JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

3-27-2018. . . .SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

"And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.   But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.  And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."  (Mark 5:31-34 KJV)  

The power of a purposeful touch is amazing.  For the woman with the issue of blood, it produced her healing and got Jesus' attention!  If believers everywhere would reach out with purpose and touch the world, what amazing things would that produce and how much attention from Jesus would that receive?  Just something to think about!

PRAYER: Lord, you touched the world with your love and it has produced and is producing generations believers.  Help us to purposefully touch the world as well.  Amen!

Matt 5:13-14. . . .Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. KJV

ORDAINED TO MAKE IT!

3-23-2018. . . .ORDAINED TO MAKE IT!

"And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.  And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.  But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary." (Matt 14:22-24 KJV)  

Walking in divine purpose does not mean we will never face opposition; we will!  Stay the course and weather the storm.  We are ordained to make it through to the other side!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the winds of opposition that blow against us.  Help us stay focused and on course as we pursue your divine purpose.  Amen!

2 Cor 4:8-10. . . .We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don't know why things happen as they do, but we don't give up and quit. 9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.  TLB

AVOID SINKHOLES!

2-22-2018. . . .AVOID THE SINKHOLES!

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Prov 3:6 KJV) 

A very large sinkhole suddenly appears in the middle of 5th avenue.  Police are immediately dispatched to direct traffic safely around the impending danger. One driver, however, in a hurry to get where they were going, ignores the directions of the police officers and speeds ahead driving straight into the sinkhole and crashes. Don’t let this imaginary scenario play out realistically in your life. Avoid the sinkholes of life! Acknowledge Him and allow Him to direct your path.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for knowing the paths we take. In all our days we will acknowledge Your ways. Please Lord, direct our paths. Amen!

Ps 48:14-49:1. . . . For this God is our God forever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. (NIV)

WATCH IT!

2-20-2018. . . .WATCH IT!

"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?   Should you say, 'Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,' when you can't even see because of the board in your own?  Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother."  ( Matt 7:1-5 TLB) 

Although we've all been in both positions, it is far more comfortable to be behind the pointing finger than in front of it.   We would all do well to remember the discomfort of the front position and show mercy before we so quickly take up the comfort of the rear position.  Watch it, don't be so quick to judge!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your ever-present mercy towards us especially in times when we don't deserve it.  Help us to learn that lesson and show mercy in spite of.  Amen.

Matt 5:7. . . . Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. KJV

GET WHAT'S COMING TO YOU!

2-15-2018. . . . GET WHAT'S COMING TO YOU!

"And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him. (1 Peter 1:4-54 TLB)

What God has for us, it is for us! What He has and freely gives to all who believe in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, is eternal life.  He does not stop there, however!   By His mighty power, He daily blesses, keeps, protects, and ensures that we will get to the place where we will receive what is promised to us! Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for eternal life through your Son, Jesus! Thank you that by your power you ensure that we will get what's coming to us. Praise your Holy Name! Amen.

Jude 24. . . .And now-all glory to him who alone is God, who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord; yes, splendor and majesty, all power and authority are his from the beginning; his they are and his they evermore shall be. And he is able to keep you from slipping and falling away, and to bring you, sinless and perfect, into his glorious presence with mighty shouts of everlasting joy. Amen. TLB

LOVE LIKE THIS!

2-14-2018. . . .LOVE LIKE THIS!

"And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."  (1 Peter 4:8-9 NKJV)  Hate harms, leaving gaping wounds exposed for all to see!  Love, on the other hand, heals and covers; though the offenses are many.  Love like this!

PRAYER: Lord, there is no greater example of love that covers than yours!  Many times over you could have and perhaps, should have exposed us, but your great love covered us.  Help us, Lord, to love like this!  Amen.

Ps 86:15. . . . But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. NIV

LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS!

2-13-2018. . . .LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  (John 15:13 KJV)  

Real love knows no limits!  To love with no limits takes vulnerability, not gullibility!   Love is no one's doormat, but everyone's doorway into life and happiness!  So, Love without limits!

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for loving us without limits!  Keep loving us into life and happiness and enable us to do the same.  Amen!

Eph 3:17-18. . . . And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love;  and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God's children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it.  TLB

HE'S WORKING IT OUT!

2-9-2018. . . . HE'S WORKING IT OUT!

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. (Prov 16:9 NIV) 

Although sometimes our plans don't quite work out and even fail, God directs our steps back on course toward the future He has in store for us.  So, don’t worry. . . .don’t get overly discouraged. . . .don’t get frustrated or become impatient.  Just remember, “He’s Working It Out!   And what a wonderful life it is!!!!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the plans you have for us!   We give you our all. . . .have your way in our lives and with our life!  Amen!

Heb 10:35-38. . . . Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God's will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God's sight must live by faith, trusting him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them. TLB

HAVE NO FEAR, JUDGE!

2-8-2018. . . .HAVE NO FEAR, JUDGE!

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:14-16 NIV)  

The spiritually immature are not capable of judging properly which is why the scripture's instruction to them is to judge not lest they be judged.  The spiritually mature, however, are compelled because of their capability, to judge all things!  Have no fear!  Judge and judge rightly.  The world needs us to do so!

PRAYER: Lord, you have called us and prepared us to judge all things.  Empower us with the boldness to walk in our calling without fear.  Amen!

1 Cor 2:15-16. . . . But the spiritual man has insight into everything, and that bothers and baffles the man of the world, who can't understand him at all.  How could he?   For certainly he has never been one to know the Lord's thoughts, or to discuss them with him, or to move the hands of God by prayer. But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.  TLB

IF WE DON'T WHO WILL!

2-1-2018. . . .IF WE DON'T WHO WILL!

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."  (Heb 11:3 KJV)  

Only God can call forth something out of nothing and, He never calls forth anything without a purpose! Every human being has been called out of nothing to be something in the earth.  Because we are individually unique and one of a kind, we have a fundamental purpose and obligation to God as well as, the world to be our best self!  If we don't, who will!

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for fearfully and wonderfully making us and calling us into the earth at such a time as this.  Help us to be our best self and demonstrate to the world your divine design and purpose at work.  Be glorified in us today and always.  Amen!

Ps 139:13-16. . . .You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother's womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it.  You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book! TLB