I didn't realize was that she, my younger sisters and other younger female cousins were watching me.
Just as we read in the above scripture, we who are the elders, in our families and in our churches, must set the good example. Others are watching us. Others aspire to be like us. That goes for men and women alike.
When I was young, I was not setting a good example at all. You see ladies, not only must we be a good example for our blood sisters, we must set a good example for all of the young ladies coming up in the world. I know mothers are the one we should look up to, but guess what? Our sisters, cousins, neighbors, and other young ladies that are around you, may be looking at you as their role model.
Are you being good role model and leading by example?
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, I come once again asking that You would forgive me of my sins. In my Youthful arrogance, I did not realize that others were watching and learning from me. Forgive me Lord, for leading others astray. Father, teach me to walk in Your word, to be a living testimony to You and not to the sins of this world. Father, may the things that I do and say be acceptable in Your sight. May others see You light shining in me. Teach me Lord to hide Your word in my heart. Father, we come asking that You would continue to bless Your saints. Breathe on us Lord, cleansing us, renewing Your power and Your strength within us and healing us. Bless Your name Lord. We thank You Lord as we ask and submit our prayers in the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Pray For Me
Scripture:
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16
Not long ago, I received an urgent message from one of my Christian brothers. The message simply said, "Pray for me". There was no specific prayer request, no explanation, and no reason given. Just these three words. "Pray for Me."
Saints of God, how often have your burdens been so heavy that you couldn't even put them into words? How often has life become so overwhelming that you couldn't even tell anyone what was going on or how you felt? How often have you gotten down on your knees to pray and could only cry tears of sorrow and plead for mercy?
I know that I have. You see, so often things in our lives become overwhelming to us. It seems that so much in our lives is going wrong. So often we feel that there is no one we can turn to. Not even God. At least not for ourselves. So we do the next best thing.
We go to our brothers and sisters in Christ and ask them to intercede on our behalf. You see, sometimes we become so distracted with our problems we can't see our way out. We become blinded by our circumstances and can't see our way to the alter. We are so bombarded by our afflictions that we don't know what to do. But even when we can't pray for ourselves, we can call on one another for prayer.
So today, pray for one another. Stand in the gap for your loved ones. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, we come before the throne of grace this morning to intercede for one another. We come asking for blessings and breakthroughs, not for ourselves but for our family members, friends, co-workers, on-line family members and brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord, we don't know the needs of Your children, but You do Lord. We ask that You would lift and bind the spirits of depression, despair, loneliness, anger, resentment, hurt, poverty and all others that are not of You. Lord, we ask that You would bless us and deliver us as only You can. Place Your hedge of protection securely around every person and all families that are represented here today. Allow this season of Your son to be filled with blessings and joy that have been given with the birth of Your son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16
Not long ago, I received an urgent message from one of my Christian brothers. The message simply said, "Pray for me". There was no specific prayer request, no explanation, and no reason given. Just these three words. "Pray for Me."
Saints of God, how often have your burdens been so heavy that you couldn't even put them into words? How often has life become so overwhelming that you couldn't even tell anyone what was going on or how you felt? How often have you gotten down on your knees to pray and could only cry tears of sorrow and plead for mercy?
I know that I have. You see, so often things in our lives become overwhelming to us. It seems that so much in our lives is going wrong. So often we feel that there is no one we can turn to. Not even God. At least not for ourselves. So we do the next best thing.
We go to our brothers and sisters in Christ and ask them to intercede on our behalf. You see, sometimes we become so distracted with our problems we can't see our way out. We become blinded by our circumstances and can't see our way to the alter. We are so bombarded by our afflictions that we don't know what to do. But even when we can't pray for ourselves, we can call on one another for prayer.
So today, pray for one another. Stand in the gap for your loved ones. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, we come before the throne of grace this morning to intercede for one another. We come asking for blessings and breakthroughs, not for ourselves but for our family members, friends, co-workers, on-line family members and brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord, we don't know the needs of Your children, but You do Lord. We ask that You would lift and bind the spirits of depression, despair, loneliness, anger, resentment, hurt, poverty and all others that are not of You. Lord, we ask that You would bless us and deliver us as only You can. Place Your hedge of protection securely around every person and all families that are represented here today. Allow this season of Your son to be filled with blessings and joy that have been given with the birth of Your son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Monday, September 18, 2006
The Blessings of the Lord
Scripture:
"And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever." 2 Samuel 7:28-30
Saints, today I want to talk about remaining faithful to God. So many times during our lives we set off down the road we think God wants us to travel. As we begin our journey, we are faced with all types of obstacles, roadblocks and setbacks.
We start walking down Life’s Highway and run into all kinds of potholes. Some of the potholes are called economic downturn, sickness, disease, wayward husband/child(ren), job lay-offs, backbiters and there are a whole multitude of others. Satan will put up roadblocks called sin, temptation, discouragement, depression and a whole list of negative spirits.
So often we jut want to give up and quit. Well today I am going to use an old friend as an example. You see, when she decided to go back to school a couple of years ago to get her Masters, she thought it was a pretty simple decision to make. Go register for classes, take the classes and graduate. What she has learned along the way is far more than what she had learned from her teachers.
You see, my friend has faced all kinds of discouraging situations. We won't go into all of them, but I know there where times when maybe she just wanted to throw up her hands and say "I QUIT!" But you know what she did instead? She remained faithful to what she was supposed to do. You see, my friend made a vow to remain faithful to God and continue her course. She has run her race and stayed faithful to God.
Now God has rewarded her with what he has promised. His Blessings.
And so it is with all of us Saints of God. Sometimes when we take the road that has been predetermined by God; we will run into all sorts of roadblocks. However, God has already given us the tools and the perseverance to go around, over, above and under all the things that will hinder us. All you need is your roadmap (the bible) and your tour guide. Jesus.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Thank You Father for blessing us despite us. Thank You Lord for keeping us staid on course. Thank You Lord for remaining faithful to us and watching over us even when we don't realize it. Lord, we ask that You help each and every one of us remain faithful to You. We ask that You would give us eyes to see and ears to hear the deception of he who seeks to destroy us. Lord, we just want to thank You. We ask for the continued healing, deliverance, breakthroughs and blessings for all of our saints who are represented here in the body of Christ. We love and adore You Lord. You are Omni present, on time, all knowing and all seeing. You are Jehovah Jira, Jehovah Nissi Jehovah Shalom. Thank You father for being our banner and remaining faithful to us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
"And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever." 2 Samuel 7:28-30
Saints, today I want to talk about remaining faithful to God. So many times during our lives we set off down the road we think God wants us to travel. As we begin our journey, we are faced with all types of obstacles, roadblocks and setbacks.
We start walking down Life’s Highway and run into all kinds of potholes. Some of the potholes are called economic downturn, sickness, disease, wayward husband/child(ren), job lay-offs, backbiters and there are a whole multitude of others. Satan will put up roadblocks called sin, temptation, discouragement, depression and a whole list of negative spirits.
So often we jut want to give up and quit. Well today I am going to use an old friend as an example. You see, when she decided to go back to school a couple of years ago to get her Masters, she thought it was a pretty simple decision to make. Go register for classes, take the classes and graduate. What she has learned along the way is far more than what she had learned from her teachers.
You see, my friend has faced all kinds of discouraging situations. We won't go into all of them, but I know there where times when maybe she just wanted to throw up her hands and say "I QUIT!" But you know what she did instead? She remained faithful to what she was supposed to do. You see, my friend made a vow to remain faithful to God and continue her course. She has run her race and stayed faithful to God.
Now God has rewarded her with what he has promised. His Blessings.
And so it is with all of us Saints of God. Sometimes when we take the road that has been predetermined by God; we will run into all sorts of roadblocks. However, God has already given us the tools and the perseverance to go around, over, above and under all the things that will hinder us. All you need is your roadmap (the bible) and your tour guide. Jesus.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Thank You Father for blessing us despite us. Thank You Lord for keeping us staid on course. Thank You Lord for remaining faithful to us and watching over us even when we don't realize it. Lord, we ask that You help each and every one of us remain faithful to You. We ask that You would give us eyes to see and ears to hear the deception of he who seeks to destroy us. Lord, we just want to thank You. We ask for the continued healing, deliverance, breakthroughs and blessings for all of our saints who are represented here in the body of Christ. We love and adore You Lord. You are Omni present, on time, all knowing and all seeing. You are Jehovah Jira, Jehovah Nissi Jehovah Shalom. Thank You father for being our banner and remaining faithful to us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
I'm Claiming My Miracle
Scripture:
For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37
Saints,
How many of you think your situation is hopeless? How many of you are discouraged about your situation? How many of you want to give up and let go? Well I am here this morning to tell you DON'T GIVE UP! DON'T GIVE IN! DON'T LET GO!
The word of God says "I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me". "I am more that a conqueror" "If I say to the mountain, be thy removed".
My pastor, Reverend Larry Smith has us come into covenant agreement each Sunday with the words as we hold up our bible "THIS IS MY BIBLE. IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. IT IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT. I AM, WHAT IT SAYS I AM. I HAVE, WHAT IT SAYS I HAVE!
This affirmation is something that each of us should be shouting from the mountain tops every morning. Why? Because, God cannot lie. He said pick up your sword, your cross and follow me. The word of God says "I CAN DO ALL THINGS, NOT SOME, BUT ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS ME!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, we come before the throne of grace thanking You for our miracles. Father we come into covenant agreement and standing in the gap for our brothers and sisters who may be weak. Touch them Lord Jesus. Magnifying Your power and Your presence in their lives. Father, our city and our world is full of stress and strife. Allow Your power and Your spirit to rain down on us this day. Father, many of our brothers and sisters may be faced with losing jobs. Have mercy Lord. Lord, and as we have to go through our valleys, to GET to the other side, be by our sides. Keeping us in perfect peace. Lord, use us and allow us to bless someone else this day. We love You Lord. We praise and uplift Your name. We give all honor, all praise, all glory to You alone. Hallelujah, anyhow. Hallelujah in spite of. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise God. Amen.
For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37
Saints,
How many of you think your situation is hopeless? How many of you are discouraged about your situation? How many of you want to give up and let go? Well I am here this morning to tell you DON'T GIVE UP! DON'T GIVE IN! DON'T LET GO!
The word of God says "I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me". "I am more that a conqueror" "If I say to the mountain, be thy removed".
My pastor, Reverend Larry Smith has us come into covenant agreement each Sunday with the words as we hold up our bible "THIS IS MY BIBLE. IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. IT IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT. I AM, WHAT IT SAYS I AM. I HAVE, WHAT IT SAYS I HAVE!
This affirmation is something that each of us should be shouting from the mountain tops every morning. Why? Because, God cannot lie. He said pick up your sword, your cross and follow me. The word of God says "I CAN DO ALL THINGS, NOT SOME, BUT ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS ME!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, we come before the throne of grace thanking You for our miracles. Father we come into covenant agreement and standing in the gap for our brothers and sisters who may be weak. Touch them Lord Jesus. Magnifying Your power and Your presence in their lives. Father, our city and our world is full of stress and strife. Allow Your power and Your spirit to rain down on us this day. Father, many of our brothers and sisters may be faced with losing jobs. Have mercy Lord. Lord, and as we have to go through our valleys, to GET to the other side, be by our sides. Keeping us in perfect peace. Lord, use us and allow us to bless someone else this day. We love You Lord. We praise and uplift Your name. We give all honor, all praise, all glory to You alone. Hallelujah, anyhow. Hallelujah in spite of. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise God. Amen.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Do You Hear Voices?
Scripture:
and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:20
Saints, to you sometimes hear voices and don't know where they are coming from? What do the voices say? Are they voices of encouragement or voices of discouragement?
How many times have you been in a situation where you were doing something or about to do something a voice says, you can't do that. You will fail. Why are you trying to do something you know you won't be able to do.
Or you are in a situation where maybe you are under attack and that voice says; You can't win. You won't win. They are bigger than you or stronger than you or smarter than you. Who are you to try to fight me, I have the upper hand and you can't possibly win.
Saints, there will be times when you will try to do something or come up against something that is bigger than you and greater than you. Satan; who by the way is a liar and the truth is not in him, will try to convince you that you can't do it, you can’t win that it's too hard for you.
So when satan tries to tell you what you can't do, tell him; I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me, God can do anything but fail, Nothing is too hard for God, I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus and the final word: I am a child of the most High King and I am his favorite! And you know how my daddy treats his favorite!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace this morning humbling ourselves before the master. Lord, we know that everyone can only serve one master and we thank you for loving us enough that your sent your only begotten son whom we chose and our own personal savior, so that we who are reconciled into the kingdom of God, would serve only you. We come rebuking the lies of satan that tell us we cannot, because YOU SAID we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. We come standing on your word and on your promise. Thank you Lord, for one more day and the fresh grace and mercy that have been given. Lord, we stand in the gap for our brothers and sisters who's have asked for intercessory prayer. We ask that you would continue to touch, bless and anoint all of our family members, church families, co-workers and brothers and sisters in Christ. We love the Lord, he heard our cry and we will sing songs of praise even in the midst of our storms. Thank you Father. Thank you Holy Ghost. Thank you Jesus, in whose name we pray, Amen.
and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:20
Saints, to you sometimes hear voices and don't know where they are coming from? What do the voices say? Are they voices of encouragement or voices of discouragement?
How many times have you been in a situation where you were doing something or about to do something a voice says, you can't do that. You will fail. Why are you trying to do something you know you won't be able to do.
Or you are in a situation where maybe you are under attack and that voice says; You can't win. You won't win. They are bigger than you or stronger than you or smarter than you. Who are you to try to fight me, I have the upper hand and you can't possibly win.
Saints, there will be times when you will try to do something or come up against something that is bigger than you and greater than you. Satan; who by the way is a liar and the truth is not in him, will try to convince you that you can't do it, you can’t win that it's too hard for you.
So when satan tries to tell you what you can't do, tell him; I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me, God can do anything but fail, Nothing is too hard for God, I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus and the final word: I am a child of the most High King and I am his favorite! And you know how my daddy treats his favorite!
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace this morning humbling ourselves before the master. Lord, we know that everyone can only serve one master and we thank you for loving us enough that your sent your only begotten son whom we chose and our own personal savior, so that we who are reconciled into the kingdom of God, would serve only you. We come rebuking the lies of satan that tell us we cannot, because YOU SAID we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. We come standing on your word and on your promise. Thank you Lord, for one more day and the fresh grace and mercy that have been given. Lord, we stand in the gap for our brothers and sisters who's have asked for intercessory prayer. We ask that you would continue to touch, bless and anoint all of our family members, church families, co-workers and brothers and sisters in Christ. We love the Lord, he heard our cry and we will sing songs of praise even in the midst of our storms. Thank you Father. Thank you Holy Ghost. Thank you Jesus, in whose name we pray, Amen.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Are You Working With God?
Scripture:
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? James 2:19-20
Saints, When you read this scripture, what do you think it means? In the verse that follows, it describes how Abraham was considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. So in one respect it means that you must be willing to do what God directs you to do.
But I want to take you in another direction. When you ask God to do something on your behalf, what are doing on your own? In other words, God has said he will bless us, but we must also work towards that blessing.
Let me explain a little more. If you are asking God for a better job, what are you doing to find one? You have to seek out that job and/or further your education/training. A job is not going to come looking for you.
If you are sick, you have to seek out medical help, maybe even change your lifestyle. You can't continue to eat pork or salt, etc. if you have high blood pressure. You can't eat those things that you know are going to upset your sugar levels if you are diabetic or hypo-glycemic. If you are looking for a mate, maybe you need to work on your attitude and demeanor.
In other words saints, we can't expect God to do all the work for us. We have to be willing to work with God. Be obedient to God. If we work towards our goals, he will bless us.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Our Father, our Lord, Our Savior, we come before you this morning once again to honor you. Lord, we submit our will to yours. Father, we pray that you would show us new revelations everyday in your word. We ask that you would continue to guide our lives with your word. Search our hearts Lord. Help us to identify those things in our lives that are not pleasing to you. Cover us Lord, Hide us Lord. Keep us Lord. Father, we come this morning before the alter of sacrificing to leave the things in our lives that we want resolved. We recognize that our problems are too big and too heavy for us to carry alone. We desire breakthroughs for ourselves, our loved one, and most of all, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord, may something that we do or say this day, show just how wonderful you are. We pray that you would magnify the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, not for our own edification, but so that others can see you in our lives. We love you Lord, we praise and uplift your most holy name. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we submit our prayers. Amen.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? James 2:19-20
Saints, When you read this scripture, what do you think it means? In the verse that follows, it describes how Abraham was considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. So in one respect it means that you must be willing to do what God directs you to do.
But I want to take you in another direction. When you ask God to do something on your behalf, what are doing on your own? In other words, God has said he will bless us, but we must also work towards that blessing.
Let me explain a little more. If you are asking God for a better job, what are you doing to find one? You have to seek out that job and/or further your education/training. A job is not going to come looking for you.
If you are sick, you have to seek out medical help, maybe even change your lifestyle. You can't continue to eat pork or salt, etc. if you have high blood pressure. You can't eat those things that you know are going to upset your sugar levels if you are diabetic or hypo-glycemic. If you are looking for a mate, maybe you need to work on your attitude and demeanor.
In other words saints, we can't expect God to do all the work for us. We have to be willing to work with God. Be obedient to God. If we work towards our goals, he will bless us.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Our Father, our Lord, Our Savior, we come before you this morning once again to honor you. Lord, we submit our will to yours. Father, we pray that you would show us new revelations everyday in your word. We ask that you would continue to guide our lives with your word. Search our hearts Lord. Help us to identify those things in our lives that are not pleasing to you. Cover us Lord, Hide us Lord. Keep us Lord. Father, we come this morning before the alter of sacrificing to leave the things in our lives that we want resolved. We recognize that our problems are too big and too heavy for us to carry alone. We desire breakthroughs for ourselves, our loved one, and most of all, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord, may something that we do or say this day, show just how wonderful you are. We pray that you would magnify the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, not for our own edification, but so that others can see you in our lives. We love you Lord, we praise and uplift your most holy name. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we submit our prayers. Amen.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
If You Praise Him, He Will Come
Scripture:
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11 (NIV)
Saints of God, so often when things are going wrong in our lives, we don’t want to praise God. All we want to do is tell God all about our troubles. Our prayers tend to become more selfish and self-centered.
We have no problem asking or telling God what we want. However, too often we fail to give God praise or thanks for the things that are going right in our lives. We forget the most important aspect of prayer, Praise and adoration.
The greatest commandment that was given to man tells us to “love the Lord, thy God will all thy heart and will all thy soul and with all thy mind.” Praise and worship is one way to show God just how much we love him and what he means to us.
When we learn to praise God in our bad times, we are opening the door so that He can show up. He becomes our light in darkness. He will give us the strength and the comfort that we need to make it through.
Remember, if you praise Him, He will come.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, sometimes I try to pray and the words won't come. I toss and turn and feel nothing. My mind is dry, my heart is dull, and my soul longs for life. Hear my silent cry, my God, hear me. Breathe on us Lord renewing a right spirit within us. Even in our times of sorrow, we praise Your holy name. Lord, open our eyes and give us a discerning spirit, so that we may recognize the tricks of the evil one. Help us Lord to recognize the things and the people who are important in our lives. Not the material things that we tend to scramble after, but the greatest give ever given to us; Your son, Jesus Christ. Praise God! Keep us Lord. Hide us Lord, under the wings of Your salvation. Have mercy Lord, and help us to remember to put on the whole armor of God this and every day. We love You lord, and we praise Your name. In the name of Jesus, we pray, amen.
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11 (NIV)
Saints of God, so often when things are going wrong in our lives, we don’t want to praise God. All we want to do is tell God all about our troubles. Our prayers tend to become more selfish and self-centered.
We have no problem asking or telling God what we want. However, too often we fail to give God praise or thanks for the things that are going right in our lives. We forget the most important aspect of prayer, Praise and adoration.
The greatest commandment that was given to man tells us to “love the Lord, thy God will all thy heart and will all thy soul and with all thy mind.” Praise and worship is one way to show God just how much we love him and what he means to us.
When we learn to praise God in our bad times, we are opening the door so that He can show up. He becomes our light in darkness. He will give us the strength and the comfort that we need to make it through.
Remember, if you praise Him, He will come.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Lord, sometimes I try to pray and the words won't come. I toss and turn and feel nothing. My mind is dry, my heart is dull, and my soul longs for life. Hear my silent cry, my God, hear me. Breathe on us Lord renewing a right spirit within us. Even in our times of sorrow, we praise Your holy name. Lord, open our eyes and give us a discerning spirit, so that we may recognize the tricks of the evil one. Help us Lord to recognize the things and the people who are important in our lives. Not the material things that we tend to scramble after, but the greatest give ever given to us; Your son, Jesus Christ. Praise God! Keep us Lord. Hide us Lord, under the wings of Your salvation. Have mercy Lord, and help us to remember to put on the whole armor of God this and every day. We love You lord, and we praise Your name. In the name of Jesus, we pray, amen.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Jesus Sees Your Struggles
Scripture:
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, Mark 6:48-51 (NIV).
Just about everyone that I know is going through, or has gone through some type of storm. Sometimes the storms are of a financial nature. Or they may be storms in their relationships, in their homes, on their jobs, or in their bodies. Sometimes the storms may even be in their relationship with God.
No matter whom you are, what you do for a living, your standing in the community, your marital status, you will go through a storm. It is inevitable. Since everyone has to go through the storm, the best thing we can do about it is learn from it. Only you can choose what you will learn from your personal storm.
Storms have the ability to show us what our weaknesses and needs are. Maybe the lesson is humility. Maybe the lesson is learning that we are not all that we think we are. Storms have a way of bringing us closer to God. When we are shaken up and tossed around, then and only then will we reach out for God’s unchanging hand.
Prayer:
Lord, as I am going through my own personal storm, I come to the realization that You see my struggles. You are there even when I can’t see You. You watch over me and are just waiting for me to call to You. Lord, forgive for panicking and becoming afraid when my storms begin to toss me about. Lord, You have said that all I have to do is call on the name of Jesus. He is always there to rescue me from the storms of life. I know that I must go through my storms because it is necessary for me to recognize and worship You. The storms reveal all that is hidden within and around me. Lord, I choose to learn from my storms, no matter what the lesson may be. I accept every storm in my life because without them, I would forget that I need You each and everyday. I understand that the storms are sometimes necessary for me to see what You are doing in my life. As I recall the words to the song, “His Eye in on the Sparrow”, I remember that Your word that tells me “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” So I must learn that even in my storms, that I have no worry for You see my struggles. Thank you Lord for reminding me that You would never leave me nor forsake me. I come blessing and uplifting the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus. It is in His precious name that I submit my prayers. Amen.
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, Mark 6:48-51 (NIV).
Just about everyone that I know is going through, or has gone through some type of storm. Sometimes the storms are of a financial nature. Or they may be storms in their relationships, in their homes, on their jobs, or in their bodies. Sometimes the storms may even be in their relationship with God.
No matter whom you are, what you do for a living, your standing in the community, your marital status, you will go through a storm. It is inevitable. Since everyone has to go through the storm, the best thing we can do about it is learn from it. Only you can choose what you will learn from your personal storm.
Storms have the ability to show us what our weaknesses and needs are. Maybe the lesson is humility. Maybe the lesson is learning that we are not all that we think we are. Storms have a way of bringing us closer to God. When we are shaken up and tossed around, then and only then will we reach out for God’s unchanging hand.
Prayer:
Lord, as I am going through my own personal storm, I come to the realization that You see my struggles. You are there even when I can’t see You. You watch over me and are just waiting for me to call to You. Lord, forgive for panicking and becoming afraid when my storms begin to toss me about. Lord, You have said that all I have to do is call on the name of Jesus. He is always there to rescue me from the storms of life. I know that I must go through my storms because it is necessary for me to recognize and worship You. The storms reveal all that is hidden within and around me. Lord, I choose to learn from my storms, no matter what the lesson may be. I accept every storm in my life because without them, I would forget that I need You each and everyday. I understand that the storms are sometimes necessary for me to see what You are doing in my life. As I recall the words to the song, “His Eye in on the Sparrow”, I remember that Your word that tells me “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” So I must learn that even in my storms, that I have no worry for You see my struggles. Thank you Lord for reminding me that You would never leave me nor forsake me. I come blessing and uplifting the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus. It is in His precious name that I submit my prayers. Amen.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
How Long?
Scripture:
How long, O LORD , must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Habakkuk 1:2-3
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. In my distress I called to the LORD ; I cried to my God for help.
God Said, "My Grace is Sufficient.”
But Father; Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD , do not delay.
God said, "My Mercy is Everlasting.”
But Lord, I'm Begging, Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.
I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Lord, I cannot endure any longer. Life is too hard, my trials and tribulations are too great. My suffering is overwhelming.
He said "I will refine you like silver and test you like gold. You will call on my name and I will answer you; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.”
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."Praise be to the LORD , for he has heard my cry for mercy. God, who helps me, who blesses me with blessings from the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Great is thy Faithfulness, O'Lord. Thank You Father for trials and tribulations. Thank You Lord, for comforting me when the tears begin to flow. Thank You Lord, for blessing me and keeping me. Lord, we ask that You would continue to hide us under the wings of Your salvation. When we falter, catch us. When we want to give up, don't let go. Thank You Father for Your faithfulness. We love You. We praise You. We exalt and uplift Your name. Amen.
How long, O LORD , must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Habakkuk 1:2-3
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. In my distress I called to the LORD ; I cried to my God for help.
God Said, "My Grace is Sufficient.”
But Father; Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD , do not delay.
God said, "My Mercy is Everlasting.”
But Lord, I'm Begging, Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.
I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Lord, I cannot endure any longer. Life is too hard, my trials and tribulations are too great. My suffering is overwhelming.
He said "I will refine you like silver and test you like gold. You will call on my name and I will answer you; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.”
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."Praise be to the LORD , for he has heard my cry for mercy. God, who helps me, who blesses me with blessings from the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Great is thy Faithfulness, O'Lord. Thank You Father for trials and tribulations. Thank You Lord, for comforting me when the tears begin to flow. Thank You Lord, for blessing me and keeping me. Lord, we ask that You would continue to hide us under the wings of Your salvation. When we falter, catch us. When we want to give up, don't let go. Thank You Father for Your faithfulness. We love You. We praise You. We exalt and uplift Your name. Amen.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Don't Keep Living in the Past
Scripture:
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19
Saints of God, how many are you are stuck in the past? How often to you talk about what you used to have? How things used to be? How you used to look.
I used to be twenty-one. So what. I used to be a size 5. So what. I used to party and hang out a lot. I used to have a whole lot of things. I used to be a sinner on the road leading to hell.
There are a whole lot of I used to's in my life. But I try not to dwell on them. Now, I won't lie. Every now and then there are aspects of my old life that I sometimes miss. I won't get into them, but sometimes it's only natural that we do miss those things in our past that brought us a sense of comfort.
But I also realize that God is a changing force in my life. I thank him that I am not all that I used to be. I thank him for allowing me to see that I was on a road leading straight to the gates of hell. I thank him for loving me enough that he didn't give up on me. I thank God for having compassion for me; and hurling my iniquities into the depths of the sea.
I thank him for doing a NEW THING in my life.
Be blessed
PRAYER:
Father, You are the Supreme Authority. You are a God of order. I thank You for being the head of my life. Father, we realize that sometimes change is hard. Changing our way of life, even as the world around us changes, isn't always easy. But we realize and recognize that it is for Your edification, that we who have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior must change. Old things are past away. You are preparing us for what lies ahead, not behind. We thank You for that change. Lord, help us to recognize when we are judging those around us based on their past. We know that You can and that You do, change the hearts of those who diligently seek You. I know that I am not all that You want me to be, but I pray that I would walk just a little bit closer to You each day. Thank You Father, for Your word and for the fellowship that I share with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We love You Lord and thank You for not only what You have done, but what You are about to do. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19
Saints of God, how many are you are stuck in the past? How often to you talk about what you used to have? How things used to be? How you used to look.
I used to be twenty-one. So what. I used to be a size 5. So what. I used to party and hang out a lot. I used to have a whole lot of things. I used to be a sinner on the road leading to hell.
There are a whole lot of I used to's in my life. But I try not to dwell on them. Now, I won't lie. Every now and then there are aspects of my old life that I sometimes miss. I won't get into them, but sometimes it's only natural that we do miss those things in our past that brought us a sense of comfort.
But I also realize that God is a changing force in my life. I thank him that I am not all that I used to be. I thank him for allowing me to see that I was on a road leading straight to the gates of hell. I thank him for loving me enough that he didn't give up on me. I thank God for having compassion for me; and hurling my iniquities into the depths of the sea.
I thank him for doing a NEW THING in my life.
Be blessed
PRAYER:
Father, You are the Supreme Authority. You are a God of order. I thank You for being the head of my life. Father, we realize that sometimes change is hard. Changing our way of life, even as the world around us changes, isn't always easy. But we realize and recognize that it is for Your edification, that we who have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior must change. Old things are past away. You are preparing us for what lies ahead, not behind. We thank You for that change. Lord, help us to recognize when we are judging those around us based on their past. We know that You can and that You do, change the hearts of those who diligently seek You. I know that I am not all that You want me to be, but I pray that I would walk just a little bit closer to You each day. Thank You Father, for Your word and for the fellowship that I share with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We love You Lord and thank You for not only what You have done, but what You are about to do. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Don't Be A Bag Lady
Scripture:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24
Saints, how many of you are following Christ? If you are a follower of Christ, are you keeping up? What I mean by that is, are there other things in your life that are preventing you from truly following the word of God.
It has been said that each of us has our OWN cross to carry. But how many of you are trying to carry your cross and a whole lot of other baggage along with it? Do you realize that the excess baggage may be weighing you down?
What many of us often fail to realize is that so often we allow our past hurts, our sins, negative relationships, negative situations, and negative people to climb into the bags that we carry with us each and everyday.
We allow circumstance and situations to become a weight that we put in the bags that we call our lives. We allow fear and doubt to become like a rock around our necks. We allow our lack of faith to become a heavy object that we place in the bags of our lives that we continue to carry.
I believe that Erykah Badu, who wrote the song “Bag Lady”, knew what Jesus meant he said : Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mathew 11:28
Prayer:
Father, we come to You this day in humble submission. We ask Lord, that You would help us to realize and recognize to put down those things that are weighing us down and preventing us from truly following Your word. Lord, we come this day placing our all on the alter. We come sacrificing ourselves as in the days of old. We have nothing to truly give You, but ourselves. Help us to become a living sacrifice. Allow something that we may do or say this day to encourage someone to seek Your face and Your word. Help us Lord to walk just a little closer to thee. Father, we come thanking You that You have given us this new day with new opportunities to draw nearer to thee. We give You praise, honor, and glory. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24
Saints, how many of you are following Christ? If you are a follower of Christ, are you keeping up? What I mean by that is, are there other things in your life that are preventing you from truly following the word of God.
It has been said that each of us has our OWN cross to carry. But how many of you are trying to carry your cross and a whole lot of other baggage along with it? Do you realize that the excess baggage may be weighing you down?
What many of us often fail to realize is that so often we allow our past hurts, our sins, negative relationships, negative situations, and negative people to climb into the bags that we carry with us each and everyday.
We allow circumstance and situations to become a weight that we put in the bags that we call our lives. We allow fear and doubt to become like a rock around our necks. We allow our lack of faith to become a heavy object that we place in the bags of our lives that we continue to carry.
I believe that Erykah Badu, who wrote the song “Bag Lady”, knew what Jesus meant he said : Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mathew 11:28
Prayer:
Father, we come to You this day in humble submission. We ask Lord, that You would help us to realize and recognize to put down those things that are weighing us down and preventing us from truly following Your word. Lord, we come this day placing our all on the alter. We come sacrificing ourselves as in the days of old. We have nothing to truly give You, but ourselves. Help us to become a living sacrifice. Allow something that we may do or say this day to encourage someone to seek Your face and Your word. Help us Lord to walk just a little closer to thee. Father, we come thanking You that You have given us this new day with new opportunities to draw nearer to thee. We give You praise, honor, and glory. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Don't Fail This Test
Scripture:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5
How many of you know that every day we have a test? Everyday life, can be a test. We are often tested to see what we know. Sometimes we are tested to see if we will do the right thing. If you are a parent, your children will often test your patience. Your boss, your skills, and sometimes, your mate will test your love for them.
In the book of Exodus, the children of Israel were tested by God to see if they could follow his instructions. He provided Manna for their nourishment. They were told to go out and gather only what was needed for the day. Now being that men will be men, some gathered more than was needed and tried to save some for later. But the next day, the Manna that was saved was full of maggots and smelled.
Even though the Israelites had seen God perform great miracles and supply all that was needed, some still couldn't pass the test. Sometimes, we forget what we have learned. When it comes time for our test, we barely get a passing grade.
Sometimes we forget how important our tests can be. Our tests are the things that increase our knowledge and our faith. Our tests are life’s lessons. We have been given all of the answers for our test. All we have to do is read our Basis Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
And remember, there is to Testimony without the test.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, we come this morning to thank You for all of our blessings. We thank You Lord, for supplying all of our needs. We thank You for the book of life that teaches us and guides us in all that we do. Thank You father for all that we are and all that You are to us. Praise God. Amen.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5
How many of you know that every day we have a test? Everyday life, can be a test. We are often tested to see what we know. Sometimes we are tested to see if we will do the right thing. If you are a parent, your children will often test your patience. Your boss, your skills, and sometimes, your mate will test your love for them.
In the book of Exodus, the children of Israel were tested by God to see if they could follow his instructions. He provided Manna for their nourishment. They were told to go out and gather only what was needed for the day. Now being that men will be men, some gathered more than was needed and tried to save some for later. But the next day, the Manna that was saved was full of maggots and smelled.
Even though the Israelites had seen God perform great miracles and supply all that was needed, some still couldn't pass the test. Sometimes, we forget what we have learned. When it comes time for our test, we barely get a passing grade.
Sometimes we forget how important our tests can be. Our tests are the things that increase our knowledge and our faith. Our tests are life’s lessons. We have been given all of the answers for our test. All we have to do is read our Basis Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
And remember, there is to Testimony without the test.
Be Blessed
Prayer:
Father, we come this morning to thank You for all of our blessings. We thank You Lord, for supplying all of our needs. We thank You for the book of life that teaches us and guides us in all that we do. Thank You father for all that we are and all that You are to us. Praise God. Amen.
