Not JUST A Book!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

You can lead a horse to water but can't make him drink. The same is true of people going to church. You can go and sit in church all day but until the Holy Spirit comes into your heart you basically aren't going to have any desire to really really get closer to God. How does that happen? Reading and studying His word,The Bible.

Even after you fall in love with Jesus and want to live for Him, the enemy may come and try to snatch God's word out of your heart by lies and trickery. You will maybe get too busy to sit down and spend quality time with God. Everything else is more important. Does that sound like you at all? I know I can easily be distracted and then rush out the door without hardly a decent quiet time.

So what plan do you have for making certain time alone with God never gets forgotten and is on your daily agenda?

PRAYER: I need you it life. I need the word of God in my heart. I will not allow Satan to distract me and will insure I give you first place and don't just say it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Pleasing God

So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 2 Corinthians 5:9

As a writer of Christian devotions I try to listen to the Holy Spirit and write the truth in love. I try to not judge or condemn but share hope and joy with others. In this I seek prayer from those also on this Christian writing journey. I pray for God to use what I write in someone's life the day it goes out over the internet. 

Each day all around you there are hurting people. They might not be the obvious ones in a homeless shelter, nursing home,  or on a street corner but those you see every day at work or play. Pray for God to give you just the right words to say to someone or even know what to do in a material way if necessary.

In God's word it even says in Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." You just never know. Reach out and be kind to someone. 

PRAYER: Lord use me to spread love and joy to those around me who may be going through a difficult time. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Lift Up Your Head

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 43:5

I have heard of Bible teachers who use their own experiences to do their teaching. I am no different. Often others profit from things others go through that are similar. You today may be facing something tough and discouraging and it is so hard to get focused on something else. 

When you focus on issues of life that are dragging you down it is hard to be cheerful. The enemy can capitalize on these discouragements. You have to make a conscience effort to stay focused on 'things above' and the blessings in life. Negativity can happen so easily. 

Whatever it is my friend stop now and count your blessings not the bad junk in life. Make a list of good things to praise God for. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and give Him your burdens. 

PRAYER: I have so much to be thankful for and should have no time for being down or throwing a pity party. Forgive me Lord for times I get like this. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Home Of The Free!

He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 2 Chronicles 20:15

Those of your reading from other nations, there are a few, bear with me as I talk about a US Holiday to honor those men and women who have served in the Armed forces at any time, not just in war time. This is about sacrifice and honor for those brave souls who took the oath to protect the United States from enemies both foreign and domestic. When that oath was taken there is no guarantee the individual will not serve on a battlefield or in a dangerous area. You can't just quit.

When a soldier goes into battle he needs to be equipped with protective gear to keep him from bullets, gas, and projectiles. If not having the proper equipment the results could be dire.

On the battlefield of life we are fighting Satanic forces who wish to destroy us and shut us up. We are to wear the armor of God basically be armed with the word of God. And as today's verse reminds us the battle is not ours but God's. So as we honor those who served our nation today let us remember we are all soldiers in God's Army.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for freedom. Forces of evil always try to take it from us. Thanks for the Bible to help me fight the spiritual battles. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Spot Free

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18-19

When a person begins to age, all of a sudden these spots sort of just appear overnight on your arms, legs, face, hands, chest. I say "Hey how did this happen". Beauty companies do a whopping amount of business on women trying to be spot free. Who wants to look old right?

Anyway age spots are a part of the maturation process. There may be those people who don't get as many. They are nothing to freak out about. Another type of being spot-free is the spotless lamb of God, Jesus, who took away the sins of the world. He is perfect without blemish. He sacrificed His life on the cross so we might have life. He took the weight of your sin and mine, past, present, and future.

Part of being spot free is trying to lead a Holy and blameless life. We know only Jesus was without sin even though tempted, but we who follow after Him are to try to walk as He walked and to keep ourselves pure unstained from the world around us.

PRAYER: Each day as I awake help me to use the best spot lifter ever and that is the word of God. I know when I strengthen myself with scripture I am better able to cope with situations that come my way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Time To Be The 'United' States!

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice. Proverbs 24:17

This Presidential election season has been anything but peaceful. It was proven that paid operatives were disrupting Trump rallies to try to make him look bad. Family members disagree on things. Friends are at odds and even those of a certain race were made to think because of the color of their skin they were to vote a certain way trumping anything Christian. The enemy has deceived so many people. Our choices were clear. Socialism or Freedom. 

Now that it is over don't go running around gloating. We are Americans and are supposed to be united. These past 8 years, I am sad to say, that our President has tried to divide us and make us go at each other instead of fighting the real enemy trying to destroy our country, ISIS and fulfilling his most important duty that being defending the US from enemies both foreign and domestic. 

God has given us another chance. We cried out to Him and He listened. But now we must not just go back to sleep. Wake up and be kind to those who may oppose you. America is a young country, unique in what it stands for and naturally when an enemy from within tried to infiltrate we almost collapsed. It is time to rise up and stay on your knees in prayer. The thing to remember is to not put your hope in a man or a political party but in the Almighty who reigns on high. Sometimes He allows evil in order to rebuke us, in my own opinion. Freedom indeed is not free. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus we cried out to you and you heard us. Lord Jesus let the truth be proclaimed from the mountaintops and rooftops. You are Lord! In Jesus' name. Amen. 

What Do You Need To Let Go Of?

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one
thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what liesahead, Philippians 3:13

There are many issues in life that can pop up in our mind periodically and

make you crazy if you keep thinking about them. I am sure many of you have
had to discipline your thinking to let certain things or people go. It is
hard but can be done. Your enemy of course is Satan and he loves to keep
believers distracted and confused.

You can plan today to start forming a new habit and that is controlling
what you think about. Yes it is in fact possible. Cast down wrong thoughts
it says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 where it says to capture all thoughts to the
obedience of Christ. When your mind is filled with the things of Christ you
automatically can gravitate to thinking good things but if you have not
stored up scriptures in your heart it is difficult to pull them out of thin
air.

You live in this world but are not to be of the world. Turn off the news as
it puts bad thoughts in your head. Don't read certain magazines that try to
make you become a Diva or celebrity addict. Give the television a rest too.
I am sure you can think of ways to structure your day that help you let go
of the past and wrong habits or thinking. Give it a try.

PRAYER: I love your word Lord. I know the enemy would try to get me to not
sit down with my Bible daily for when I do I have peace and am able to face
my day. I choose to make my schedule where you come first. In Jesus' name.
Amen.