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Remember His Power

1/30/2020

TODAY’S VERSE
They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. They did not remember his power. Psalms 78:42

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What is worry other than forgetting the power and promise of God? The legacy that the Jews, who fled from Egypt, left for their children is that they forgot about the power of God. All the miracles, all the provisions they had experienced and yet they were guilty of murmuring, complaining and idolatry. They lived as if God did not exist. Jesus came many centuries later and still found the same lack of faith. He was born amongst a people who did not know the all-powerful God. So He showed them. He taught them not to worry about their needs because God would provide for them. He taught them to seek Him first and everything they needed would follow. Jesus lived among them for three and a half years. They saw the miracles, they heard His teachings, they experienced His power and yet like the Jews in the wilderness, “They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. They did not remember his power.” What about you? When situations come today that force you to take pause, will you fear or have faith? Will you remember all that He has done or will you worry in unbelief? Today remember that the God of all power and provision is the same yesterday, today and will be tomorrow.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank You that You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I thank You that Your power continues today as it has in the past. I know that You are able to provide, protect and keep me from falling. In faith, I give my life to You. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Spiritaul Growth

1/8/2020

TODAY’S VERSE
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10

TODAY'S THOUGHT
There is one thing about life you can count on. Life is not static. You are either living or you are dying. I have learned a lot about life from gardening. To have a good garden you must have a good balance of sun, water, and nutrients. You must also protect the plants by weeding and keeping away the bugs and animals that would destroy it. It is the same with your spiritual life. You must nurture and care for your own soul. You must protect yourself from spiritual forces that would destroy you. How? By letting God fill you with the knowledge of His will. He does that through Spiritual wisdom and understanding. As you seek God and learn more about Him, the more alive you will become. This will result in a life worth living, pleasing to God. Today, stop being static in your spiritual life and set your heart on gaining spiritual wisdom and understanding. Grow in your knowledge of God.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me grow in You. Help me gain Spiritual wisdom and understanding as I read Your word and listen to Your Holy Spirit. Help me grow in my knowledge of You.
AMEN

Throw It Off

12/11/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Paul uses the analogy of running a race to describe the Christian life. He paints a picture of a poor runner who has come to the starting blocks with a large heavy weight tied to him and chains wrapped around his legs. There is no way this runner is going to finish the race, let alone win. Instead, Paul suggests that the runner first throw off everything that hinders them. That could be events, habits, environments, attitudes, anything that “triggers” the desire to do things that Christ would not want us to do, or prevent us from doing what we should. We need to throw off anything that leads us toward Spiritual apathy or complacency. In their book “True Faced” the authors point out that in reality there are two kinds of sins. These are sins that we commit resulting in guilt and sins that are committed against us resulting in hurt. Both of these “sins” can trip us up. If we allow guilt to grow, it will spread like cancer in our Spirit. If we allow hurt to go unchecked, it can fester into sadness, anger, fear, malice, bitterness and many other negative attitudes. We need to deal with the sin in our life — both those that we commit and those committed against us. Then we can run the race. Today let us consider our own life. Are we running the race that God has called us to? If not, what is weighing us down? What is entangling us? Pray today that God would help you throw it off.

TODAY’S PRAYER:
Father, You know that I need to run in this race of life. I confess that I have let burdens weigh me down. I have let sins, both that I have committed and those committed against me, trip me up. Help me, Lord, throw off these things. Help me run today, free from all these issues that hinder me. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

MATURITY

12/7/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. I Corinthians 3:1-2 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Paul was concerned about the maturity of the Corinth believers. Paul says that when we are new in Christ we should desire to be spiritually mature. After a while, we should be eating spiritual “solid” food not continuing to drink spiritual milk. A new believer needs to get grounded in faith learning the basic truths and practicing the basic spiritual disciplines. However, as time goes by like a newborn child grows and needs a more comprehensive meal, so Christians should desire a deeper walk with God. Paul observed that the Corinth church was immature in their Christian walk. Their spiritual growth was stunted. How about you? How is your spiritual maturity? Can you look over the last year and say, “I know I have grown in Christ this year?” Have you read the Bible, spent time in prayer, let God work with your personal habits? Has God made a difference in your emotional life? Do you see yourself more mature in your relationships? There is so much to know and so many areas in which to grow. Pray today that God will help you begin on a healthy spiritual diet so you will grow as a Christian.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I need to grow in You. Help my desire become a reality. Help me study Your word and talk to You in prayer. Help me be honest with You and then listen to what You say. I desire more of You and Your word. Feed me I pray. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Supernatural Love

10/31/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
Colossians 1:8 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
We get so used to hearing that we are supposed to love others that we think we need to do it by ourselves. But in today’s verse, we get a glimpse of where the real power comes from. God’s Spirit in us strives to guide us, teach us and create a love for others in our hearts. Why should that be so surprising? After all the Apostle John reminds us that God is not only the source of love, He is love. It is God Himself manifested in His Spirit in us that moves us to love. Jesus modeled this God-driven kind of love. John writes, “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” So today, love others. But don’t do it in your own power. Ask God to give you a Spirit-led love for those around you.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit of God, reach deep into my heart and birth in me a love for others that only You can produce. I want to love as Jesus did. Fill me with a Supernatural love I pray.
AMEN

Power & Majesty

10/1/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
II Peter 1:16 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Bible makes it plain that there is a spiritual battle going on for the souls of mankind. It is more than good versus bad. Part of the satanic strategy is to confuse people about God’s plan. We are warned that Satan often comes as an “angel of light.” For century’s fiction has imitated the Supernatural. Fairytales, myths, stories about people with magical powers. WE are inundated with superheroes that imitate the supernatural. The subtle reality is that they plant a seed of doubt in actually believing that the Bible is true. After all, a fairytale is make belief so why believe the stories told in Scriptures. Peter knew this was happening. That is why he insisted that we know that he and the other disciples were not following some clever invented story. Instead, they were sharing what they actually witnessed. They witnessed the very power and majesty of Christ. Majesty, that splendor of character, greatness, authority and sovereign power that Christ exhibited in the way He lived. What if you and I could say with Peter that we too were eyewitnesses of this same power and majesty today? We can you know. We can experience the real, living Christ today, just like the disciples. Ask Christ if it is true? Go ahead. Talk to Him about His power and majesty. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Today, begin a deeper walk with Him. If you do, you too will join Peter and the millions of others, who through the centuries, have known His power and majesty.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I want to know You in all Your power and majesty. I want to be an eyewitness of the same kinds of things that Peter experienced. Help me believe. Increase my faith. Make Your supernatural presence a reality in my life. I pray this in Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Forgiveness

8/31/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.
Mark 11:25 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Forgiveness can be difficult. It is hard to forgive some of the offenses against us. But we must remember that forgiveness is a very important part of our spirituality. We go to church, we pray, we read the scriptures. This is all good, but Jesus is making it clear, the true test for real Christianity is to forgive others. That is because all of Christianity is built on forgiveness. Where would we be without the forgiveness of Christ? In “Steps To Freedom In Christ”, Neil Anderson shares the following six important elements to forgiveness. 1. Forgiveness is not forgetting rather forgetting is a long-term by-product of forgiveness. 2. Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of the will. 3. Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin. 4. We forgive from our heart, not our head. 5. Forgiveness is choosing not to hold someone’s sin against him or her anymore. 6. Finally, do not wait until you feel like forgiving. If you do, you will never get there. Instead, make a hard choice to forgive those that you are bitter toward. Let go of all the unforgiveness that is eating you up inside. Today, let God help you forgive.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You know the pain I harbor in my heart. Forgiveness seems so far from my grasp, yet I know that You have commanded me to forgive. Help me to forgive those who have offended me as You have so graciously forgiven me. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Compassion

8/5/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.”Psalms 146:6-9 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How the Church has distorted the purpose of God in this world. We have made it all about us. It is our worship of God, it the discipleship of our own, it is care of our people, our buildings and our programs that take top priority. Now, obviously, we are to worship Him. Certainly, God inhabits the praise of His people. We must disciple those who have come to faith in Christ. Christ Himself told us to go and make “disciples” of all nations. Finally, we must take care of the resources God has given us to use. But we have an incomplete picture of God’s purpose if we never consider the compassion He has toward those that are needy. We read many times in the gospels where Jesus was moved with compassion and then He ministered in power. Likewise, we are woefully short of God’s purpose for the church and scarce on His power, if we are not moved with compassion toward those that are outside our four walls. The question is, will we join God in all of His work? God has called you and me to follow Him, let us follow Him, by helping those around us that so desperately need our help.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me see the needs of others the way You do. Help me to respond in a way that honors you. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Complete Joy

7/13/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:11 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
God created us for joy! And where does joy come from? Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you.” What was it that He told us that would give us joy? The answer lies in the preceding verse. It says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” Jesus said that His joy would be in us and that our joy would be complete as a direct result of the love He and our heavenly Father has for us. Our joy comes from knowing this love in a personal way. It comes from the fact that God is very, very glad to be with us. As the Psalmist suggests, we can come into God’s presence with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise! Why? Because He loves us unconditionally and has bonded with us in a way that gives us true, deep down joy. Today, don’t accept some mediocre joy. Instead, meditate on the love that God has for you and let it move you deep in your soul. Today, ask God to fill you with joy.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for creating me for joy. Help me to know the extent of Your love and how happy You are to call me Your own so that my joy will be full.
AMEN

Strength

7/11/2019

TODAY’S VERSE
The LORD gives his people strength.
Psalms 28:8 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Strength is a mighty gift from God. With strength, you can have many options. You can have the strength to make it through a tough time. Strength to accomplish a difficult task. Strength to overcome overwhelming circumstances. Strength when all else has failed. Strength to be patient and wait on the Lord. Strength to tear down strongholds. Strength to get through another day. Strength to outlast a temptation. Strength to give it another try. Strength to accept grace. Strength to face your deepest fears. Strength to start over. Strength to admit when you’re wrong. Strength to accept your weakness. Strength to trust in God. Today God has all the strength you need. It’s yours for the asking.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, how I thank You that You give Your people strength. You know my needs. You know where I am weak and where I need Your strength. Give me all the strength I need for today. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN