Archived Daily Devotionals

Remember, When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost, everything is lost. ~ Billy Graham.

Scripture:
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (New King James Version)

What is character? Webster defines it as, one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual. As a writer, one of the things that I have learned to do is define the traits of my characters. I do this by examining various things about them and establishing what roles they will play in the telling of my stories.

It takes all kinds of characters to create a story. There will be good and bad characters and even the good characters will have what is known as character flaws; you know the things that make them human. Some of those character flaws might include; arrogance, dishonesty, short-temperedness, or the need to always be right.

They might be a perfectionist, nit-picky or maybe they always need to play the victim and blame the other guy. They might be selfish, miserly, stubborn, rigid or inflexible, narrow-minded, vain, prideful, or simply humorless; unable to laugh at themselves.

When you study ethics, you learn that there are six pillars of character. The Six Pillars of Character are ethical values to guide our choices. They are; Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. The standards of conduct that arise out of those values constitute the ground rules of ethics, and therefore of ethical decision-making.

In the above scripture we learn that as Christians, we will have trials and tribulations that will help us to develop our characters. So often the lessons learned will be painful. Albeit, necessary. It is in the development of our character that we realize that there is hope and that hope, does not disappoint.

So my friends rejoice in your trials and tribulations because character does matter.

Be blessed.

Prayer:
Father God, so often the lessons of life can be painful. They will often cause us heartache and pain. However, we realize that in everything that we go through, it is for our benefit. Without character development, we might never know the love of God. We realize that sometimes it is necessary for life to squeeze out those character flaws. We sometimes look around us at the world and wonder, why are things so wrong? How can people do some of the things that they do? We realize that there is no hope and people will do strange things in desperation. Lord, we thank You for the hope that has been given to us through Christ Jesus. We thank You for Your word that constantly encourages us and gives is the wisdom and the strength we need to change our ways. Lord, so many are going through so much and we just want to ask that Your grace and mercy would rain down into the lives of Your Saints who need just a drop to refresh them and give them strength. Continue to bless all of Yours this day. In the mighty Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Remember, Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Scripture:
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

Saints, how many times have you Said, I was in a good mood until he/she said. Or how often have you said or thought; I was in a good mood until I came into this place or he/she got here. Saints, I want to talk to you today about allowing others to steal your joy, or worst yet, giving your joy away.

So often, we who profess to be Christians, allow the things around us to impact our state of mind. We wake up, get dressed, and travel to our destinations, full of the joy of the Lord. Once we arrive at our destinations, we forget to whom we belong and allow outside influences to change us on the inside. We allow those negative people we come into contact with, or our surroundings to steal from us a gift from the Lord, the gift of Joy.

Joy is not only a state of mind. It is a place. It is a place that we find ourselves in when we listen to the voice of God. It is a place that we find ourselves in when we reflect on how good God has been to us. It is a place where we find ourselves when we stop to praise the Lord for his goodness and mercy.

My challenge to you today is to keep your joy. As situations arise, rebuke that thief or situation that is trying to steal your joy. Tell satan and the world,

THIS JOY THAT I HAVE DEEP DOWN IN MY SOUL, THE WORLD DIDN’T GIVE IT TO ME AND THE WORLD CAN’T TAKE IT AWAY!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father, forgive us for forgetting just how awesome You are. Forgive us Lord that we sometime allow the world to steal from us Your magnificent gifts. Father, my heart is filled with Joy and gladness. Joy at the mere thought of just how blessed I am to be a child of the most High King. As we prepare to start another day, another weekend, and another month, we recognize that we are not of this world, but just here for a time. We recognize that as long as we serve You and not this world, that we will be faced with challenges. We recognize that we will be faced with challenges and adversity, but we also recognize that our strength, our hope, our salvation, our victories, and most of all, our joy comes from You and not from those temporary things here on earth. Lord we ask that You will continue to touch and heal our prayer list. That You continue to watch over us, guide us, and protect us as well as our family and friends. Keep us all safe and secure under Your wings of protection. Until we meet again. Amen. Praise God. Amen.

Remember, 'Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.” ~ William Shakespeare

Scripture:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:13

Sometime ago, I received a daily devotionals entitled "A word with you". It is written by Ron Hutchcraft. The message was about temptation. He spoke about how temptation is just deception in disguise. He spoke about how we reach out for something based on what it was supposed to give us, only to be disappointed when we found out what was really inside. That deception is in fact, the very nature of sin, and it's why we end up with scars and messes we never knew we would become a part of.

Temptations look promising on the outside. But lead to heartache and hurt on the inside. Sin conceals its ugliness and it destruction until you've already bitten the apple.

Temptations that may look good to you right now may say "pleasure" on the container - do this because it will feel good. Or maybe the package says "love" - do this and you'll get some love. The promise may be "relief" - a chance to escape from some hurt ... or maybe it says "significance" - do this and you'll get ahead, you'll feel important. But in reality, sin takes us further and further away from God. We must always be mindful of temptation.

We must always remember to put on our armor each and every day. We must always remember that satan is like a roaring lion, out to destroy you, your family, and your life. Lift up your shield of faith this morning and shout "Get behind thee satan, you are a liar and a thief and you cannot have anything that belongs to me or my family!"

Good habits result from resisting temptation.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Our Father, which art in heaven, holy, holy, holy is Thy name. Father we come once again asking that we may not be led into temptation. Help us Lord, to be mindful of those things that would destroy us. Father, when we are faced with temptation, strengthen us Lord, that we may turn away from it and seek Your face instead. Father God, we ask and pray for Your strength today. Your word that we hide in our hearts. Keep us lord, forgive us Lord, and protect us Lord. Father we ask that You continue to touch the people in our lives whom we diligently pray for and with. Touch those who may be sick and may have given up hope. Father we know what the doctors have said, we know what the family wants, but we also know that all things are in divine order. We pray Your will in all of our situations today. We love You and Bless Your holy name. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen

Remember, Glory, built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt.
~ William Cowper

Scripture:
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. Romans 15:1-2

How often do you do something for someone else other than yourselves? I mean, do you ever do anything to help someone without expecting anything in return, not even a thank you?

I know that as a parent I often sacrifice things for my children. I will go without, just to make sure that they have. As a sister, I don't question my siblings when they want something. If I see a need, I don't ask, I just do. As a friend, when my phone rings and the voice on the other end says, "Jack I need..., I am there. When someone calls late in the midnight hour and just needs to talk, I listen. If you need one and I got two, it's yours.

As Christians we should have that same giving spirits when it comes to others. Now giving isn't always tangible. What I mean by that is every gift that we give doesn't always have to be something that you feel or touch. Sometimes the gifts of friendship, encouragement, love, respect, understanding, and even the gift of listening is more precious than silver and gold. Sometimes the gift of intercessory prayer is the best gift we could ever give.

I know that as a Christian the best gifts that I have ever received where grace and mercy. The gift of salvation ain't bad either. Let’s not forget the gift of forgiveness. How about the time when we got that gift called deliverance? And how about that time when we backslid and received the gift of reconciliation?

Saints, the list goes on and on. God gave us all power when he gave us his greatest gift, His son. "Jesus Christ". Isn't time you gave something back on his behalf?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father, I just want to thank You Lord for all You have done for me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for deliverance. Thank You for blessing me. Lord, my list of thanks is long and for that, I thank You. Lord, we come asking that something that we may do or say today, would bless someone else. Lord, give us the courage, strength and wisdom to reach out to someone else and help them instead of helping just ourselves. Father, if we have a spirit of selfishness, we ask that You would reveal it to us. If we have a spirit of envy or of covertness, please let us see them. Touch us now Lord Jesus, allowing Your power and Your spirit to be magnified within us. Empower us today Lord, to go forth and do a good work in Your name. Bless us now Father, so that we may be a blessing onto others. Father, we join together to pray for one another. We come together on one accord claiming victory, breakthroughs, deliverance, salvation and what ever else our brothers and sisters may have asked for. Thank You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We plead the blood of Jesus over everything that You have given us dominion over, as we ask and pray this in His magnificent name. Amen.

Remember, a Well tended garden is better than a neglected wood lot. Dixie Lee Ray

Scripture:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1

Saints, whether you realize it or not, spring is fast approaching. As we turn our thoughts towards spring, we start thinking about our yards and our gardens. Many of you have probably already started thinking about what type of seeds you will be planting this year. Some may choose to plant only flowers. Others may choose to plant only vegetable and still others will plant both.

As I reflect back to biblical times, I have noticed that the garden was very important to all. You see the lands in which they resided where often barren and would sometimes lack water. So they had to be very diligent in what they grew because they knew their very lives depended on their crops. Unlike us, if their gardens failed, they couldn’t just run out to the corner store to get something for dinner.

The same holds true today in our own gardens. What you decide to plant has a distinct bearing on your well-being. You see, I am not talking about your flower garden or your vegetable garden. I am talking about your spiritual garden. Whatever a man soweth, so shall he reap. What seeds are being planted in your spiritual garden? I pray that you plant seeds of love, seeds of hope, seeds of forgiveness, but most of all, seeds of faith.

You see, when we start our gardens at just the right time, give them the love, care, nurturing, and attention that all gardens need, we can grow a bountiful crop that can and will last until our next planting season.

Be blessed

Prayer :
Oh kind and gracious and merciful Father, we come kneeling before the throne of grace, as humbly as we know how. We lift up our eyes unto the heavens from which all of our blessings flow. Father, we know that we are not worthy of fresh grace, but You give it to us anyhow. We know that somewhere along the way we have sinned, but You forgave us anyway. We know that sometimes we disappoint You, but You love us anyway. Thank You Father that You love and forgive me despite me. Father we come standing in the gap today for our fellow saints, for our family members, and for our friends. So many need so much, but we know that there is nothing too hard for God. Continue to touch, bless, anoint and heal those saints among us who are afflicted. Keep us all just a little closer to You this day and give us the wisdom to choose the right seeds for our gardens. Now Lord we pause to praise You. We give thanks to You alone, we magnify and uplift Your most holy name. We ask and pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Remember, your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. Your harvest will be either flower or weeds. ~ Mel Weldon

Scripture:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)

Saint of God, how often to you practice the power of positive thinking? By that I mean, do your practice thinking good and positive thoughts about the things that are going on in your life? Do you try to see the good in your situation or do you only the dark and dismal things that are lurking there?

All of our feelings, beliefs and knowledge are based on our internal thoughts, both conscious and subconscious. We are in control, whether we know it or not. We can be can be positive or negative, enthusiastic or dull, active or passive.

Now, I am not saying that we have to be happy about everything in our lives because there are things that happen that cause us great concern and it would be foolish to deal with these things or situations with the wrong attitude. What I am saying is that even in the midst of our trials and tribulations, we must learn to bring our thoughts into line with the word of God.

When we become anxious about our situations, or give in to our anger; hate or anxieties, we are giving that negative thing our energy and our power. When we find ourselves in situations that seem beyond our control, we must learn to give our power to the only one who is in control. God.

When we give ourselves over to him, He will guide and direct our paths.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father let us not forget that even though we may be in the midst of a storm, You are right there with us. Let us not forget, that it is always darkest before the dawn. Let us always remember that You have said that You would never leave us nor forsake us. Father, help us to guard our minds this and every day.. When we grow weak and tired, allow a small wind, Your breath of life, to gently caress our faces, letting us know that You are right there with us. When we grow weary and almost faint, let the bread of life and the living waters, Your word, revitalize us. Father, even in our storms, we must always remember to stop and give You thanks. Even when life is assailing us, we must stop and praise Your name. Even when it seems like we don't have the strength to go a step further, we must muster the strength to uplift and exalt Your most holy name. My Lord, help us always to be mindful and protect our thoughts from the one who seeks to destroy us. Help us to remember to always guard our hearts and minds from those things that are not of You. Father, continue to be with those who are in the hospital, who are ill, who are grieving, who are faced with the challenges of the world. Father God I say a special prayer for my friends who are mothers. Strengthen them and give them what they need to protect their greatest gifts, their children. Lord, we realize that satan is out to destroy our families. We come standing in the gap and standing on Your word. We claim our children in the name of Jesus. We plead the blood of the Lamb over our babies and we refuse to give up on them. We ask and pray these things in the name of Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reflect on your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens

Scripture:
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

Saints, how often do you stop and think about how truly blessed you are? Or do you just take your blessings for granted. Now before you answer, I must tell you that yes, there are times when I know that I have taken my blessing for granted.

You see, when things are going right in your lives, it is so easy to give the credit for your blessing away. For example, when you are promoted do you thank God or do you think you did it by shear hard work and determination. When you marry that man/woman of your dreams do you think that it was your love alone that made them want to marry you, or is it possible that they may have seen the love of God in you?

In our times of prosperity let us always remember to Thank God!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
O God, early in the morning we cry to You. Help us to pray And to concentrate our thoughts on You. We cannot do this alone. In us there is darkness, But with You there is light. Some of us are lonely, but You do not leave us. Some are feeble in heart, but with You there is help. There is discord among us but with You there is peace. Lord, whatever this day may bring, Your name be praised. Lord, in every need let us come to You with humble trust saying, "Jesus, have mercy." In the time of troubles and temptations, Jesus, have mercy. In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trials, Jesus, have mercy. In the failure of our plans and hopes; in disappointments and sorrows, Jesus, have mercy. When others fail us and Your grace alone can assist us, have mercy. When our hearts are cast down by failure at seeing no good come from our efforts, Jesus, have mercy. When we feel impatient and our cross irritates us, Jesus, have mercy. When we are ill and our heads and hands cannot work and we are lonely, Jesus, have mercy. Always, always, in spite of weakness, failings, and shortcomings of every kind, Jesus, have mercy and never forsake us. Father, this day I will praise You at every turn. We will sing songs of praise to You despite whatever we may be going through, we will say hallelujah, anyhow. No matter what today may bring, we will love You, anyhow. Lord, we give all thanks, honor and glory to You alone. As we submit our prayers and petitions to You in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France

Scripture:
"When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 2 Chronicles 6:36-38 (New International Version)

Today marked a time in History that many will call to remembrance. Today, America consummated the dream of many that was born on the backs of a few. Today, Barack Obama, became the 44th President of these United States and just in case you didn’t know, President Obama just happens to be a black man.

This event held extreme importance because it marks the acceptance of a man based on the content of his character and not the color of his skin. We the people collectively joined voices and said, “YES WE CAN” elect a man based on what we perceive are his strengths as apposed to false and long outdated misinformation that stated that a black man was less than a man. A black man who galvanized a nation; young and old, rich and poor, touching the hearts and minds of ALL races to become the leader of one of the greatest countries in the world.

Today we cry tear of joy because, AT LAST A CHANGE HAS COME!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Jesus wept. Amen.

Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it. Oscar Wilde

Scripture:
With beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air- you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. Daniel 4:21-22 (New International Version)

The book of Daniel is one of my favorite books of the bible. As you study the life of this man, you will find that as a young boy, Daniel made the decision to follow the word of God and because of his decision, he would be faced with many trials and tribulations that would ultimately define him as the great Man of God that he would become. Yes, Daniel made mistakes in his life, just as most men will. But never did he waiver in his commitment and his dedication to follow God.

I believe that because of his humble beginnings AND his commitment to God, he developed an affinity for his people. What I mean by this is that he had compassion and a sense of obligation to those who lived and served under his monarchy. There were many situations where he could have taken the selfish way out and left his people to suffer, but that was not his way. Daniel and his people were ultimately elevated to God’s chosen people.

As I watch history unfolding before my very eyes and on the eve of a very monumental time in history, I liken Barack Obama to a child man who would ultimately become one of the greatest leaders in America. Never in my lifetime would I dare to believe that this could happen, but happen it did.

I strongly believe that one of the reasons that this man who was considered an underdog, is that he has developed an affinity with the people. I believe that he has compassion and a sense of obligation to the people. And yes, he will make some mistakes along the way, just as most men will. But I also believe that he will once again elevate God’s people.

So tomorrow we will all join hands and shout, “YES WE CAN!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Lord, I ask that You would hide Your word in my heart each and everyday. I turn to Your word in times of discouragement. I turn to Your word when I need guidance. I turn to Your word to seek the answers to my questions. Thank You Lord, for Your Word. Father, I come asking that my brothers and sisters in Christ would be encouraged this day. When things come against them, give them power through Your word. You have said in Your word, that we can do all things through Christ Jesus. You would never leave us nor forsake us. You are with us even until the end of time. Your grace and mercy are sufficient. Cover our new leader in the blood of the lamb, protecting him from those who would seek to destroy him and his legacy. Thank You Father. Now Lord, we ask that You would continue to bless us this day. Heal our afflicted, encourage our down heartened. Trust in the Lord with all Your heart and lean not to Your own understanding. In all Your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct Your paths. And my God shall supply all Your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Amen.

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. ~Philip K. Dick

Scripture:
They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world. John 4:42 (New International Version)

People will often pose the question, “Is Jesus Real?” Personally, I know there have been times in my life when I actually doubted His existence. I mean, how could God have a son, who died on the cross so that I could be saved? I mean, if Jesus, or God for that matter is real, why are things in my life always going wrong?

If God is so loving and Jesus is so forgiving, why am I faced with death and destruction? Why are children being hurt or even killed? Why did my family breakup, why did I lose my job, why doesn’t he/she love me anymore? Why is life so hard?

Saints of God, things will happen in your life that may cause you to doubt if God really is a loving God? People do such horrible things to one another that will cause us to ponder the question, how can Jesus forgive him/her for what they did?

But now I have a question for you? Are you doing exactly what God wants you to do? By that I mean are we living the life of a Christian? Following His commandments, doing God’s, will, living a sin free life? Most of us will answer yes, I am. But I challenge you to do a reality check of your life.

Often times we will do things in our lives that are contrary to God’s teachings. Because we have decided to live our lives on our own terms, we may actually be living them outside of God’s will. By that I mean; we see our lives through our own imaginations. We see our lives in the way we want them to be and not necessarily the way they truly are.

I won’t get into a lot of details but will only say; only you know in your heart those things that you do, and if how you are living is contrary to the word of God. Only you know your secrets and your sins that dishonor your belief system.

You and only you are the defining factor of your Reality Check.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Lord, help me to see my life through the eyes of Christ and not through my own mind’s eye. Search me Lord, and reveal the things in my life that are not pleasing to you. Father God, forgive me for sometimes blaming others for my own shortcomings. Help me Lord, to be a better person and to learn to do Your will and not my own. Father God, every now and then I need to take inventory of my life and come before the altar of sacrificing to recommit myself to You and Your will. Today is that day. Lord, I ask that You would forgive me and strengthen me so that I may go forth and live a more righteous life. Thank You Father for new revelations and for fresh grace and mercy. Thank You Jesus, for the forgiveness of my sins and for redemption. Thank You God for the Blood of the Lamb, Christ Jesus. It is in His name we submit this prayer. Amen.

Remember, Faith means being grasped by a power that is greater than we are, a power that shakes us and turns us, and transforms and heals us. Surrender to the power of faith. ~ Paul Tillich

Scripture:
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope (faith) is in the Lord his God. Psalm 146:5

Saints, how often to you say; I hope that I get; I hope I can; I hope that happens? Now, how often do you say I have faith that I will get; I have faith that I will; I have faith that this will happen?

Too often we believe that if we hope hard enough for something that it will come to pass. God's word says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. If ye have the faith of a mustard seed and say to the mountain, be ye removed......

Saints, if you believe that God can do anything but fail. If you believe he is that he says he is. If you believe that you have been given all power through Christ Jesus, then learn to move from hope and into faith.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Thank You Jesus, that faith is not an emotion that I need to work up inside of me. Instead, it is a gift You give to me as I commit myself to You. Help each of us to grow in faith. Father, sometimes we become discouraged because things do not happen the way we hoped that they would. Help us to learn to be patient and not count on hope but to stand on our faith and know that in Your time, the things that You want for our lives will come to pass. Father, You have said that if we have the faith of a mustard seed and say to that mountain, that thing that stand in our way, be it sickness, poverty, bills, wayward children, cheating spouses, it will be cast into the sea. Father, we come believing that You will grant us the desires of our hearts according to thy tender mercies and through the blood of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Remember, Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. ~Michael Jordan

Scripture:
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Philippians 1:29-30 (New International Version)

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who just discovered some life altering news. As we talked about this new revelation, through her tears she asked, Why am I always going through?

As I tried to comfort my friend, I tried to explain to her going through something, is just a journey. It is a journey of our souls from one place to the other.

Today I am here to tell you that even as you are going through, God is there with you. Even in your times of trouble, he still grants you peace. Even as we walk through the valleys of sickness, depression, financial difficulties, death, and disaster, God will never leave us nor forsake us.

Understand that each and everyone will have to go through something. Sometimes it’s because of things that we have done, the choices that we have made, or even just because it's necessary.

Sometimes God allows us to go through some thing for our own good. Maybe it's to protect us. Maybe it's to help us see just how blessed we are. Maybe it's to help us grow. There is one very important thing that I have learned about going through the valley of trials and tribulations and that is, none of us will stay in the valley.

It's just a journey to the other side!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
God bless those of us who are battling those inner demons of depression, loneliness, unworthiness, and hopelessness. Shine Your warm Heavenly Light down upon all of us, Lord, guide us to find peace, happiness, and contentment in our lives and within ourselves. The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Heavenly Father, in my present need, help me to believe that You are aware of my anxiety and will do what is best for me. Give me the strength to trust You and put my present and my future in Your hands. We pray, O God of hope, for all families whose lives are torn and disrupted by drugs and alcohol. Enable them to identify the illness. Strengthen them to seek help. Bless them with the power of Your love, which imparts transformation and wholeness to those who trust in Your name. Grant that as they walk this tortured road, they may journey together and bound close in the bond of love. Lord, we thank You for this day. for life and one more day to love, for neighbors, family, and friends. One more person to love and by whom be loved, for Your grace and one more experience of Your presence, for Your promise: to be with us, to be our God, and to give salvation. For these, and all blessings, we give You thanks, eternal, loving God, through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

“Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some” ~ John Keats

Scripture:
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

How many of you become worried and discouraged at times? How many of you feel punch drunk from all of the hits that life throws at you? How many of you have been knocked down to you knees or flat on your back by things thrown your way? How many of you feel that you have reached the end of your rope?

So often others try to tell us that what we feel is wrong. It's not. They will say, we don't trust God. We do. They tell us we have no faith. we do, some days a little more than others.

Saints, I just want you to know that everyone will get a little discouraged sometimes. Each of us will cry tears of sorrow. Every last single one of us will be knocked down by life and have doubts about our situations. Many of the greatest people in the bible experienced their own doubts. Moses, Abraham, Peter, and even Mary, mother of Jesus.

However, each and every one of them learned to listen to the voice of God. Each and every one of them learned to wait on God. Each and every one of them allowed themselves to be led by God.

Each and everyone of them learned that he is an on time God! Yes he is!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Thank You Jesus, that faith is not an emotion that I need to work up inside of me. Instead, it is a gift You give to me as I commit myself to You. Help each of us to grow in faith. Father, sometimes we become discouraged because things do not happen the way we hoped that they would. Help us to learn to be patient and not count on hope but to stand on our faith and know that in Your time, the things that You want for our lives will come to pass. Father, You have said that if we have the faith of a mustard seed and say to that mountain, that thing that stand in our way, be it sickness, poverty, bills, wayward children, cheating spouses, it will be cast into the sea. Father, we come believing that You will grant us the desires of our hearts according to thy tender mercies and through the blood of Jesus Christ, it is in his name we pray. Amen.

Remember, God brings men into deep waters not to drown them, but to cleanse them. ~ Aughey
Scripture:
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. Psalm 121:1

Saints, are you tired and run down? Do you feel like you just can't go any further? Does life keep you running so much that you just can't seem to get any rest? Are you so overwhelmed that you just don't know what to do?

Well, today we have a special offer. All you have to do is get down on your knees, and call the on the Master, Jesus. For the unbelievable cost of just a prayer, You Can Renew Your Strength.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

If you call right now, you can receive this special offer! Peace, everlasting. Strength to keep on keeping on, and Joy unspeakable.

So pick up the phone right now! Jesus is on the main line. Call him up!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father, we come once again seeking Your face. We come asking for Your help to make it through yet another day. Father God, we ask that You continue to touch our prayer list. Help us lord to be mindful that You are our strength and that we can do all things through Christ Jesus. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. I call out to the Lord. He is worthy of praise. He saves me from my enemies. The Lord lives! Give praise to my Rock! Give honor to God, the Rock! He is my Savior! Lord, we come once again singing songs of praise. Lord, we honor You because You are who You said You are. You are the rock of my salvation. You are my strength. You are my salvation. You are the one and only true God! Thank You Lord for saving me. Father, Abba, Great Jehovah, You are known by many names, but no matter which name we call on, You will answer. Thank You Lord, for answering prayer. No my Lord, we ask that You would continue to do great things in our lives. The world today is ruled by a spirit of darkness. Lord, we ask that we, Your saints, would become those lights that guide others home to You. Father, may something that we do this day, or something that we say this day, be a blessing unto someone else. May we always hide Your word in our hearts. But more importantly, may we always allow Your word and the Holy Spirit to guide us in all we do and say. Now Lord, Bless us, Keep us, Protect us, Strengthen us. Lord, we could never thank You enough for our blessings. But we say thank You anyhow. We could never express just how much we love You, but we say we love You anyhow. We could never be worthy of Your grace and mercy. But we thank You for giving us those gifts anyhow. Thank You Lord. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Glory to God. Amen.

Don’t focus on what you’re going through; focus on where you’re going to! ~ Unknown

Scripture:
For the Lord your God will go with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. Deuteronomy 20:4

This morning as I sat church listening to my Pastor speak a word, I was moved by what he had to say. He told the story of how King David had returned from battle and found that his home had been conquered, burnt to the ground and his wives and children taken into captivity. Those who had gone into battle with him were angry with King David because they felt that if they had not been away in battle with him, they would have been at home to protect their own families. David began to experience a spirit of defeat.

At first he got angry and just wanted to give up. But then he went to God and asked if he should go after what had been taken from him and get it back. God’s answer was yes; he would overtake them and get back all that was his.

Just like King David many of us will return home and find that the enemy has taken or destroyed all that we have. It could be in the form of a devastating financial lost, the breakup of our marriages, or even the loss of our relationship with God himself. It is at these times that the devil will move in for the kill. Remember, his job is to kill, steal, and destroy.

It is at these times that we may experience division with our loved ones, a spirit of defeat, discouragement and distraction from what our God given purpose is. It is at these times when it’s okay to get mad and say “I’m mad and I’m not going to take it anymore.” In other words, there comes a time when it’s necessary to fight back.

There will be times in your live when you feel as though you have no control over your lives and that’s okay because it is at times like these when God can show up and show out. So often we will not be the one who has the last word regarding our situations. However, there is one who does and his name is Jehovah Jirah, my provider. Elohim, God of total power, and finally Jehovah Nissi my banner who goes before me. The key is being able to know when you are weak. It is at those times when God will be your strength.

If we would just learn to let go and let God have his way.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, I come kneeling at the throne of grace humbly asking that You would hear my prayer. Lord, I realize that there are times in my life when I wanted to do things my way and because of my stiff neck, I failed to surrender my will to Yours and I stumbled and faltered. Lord, I come before the altar of sacrificing admitting that I have not always done things Your way and because of that, I have lost my way and all that You have given to me. Lord, I ask that You would be my strength and my banner, leading me into battle to take back all that the devil has tried to steal from me. You are my strength and my stronghold. I surrender my will to Yours as I let go all of my problems and surrender them to you. For I am weak and I need Your strength to regain my rightful place in the kingdom. Lord, I thank You for my blessings and my breakthroughs. I thank You for not only what You have done but also what You are about to do in my life. I bless Your name Father as I give thanks for the one who intercedes on my behalf, Christ Jesus. It is in His name that I submit this prayer. Amen.

Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience. ~ unknown
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 of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below. 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.

Remember, The difference between school and life; In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson. ~ Tom Bodett

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 before the throne of grace 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 Gather for all that we are and all that You are to us. Praise God. Amen.

Remember, People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within. ~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Scripture:
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:15-16 (New International Version)

When things in our lives are going along smoothly, it’s very easy for us to put on a happy face. The bills are paid, the children are doing well, and our spouses are everything that we ever dreamed they could be. We smile, are nice to everyone and all is right with the world.

However, when things aren’t going along as planned, it’s much harder for us to put on a happy front. I mean, how can I smile when the bills are due and I don’t have the money to pay them? How can I be happy when my children are being disobedient and unruly? How can I stop the tears from flowing when my relationship is in trouble?

Now I don’t know about you, but rarely is everything in my life going in the same direction at the same time. In other words, I am faced with some sort of adversity almost on a daily basis. When I wake up in the morning, trust me, I can find something to become upset about. I just choose not too.

You see, I realized sometime ago we make choices in this world that will determine our moods and our mindset for the day. If I get up with an attitude instead of gratitude, and say I am going to have a bad day, then I will. Have a bad day that is.

When I awaken with gratitude in my heart, on my mind and on my tongue, even the negative things in my world won’t keep me down. I choose a spirit of happiness each day and live my life accordingly. Some of my friends even jokingly call me their Job because I continue to praise God even in the midst of my storms.

The quote I used for today essentially says that anyone can be pretty and full of life if the right light is shining in their lives, but what happens when the outer light is no longer present?

Do you have the inner light of the Holy Spirit in you that still shines even when the clouds come out?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Lord, in the name of Jesus, we come before the throne of grace, humbling ourselves before You Lord, giving You all honor, praise and glory. Father God, as we find ourselves at the beginning of a new year, we come to give thanks for all that You have done in our lives, but also for the things that You are about to do. Father, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Your word have I hidden in my heart so that I may not sin against thee. Lord, I come lifting my shield of faith and my sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. I believe that I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me. I believe that You are doing a new thing in my life. I believe that my breakthrough, my miracle, my healing is at hand. I believe that I am and can do everything that Your word tells me because You Lord, are God alone and You cannot lie. My shield of faith reminds me that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. My faith and hope comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Lord, we know and realize that You are still sovereign and that all things work for the good of those who love You and who have been called according to Your purpose. Thank You Lord, for my faith. Thank You Lord, for my blessings. Thank You Lord, for my Redeemer, Christ Jesus, it is in His name we pray. Amen.

Remember, Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Sir Winston Churchill

Scripture:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

So often when we are faced with life altering choices, we become paralyzed with fear. It is a part of human nature to fear the unknown. We sometimes fear not having a mate and being alone. We fear leaving a job we hate, believing that we may not find another. Sometimes we even fear the things that may ultimately be a blessing.

During my lifetime, I had to learn to overcome my fears. When my marriage fell apart, I didn’t think I would be able to take care of myself and my children, but I did. When I lost my job and looked for months before I found another, I stressed each and everyday that I was out of work.

One day I realized that no matter what I was going through, God was right there with me. During those nights when I cried myself to sleep after my marriage failed, God was there to wipe away my tears and He continued to provide for my children and me. Even when I was out of work, my children and I still had a roof over our heads and food on the table. I became aware of the fact that stress couldn’t to resolve my problems, only God could.

The one thing that each and every one of us has to remember is, fear can be paralyzing, but faith can set you free.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Oh kind and gracious and merciful Father, we come before the throne of grace, as humbly as we know how. We lift up our eyes unto the heavens from which all of our blessings flow. Father, we know that we are not worthy of fresh grace, but You give it to us anyway. We know that somewhere along the way we have sinned, but You forgave us anyway. We know that sometimes we disappoint You, but You love us anyway. Thank You Father that You love and forgive me in spite of me. Father we come standing in the gap for our fellow saints, for our family members, and for our friends. So many need so much, but we know that there is nothing too hard for God. Continue to touch, bless, anoint and heal those saints among us who are afflicted. Keep us all just a little closer to You this day and give us the wisdom to choose the right seeds for our gardens. Now Lord we pause to praise You. We give thanks to You this day, we magnify and uplift Your most holy name. We ask and pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Remember, If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. ~ Chinese Epigram

Scripture:
A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11

As I reflect on the word patience, I am reminded that patience, is not something that comes easily. So often, when we want something, we want it right now. We don’t want to wait for it. We make a decision to do something and we expect it to manifest itself right now. We live with a right now kind of mind set.

“Many of us want a big beautiful house, a car and all that our parents had but we are not willing to make the same sacrifices that our parents made. We want the connectivity in our marriages that our parents and grandparents had, but we are not willing to INVEST in our relationships the way that they did.

As Christians, patience is not optional. It is something that is required from each and every one of us. It is something that is expected of us each and everyday. Not just every once in a while. It is something that others will be looking for when they observe in our Christian walk. So often if we would just learn to show a little patience in certain situations, we could prevent our lives from becoming more complicated than they already are.

I am reminded of this as I watch the news or read the newspapers and the perpetrator of a crime says, “I didn’t mean it, I didn’t realize what I was doing.” We must learn to exert patience instead of reacting in all things.

Remember, patience truly is a virtue.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, today I became angry and forgot to be patience. I may have said or done something in my anger that caused some one harm or maybe caused someone else to stumbled in their Christian walk. Forgive me Lord. Help me Lord, to call on the fruits of the spirit before I react to certain things or people. Teach me Lord, to have the patience of Job. Help me Lord, to be still and know that everything has its own time and season. Lord, help me to watch my tongue and only use it to quietly correct. Help me Lord, not to be judgmental of others but to realize that each of us must learn in our own time. Now Lord, I ask that You would bless those who I may have slighted. Speak to my heart Holy Spirit and let me always remember that You are greater than any slight I may experience. Continue to bless my brothers and sisters in Christ as well as my family and friends. Touch those who are feeling unloved right now, in the name of Jesus. Keep us all in perfect peace. I humbly submit this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.