"Who Do You Say Jesus Is"

I read a devotional by Joseph Prince, “Who Do You Say Jesus Is?” He explained that how you see Jesus determines what you receive from Him. It really made me think further about the devotional and I concluded that who Jesus is in our lives also determines the relationship we have with him which ultimately forces us to lean more on his reliance and less of our own, the exact place where God wants us to be. I decided to make my own list of who Jesus is in my life. I invite you to do the same in your personal time with God so when the enemy begins whispering lies of discouragement you can reply with how great God is and shut the enemy’s mouth. The enemy can’t stand for us to glorify God just for who he is because it dispels every lie he has ever told. So as Jesus asked Peter I am asking you today, “who do you say Jesus is?”

   You are the only one and true living God

    You are my heavenly Father

 You are my sustainer

  You are the love of my life

  You are the lifter of my head

    You are my protector

  You are my personal gift

You are indescribable but closer to me than a brother or friend

   You are my Mother & Father

   You are my Savior

   You are my provider

    You are living water

You are all-knowing

  You are just & merciful

  You are wisdom & knowledge

   You are always with me

  You are all powerful

   You are forgiving

    You are everything

The Kings Baby,

Marlene

You Are Never Hopeless

What is your faith like when the circumstances look grim, every answer has been no, or there is nothing else you can do? Everyone has counted you out and even questions why you should try to hold on to your faith. It’s useless. This situation is over. There's only one problem. Their words are not the final words. The final words belong to God. He specializes in moving in when it all looks lost and hopeless. Why? So God will get the glory. Have an Abraham type of faith, "Being fully persuaded that God has the power to do what he has promised" (Romans 4:20). God has promised that you would not lack. He proved his love for you on the cross. He's made you more than a conqueror, and He even fights your battles. I know you’re saying, "But you don't understand what I'm going through." We all have circumstances and situations to deal with on a daily basis. No, it isn't easy.  Some situations are simply heart wrenching, but God is not surprised by any situation and has made a way for you to get through them. HE GAVE YOU JESUS. If you hold on to Him and the Word of God, you will come through stronger and fearless to the next situation. These circumstances will lift you up and bring you to the next level with Christ. In the midst of your trouble, follow Abraham's example, and give God glory through your waiting period, praise Him like you never have before, fully persuaded that God will do it. 

Prayer

Lord, give us the faith of Jesus. He knew his purpose and willfully came to this earth to be treated harshly, and nailed to a rugged cross because of his love for us. Give us the faith that Jesus had in the Father to endure to the end. Thank you for giving us your Son, who has made a way out of hopelessness into total victory. In Jesus name, Amen! 

Can God Use Me? 

Many times we look at our past mistakes and wonder, “How can God use me? How can I be beneficial to the kingdom of God?” Reading the story of Paul before he became a Christian dispels any doubt that God can and will use us. Paul passionately hated and sought out to kill Christians to the point that he went to the high priest and asked for letters that gave him permission to imprison Christians in Jerusalem. Paul watched Stephen be stoned to death while Stephen proclaimed the truth about Christ. You cannot tell me that, after Paul's conversion to Christianity and learning the truth, he did not have struggles or issues concerning his past mistakes. When God spoke to Ananias and told him to go to Saul, He said, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their Kings and before the people of Israel" (Acts 9:15). Wow! What an awesome calling God placed on Paul's life, but in that calling God also stated, "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name" (Acts 9:16). And Paul truly went through some trials. We may not have been flogged, shipwrecked, imprisoned, stripped naked, or beaten with rods like Paul, but we go through our own daily struggles because we have made the firm determination to follow Christ with our whole heart, mind, and soul (Luke 10:27, & I Cor 11:23-27). Anytime you make a stand for Christ, the enemy will come after you vehemently because your commitment makes him to be a liar. "For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the son of God. (I John 5:l-5) Your commitment to Christ is not in vain and He will use you for His glory. Stand firm! 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for adopting us into your family. Please anoint us and use us to Your glory. We can't do it without you. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

No One Has Greater Love Than This.....

I learned from Dr. James Morman that love is a choice, people decide in their hearts and minds if they are going to love you. Over 2000 years ago God made a decisive choice to love us when he died on the cross. There's nothing for us to ponder over or even question, he willingly gave up his life in the most horrific way of crucifixion. It solidified his love for us and although his love is universal it's also personal. What a mighty God we serve!

For this is how God loved the world; He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not be lost but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ISV)

Thought

You can keep searching for a better love if you like but if I were you I would stop with Jesus.....there is no greater love. 

Dedication to Michael Brown 

I would like to dedicate this devotional to the countless Mothers, Fathers, and families who have lost loved ones to senseless violence by the hands of those who have made an oath to protect those in their community.

Today as another Mother and Father lay their son to rest I can only imagine no words or actions right now can soothe the pain of losing a child. As I was praying for the family this morning to give them peace, God reminded me of Chronicles 16:19, “for the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely his.” So I believe that God’s spirit is comforting and upholding the parents and family of Michael Brown. I also believe that because the Lord’s eyes move to and fro the earth and he is omniscient that he knows every detail of this tragedy and will deliver the sentence appropriate to the action. Jeremiah 51:56 tells us “the Lord is a God who gives just punishment; he always repays in full.”

 So even when the justice system errors God will make sure the right punishment is served. He is a perfect God who will deliver perfectly on His word.

So please take some time throughout your day to pray for the family of Michael Brown as well as so many other families who have lost young African American men senselessly.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for bringing comfort and peace to the family of Michael Brown today as they lay their Son to rest let your hand and Holy Spirit comfort them in this most difficult time. Amen

"He Complete's Me"

The world makes us think its material possessions and even a person that completes us or makes us whole. The Word of God makes it clear that wholeness only comes through our union, our personal relationship with Christ Jesus. He is the only one that can fill that desperate void that we seek to find in so many other things. 
Seek His face and he will take it from there.

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. ( Col 2:9 & 10 NLT)

Thought

Now that's good news!!!

We Are All Limping Through Life

I use to look at other people and admire their gifts and talents thinking I was lacking and they had it all together. I now realize we are all on this road of life together we are all struggling and trying alike. No one has it all together. Life is a series of trying over and over again. We stumble but never fall, the Grace of God will not allow it, the reason why he gives us brand new mercies everyday. Another opportunity to try again. God always lifts us higher so he will be glorified. Never give up, mercies are new every morning.

The reason I can [still] find hope is that I keep this one thing in mind: the LORD's mercy. We were not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited. (Lam 3:21-22 God’s World Translation)

Thought

I might have a limp but like Jacob I am blessed. Gen 32:24-31