All Categories - Messiah Missionary Baptist Church

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

Praise God

3/3/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!

Psalms 145:1-3 (NLT) TODAY’S THOUGHT
David outdid himself here. What a praise anthem. David could write this because he meditated on God’s “majestic, glorious splendor and His wonderful miracles.” He testifies that God is “merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The LORD is good to everyone.” With this mindset, David could not help but exalt the Lord and praise Him. How about you? Will you stop and meditate on God’s majestic, glorious splendor? Will you let God’s compassion fill your heart with wonder? Today, praise God. He is worthy of our praise!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, how I praise You for Your mercy, compassion, and unfailing love toward me. How majestic You are. How glorious. I come to You with a heart full of praise for all You have done and all that You are. Indeed You are worthy of my praise!
AMEN

Meditate on God

1/6/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.
Psalms 145:5 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Our thoughts move so fast. For many of us concentration has become a lost art. Yet a deep spirituality demands that we spend time in reflection. We draw close to God as we contemplate all that is good about Him. Why? Because knowing God, understanding the riches of His love, mercy, and grace does not come from glimpses. The scriptures say that David was “a man after God’s own heart.” That meant that David spent time in God’s presence, meditating on all that He is. In this same chapter, David wrote, “The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” Oh, to be like David and perceive that God is merciful and compassionate in the depths of our hearts. This is our charge, to meditate on these truths till their true meaning profoundly influences us. Today, don’t just read about God; mediate on His majestic, glorious splendor.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, thank You for all that You are. Today, help me know You in a deep, personal, intimate way. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

What Pleases God!!

12/2/2021

TODAY’S VERSE
And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
I John 5:14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever worked for someone that you were really in synch with? You knew what they wanted. You knew their passions, goals, and plans. This made it easy to work on their behalf. You could express their desires to others and speak for them in various business dealings. When it came to corporate affairs, you knew what pleased them. How much more should this be true in our Christian experience with God? We are His child. We have His word. We have God’s Spirit living within us. For this reason, we have been called to be about God’s business here in this world. Therefore John says that we can be confident that God will hear us when we ask for anything that pleases Him. So the first question is, “How well do you know God?” The second is, “Do you know what pleases Him?” If not, ask Him. Today, pray, “Lord, help me to know You and discern what pleases You so I can pray according to Your will.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, help me to know You better. Help me to know what pleases You so I can pray according to Your will.
AMEN

Jesus Cares For You!!!

11/7/2021

TODAY’S VERSE
But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.
Luke 22:32 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny Him. He knew who Peter was. He knew Peter was human and struggled in the same way that you do. So what did Jesus do? He pleaded in prayer for him! He prayed that Peter would not become so discouraged that he would give up. Instead, Jesus desired that Peter would repent and turn back to God. And then, in renewed faith, Peter would go and help others. This same Jesus comes to you. He knows your life. He knows your struggles, and He is pleading in prayer for you. He wants you to repent and turn back to Him. Jesus doesn’t define you by your past, your faults, your weaknesses, or your sins. Neither should you! God deeply loves you, and His death and resurrection have taken away all your sins. This is good news. This is grace. Today believe it, accept it, and strengthen others with God’s grace in the same way He has strengthened you.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Jesus, thank You for pleading in prayer for me. Thank You for Your loving kindness toward me. Thank You for Your forgiveness of all my sins. Please help me to share this truth with others so they will be strengthened too.
AMEN
___________________________________________________

Be On Guard!!!

9/8/2021

TODAY’S VERSE
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
I Corinthians 16:13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We each have our battles. Life can be hard. Struggles can cause our faith to falter, and we begin to live as those who have no hope at all. Paul knew what it was like to have troubles; he knew hardship and heartbreak. And so, when he was finishing writing his letter to the church in Corinth, he gave them one final admonition. Like a coach before the final play of the game, Paul rallies the church and tells them to be on their guard. He wanted them to watch out for the spiritual battle. He told them to stand firm in their faith, being courageous and strong. The good news is they did not have to do this on their own. This same Paul reminds us in another letter he wrote that we can do all things through Christ who empowers us. Today, call out to God for His power, and then be on your guard. Stand firm in your faith. Be courageous today and stay strong.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, You have said that I can do all things through You because You will empower me. Help me today to be on my guard against evil and temptation. Allow me to stand firm in my faith. Encourage me to be courageous in my behavior and to be strong in Your power.
AMEN

DOUBT

7/31/2021

TODAY’S VERSE
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Doubts come. And when they do, they often attack our faith. Is God there? Does He care? Is He going to do anything? Sometimes it is more profound. Does God love me? Does He have a purpose for me? Some doubts get even more personal. There must be something wrong with me. No one loves me. I will never make it. Doubt is the enemy of our soul. The good news is that God gave us the solution to doubt. It is faith. Faith looks at doubt and says, begone, I believe in God. Faith allows us to commune with the Holy Spirit, the comforter, and He works deep in our heart to do what the Psalmist said He would centuries ago. Today, when doubts fill your mind, you can turn to God, and His comfort will give us renewed hope and cheer.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank You that I can turn to You in faith when I have doubts. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, whose comfort brings me hope and cheer.
AMEN

Today

6/13/2021

TODAY’S VERSE
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalms 32:8 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes we focus so much on tomorrow that we miss what God has for us today. How did it ever get to this? We are always on the go arriving at our destination yet ignoring the journey. We set goals way out in advance and fail to see what God has for us today. Fear and worry are like that. They rob us of our today, forcing us to focus on tomorrow with its perceived dilemma. Day after day, we hurry, and tomorrow never comes. It’s like hiking on a trail with a heavy bag, always looking down so you won’t trip on a root. Sadly, you get to the end of the trail and realize you never saw the beauty of the forest. God doesn’t want it this way. He wants a relationship with us. God wants us to fellowship with Him every day, living every day to its fullest. When we do, He promises that He will instruct us, teach us, and show us the way we should go. Every day is a different mission. Every day is a new exciting adventure. God is alive, and you are here. Look around. Take it all in. See all that God has for you. Today, go with God.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for giving me this day. I surrender to You and want to live every moment of this day for You. Teach me, guide me, show me which way to go. Lord, I give You this day and will live it to its fullest for Your glory.
Amen

No Condemnation!!!

5/8/2021

TODAY’S VERSE
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
It seems that we all have an “inner critic.” If we slowed down our thoughts, we would hear a constant flow of negative chatter berating us, feeding our low self-esteem, causing us to fear and doubt the unconditional love of God. Where does this cynical, ruthless and disrespectful voice come from? It comes from a variety of places. It could be a strict and legalistic upbringing. It could result from an inner belief that we are no good, someone who should constantly live in shame. Perhaps it is the result of false guilt that cannot accept that we are forgiven. It could come from the demonic forces that constantly accuse and challenge our spirituality. No one knew more about the inner critic than the Apostle Paul. Having just written, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Paul knew what it was to feel condemnation. He knew the depravity of his situation, and yet he could say unequivocally that it would be “Jesus Christ our Lord!” that would free him from his sense of sin and shame. Paul would then finish this chapter with this affirmation, “Indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Today, don’t believe something about yourself that God doesn’t. Don’t wallow in the negative ranting of an inner critic. Instead, renounce the lie that you are no good and condemned and pronounce the truth, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ.”
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, how I thank You that I am forgiven and accepted by You. Help me to know deep in my heart that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
AMEN