REMEMBER WHAT YOU KNOW!

6-27-2014. . . .REMEMBER WHAT YOU KNOW!

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  (Isa 40:27-28 KJV)  It is not uncommon for us to experience times of weariness, exhaustion, and even become exasperated about our struggles and challenges that seem will never change.  God however, experiences none of these things!  He remains sovereign, faithful, powerful, in control and has every thing under control!  Don't give up, out, over or in!  Remember Who you know and What you know!

PRAYER: Lord, from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God!  May our feeble mines never in frustration forget who you are and fail to rely and call on you for strength!  Amen.

Ps 90:1-2. . . .LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.  KJV

KEEP THE PRIORITIES STRAIGHT!

6-26-2014. . . .KEEP THE PRIORITIES STRAIGHT! 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (Matt 6:25-26 NIV)     Food, water and clothing while essential for sustaining life, should never be elevated to a level of priority above life itself!  The clothes one wears does not make the person. . . .it’s the person (life) that makes the clothes! Keep the priorities straight!  Place emphasis on the essence of life rather than the things of life!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of life! Help us keep our priorities straight and put more emphasis on the essence of life rather than the things of life! Amen! 

Matt 6:25. . . .Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? KJV

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

6-25-2014. . . .UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

"The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever--do not abandon the works of your hands." (Ps 138:8 NIV)  God never starts something without completing it!  The purpose He had for and set in us is yet ongoing and will be to fruition.  So life at times may get dusty, dirty and disarranged, most construction projects do; but rest assured, it will come together in the end. 

PRAYER: Lord, have your way in our lives!  Do what only you can do.  Help us to remain always in your will and out of your way.  Your will be done.  Amen!

Phil 2:13. . . . For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. KJV

E X P E C T A T I O N!

6-24-2014. . . .E X P E C T A T I O N!

"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." (Isa 43:19 NIV)   God never runs out of ways of making a way!  Therefore, we should never be without of E X P E C T A T I O N!

Prayer: Lord, you are a way maker!  Thank you for continuously making ways for us!  Amen.

Rom 8:31. . . .What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? KJV

FAVOR WHEN NEEDED!

6-23-2014. . . .FAVOR WHEN NEEDED!

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor 9:8-9 NIV)  God rewards our faithfulness and generosity with favor when needed!  In the times that we forget and wonder how we are going to work things out, God reminds us that He has reserved favor for us and will release it to us at the needed time!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for reserved favor!  Amen.

2 Peter 1:3-4. . . .For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! TLB

BACK TO BASICS!

6-20-2014. . . .BACK TO BASICS!

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.  Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." (Prov 3:1-4 NIV)   Life has no road map, but if we follow some basic principles we will successfully navigate our way through it!  Follow His plan. . . .Get back to basics!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for ordering the steps and stops of our life.  Help us to stick to the plan and the basic principles you have set our for us.  Amen.

Ps 37:23-24. . . .The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take. 24 If they fall it isn't fatal, for the Lord holds them with his hand. TLB

DON'T PLAY. . . .TRUST!

6-19-2014. . . .DON'T PLAY. . . .TRUST!

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."  (Heb 11:6 KJV)  Trusting God is not like playing games of chance where one wishes and hopes to win, but more often then not, doesn't!  Trusting God is believing Him beyond what we see (we walk by faith not by sight) until what we expect manifest!  Don't play. . . .TRUST!

PRAYER: Lord, our faith and trust is in you.  We will not weaver because we know your word is true and will always manifest your will!  Our faith and trust remains always in you!  Amen.

James 1:5-7. . . .If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don't ask with faith, don't expect the Lord to give you any solid answer. TLB

LINE IT UP!

6-18-2014. . . .LINE IT UP!

"And we are sure of this, that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will.  And if we really know he is listening when we talk to him and make our requests, then we can be sure that he will answer us." (1 John 5:14-15 TLB)  When our request aligns with His will, we can then ask what we will and with great anticipation expect to receive it!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for hearing us and willingly granting us every request that is in line with your will!  Keep us in your will!  Amen.

Ps 84:11. . . . For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. KJV

FULLY OBEY!

6-17-2014. . . .FULLY OBEY!

"If you fully obey all of these commandments of the Lord your God, the laws I am declaring to you today, God will transform you into the greatest nation in the world.” (Deut 28:1-2 TLB)   Not in degrees….not selectively or occasionally, but ‘FULLY’ obeying God’s commands will engage transformation in our lives.    How we think - - How we act – How we speak – every aspect of our life will change.   Fully obey and experience change today!

Prayer: Lord, your laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light. Help us be fully obedient at all times and thus experience transforming power in our lives. Amen!

Ps 19:7. . . . God's laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light. TLB

DO IT ANYWAY

6-16-2014. . . .DO IT ANYWAY!

"There is a saying, 'Love your friends and hate your enemies.'  But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:43-45 TLB)  If we are honest, most of  us would respond to this admonition from Jesus with a"I Don't Want To!"  Especially considering, the damage they've done and pain they've inflicted is still fresh and hurting.  It is okay to acknowledge that we feel that way.  In fact, we may even find it cathartic.   However, when we get through with the acknowledgement, then comes the realization that it is not about our feelings, its about our faith!  We may not want to do it, but we do it anyway!   Why. . . .because that is what Jesus says!  He knows what is best for us and we believe in Him!   So remember, in spite of our feelings to the contrary,Do it anyway! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for allowing us to always be honest and open with you about our feelings.  Strengthen us to rise above our feelings and stand firmly on our faith in order to do the right thing and obey you no matter what.  Amen! 

Prov 25:21-22. . . . If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. NIV

THE REAL WORK OF FAITH!

6-13-2014. . . .THE REAL WORK OF FAITH!

"If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, and you say to him, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty," and then don't give him clothes or food, what good does that do? So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn't show itself by good works is no faith at all-it is dead and useless."  (James 2:15-17 TLB)  When it is in our power to help someone, we should help them without hesitation.  When God allows us to see a need, it is not a time to wax deep and spiritual, it is a time for us to respond with action.  This is the real work of our faith.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for supplying all our need according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Help us to use our blessings to be a blessing to others in their time of need.  

James 2:18. . . . But someone may well argue, "You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can't prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act." TLB

LIFE LESSON!

6-12-2014. . . .LIFE LESSON!

"Don't criticize, and then you won't be criticized.  For others will treat you as you treat them.  And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own?  (Matt 7:1-3 TLB)  Life lesson 102 is one we would all do well to learn and live by.  "Love your neighbor as yourself; treat others as you would want to be treated!"

PRAYER: Lord, help us to live together in peace and harmony always.  Amen.

Matt 22:37-39. . . . Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.   And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. KJV

WHO IS QUALIFIED!

6-11-2014. . . .WHO IS QUALIFIED!

". . . .He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."  (John 8:7 KJV)  Who is qualified (even proverbially) to cast stones at anyone; although their sin is obvious to all?  None of us!  Our vision seems to always be 20/20 when viewing the sins of others, but somehow skewed when viewing our own.  The blood of Jesus cleanses all of us from unrighteousness.  If He alone who is qualified cast no stone, why then should we!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the blood that cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  Having been cleansed, help us to loving lead others to their source of cleansing.  Amen.

 1 John 1:8-10. . . . If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. [And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.] If we claim we have not sinned, we are lying and calling God a liar, for he says we have sinned.  TLB

ACT ACCORDINGLY!

6-10-14. . . .ACT ACCORDINGLY!

"Dear brothers, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong.  Share each other's troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord's command.  If anyone thinks he is too great to stoop to this, he is fooling himself.  He is really a nobody." (Gal 6:1-3 TLB)  We are our brother's keeper and God desires to use us in the perfecting process.  He has already effectively dealt with the sin issue and as a result, His forgiveness is always available.  It's the restoration part that requires and demands our participation.  We are not to be prosecutors, judges or juries.  To avoid the temptation to be such, one must ask their self one question; If it were me, how would I want to be treated and received?  Then, act accordingly!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for always being a loving and forgiving God.  Help us to be as loving and forgiving of others and ourselves.  Amen!

1 John 1:9-10. . . . If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  KJV

GOD'S GOT ME!

6-9-2014. . . .GOD'S GOT ME!

"Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."  (Isa 41:10 TLB)  No matter how serious the challenge or how mighty the enemy, we need not fear because God, by His on volition, has chosen to help us!  He promises strength, help, and most importantly, victory!

Prayer: Lord, you are my strength, my help, my Victory!  Thank you for choosing to be on my side!  Amen.

 Ps 27:1-3. . . .The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.  KJV

WE'LL NOT BE ONE OF THOSE!

6-6-2014. . . WE’LL NOT BE ONE OF THOSE!

“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” (Ps 147:1 KJV)   Comely…….an uncommon word meaning ‘fitting…pleasing or suitable.’  If it is fitting, pleasing and suitable to praise God, then conversely, it is unpleasing and unsuitable or fitting not to praise Him!  Yet sadly, days, weeks, months and perhaps even years go by without one utterance of praise from the millions of people that belong to Him!   Let's not be one of those!   Praise is what we’ll always do!

Prayer: Lord, I’m so grateful to you for everything. You are awesome! When I think on who you are, your love and kindness towards me, my lips can’t help but give you praise! Bless your name forever! Amen.

Ps 113:1-3 . . . . Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised. KJV

GOD GETS THE CREDIT AND THE PRAISE!

6-5-2014. . . .GOD GETS THE CREDIT AND THE PRAISE!

"I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints." (Ps 52:9-53:1 KJV)  God gets the credit and the praise for everything good in our lives!  Every time it looks like the situation or circumstance may not work out, God does His work again!  Hallelujah!  It prompts a praise when you really think about it.  He never fails to show Himself strong on behalf of those that really love Him.

Prayer: Lord, you are amazing!  You never fail!  You always come through in ways I never expect, but am always grateful for.  I praise you today and always.  Amen!

Ps 63:3-4 . . . . Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.   Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. KJV

NOTHING IN, NOTHING OUT!

6-4-2014. . . .NOTHING IN, NOTHING OUT!

“For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give-large or small-will be used to measure what is given back to you." (Luke 6:38 TLB)   Generosity is fluid so let it flow.  The more you let go out, the more will flow back to you. What you send out leaves room for what is coming in!   If little or nothing is coming into your life, examine what’s going out!

Prayer: Lord, all things flow from you. Help us to never become so caught up with what we have and receive, that we never open up and give. Amen!

Prov 19:17. . . When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord-and he pays wonderful interest on your loan! TLB