Are Your Words Hurting People?

Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, Ephesians 5:25-26

Many who have this problem probably aren’t reading devotions. Perhaps they aren’t aware their words hurt some people fairly close to them. The problem is not the words so much as their heart. 

If you are reading this and are close to a person whose words hurt you pray for them. Somehow they are wounded internally and they may not realize what they are doing. Verbal abuse is still abuse. You may not be getting hit physically but ugly hurtful words hurt you internally.

Make sure you are not guilty of hurtful words. The mouth can cause so much trouble. Be still before speaking. If you know someone who is a verbal abuser lift them up for healing if the wounded spirit that has led to this. Hurting people hurt people. 

PRAYER: Father God I love the ability to speak and may my mouth be used for your glory. I pray for ____________who needs to be healed in their heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Stinking Thinking Rears It’s Ugly Head

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 3:1-2

I love the teaching of Joyce Meyer and one phrase she coined is ‘stinking thinking’ or going someplace with your mind and thoughts you have no place to be. Satan loves stirring up division so naturally he would be the instigator of wrong thinking that could destroy relationships. 

Have you been there letting your mind go over the ‘what if’s’ and trying to read minds of others thinking you know what they are thinking of you or situations? You can’t go there or disaster will occur. Your mind has to be brought under control of the Holy Spirit. It is a spiritual discipline similar to how getting up and exercising is a physical discipline. You have to do too!

For those occupied with a 40 hour work week it is easier to have mind discipline cause you have to concentrate on work or get fired but even those not in the work force must stay busy doing other things and train yourself to stop thinking certain ways. It can be done. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. 

PRAYER: I love your word and I try to stay focused on ‘things above’ and not things that create turmoil, friction, and division. Show me things in my life that cause me to think wrong and help me stay disciplined to stay on a path that leads to peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Some Day I.....

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matthew 6:2

Have you caught yourself saying the phrase above which is today’s title? “Some day I am going to go visit a nursing home” or “some day I want to hand out care packages in a homeless camp” or “some day I want to pay for the groceries of a needy person”.

Today is the ‘some day’ so what is holding you back?  If you need courage to take the first step pray for courage and boldness.

Pray for open doors and opportunities.Pray for favor to be directed to the right places. 

 Anytime you do a good deed to bless someone keep it to yourself. What is the reason to do good things anyway? Not to brag but because the Holy Spirit directed you to do so. Let the Holy Spirit direct you and be blessed to be a blessing. 

PRAYER: Father open doors for me to show kindness and love and doing it not expecting a single thing. Where courage is needed I pray for that. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Note: Idea for title from Senior Pastor Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands, Birmingham, AL. 

Spend Time With Your Friends

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

I don’t know about you but I love my friends near and far and love spending time with them. It is only through spending time that you get to know someone. Our new digital world cause many impersonal challenges for getting together. Anyway you have to make time for people to truly know them.

This gets me to today’s point and that is getting to know Jesus. Doing the ‘Sunday thing’ is admirable but if that is where it ends and you spend no time in prayer and Bible reading your relationship will not be that great. It is essential to know Jesus on a deep intimate level by daily time with Him just like you would do your spouse or a close friend. With no time with them your relationship would soon crumble. 

So do you need to make some adjustments when it comes to getting to know Jesus better? Are you mad at this so called ‘religion’ because of disappointments or hurts in the past? My friend that is the enemy working to keep you away from the Saviour and a close relationships. Life is going to have trials and disappointments but when you run away from God you are running straight to the enemies camp. Ponder that for a moment. To know Jesus you spend time and make time.

PRAYER: Father God I am thankful that I live in a country whose government currently is God friendly and I can openly carry and read my Bible. Many do not have this privilege in other places. Help me daily make time and I pray for those close to me I know who are drifting and complacent that you would draw them back to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen..

Note: Click link below to listen to a mighty song of praise.
https://youtu.be/IdJBYyNsQd0

God Is Light

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.1 John 1:5

God is Light, period. Satan is darkness, period. You know when you turn on a light you can see and when you turn off the light you can stumble and fall.

As a believer don’t get tricked by the devil and his demons and stumble into the enemies camp. He deceives many people and tries to make darkness look good. That is how he does his work by scheming and making things seem right. The Holy Spirit helps you recognize right versus wrong.

Tell the enemy out loud “you get away from me and my family as they belong to Jesus. Stop lying to them and stop making them think they can do life apart from God” and then trust your prayers are going to be answered.

PRAYER: I thank you for letting me see the light. Help me not ever stumble into the darkness Satan wants me to. I cover my family with the blood of Jesus as they were not set apart for Satan but for God. I thank you I can claim your word and run my race to win. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Time To Reprogram Your Mental Software?

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:5

Do you have junk in your head like wrong thinking or imaginations that has to be reprogrammed? For  you to walk in the spirit you have to get control over your mind and thoughts. You may think a certain way or think people are thinking a certain way when in fact it is not so. Continuing on that path will make you crazy. 

For you to gain control and have victory in your walk with the Lord you have to take thoughts captive as todays’ verse says. Joyce Meyer, Bible teacher calls it ‘stinking thinking’ and I can attest to the fact I have had much ‘stinking thinking’ that I have to get control over with the help of the Holy Spirit. 

Satan uses your mind to try to destroy you. If you fill your mind with wrong thinking, lies, vain imaginations, wondering what people think, worrying over the past you are not going to gain any ground spiritually. It is essential that you cry out to God and break this bondage in your life to have victory. 

PRAYER: Father God I need you every moment in my life. I need you to help me stop letting my mind wander into places it should not be. I want to live a day at a time and not conjure up things that do nothing but make me feel bad or worry. I choose to keep my mind on things ‘above’ and run towards the cross. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Cues From Aviation

For the LORD, who is high and lifted up, looks upon the humble, but the proud he does not know. Psalm 138:6

 There are four principles in aviation those being lift, thrust, weight, and drag. All aviators need to know what these are and how they affect flying before obtaining a pilot license. Lift does what it says that is lift, thrust to get the plane off the ground, weight is crucial so you are not overpacking the plane, and drag knowing how everything effects the maneuverability. Now aviators out there do not  correct me but just using this for purpose of writing. 

In Christian life God is our lift the one who lifts us from a pit of despair and hopelessness. Thrust could be your brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage you to run the race to win. Weight and drag could be the forces of darkness trying to throw you off course and keep you from living victoriously. 

You can’t live a negative life and expect to soar for the kingdom. Do you want to be lifted up higher or drug down into the pit. Easy question and simple answer. 

PRAYER: I want to rise higher and give the glory to God. I don’t want to meddle in things that will drag me down and confuse me. Help me recognize the attacks of the enemy and run to the cross. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click link for a song of praise: https://youtu.be/xdvC7LSTUQ0

Note: I got the idea for this devotion from the ministry of Joel Osteen.