So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Music Mondy
1 Corinthians 15:57 thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Have an awesome day! #championshipdna
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Music Monday
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
-The Voice
Morning family, remember to sharelife with someone this week and continue to walk in His love....
One Love
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Music Monday
Great song of morning meditation, be blessed today!
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Wednesday, 14 May 2014
O The Blood [Video]
"The precious blood of Christ." 1 Peter 1:19
Standing at the foot of the cross, we see hands, and feet, and side, all distilling crimson streams of precious blood. It is "precious" because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it the sins of Christ's people are atoned for; they are redeemed from under the law; they are reconciled to God, made one with him. Christ's blood is also "precious" in its cleansing power; it "cleanseth from all sin." "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Through Jesus' blood there is not a spot left upon any believer, no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. O precious blood, which makes us clean, removing the stains of abundant iniquity, and permitting us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God. The blood of Christ is likewise "precious" in its preserving power. We are safe from the destroying angel under the sprinkled blood. Remember it is God's seeing the blood which is the true reason for our being spared. Here is comfort for us when the eye of faith is dim, for God's eye is still the same. The blood of Christ is "precious" also in its sanctifying influence. The same blood which justifies by taking away sin, does in its after-action, quicken the new nature and lead it onward to subdue sin and to follow out the commands of God. There is no motive for holiness so great as that which streams from the veins of Jesus. And "precious," unspeakably precious, is this blood, because it has an overcoming power. It is written, "They overcame through the blood of the Lamb." How could they do otherwise? He who fights with the precious blood of Jesus, fights with a weapon which cannot know defeat. The blood of Jesus! sin dies at its presence, death ceases to be death: heaven's gates are opened. The blood of Jesus! we shall march on, conquering and to conquer, so long as we can trust its power!
Submitted Michael
--Be Blessed today family!
Tuesday, 13 May 2014
The Power of Words
by Anna Kuta, Editor, ReligionToday.com
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).
We’ve all heard the phrase “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” In my mind, that statement couldn’t be further from the truth.
Words are powerful. We’ve all, no doubt, been wounded at some point by careless, unkind or mean statements. Their effect on our lives, even years later, is undeniable. No matter how much we deny it, it still makes us cringe to remember the taunts of the second-grade bully on the playground and makes us want to crawl under a rock to think of that rumor spreading through the high school hallways.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” Proverbs 18:21 says. The impact our words have on others cannot be overstated. One small comment or remark can make the difference between building a relationship up or tearing it down. We have the power to either encourage or destroy others with our speech.
The Bible speaks extensively about the power of words – especially positive ones – and warns about the dangers of careless ones. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” says Proverbs 15:1. “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones,” Proverbs 16:24 adds. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” And Matthew 12:36-37 says: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
One particular instance of the power of words in my life stands out in my mind – one that, without exaggerating, very likely changed my whole course at that time. It was early in the second semester of my sophomore year of college, and I was trudging up the stairs of the journalism building to turn in an assignment. Freshman year and the first half of sophomore year had been rough for a variety of reasons, and now I was struggling to juggle my classes, work and personal issues and keep my head afloat. I had to officially declare my major in just a few weeks, but I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. It was one of those weeks where I seemed to be failing on every assignment, and to top it off, I had just come from a disastrous meeting with an econ professor who made me feel stupid for not understanding an “easy” problem. Even in my journalism classes – my best subject – I couldn’t seem to get into the swing of things. The harder I tried, the worse the results seemed to be. I was beginning to worry that majoring in journalism would be the most terrible idea of my life, and I was, in all honesty, becoming more and more tempted to give it all up completely and go take a semester off somewhere.
On my way out of the journalism building, I passed two of my professors talking in the hallway. I said hi to them and kept walking, but after I rounded the corner I stopped short as I heard one of them say to the other, “Anna is one of the most hard-working and good journalism students.” I don’t know if he meant for me to overhear his statement, and I don’t remember hearing either of them say a single other thing, but his words made me freeze and stand there for a good 10 seconds. A good student – that’s really what he thought? My work was paying off? I wasn’t a total journalistic failure who would never succeed as a writer? It was like right then and there something went off in my mind. I hadn’t even realized I needed the encouragement, but suddenly my whole outlook changed. If that’s what my professor thought of me, then I was determined not to let him down. Many times throughout the rest of college when I doubted myself or just needed a pick-me-up, I thought back to his comment. He became one of my most trusted mentors, and before I graduated I was finally able to tell him how his words that day had probably been the turning point in my whole academic career. To this day, I still don’t know what it was about that one simple statement – but I do know its impact went a thousand times beyond what my professor could have ever imagined.
A kind, positive or encouraging word at the right time can truly be life-changing. Your words hold the power to breathe an attitude of death or life into others – which will you choose?
Intersecting Faith & Life: Let us strive to remember the power of our words and their impact on those who hear them. Think twice before making a negative statement, and instead find a way to pass along an encouraging word today.
Further Reading
Source: crosswalk.com
Posted by: Keturah
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Why God Sometimes Says "Not Yet"
Why God Sometimes Says "Not Yet"
by Rick Warren
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’” (Hebrews 10:36-37 NIV)
If you’re discouraged because of God’s delay in answering your prayers, understand the delay is not a denial. Just because the answer or the miracle hasn’t come yet doesn’t mean God isn’t going to answer or that he’s forgotten you or that he doesn’t care about you. It simply means “not yet”! Part of becoming spiritually mature is learning the difference between “no” and “not yet,” between a denial and a delay. The Bible tells us, “He who is coming will come and will not delay” (Hebrews 10:37 NIV). God’s delay may be a test of your patience. Anybody can be patient once. And, most people can be patient twice. And, a lot of us can be patient three times.
So God tests our patience over and over and over.
Why? So he can see how patient you are? No!
He does it so you can see how patient you are — so you’ll know what’s inside you, and you’ll be able to know your level of commitment. God tests you so that you can know he is faithful, even if the answers you seek are delayed. You may be going through difficult times right now. You may be discouraged because the situation you face seems unmanageable, unreasonable, or unfair. It may seem unbearable, and inside you’re basically saying, “God, I can’t take it anymore. I just can’t take it anymore!”
But you can.
You can stay with it longer because God is with you. He’ll enable you to press on. Remember, you are never a failure until you quit. Resist discouragement, and finish the race God has set before you.
------------------------------
Talk It Over If you’re discouraged, turn it around by remembering God teaches you patience during delay. Ask him to transform your discouragement into patience.
What request did you believe God answered with “no” to which he might actually be answering “not yet”? How will you respond?
What do you think God wants you to do in the delay when he answers “not yet”?
Talk It Over If you’re discouraged, turn it around by remembering God teaches you patience during delay. Ask him to transform your discouragement into patience.
What request did you believe God answered with “no” to which he might actually be answering “not yet”? How will you respond?
What do you think God wants you to do in the delay when he answers “not yet”?
Source: Rick Warren.org
Posted by: Keturah
Friday, 21 March 2014
Awakening to the Kingdom Within
Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” —Luke 17:20-21
Jesus often talked about the Kingdom of God in the Gospels. There are 60 separate references in His teachings that refer to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven.
A kingdom is, by definition, a territory ruled by a king. This would have been on the mind of people in Jesus’ time. For centuries the nation of Israel had lived under oppression and in and out of captivity. Many believed that the long awaited Messiah would come in a blaze of glory and lead the Jewish people to their rightful place in society. Their dignity would be restored and the Messiah would take his place on the throne of Israel. That’s why His disciples had asked, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
But God had far greater plans. The Kingdom of Heaven would reach far beyond the Jewish world and be equally accessible to every man, woman and child born again of the Spirit of God. Jesus told Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). To Pontius Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).
When questioned by the Pharisees as to when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus answered, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). The human heart is the sphere of God’s reign in which He exercises His kingship and sets up His kingdom. There are several parables Jesus uses in John, Chapter 13 to describe what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, but in Matthew 18-23, He tells us a most important requisite to enter it. “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven is the complete reversal of greatness in the world, which is marked by independence, strength and self-assurance. The Kingdom of God is marked by childlike qualities of dependence, humility and trust. It is never found by looking for it, but by walking humbly with God.
A kingdom is, by definition, a territory ruled by a king. This would have been on the mind of people in Jesus’ time. For centuries the nation of Israel had lived under oppression and in and out of captivity. Many believed that the long awaited Messiah would come in a blaze of glory and lead the Jewish people to their rightful place in society. Their dignity would be restored and the Messiah would take his place on the throne of Israel. That’s why His disciples had asked, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
But God had far greater plans. The Kingdom of Heaven would reach far beyond the Jewish world and be equally accessible to every man, woman and child born again of the Spirit of God. Jesus told Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). To Pontius Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).
When questioned by the Pharisees as to when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus answered, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). The human heart is the sphere of God’s reign in which He exercises His kingship and sets up His kingdom. There are several parables Jesus uses in John, Chapter 13 to describe what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, but in Matthew 18-23, He tells us a most important requisite to enter it. “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven is the complete reversal of greatness in the world, which is marked by independence, strength and self-assurance. The Kingdom of God is marked by childlike qualities of dependence, humility and trust. It is never found by looking for it, but by walking humbly with God.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, I love that the Kingdom of God is within me, which means
there is nowhere I can go without your presence.
Thank You, Lord.
And I pray that your reign in my heart
keeps me always humbled
before You.
TO REFLECT UPON: How has the Kingdom of God within me changed my life?
Thursday, 20 March 2014
His Promises
Dear Family,
Isaiah 45:1-6 (New International Version)
As you claim these blessings, I pray that God will reveal His will for you, in personal and collective ways!
Best Regards,
Mama J.
Stay blessed, give thanks...
Jesus is Lord!!
Sending you a quick note, saying I love you, praying for you, missing you!!!!
As we were reminded this morning of the prophetic word spoken over the body of ROLIF for 2014.....I felt led to share these powerful words over your lives seeing we worship under the same roof.
Isaiah 45:1-6 (New International Version)
1 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before you
and will level the mountains[a];
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
3 I will give you hidden treasures,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other
to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before you
and will level the mountains[a];
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
3 I will give you hidden treasures,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other
As you claim these blessings, I pray that God will reveal His will for you, in personal and collective ways!
Best Regards,
Mama J.
Stay blessed, give thanks...
Jesus is Lord!!
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
God may even bless your mess!
Pre-Read: Genesis 26:1-16
Key Verse:
That year Isaac’s crops were tremendous! He harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord had blessed him. Genesis 26:12
This key verse is compelling. A harvest that yields 100 fold is certainly the type of harvest that I would like to reap in many areas of my life! But as I read the context of the text, I have learned more about God’s grace and Isaac’s disgrace than I expected to. The chapter begins by painting the seen of a severe famine – a dry season in the life of Isaac. It is not the first or only dry season to occur in history, but it appears to be the first to occur in the adult life of Isaac. When things dry up in one area of our life, the obvious choice is to move on and that is exactly what Isaac did. In fact, he was prepared to go as far as Egypt to re-establish himself. But God intervened. He commanded, “Do not go to Egypt. Do as I say and stay here in this land.” Notice that the place of Isaac’s choosing was not the place of God’s blessing. God’s instruction to Isaac reminds me that sometimes the most logical choice for me is not God’s ideal choice for me. The good decision is not always the best decision. I have to be open to His direction in my life and be willing to stay put until He instructs me to move forward. Like Moses, we need to be willing to declare: “"If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:15.
As Isaac hears God’s repetition of his amazing covenant promise that had been given to Abraham, Isaac wisely adjusts his plans. “If you [stay here], I will be with you and bless you. I will give all this land to you and your descendents, just as I solemnly promised Abraham your father. I will cause your descendents to become as numerous as the stars, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, regulations and laws.” Genesis 26: 2 -5.
Isaac had been given what most of us search a lifetime for – guaranteed assurance of his destiny and legacy. I almost expect Isaac’s story to end here with a “happily, ever after”. Surely now Isaac could kick back and enjoy his life, recognizing once and for all that “God’s got this!” and things would turn out alright. But Isaac was completely human, and like us, prone to messing with the blessing that God had on his life. While Isaac completely obeyed God’s command to stay put in Gerar (v. 6), he did not completely trust God to protect him when faced with a sticky situation in Gerar. When asked about his beautiful travel companion Rebekah, Isaac failed to disclose that she was also his life companion. Like his father Abraham before him, Isaac lied about his relationship with his wife and, as a result, nearly caused a curse to fall on the Philistines. This could well have been the end of Isaac’s story.
Although God in the Old Testament is often accused of being wrathful and punitive, what occurs next provides evidence to us of God’s amazing grace. Here we see a loving God who moved quickly to cover Isaac’s failure with divine favour! God chose to bless Isaac’s self-inflicted mess by allowing the prevailing ruler Abimelech to publicly announce an unwarranted decree of protection rather than execution. Wow! That’s what I call grace!
Furthermore, that same year – Isaac’s noteworthy year of deception – became a year of great harvest – 100 fold! In fact, Issac prospered so much that eventually Abimelech had to ask Isaac to leave the region because he, a Yahweh-serving foreigner, had become “too rich and too powerful” and was making their pagan gods look bad (v. 16). Amazing! And yet, it makes me wonder what the result would have been for Isaac had he not lied to the Philistines? Maybe Isaac missed out on reaping a 200 fold harvest because of his fear and sin? We will never know. What we do know is that in spite of Isaac’s imperfect obedience, God perfectly kept His promise. In the midst of dry barrenness, Isaac was richly fruitful. In spite of failure, God extended favour.
This short story in Genesis 26 fills me with great hope. I too, like Isaac, am prone to imperfect obedience. My reasoning goes something like this: “Yes God, I will obey your will, but just let me do it my way. I’ve got this!” Sound familiar? Inevitably this results in me messing with my blessing. I pray that you, like me, will encouraged by Isaac’s story. God is faithful, even when we are not. He knows the deepest motivations of our hearts and when, like Isaac, we really do desire to obey Him, He moves quickly to forgive our mistakes and extend His grace so He can fulfill His promises in our lives.
Family, let’s stop messing with our blessings! Let's commit all ours ways to the Lord and confess any messes. This very year a guaranteed harvest awaits us . Its yield is only limited by the degree to which we choose to obey God – both His will, His way!
Think about it:
Can you think of a time when you have made a mess of a situation and God turned it around?
How did you feel when God intervened in your situation?
Have you secretly felt that some current mess in your life is too complicated for even God to deal with?
Perhaps now would be a good time to pray and confess your mess to God.
Be blessed!
Written & posted by Keturah
Monday, 3 March 2014
Encourage Yourself
Written by Matthew Bacchus
David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. -1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV)
Sometimes things happen in our lives that shake us. The unexpected happens and you’re left to deal with it. King David and his soldiers were returning home from Ziklag and they saw that their homes were burned by fire, and the Amalekites carried off their wives and children.
Think about your life today. What unexpected event has happened in your life that has discouraged you? I’m doing my best to imagine David at this time. He is upset and I’m sure ready to fight, and most likely on the verge of giving up. The only thing that David was able to do was to encourage himself in the Lord, and realize that he couldn’t rely on his own strength.
You will need the Lord in order to face whichever of life’s storms come your way. Your situation may not be as severe as David, but whatever you’re facing, encourage yourself! You may be struggling in school, or having a hard time at work. You may be talked about, laughed at, or made fun of. Whatever it is, take a cue from David and encourage yourself! Whatever mountain stands in your way, start climbing your way to the top. Whatever you're fearful of, you will overcome. Make up in your mind that this year you will accomplish that dream that you've been wrestling with, and you will push yourself to the finish line. You won’t give up!
Many are saying you won't make it, and many believe you are wasting your time. The journey can be lonely, and you may find there is no one to turn to. Still, encourage yourself! The road won’t be easy, and there will be trying times, but allow God to strengthen and help you through. In the end you will receive a greater victory and a greater reward!
Posted by: Keturah
Listen: Encourage Yourself - Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singe
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Living the Isaiah 58 Mandate
The Message (MSG) Version
Your Prayers Won’t Get Off the Ground
58 1-3 “Shout! A full-throated shout!
Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
3-5 “Well, here’s why:
“The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit.
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
6-9 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places
9-12 “If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
13-14 “If you watch your step on the Sabbath
and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage,
If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy,
God’s holy day as a celebration,
If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’
making money, running here and there—
Then you’ll be free to enjoy God!
Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all.
I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.”
Yes! God says so!
and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage,
If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy,
God’s holy day as a celebration,
If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’
making money, running here and there—
Then you’ll be free to enjoy God!
Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all.
I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.”
Yes! God says so!
This Week's Challenge: Prayerfully Read each day this week verses from the Isaiah 58 passage. Pray for inspiration into what God is calling you to do in 2014!
Posted by: Keturah
First Things First - By Anissa Rowe, Guest Writer CBN
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
This verse has become the anthem of my heart. Growing up, I heard it repeatedly. But at one point in my life I had to ask: What does it really mean to seek God’s kingdom first?
One word: Prioritize.
His commandments, His desires, His love, should all be the center of what we are and desire to be. All other entities find their position as a result.
It is always hard for our human minds to interpret this—but I soon realized it wasn’t about fitting these words into my life only when convenient because “times have changed” or “God understands I’m so busy.”
Jesus was pretty clear when He said to forsake all and follow Him. What He said then, He means now too. Even if that means doing things we’re not comfortable with, pushing away anything that hinders our relationship with Him, or sacrificing the dreams we want most.
Many of us try to ignore how deep and raw this commitment really is.
Sure, the Lord wants to give us blessing after blessing. He wants to open every window of Heaven and rain down gifts, both spiritual and natural, into our souls. He wants to fulfill the desires of our hearts. Sometimes we forget, however, that it is humble obedience and faith which bring Him on the scene.
When I finally said, “It’s all about You, Lord” instead of constantly asking Him to do great works for me, I found a peace beyond belief.
Giving up and giving in is the hardest part. And it needs to be daily.
The good news is…He takes care of it from there.
So many nights I’ve been overwhelmed by an ominous stack of work, like many of you. Then this Scripture would come to me. Before I did anything else, I cleared my mind and gave God a bit of my time. I would pray, read the Word or listen to a sermon.
Guess what? I felt refreshed. More than I ever would by watching YouTube or simply staring at my computer, begging it to write my papers for me.
God honors us when He is honored as our top priority. He’s jealous of us (Deuteronomy 4:24KJV).
For so much of my life I was scared of letting go; I wanted control. But (better late than never) I at last understood that I just need to trust Him. Plain and simple.
No, it’s not as if God doesn’t want us to try at anything in life. He just wants us to do it His way the first time, all the time. Of course He wants us to succeed, but He wants to prove that it is His strength in each of us, because we are nothing on our own.
So I encourage you: Let Jesus Christ be at the forefront of your thoughts and the guide of your heart. He’ll put everything else into place. He promises
SOURCE: CBN.com
POSTED BY: Keturah
Monday, 13 January 2014
Let Go and Let God Work!
Surrender: Let Go and Let God Work
Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7 (GWT)
You also know you're surrendered when you don't react to criticism and rush to defend yourself.
Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You are not self-serving, you don't edge others out, and you don't demand your rights.
The most difficult thing for many people to surrender is their money. Many have thought, "I want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live comfortably and retire someday."
Retirement is not the goal of a surrender life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, "You cannot serve both God and money," (Matthew 6:24 NIV) and "Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21 NIV).
The supreme example of self-surrender is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine" (Mark 14:36 NLT).
Jesus surrendered himself to God's will. He prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that's what I want, too."
Genuine surrender says, "Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another's life, please don't take it away!"
This level of maturity doesn't come easy. In Jesus' case, he agonized so much over God's plan that he sweated drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.
As Jesus said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Matthew 19:26 NLT
We serve the God of the possible. Surrender IS possible! This year as we seek Christ more and more, let's be encouraged, because with full, daily surrender, ALL things are possible!
Posted by Keturah
by Rick Warren
Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7 (GWT)
Surrendering your life means:
- Following God's lead without knowing where he's sending you;
- Waiting for God's timing without knowing when it will come;
- Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide;
- Trusting God's purpose without understanding the circumstances.
- You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work. You don't have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, you trust more.
You also know you're surrendered when you don't react to criticism and rush to defend yourself.
Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You are not self-serving, you don't edge others out, and you don't demand your rights.
The most difficult thing for many people to surrender is their money. Many have thought, "I want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live comfortably and retire someday."
Retirement is not the goal of a surrender life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, "You cannot serve both God and money," (Matthew 6:24 NIV) and "Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21 NIV).
The supreme example of self-surrender is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine" (Mark 14:36 NLT).
Jesus surrendered himself to God's will. He prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that's what I want, too."
Genuine surrender says, "Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another's life, please don't take it away!"
This level of maturity doesn't come easy. In Jesus' case, he agonized so much over God's plan that he sweated drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.
As Jesus said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Matthew 19:26 NLT
We serve the God of the possible. Surrender IS possible! This year as we seek Christ more and more, let's be encouraged, because with full, daily surrender, ALL things are possible!
Posted by Keturah
