COMMAND AND CONTROL!

7-29-2016. . . .COMMAND AND CONTROL!

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?  (Mark 4:39-40 KJV)  In the mist of every storm remember, Jesus can still command peace and cause everything to settle down and be still.  It's called Command and Control!  All that's required of us is faith.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for having command and control over all storms that may arise in our lives.  Help us to have faith that does not weaver and faint.  Amen!

Mark 11:22-23. . . .And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. KJV

DON'T TAKE THE LONG WAY AROUND!

7-28-2016. . . .DON'T TAKE THE LONG WAY AROUND!

"True humility and respect for the Lord lead a man to riches, honor, and long life." (Prov 22:4 TLB) Given enough time, false humility will always unveil it's selfish ulterior motives. There is no gain for the effort! True humility is a straight and direct road leading to blessings, recognition and longevity of life.  Don't take the long way around!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for a direct path to riches, honor and long life. Guide our feet along this path and redirect us should we deviate. Amen!

Prov 22:4-5. . . . Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them. NIV

CARPE DIEM!

7-27-2016. . . .CARPE DIEM!

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.   (Rev 3:8 KJV)  This word to the Church at Philadelphia is pertinent for us as well.  Faithfulness is rewarded with opportunity! Although, our strength (ability) may be small, our availability and willingness to put to uses what we have will loom very large. Carpe diem! Cease the day!  The way has been made!  

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for rewarding out faithfulness with opportunity!  Help us to cease the day and take full advantage of the open doors set before us.  Amen!

Isa 43:19-21. . . Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it?  There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.  Wild animals will say 'Thank you!'  — the coyotes and the buzzards —Because I provided water in the desert,

rivers through the sun-baked earth, Drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me. 

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT!

7-26-2016. . . .THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT!

"—   that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love,  you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!  Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."  (Eph 3:16-19 MSG)  No matter how loudly the voices of hatred cry aloud and spare not, Love yet prevails.  It cannot be eradicated, must not be placated, and will never be eliminated as long as it remains resident and flourishing in the hearts of His people.  Hatred can't rise high enough to get over it; can't sink low enough to get under it, and can't stretch far enough to get around it!  The long and short of it is, Love trumps hate!

PRAYER: Thank you for filling us with your wonderful love.  Help us to be purveyors of your love everywhere we go!  Amen.

Rom 12:20-21. . . .Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.  Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. 

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT!

7-26-2016. . . .THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT!

"—   that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love,  you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!  Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."  (Eph 3:16-19 MSG)  No matter how loudly the voices of hatred cry aloud and spare not, Love yet prevails.  It cannot be eradicated, must not be placated, and will never be eliminated as long as it remains resident and flourishing in the hearts of His people.  Hatred can't rise high enough to get over it; can't sink low enough to get under it, and can't stretch far enough to get around it!  The long and short of it is, Love trumps hate!

PRAYER: Thank you for filling us with your wonderful love.  Help us to be purveyors of your love everywhere we go!  Amen.

Rom 12:20-21. . . .Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.  Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. 

SUBMIT TO THE PROCESS!

7-22-2016. . . .SUBMIT TO THE PROCESS!

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.   Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)  God has a plan for our promotion, but we must be willing to submit to His process.  No need to belittle ourselves by doing things to gain attention from people in positions of power.  Our promotion is not up to them!  It's up to God!  "For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another."  (Ps 75:5-6 TLB )  We may be ready for promotion, but the position may not be ready for us!  Allow God to set things in order and in due time, He will release us into it!

  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the next promotion!  Help us to humble ourselves under your mighty hand, submit to your process, stay in your will, but out of your way!  Amen.

James 4:9-10. . . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (NIV)

PERFECT HARTS WILLING MINDS!

7-21-2016. . . .Perfect Hearts and Willing Minds!

King David wisely advised his son Solomon to, . . . "know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. . . (1 Chron 28:9KJV) We would do well to follow the same wise advice. Whatever is in our hearts and minds is not hidden from God. Spoken or unspoken, He knows it all. Let us examine our hearts and purify our minds today and serve God with perfect hearts and willing minds!

Prayer: Lord, you search me and know me. There is nothing within me that is hidden from you. May your search of my heart and mind yield only that which is pleasing unto you! Amen!

Ps 139:23-24. . . . Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. KJV

OPT FOR GOD'S WILL!

7-20-2016 . . . .OPT FOR GOD'S WILL!

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are not of the Father but are of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."  (1 John 2:16-17 KJV)  The things we see and want in this world all have a short shelf life and will soon pass away.   If we go after things we see and want that are not in God's will, our shelf life will become short as well.   Opt for longevity!  Do God's will and live forever.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for options and the free will to choose.  Forgive us for our past bad choices and help us opt for your will over the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of this life.  Amen.

1 John 2:15-17. . . . Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; 16 for all these worldly things, these evil desires-the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance-these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. 17 And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.  TLB

CHECK YOUR HEART!

7-19-2016. . . .CHECK YOUR HEART!

"But the good soil represents honest, good-hearted people. They listen to God's words and cling to them and steadily spread them to others who also soon believe."  (Luke 8:15 TLB)  In the parable about the sower, seed, and the ground, that Jesus taught His disciples, the ground spoken of where the seed (the Word) was most effective was described as "Good and Honest" ground.  One's heart is that good and honest ground!  Honesty in one's heart will always produce the fruit of good works and love. Conversely, a dishonest heart will produce dishonest acts!  Checked your heart lately?  What kind of heart do you have?

Prayer: Lord, work on my heart.  Keep my heart forever honest so that your word will always find a fertile place to flourish.  Amen.

Mark 7:21-23. . . . For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery,  wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly.  All these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God."  TLB

STRENGTH AND PEACE!

7-15-2016. . . .STRENGTH AND PEACE! 

"The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace."  (Ps 29:11 KJV)  Two things we can expect from the Lord, "Strength and Peace!"  With these, we can make it through and endure anything.  With strength we can do the things that need to be done in the situation; with peace, we can maintain our sanity while doing it!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for strength and peace!  Amen.

John 14:27. . . . "I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." TLB

DO YOU HAVE GOOD SENSE

7-14-16. . . .DO YOU HAVE GOOD SENSE? 

"For the Lord grants wisdom!  His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding.  He grants good sense to the godly-his saints.   He is their shield, protecting them and guarding their pathway.  He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time." (Prov 2:6-10 TLB)  There are many benefits to being a believer.  Among them is having good sense!   When decision times come, more often than not, the right choices will be made. 

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for good sense and the ability to make wise and right decisions.  We are so grateful for all your benefits!   Amen.

 Prov 3:13-16. . . . The man who knows right from wrong and has good judgment and common sense is happier than the man who is immensely rich!   For such wisdom is far more valuable than precious jewels. Nothing else compares with it. TLB

SHOW US!

7-13-16. . . . SHOW US!

"A man is known by his actions. An evil man lives an evil life; a good man lives a godly life."  (Prov 21:8 TLB)  Who are you?  Don't tell us, show us!

PRAYER: Lord, let our daily actions be pleasing to you in every way and thereby, demonstrate to the world who we are.  Amen!

Luke 6:44-45. . . . A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. Figs never grow on thorns, or grapes on bramble bushes.   A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.TLB

SHOW US!

7-13-16. . . . SHOW US!

"A man is known by his actions. An evil man lives an evil life; a good man lives a godly life."  (Prov 21:8 TLB)  Who are you?  Don't tell us, show us!

PRAYER: Lord, let our daily actions be pleasing to you in every way and thereby, demonstrate to the world who we are.  Amen!

Luke 6:44-45. . . . A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. Figs never grow on thorns, or grapes on bramble bushes.   A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.TLB

BE ON THE LOOKOUT!

7-12-2016. . . .BE ON THE LOOKOUT!

"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matt 25:13 KJV)  An 'APB' is an ALL POINTS BULLETIN!  It is a message usually issued by the authorities putting everyone on alert to be on the lookout for a certain person or persons!  Heaven is the ultimate authority and has issued it's APB!  Be on the lookout for the Lord, Jesus Christ!  He will descend from the clouds at any moment and at anytime!  Be prepared and BE ON THE LOOKOUT!

PRAYER: Lord, we know that you are coming as you said you would.  We are waiting and we will be watching!  Amen.

Luke 12:39-40. . . ."Everyone would be ready for him if they knew the exact hour of his return-just as they would be ready for a thief if they knew when he was coming.  So be ready all the time. For I, the Messiah, will come when least expected."  TLB

HE WILL ANSWER US!

7-8-2016. . . .HE WILL ANSWER!

"Hear my prayer, O Lord; answer my plea because you are faithful to your promises."  (Ps 143:1 TLB)  We need not ever fear to come to God in our times of need.  With assurance, we can ask in confidence knowing that in His faithfulness, He will answer us!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for hearing and answering our prayers! We need you now!  Lord, we need you now!

Ps 92:2-4. . . . Every morning tell him, "Thank you for your kindness," and every evening rejoice in all his faithfulness.  Sing his praises, accompanied by music from the harp and lute and lyre.  You have done so much for me, O Lord. No wonder I am glad! I sing for joy. TLB

COMMAND AND CONTROL!

7-7-2016. . . .COMMAND AND CONTROL!

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?  (Mark 4:39-40 KJV) In the midst of every storm remember, Jesus can still command peace and cause everything to settle down and be still.  It's called Command and Control!  All that's required of us is faith.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for having command and control over all storms that may arise in our lives.  Help us to have faith that does not waver and faint.  Amen!

Mark 11:22-23. . . .And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. KJV

WALK IN AUTHORITY!

7-6-2016. . . .WALK IN AUTHORITY!

"Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.  See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." (Jer 1:9-10 KJV)  God will never give us an assignment without equipping us for the assignment.  Not only will He provide the skill and resources needed, He will give us the authority to execute the charge to it's completion.   Without fear, WALK IN AUTHORITY!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for equipping us with everything that is needed to complete our assignments.  Without fear we now execute and walk in your authority.  Amen!

Eph 1:3. . . .Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: KJV

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

7-5-2016. . . .TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

"Listen now! The Lord isn't too weak to save you. And he isn't getting deaf! He can hear you when you call!  But the trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God. Because of sin he has turned his face away from you and will not listen anymore".  ( Isa 59:1-2 TLB)  No need to look left, right or point a finger at anyone else.  Take responsibility!   If God is not responding or listening, (although He can hear, but chooses not to listen) remove the sin that is creating the barrier.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for always hearing us and responding when we call.  May we never allow sin to create a barrier between us and you.  Amen!

Isa 55:7. . . .Let men cast off their wicked deeds; let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy upon them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon! TLB