Are You Sinking?

"LORD, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." “Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:28-29

Do you feel like you are sinking in the muck and mire of daily life and just think no one cares and you will always be stuck? The good news is you can be lifted up and run life to win!

The faith Peter needed to simply get out of the boat and trust that Jesus ‘had him’ and he would not sink is probably the faith most of us need. I once heard someone say “believe receive, doubt do without” which is a catchy way to remember you need to put your trust in God, period. 

Whatever is going on in your life today dealing with hassles surrounding Thanksgiving or Christmas season which zaps your joy or just ordinary issues you are dealing with learn that you can trust God to carry you through just get out of the boat. Are you waiting to be lifted up then lift up the most high God on a daily basis.

PRAYER: Lord God I thank you very much for my life. I realize even problems can draw us closer to you and eventually make me stronger. Help me Lord during this time of year to think of those truly less fortunate and hurting. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click link for a song of praise and worship which is surely to lift you from your doldrums.https://youtu.be/wOnBO-ZJjSg

Note: Got idea for this devotion from a book by former Huntsville, Alabama  resident Carrye Burr entitled ‘Gray Faith’.

Miracles Can And Do Happen!!

Isaiah 41:20, "I am doing this so all who see this miracle may see and know may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this." 

God has not closed up shop and He is in the miracle business and sometimes it is not all about you and the miracle or breakthrough you are waiting for but about bringing glory to Him and more people to Christ. Ponder that for a while. Also God has no time constraints like we humans try to put on Him. 

The Bible says in Luke 18:1 to “pray and never give up”. I Thessalonians 5:17 says to “pray without ceasing” and I guess that is because God likes to hear from you and hear you from your heart. 

Some deliverances and breakthroughs may seem pretty far fetched to the natural man but you and I operate in a supernatural realm where nothing, and I do mean nothing,  is impossible. (Matthew 19:26). Go for it my friend. God’s miracle shop is open for business around the clock. Romans 4:17 says “calling things as not as though they were” press on and speak forth Victory to that lie the enemy has tried to get you to believe or well meaning friends and family who may give you strange looks and think you are a bit kooky. God has big plans. Trust Him okay? Some day you can testify, “God did this!”. 

PRAYER: I know you do big things and things beyond human imagination. I know the miracles you perform are to bring you Glory and get others to believe and start hungering for you. I know you do the impossible and I thank you for what you are going to do in the lives of people I have been praying for and for others who are just waiting for a breakthough. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What Are You Thankful For?

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

It is not necessary to wait until a designated holiday to express gratitude to those you love for your many blessings. You might even want to start a thanksgiving jar where you write one thing a day you are thankful for.

In this divided angry USA of today it is easy to lose sight of blessings if you are not careful. Get away from those things causing you to have pain and anger and run to the goodness of God. Pray for those you know who need a touch from the Holy Spirit.

Not just on Thanksgiving but every day get up and say thanks to God for another day of living. Thanks for friends and family. Thanks for money to spend because even though you may feel poor you are richer than most of the people in the world. I sure am glad the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower to a new world where they could get away from religious persecution. Let’s always pray we stay free and not dominated by tyranny. Today as you eat a meal and probably over stuff yourself think of those first Pilgrims who had to grow their own crops, live in harsh conditions and then really be grateful for what you have on your dinner table.

PRAYER: First and foremost I am grateful Lord for being born in a free country. I am thankful for good parents who raised me as many are not as fortunate. I thank you for being able to worship freely and not be arrested. I thank you for my Bible. Help me Lord to look around for those who need a touch of love not just today but the other 364 days as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Live In The Light

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the LORD. Live as children of light. Ephesians 5:8

Everyone knows light is equated to goodness and truth and darkness is meant to be bad or evil. That is how movies even depict things. The Holy Scriptures  refer to darkness and light as shown in today’s verse. 

As a believer you should want to remain in the light and stay out of dark areas. Darkness is where people fall into trouble and can get hurt. Without light you can stumble and  fall. 

Jesus is the light and in Him there is not a speck of darkness. Satan is equated with darkness. In your life is light flowing in or are you toying with darkness? This is a question only you can answer. Light and life are found in the Bible. To stay out of the darkness read it daily and ask The Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you. 

PRAYER: Light my way Lord. Whenever I start to play with darkness convict my heart. Guide me Lord and keep me on the path of your Holy light. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Heaven....Bring It On!!

However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

No pain, no death, no fights, no trauma, no tears, no pain, no depression, no back breaking labor, no holiday drama, no pink slips, no probation,  no doctor appointments, no clocking in. Yes folks Heaven is going to be awesome. Not just the streets of gold you read about but much more.

I get a kick out of people saying someone ‘expired’ kind of like a coupon or the date on the milk carton. Yes we ‘expire’ and then a new glorified body, streets of gold and all the rest basking in the Lord’s presence awaits you. This world does not hold a candle to heaven. So many probably can’t fathom what it will really be like. 

All the problems of this world will be gone. Poof. In the twinkling of an eye. Are you ready?

Do you known beyond a shadow of a doubt that if today you breathed you last breath, got hit head-on and died instantly, had heart failure, got hit crossing the street or riding your bike by a distracted driver that you for certain will be ushered into Heaven? All the things people do that they see as entrance blocks to check off like church membership, going to the only true church or denomination, baptism, attending service, Sunday school pins, and a host more are not what gets you there. Baptism you should do after you become a believer but the two thieves on the cross were not baptized yet Jesus said “tonight you will be with me in paradise”. Say this simple prayer, “Jesus I love you. I need you. Come into my heart and change me. I want to live for you. Amen.” Once Jesus is truly in your heart you will have a hunger and thirst for all things Jesus. Trust me. Now go prepare for Heaven. 

PRAYER:Lord Jesus I thank you for my church background and for prayers for me by relatives I never knew were praying. I thank you for saving me. I thank you for helping me share your love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shake It Off

Remember not former things, and look not on things of old. Isaiah 43:18

Is there something in your life you would be better off letting go and moving on? Problems, misspoken words, arguments, whatever it is dwelling on it doesn’t change stuff but it is much better to shake it off. Believing you know what another person may be thinking about you is also a bad habit because you don’t. 

The devil loves to get us trying to conjure up the darkness and wrong thinking and is a master of past failures and screw ups. Don’t even go there child of the most high! Jesus Loves you, He has wiped your slate clean once you repented and now you need to learn to cast off works of darkness and focus on walking in light and truth! 

Whatever is good, pure, perfect like it says in Philippians 4:8 focus on those things. Sitting around mulling over garbage from the past will make the garbage stink like a landfill. Leave it alone. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy and run your race focused on the cross of Christ. 

PRAYER:Thank you Lord for the Holy Bible which some days I confess I forget to read and meditate on. I believe it is Satan who tries to keep me from it by the tyranny of the urgent. Lord Jesus I seek to have quality time with you on a daily basis. Help me re order my day to do just that! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Is There A Debris Field In Your Life?

“If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15

Children have parents to teach them right versus wrong in their formative years. If they are trained properly, to include discipline where necessary, they can grow up healthy and happy ready to face the world. Children should desire to please their parents since they love them. 

As a believer you love Jesus and should want to do things to please and honor Him. Believers don’t check their ‘God block’ each Sunday then forget about Him for 6 days but every day is supposed to be lived out for Him making a difference in the world. In other words church is not to be a club or lodge where we attend like faithful members until the next meeting, but our love should carry us beyond the doors of the church into the community around us to be salt and light and share His love. 

The debris of life, the ugly stuff, God can take away or use it for the good. You have power by using the word of God to clean up the junk and live joyful and peaceful for the kingdom each and every day. Do you want to clean up your debris field?

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for being able to worship you each and every day without apologizing. I thank you that you can take the ugliness in my life and turn it around. Use me to help others get through their debris in life and trust in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.