All Categories - Messiah Missionary Baptist Church

Godly Wisdom

1/3/2023

TODAY’S VERSE
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
James 3:13-14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How often do we pray to God for wisdom? James tells us if we lack wisdom that we are to ask God for it. But what is wisdom? When we think of wisdom, it is natural to think of discernment or the ability to solve difficult dilemmas. Wisdom is the ability to make good judgment calls and predictions. But in today’s passage, James puts another spin on the meaning of Godly wisdom. He says that the proof of Godly wisdom is being honorable and humbly doing good works. He mentions this early in his letter, writing, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” God has another kind of wisdom. It is to love others the way He does. It is to be wise in making a difference, in doing good works. Today let’s be wise in the way we do good works.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me have true spiritual wisdom that lives out truth by doing good to others. Help me be a living witness of Your loving wisdom.
AMEN

Sustain Me

12/1/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you.
Psalms 55:22 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We all have cares. We have burdens in our life that hinder and discourage us. There are circumstances that try to invalidate us. We end up feeling weak and rejected. When that happens, what do you do? Where do you go? David invites you to go to the Lord. He says to cast your cares on God, and He will sustain you. He will hold you up. He will bear your burdens. Today, cry out to God for His comfort. He will love and nurture you. God cares for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, for Your love for me. Today, I bring all my cares to You and thank You for Your promise that You will sustain me.
AMEN

A Way Out

11/7/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
I Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Bible can be stern in its warning about misbehavior that offends God. Rightfully so, God is Holy, and we should honor Him with our life. In this passage, Paul warns us not to be idolaters, behave drunkenly, indulge in sexual immorality, put Christ to the test, or grumble. He concludes that “anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” But God, in His Grace, does not leave us in our sinful state of mind. He has an answer for our spiritual wandering. He says that we will have temptations just like everyone else. The difference is that God is faithful in His love for us and will not allow us to be tempted in a way that we cannot overcome it. Paul promises that when we are tempted, God will show us a way out. Today take heart. God loves you and will help you with the temptations that you have. Give your life to Him and let Him help you live in a way that honors Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank You for Your help with my temptations. Thank You for providing a way of escape time and time again. Great is Your faithfulness.
AMEN

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?

9/30/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. – Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12, 14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What are you wearing? I like Paul’s analogy that our Christian lifestyle is like the clothes we wear. Clothes are what people see, and so are our actions. Paul is saying that because God dearly loves us and chooses us to be His holy people, we should behave in certain ways. Not out of necessity but out of gratitude. Not phony like a mask or pretentious like a Tuxedo, but our actions should reflect our everyday attire. It should be natural for us to wear tenderhearted mercy and kindness. People should see humility, gentleness, and patience when they see us. Most of all, love should be evident to everyone that meets us. The good news is that Paul included all but mercy in his list of the fruit of the spirit. The Holy Spirit, Himself, helps us live this way. So today, make sure when you pick out your outfit to wear, you include tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me to make mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love a priority in my life. Help me wear them like I do my clothing. For Your glory and in Your power, I pray.
AMEN

You Were Chosen

9/8/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes you just have to read it for yourself. This is not something your Pastor made up. It is not some “nice” idea. God inspired Paul to include today’s verse in Holy Scriptures. Paul wrote that before God created the world, He loved you and chose you to be in Christ, holy and without fault. Paul elaborated on this theme by writing, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Let the thought that creating you brought God great pleasure sink deep into your heart. Today, rejoice at this incredible fact, if you know Christ as your Savior, you are His adopted child.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I am humbled that creating and adopting me into your family brought you great pleasure. I am full of thanksgiving for You loving me and choosing me to be holy and without fault in Your eyes. Thank You, in Jesus’ name.

Patient Endurance

8/1/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will.
Hebrews 10:36 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We love the victories. It is exciting when things that we planned on work out. But so often, we forget what got us there. It was patient endurance. Behind every great success is the process of getting us to that place. Trial and error, falling and getting back up again, stop and start, two steps forward and one backward. This is the way of life. It is the growth process. It is maturation. If we are going to live the life God has called us to and complete all He has ordained us to do, then we will need to practice patient endurance. Today, ask God for the courage, strength, and power you need to continue your journey. Hear His words again, “Patient endurance is what you need now so that you will continue to do God’s will.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me today to live with patient endurance so I can continue to do Your will.
AMEN

Patient Endurance

8/1/2022

Grace

7/7/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. I Timothy 1:14 (ESV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to forget how gracious and loving Jesus has been for us. Paul never forgot. Perhaps it is because he remembered that he was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent of the church. He was overwhelmed by the love of God and admitted that God’s grace was overabundant to him. But it is not just about forgiveness. It is about the fact that God loved Paul from the start and created him to live for Him. Paul said this: “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.” Today rejoice. This same grace of God that was given to Paul overflows for you. Go and serve Him with a heart full of faith and love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank you for Your love for me. Forgive me when I forget all the grace and forgiveness You have lavished upon me. Help me to serve You more. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Thinking the Right Way!!!

6/1/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:11 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever met a person who has a victim mentality? They always have to surround themselves with turmoil. They can’t seem to be satisfied until something is wrong, and they can go into their victim mode. Worse, some people go around as if they were cursed! How we look at circumstances and what we think about can make all the difference in how we live. Pessimism, negativity, fear, and doubt can color a bright shiny day into a grey, cloudy, overcast. If anyone could be negative, it would be Paul. The Gentiles were persecuting the church, and many legalistic Christians were spreading false teaching.
On top of that, Paul was writing this letter from prison. Yet as he sat imprisoned, he wrote about one “final thing.” He told the Philippians brothers and sisters to fix their thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. He admonished them to emulate his own life, and here is what he promised. He said if we change our thinking, the God of peace will be with us. Today let the God of all peace minister to your soul. Rebuke negativity and begin to think of those things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God of all peace, forgive me for my fear, doubt, and negativity. Help me change my thinking. Help me concentrate on those things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Delight

4/5/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Psalms 37:23 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Our God is relational. He interacts with His people. It is easy to go through our day and not even think of Him, but rest assured God never stops thinking about you. He cares about the details of your life. Because of God’s deep care and concern for you, David encourages you to trust in the Lord, to delight in Him, and commit your life to His loving care. Today let Him direct your steps. Remember that He delights in every detail of your life.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I commit this day to You. Help me delight in You as You delight in every detail of my life.
AMEN