May today be the day...

"In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, know is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."  2 Corinthians 6:2

I could tell by her voice on the other end of the phone that she was worried. Worried about him, his health, his soul.

She asked, "Kristi do you think he knows? I just don't know if he knows. Do you?"

Her concern has been my concern for sometime. So what do you do when he chooses to not listen, when he changes the subject?

You trust Jesus more, you pray more, and you continue to talk, even if he doesn't want to. Because at this point minutes even hours are valuable for him.

But Jesus, He knows, and He is waiting.

Brethren our family time is valuable and we need to be doing what God has called us to do to ensure that all of our family knows Jesus.

I believe that the Lord will soften his heart and that he will be open and receptive. I believe this, because Jesus loves us and wants us to come to know Him. He wants to give us everlasting life, full of joy and peace that goes way beyond the world's definition.

Our lives are like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Salvation is not something we should put off. Today is the day. It's life or death and there is no way around it.

Heaven or Hell, those are the options.

For me, I refuse to stay silent. I choose to speak about Jesus whether the timing is right or not, because hell is just not a place I want any of my family to be. "Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching." 2 Timothy 4:2  I do believe and know God will prompt us at the exact times, so we need to be ready.

Jesus you know our families need. You know the situation at hand, the health and the time remaining. Open his heart to hear from You, to receive You, to know You and to soon be with You. Ultimately it is his choice, and You already know the outcome. I trust You and know that You are always at work. Be with her Father as she continues to share Your love with him. May today be the day, his heart becomes Yours. Amen

Hard Work is a Requirement

"Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others." Psalm 34:14

When I read this passage I am reminded that to have peace and live in peace I must work hard at creating peace.

Peace does not come effortlessly. It requires work, humility, and selflessness.

Jesus teach me how to be a peacemaker. You set the perfect example for us and I want to follow in Your footsteps. Amen

The Two Places It Should be Found

"And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness." James 3:18

I believe there are two places peace should be found most, is in our homes with our spouses and children and in our Churches.

In order for this to happen we must each take responsibility and do our parts to create peace.

Jesus I want to be a peacemaker. Teach me and show me how I can do better for You. Amen

Do You Have It?

"I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give you isn't like the peace the world gives." John 14:27

Are you a peacemaker or do you stir things up? God is teaching me a lot about peace. When we have true peace within, we will also express peace. We will have to work hard at it, because we are constantly at war.

It is so easy to give into our feelings and frustrations, but we can't. We have to follow Christ's example.

I am working on this one brethren.

Altar Sunday

"When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods-high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree. Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Erase the names of their gods from those places!" Deuteronomy 12:2-3

Jesus as we come to Your altar reveal to us any other altars we have created that pull our hearts away from You. Amen

Always the Same

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8

No matter how much our lives change. Jesus is always the same! 

The Search Is Over

"From there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him." Deuteronomy 4:29

We don't have to keep searching. We can stop. We can stop searching for true love. We can stop searching for the next best and newest thing.

We can stop searching for the best job, the best relationship, the best life-changing experience.

We can stop searching for the religion that fits us, the church that fits "our" standards.

We can stop searching for happiness and any and everything that will feed into our feelings.

Jesus is here. Jesus is alive. Jesus is real. Jesus is the Great I Am. Jesus is true love. Jesus is the next and newest thing. Serving Jesus is the best job. Jesus is the best relationship to have and be in. Jesus is life changing. Jesus is the One and Only. Jesus is the Church. With Jesus, there is no greater feeling.

Jesus re-direct us. Bring us back to You. Open our eyes to see that all these things we are searching for, are useless and meaningless. That the only searching we should be doing is searching for more of You. Amen

The Truth Revealed

"I can't see your faith if you don't have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds." James 2:18

I have faith. I love. I believe. These are easily put into words, but our actions and speech reveal the truth.

Today is the day we begin walking the walk and express our faith, love and what we believe for all to see.

People know if Jesus is alive within you.

Jesus thank You for knowing the truth about each and every one of us. May we walk with confidence and complete faith so that Your love is expressed through our everyday lives. Amen

Powerful Words that Can Make a Huge Impact if Acted Upon

"Rejoice. Change your ways. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Corinthians 13:11

Rejoice, change, encourage, harmony and peace, are powerful words that can impact our lives and the lives of others. Yet often times they seem to be the hardest ones to do, to express, to think upon.

But we make the choice whether or not to apply them and express them. For me I often allow how “I feel” to control my thoughts, words and actions. This I am not proud of, but willingly admit it is my biggest struggle.

My heart desires to walk in action and obedience, yet my flesh desires to walk in self. Miss “ME” is a very dominate woman, who I am still battling and though she often wins, I know Jesus in me is greater than she is and because of Him the victory has already been won.

But until He takes me home, I have to keep fighting. I have to keep focusing on His love and mercy. I have to keep filling my life with His Word. And I have to daily ask for His help to apply and live out His Word. I have to become conscious and aware of my thoughts, actions, words, and behavior and refuse to give into the ugly parts of them.

Jesus overcame all things. He endured all that I endure today. He resisted Satan. He walked a perfect and holy life. He knows the core of my heart, your heart, and He loves us anyway.

His power works best in my weaknesses. “My power works best in your weaknesses.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

He completes every part of me and I need to walk in that beautiful thought and promise.

Jesus I have tried to control too many aspects of this life You have given me. I no longer want that responsibility. It was Yours to begin with. I can’t fight without You. I can’t walk in obedience and faith without the Holy Spirit in me. Amen

 

Becoming Content with Our Weaknesses

"My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Jesus layer me with every word of this passage. I want that same contentment.

His Will

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes the plans we have for ourselves or others is not the same plans Christ has for us.

So how can we make sure we are not pushing His plans and will aside in order to fulfill our own?

Altar Sunday

These are a few of the reasons I go to the altar.

For them and many more.

Written by James Mejias

What would we give up for Jesus?

Could we or would we follow Him if and when He asked us to do something that went against the grain of our reality?

If He asked you to become blind, deaf, maimed, or paralyzed, could you? What if He asked you to die for Him?

Do we really have enough faith (trust/confidence) in Him? Would we deny ourselves these luxuries if they turned us away from His light?

Do we truly believe He is good and who He claimed to be? If we did then why do we hesitate to follow through in what He says?

Perhaps it is because we are always waiting for the words He speaks to manifest before we will feel confident enough to believe. Like the disciples we still need to experience His goodness through the logic of our flesh, rather than that of our spirit.

Judaism will never be the way to God. Justification through the law will never be enough to convince our flesh. It will always keep us in the place between belief and unbelief. To where we are either always waiting for the Christ to appear or repeatedly crucifying the Savior, who already came.

He Will Make it Clear

“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.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Just in case we don't get it, Jesus helps make it clear.

I know this sign has a negative intention, but I am thankful we have Jesus who opens our eyes and gives us clarity when temptation is right in front of us.

Jesus help us to grab hold of this verse and cling to its promises. Remove the film from our eyes so we can avoid temptation. Amen

The Temptation of Laziness

"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied." Proverbs 13:4

Laziness comes in all differnt areas of our lives. It is not just in our jobs.

Laziness can be found in our homes, in our marriages, in friendships, in our relationship with Christ and in our Churches.

Laziness can be found in our lack of self-control, our appearance, our attitude, our thoughts and our speech. You can even find laziness in being retired.

Laziness is a great tool Satan uses to keep us from being productive for the Lord.

Laziness can be contagious if we are not careful.

"Stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you. For you know that you ought to follow our example. We are never lazy when we were with you.  We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It wasn't that we didn't have the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave yo this rule: "Whoever does not work should not eat." 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10

Jesus I want to set a better example for my boys. Help me to overcome any and all laziness in every area of my life, especially the areas that matter the most. Forgive me for giving in to the temptaion. Amen

His Main Goal

"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you." James 4:7

Satan will tempt us in anyway he can to take our minds and eyes off of Christ. He will go as far as discouraging us from studying God's Word and even attending Church.

He loves distracting us, discouraging us, and distancing us from the Lord. It is his main goal!

What is he tempting you with that is keeping you from opening God's Word or attending Church?

Don't believe his lies.

Don't give into the lure of temporary satisfaction.

Resist Satan!

Draw close to God and He will draw close to you.

Jesus give us discernment and wisdom to know the difference between Your truth and Satan's lies. Remind us of the importance of spending time with You in prayer and in Your Word. It is the only way we will be able to resist Satan. Amen

Who Comes First?

"When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor." James 4:10

In times of temptation do we depend more on human help than we do on God's  help?

Do we turn to people before we turn to God in prayer?

Maybe the reason we wander through the wilderness or walk through the fire longer than others is because He wants us to put our complete faith and dependence upon Him. 

I know and believe that Jesus is true to His Word, and, if we will trust Him to help us overcome temptation, we will overcome it. 

Don't get me wrong, we need encouragement and support from our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we need to make sure we don't put them before God.

Human help only accomplishes so much, but God can accomplish and overcome all things.

Jesus help us to place You above all things and all people. May we turn to You before we turn anywhere else. It is only by You and through You that we are able to resist temptation. Amen

The Temptation to Complain

"In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you."  Philippians 2:14

The temptation to complain. How many times did you complain today?

We never really look at complaining as a temptation but it is a huge one. Satan loves to hear us complain, because when we do, we focus more on the problem, situation, or person than we do on Christ.

Jesus keep us aware of every complaint we begin to utter. Hold our tongue, take our thoughts captive, and place our eyes and minds on You and Your Word. This is a huge temptation that I give in to regularly. Forgive me and help me to obey Philippians 2:14 and put it into action.  Amen

Altar Sunday

What if you entered the Church and the only thing there was the altar. Would you stay and meet with the Lord or would you leave?

The Way Out

The greatest promise to cling to in this world today where temptation stares us in the face.

"If you think you are strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin. But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Seek the Wise

"Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. " Galatians 6:1

We all face temptation and we all need help, encouragement and support. We also need to be aware and wise. Strong and faithful, because we to, if not careful, can fall into the same temptation before we even realize it.

Seek help from those who are wise and grounded in Christ. 

Jesus help us to be wise and mindful when we reach out to help or ask for help. Amen

One of His Favorite Places to Tempt

"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Matthew 26:41

Do you know the biggest area Satan tempts us?

Our marriages. He will put all kinds of doubt in our minds. He loves to see us quarrel, bicker, harbor anger, resentment, and refuse to forgive. He wants us to act out on our feelings and emotions.

How can we take this particular passage and apply it in our personal lives and in our marriages?

The benefits we will reap for turning away from the temptation and turning to God.

Jesus protect our marriages. Help us to stand firm and place You in the center. Amen

Getting Specific

"Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes." Ephesians 4:23

The more I study God's Word on temptations, the more I realize the importance of being specific with what tempts us.

When Satan tempted Eve he focused on a very specific thing.

When he tempted Jesus he focused on three very specific things.

For us, he focuses on very specific things and they just happen to be our weakest areas. Not only does he use them against us but he also magnifies them.

And it all starts with our thoughts.

The more we listen to him the more we allow his lies to settle in our thoughts.

But the more we listen to Christ and store His Word within us the less tempted and weak we will be.

Jesus strengthen us with Your Word. Take control of our thoughts. Help us store more of Your Word within us. Amen

Shedding the Weight

“Let us strip off the weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.” Hebrews 12:1

I just keep coming back to this passage over and over. It fits in so well with the study I am doing on temptation.

The more I study and absorb this passage the more God reveals to me.

We all know what carrying weight around is like. It’s heavy, it bogs us down, it makes us tired and weary, frustrated and often overwhelmed.

I am not just talking about the weight of fat. I am talking about the weight of worry, fear, doubt, sin, anxiety, sadness, addiction, etc.

We all carry different amounts, and we all handle the weight differently.

I, lately, have taken on weight that has really left me dragging, tired, overwhelmed, frustrated and well not so chipper.

And no matter how hard I try to strip off this weight, it just seems to stay.

I have heard lots of advice from lots of people, but none from a Scriptural standpoint, and when we take on so much weight, we need Jesus and His Word to consume us from all angles.

Can you relate?

The Lord is teaching me how His Word helps eliminate added weight. He is bringing other Scripture even more to life within me.

You see the more I take His Word in, the more weight I shed. Here’s how, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

He also says in the following verse of Hebrews 12, if we keep on running the race and keep our eyes on Him we will be victorious and progress will be made.

“And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” Hebrews 12:1-2

It’s a process but in specific areas I can see a difference, and so will you if you keep moving towards Christ.

The hardest part and the thing that I need to do the most, is stop focusing so much on the weight and start focusing on Christ.

Jesus forgive me for focusing more on the weight than on You. I realize I have allowed these issues to become bigger than they should. I need Your help to remove them. Thank You for showing me some hidden weight that needs to be stripped. I can’t do this without You. Amen

It's Not Food You Need

"People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God." Matthew 4:4

Do you know the first thing Satan tempted Jesus with?

Food.

"If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Matthew 4:3

Jesus had not eaten anything for 40 days. Can you imagine not eating for 40 days? Satan knew Jesus was weak and had not eaten, thus focusing on His physical need for food.

Satan knows our weaknesses too and he loves to take them and exploit them. 

Look at food for example. Food is a huge deal in our society today. It is a huge temptation for lots of people. Food has become the main focus and closest companion for many, thus obesity. It has also become an enemy to others, thus anorexia. 

For many the hunger they feel goes a lot deeper than just basic hunger pains and I believe that is why Jesus said, "People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God." Matthew 4:4

Jesus is saying we need to satisfy our needs in the right way and at the right time. We also need to depend on Him to satisfy us, rather than rushing to temporary things that last for a short time.

Jesus can and will satisfy that deep hunger if we let Him.

Jesus open our eyes to see that our cravings and hunger can be satisfied with Your Word. I pray that we will begin to feed on Your Word and less on temporary fixes that worldly food offers. Amen

Altar Sunday

"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."  Hebrews 4:15-16

What Tempts You?

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting.”” Luke 17:1

What are some things that tempt you?

How well have you resisted them?

Have you called on the Lord to help you?

Jesus help us to resist the temptations that are before us. May we call on You for strength. Help us to stand firm in Your truth and draw on Your Word in time of need. Amen

Fighting Temptation

"Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil."  Matthew 4:1

Temptation-to entice to sin; put to the test, make a trial of.

Test- a trial intended to ascertain quality, value, or character; to examine.

Temptation today is strong, real, and literally in our face everyday.  But temptation is not something that has just evolved. It has been around since the beginning. 

It began with Adam and Eve, two people created by God, made perfect. They were the first to be tempted and to give into temptation. 

Through them we see how strong and powerful it is and why it is important to keep our eyes on the Lord.

I have wondered through this new study, why Eve never called on the Lord, and then it hit me, why do I not call on Him.

I too, like Eve have been tempted and have believed or given into those temptations. Satan is so good at twisting things around and making them look good, sound good, feel good, taste good. 

So why, why in those times did I not cry out to Him immediately? Why did I think I could handle it on my own?

Why did I give in?

Why do we give in? 

Jesus tells us He will give us the strength to overcome and resist temptation if we will just look to Him for help.

He knows what we are going through. He was tempted too. 

And He showed us that we can overcome them, just like He did-with the Word.

There will always be temptations, but a lot of them can be avoided by eliminating them from our lives.

The more we fill up on Jesus the less we fill up with the world.

Jesus we come boldly to the throne where mercy is found and grace and help is given. We are in constant need of Your strength and protection. Clothe us with the protection of Your Word. Amen

A Giving Heart

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

Jesus has given, gives, and will continue to give us His absolute best.

We know the one thing Christ gave us that changed our lives forever-His life.

Today He gives us His love, His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness, His joy, His protection, His peace, and the Holy Spirit.

And we too can give just as Christ did. We can first give Him our whole heart, our love, and our time.

We can give others our love, joy, hope, kindness, peace, a helping hand, a listening ear, forgiveness and time.

Giving pleases the Lord and it keeps us humble and our hearts from selfishness.

Jesus help me to be more giving like You. Thank You for all You have given and continue to give to me daily. Amen

Less of Me and More of Him

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30

Do you ever feel like self gets in the way of Jesus working in you? Okay that might be a crazy question because we all know self is always in the way. That’s why for me self is known as Miss “Me”.

I am in the process of working on my 1000 devotional and as I look back I notice that some have migrated towards self rather than towards the Lord.  Yes He is always tied in, but it seems like I have mentioned Him less and my issues more.

I know for many it helps them relate when we talk about our personal stories, but how can we keep from making ourselves bigger than Him?

I know for a fact that we can relate to His stories in His Word because He made it so we could.

As I begin this New Year with the purpose to please Him, reflect Him, and be filled with His Word, I know I must become less so He can become MORE.

In order for all that to happen, I need to store more of His Word within me and take my eyes off of me and place them on Him.

This is not always easy. But I know with the power of the Holy Spirit working in me, it is achievable.

So though it doesn’t draw in readers, I hope to write more about the Lord and less about me. In doing so the Lord works more and my opinion is less (which is a really GOOD thing).

Jesus teach me to follow every one of your principles. Give me understanding and I will obey your law; I will put it into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Amen (Psalm 119:33-35)

 

 

 

 

Join Us!

“I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your principles and not forget your word.” Psalm 119:15-16

Today is a new day and New Year and what better way to start it off than by memorizing God’s Word.

So a couple of my besties and me are going to join Beth Moore’s 2013 Siesta Scripture Memory Team, and we would love for you to join us. If you are interested you will need to go to her blog http://blog.lproof.org/ and sign up.

Then, you will need to comment on Godly Gossip so we know you are joining us. If you want, when we contact each other to say our verses, we can contact you as well.

I think this is a great way to start the New Year and begin the transforming process of our hearts.

And I have to tell you, the Lord moved big and quickly with this, because the minute He laid it on my heart, He laid it on my two best friends heart’s at the same time.

I LOVE it when He works like that.

So sign up anyone and everyone and let’s store God’s Word.

Jesus give us the supernatural ability to study and store Your Word. Give us clarity and guidance and begin the amazing process of shaping and molding our hearts to be more like Yours. Amen