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

 

 

 

 

 

May 2013 Be...

As 2012 comes to a close I pray your eyes are set on Him as you look to 2013.

I pray the New Year brings you closer to Christ than the year before.

I pray His Word fills your hearts and His love overtakes you.

I pray God places you in situations to be His light and to spread His Word.

I pray He leads you to new places to see His glory in new and amazing ways.

I pray He uses you to bring others to Him.

I pray He continues to change and transform you to be more like Him.

I pray you look to Him for all you need.

I pray your faith becomes stronger everyday and that your doubts begin to disappear.

I pray He is alive and working in you filling you with joy.

And I pray you know how loved and adored you are.

May your 2013 be all for Him.

Happy New Year!

Altar Sunday

Jesus as we come to the altar, cleanse our hearts so our praises will be of the sweetest aroma. Amen

Please Pray

Brethren please pray for my precious friend Dana. The cancer is beginning to spread to quickly.

We are still believing God can and will heal her, and we know how powerful prayer is. So please, please pray for Dana and her family.

Our hearts are so heavy with this news and Dana is so tired.

So again if you would please remember this family in your prayers everyday.

Jesus we trust Your decision and know You are in control. We also know You are with Dana right now and we praise You for staying with her. Please Jesus heal Dana! Amen

Like Father, Like Son

"In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ” The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the L ord ’s coming! Clear the road for him!"(Matthew 3:1-3 NLT)

As a Father I can't help but compare and relate John's message with the message I send to my children. As the leader and example in my home how does my message sound to the ones around me? Do I represent the same message John did? What would my family write about my message I show with my words and actions?

During these holidays I pray that I can live as faithful as John the Baptist did. Remembering how influential my life and message is to the ones around me.

"Like Father Like Son" as the saying goes.

Father thank you for revealing in a new way the message of John the Baptist. Thank you for showing me what YOU want my message to be throughout my family. Help me be a living example of you daily, no matter the cost. AMEN

How Will You?

Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom."

Psalm 90:12

As the New Year approaches, we often make plans of what we want to do different, change, and strive for.

For me, I want to make the most of the time I have left. I want to be a better child of God. I want to be joyful, kind, loving, patient, and gentle. I want to serve others more, live wiser, work harder, and share Jesus more.

I want to shine brighter for Him and listen to Him more. I want to be changed, cleansed and filled up with Jesus more than I ever have.

I want to be set free from the sins that have entangled me and walk in His freedom.

I want to laugh more, live by what I know is His Word says, and walk with confidence.

I want to doubt less, trust more, and be so much of His reflection that others immediately see Him.

I want be more prayerful and be there more for others than I have been.

This New Year, I will prepare more for His arrival, stay alert and ready, and be clothed in His armor.

I will, in 2013, by the power of the Holy Spirit continue to overcome Miss “Me”

Jesus help me to make the most of my time so that I might better serve and reflect You. Amen

Don't Question It.

"You spread out our sins before you-our secret sins-and you see them all." Psalm 90:8

Sometimes I think we forget that Jesus sees and knows everyone of our sins. I am not sure if we choose to ignore that fact, or if we hide from Him because of them. Either way He knows all of them.

And He still loves us. I think it is so important for us to know that.

For me it is sometimes hard to understand how He can still love me, but He does and I don't want to question that, I just want to accept it, soak it up and walk in His mercy and grace.

Jesus Your love is beyond measure. Thank You for Your grace. Amen

The Greatest Gift

Today, for most children it's all about the presents under the tree. But out of everyone of those presents lie a greater present that was given to us long ago.

His name is Jesus. Today we celebrate Him. We celebrate His birth and all that His birth brought us.

Hope
Joy
Salvation
Peace
A future
Forgiveness
Grace
Mercy
Love
But most of all Life.

Jesus thank You for the greatest gift of all. You! May our hearts be full of praise and gladness for who You are and what You have done for us. May Your name be glorified today and everyday. Amen

Am I Prepared?

It's the night before His special day and as I lay my head down my heart wonders if its prepared for Him.

Can it really grasp the extraordinary event that took place long ago? Does it comprehend the meaning of His birth? 

I am not sure I have ever been able to fully digest His love. Who am I that He would leave His place of honor to come to earth and die for me? 

His love for me/us is so big it can't be contained. 

I am thankful to have a Savior such as He.

Jesus thank You for loving us so much that You entered the darkness so that we might have light. Prepare our hearts for tomorrow as we wake to celebrate Your birthday. Amen

Altar Sunday

Today we have the opportunity to gather together and begin celebrating Jesus' birthday.

May our hearts be open and full as we sing praises to His name.

It is in fact all about Him anyway and always! He is good and He is worthy of our praise!

What Was It Like?

I wonder what Mary's pregnancy with Jesus was like. Did she get tired? Was she ever sick? 

The day of her delivery was she in pain? What were those moments like for Joseph as he anticipated the birth of Jesus

Did he ever have doubts or fears that he wouldn't be good enough? 

Sometimes it's hard for me to really comprehend that it was real. It's so amazing, so astounding, yet to real to grasp.

Do you ever feel that way? 

Jesus was born in a stable, placed in a manger, and His mother was a virgin who found favor with God. 

Amazing isn't it?

I wish I could have been there. I wish I could have seen His birth. 

I wonder if Mary held Him for long periods of time. Did she sleep near Him? How many kisses did she give Him every second. 

 

Did her heart stay full?

I wonder what the moments were like 33 years later when she watched her Son tortured and beat then hung on a Cross so that we could all have life. 

I don't know what any of it was like for her, but I know I am thankful. I am thankful that Jesus did what He did for me.

I know what my heart feels. I know how overwhelmed I become when I think of His love for me and what He was willing to do so I could spend forever with Him. 

Jesus thank You for showing me a little more everyday just how much You love me. I may never fully understand it, but I believe it! Amen

Before We Dive In

"Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:15

As the day approaches, how have we prepared our hearts and our children's hearts for this celebration?

Have we prepared the best for Him?

Have we sent out the invitations and spread the Word?

The Shepherds couldn't wait to go see Jesus.

The Wise Men set out on a journey to see Him.

Are we that anxious and excited to see Jesus and celebrate His birthday?

Let's not let presents filled with materialistic things fill us with more joy than celebrating the life of Christ.

Maybe this year we could spend time praising Him before we dive into the gifts.

Eyes on Him

"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish." Hebrews 12:2

As we enter the Presence of the Lord we must keep our eyes fixed on Him. Removing all of ourselves and focusing solely on Him.

It is easy to enter the relationship focusing on our own needs and expectations, but to know more about Jesus we need to focus on His needs and expectations.

Let's put ourselves aside today and place Jesus first.

The Way to Know

 A good way to see if you are getting to know Jesus more is by how much change is taking place in your heart.

"So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8

His Willingness and Joy

Do you want to know something wonderful about Jesus?

"He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward." Hebrews 12:2

Jesus thank You for Your love and willingness to die for us. Amen

More than the Given

Knowing Jesus is more than just knowing the basics of His name and what He has done.

Knowing Jesus is knowing the intimate and special parts about Him. Knowing Jesus is knowing what He likes and dislikes.

Knowing Jesus is knowing His Word.

Jesus You left us two amazing gifts that allow us to know You more. The Holy Spirit and Your Word. May we listen to the Spirit as He teaches us more about You through Your Word. Amen

Altar Sunday

I can't shake the events that took place this weekend.

 I can't get the visions of those innocent babies crying out in complete fear for their mommies and daddies out of my mind.

I can't get the thoughts out of my head of those teachers who lost their lives protecting those children.

It's unbearable. This pain in my heart. It is a crippling fear that makes me want to keep my precious babies at home with me. 

It is my prayer today, that as we gather together in the Lord's house, that we will enter His throne room as one body and lift up these families who are mourning the loss of their babies and loved ones. 

Seeing Who I Really Am

“Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Ephesians 5:17

I can’t tell you how many nights I have laid in bed since we have moved and asked the Lord why. Why here? Why this?

What is here Jesus? Who is here? Maybe nothing is here, maybe He brought us here to reveal to me who I really am when all is stripped away.

This is hard. I am learning things about me that are saddening. I am seeing that I still have more of my old self in me than I realized. Maybe it’s always been there and I have just ignored it instead of dealt with it. Maybe I have pretended to be someone I am really not.

Here I feel lost, really lost. I feel like the wandering Israelites. Did I complain did I doubt You Lord?

When one wanders lost and alone, several things happen. Satan attacks, temptations rise, and choices are made.

When the frustration of going in circles stays constant, it’s easy for anger to set in.

It’s easy to ask why?  But it’s hard to listen to the answer. It’s hard to see who you really might be.

It’s hard to see through the fog of confusion, frustration, anger, doubt, and hopelessness that His purpose in doing this is for my protection or for my true transformation to take place.

Pray for me. Pray for us. Pray that God will cleanse us, purify us, restore us, and make us new in Him. Pray our eyes will be open to see God’s purpose in all of this.

The Horrible Devastation

The devastation that has taken place today is more than my heart can bear.

I am waiting for my precious Avery to get out of school and I am unable to contain the tears.

I am broken for these families.

I have thoughtlessly dropped Avery off at school assuming everything would be fine, but today things have changed.

Today I will be more prayerful. I will be more cautious. I will be more mindful.

Jesus comfort theses families, each and everyone of them. Especially the ones who have lost their precious babies, wives and husbands. I pray that through all this chaos Your presence will be felt. Amen

Are We Really Doing His Will?

" Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis" Colossians 4:12


How do you know your doing what the Lord has called you to do?

Do you know the difference between His will verse man and fleshes will?

Was the last decision you made in His will or in your own?

Jesus I wonder today how many of us are doing what we have called for ourselves to do rather than what You have called us to do? Are we living outside of Your will for our lives?

Help us to not step outside of Your will because we are fearful, because we feel pressured, because we are unhappy, or because we listen to man rather than You.

Keep us focused on Your will for our lives because being in it is way better than being outside of it. Amen

A Gift that Last's

“Love will last forever." 1 Corinthians 13:8

I was taking Avery to school this morning and we got to talking about what we wanted to get daddy for Christmas when Avery said, "Mommy I think the best gift I could give daddy is my love."

How right he is. Don't you think the best gift to give Jesus and others is the gift of love?

It would last longer than any materialistic gift.

Remind Me

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who had heard what John said and then followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him. We have found the Messiah.” (which means the Christ.) Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus.” John 1:40-42

What was the first thing you did when you met Jesus for the first time? Did you go tell your family like Andrew did? In that moment didn’t you want to tell everyone about Him?

Do you still feel that way today?

Once we taste of His sweetness we are never the same. We want more of Him and we want to share that sweetness with others as well.

We should have that same desire for Jesus today that we did when we first met Him.

Jesus remind us of how special that moment was when we met You for the first time. Amen

 

 

Knowing Jesus

"Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

Why is getting to know Jesus so important? Because He is the perfect Lamb of God who takes away our sins.

He is the One who has done more for us than we could ever do for Him.

He is the One who gave up His life so we could have life.

Jesus as Your birthday approaches I pray more and more people will come to know You. Amen

On Their Behalf-Altar Sunday

If you know of someone in need of prayer who is unable to go to the Altar, go on their behalf.

Pray For Dana

As many of you know this precious family is very dear to G and me and tonight they REALLY need all the prayers they can get.

Dana has become pretty ill and is in the hospital.

The new treatment has been hard on her body.

Please keep them in your prayers daily and as often as possible.

If you are like me, and pray specifically by name their names are Dana, Mark, Shelby, and Cameron Miller.

Jesus I come to You with a heavy heart for my precious friend Dana. Jesus she is so tired and weary. Her body is weak and I know she could use every ounce of strength possible. Please Father, reach down and place Your railing body over hers. I ask Lord Jesus that Dana's cancer begins to go away, every bit of it until she is completely cancer free. I believe and know You can and will heal her and I praise You for Your love and faithfulness.

Fill her with a strong steadfast faith that rests in who You are.

Give Mark the strength he needs to tend to her and the girls. Give him rest and reveal Your love and presence to him in a strong and profound way.

I love this family so much and my heart is so heavy, but Jesus I know You are in control and that You love them so much more. I know You have not left her side and that thought is so precious.

Thank You Jesus that You know her every need and that she never goes without.

I pray for rest, comfort, and a pain free night for Dana and for Mark. Amen

His Presence Surrounds Us

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for, O God. I thirst for God, the living God." Psalm 42:1-2

The Lord's presence surrounded us this morning with the beauty of fog, deer, trees and water.

It's a vision my family loves and one we are so grateful for. We always leave knowing more about Jesus than we did the day before.

There is something about the beauty of His creation that always draws you closer to Him.

Most of the time if you listen, you can hear Him speak, you can see as He reveals a little more about Himself through the beauty and craftsmanship of His creation.

Let God's beauty reveal to You a little more of who He is.

Jesus thank You for Your amazing craftsmanship and how it draws us closer to You. Speak to our hearts as we gaze upon You. Amen

The More You...

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7

Do you know the more You learn about Jesus, the more you learn about love, and the more you learn about love, the more your heart fills with love?

"No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us." 1 John 4:12 

Becoming Familiar

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15

The more we get to know Jesus the more we become familiar with His voice.

Jesus help us to become more familiar with You and Your voice. Amen

One Thing

"The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from it's heat." Psalm 19:6

If there is one thing we can learn about Jesus, it's hat He is always on time and the Sun will always rise!

Knowing You...

"It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus who came as a man, born into King David's royal family line. And Jesus Christ our Lord, was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit." Romans 1:3-4

How would you describe Jesus to someone? How would you introduce Him to a friend, to family, to a stranger?

Would you share with them who He is to you, what He has done for you? Would you share with them who the Word of God says He is?

Do you tell them He is the Son of God, that He was born of a virgin? Do you tell them that though He is Lord, He made Himself nothing?

Do you tell them He was born in a stable and placed in a manger rather than in a King's palace?

Who is Jesus to you? Is He your Savior?

Jesus there is no greater thing than knowing You. Teach us all there is to know about You. Not because we have to, but because You are the greatest thing there is. Amen

Altar Sunday

Do you ever long for the Altar but when the time comes you are bogged down with thoughts, emotions, feelings, and doubt?

And just as you go to lift your leg and step, you feel the weight of all those emotions, feelings, and thoughts and realize that your leg is stuck in chains.

The chains are tight, but your heart is desperate and in need of Jesus, so you lift your leg one more time and with just enough strength the chain breaks. He has set your leg free.

Jesus knows Your need, He knows what has tied you down and He wants to set you free.

Get To Know Jesus First-It will Make His Birthday More Special

"He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" Luke 1:32

Do you know we spend so much time preparing for Christmas, that we easily fall into the routine of the Christmas frenzy, but what if we did the opposite this year?

Instead of just talking about His birth, what if we got to know Him first, like we get to know each other.

Aren't birthdays more meaningful when we actually know the person celebrating the birthday?

It's easy to fall into the same routine during Christmas, but let's not. Let's change it up and introduce others to who Jesus is first. Don't you think, then, they would understand why His birthday is so special?

Jesus I want to know You-here I am, share with me all there is to know about You. Amen

How Do You Prepare?

How does your family begin preparing for Jesus' birthday?

I thought to myself all day as G and I shopped for Christmas gifts if all of these materialistic things were really necessary.

How can I teach my two boys the importance of celebrating Jesus rather than how many gifts they get.

We can go so overboard on presents, and in doing so, we push aside what Christmas is really about.

How can we overcome ourselves this Holiday season and focus more on Christ and others?

Jesus this special month is suppose to be all about You, yet we make it all about ourselves. Please forgive us. Show is how we can bring glory to Your name. Amen

Testing Your Knowledge Part 2

I am dying to know how you did yesterday on the questions I posted. I hope you did great, but more so I hope it challenged you to get in the Word.

How about another round?

1. By what other name is Mount Sinai known?

2. Where did Elijah's contest with the priests of Ball take place?

3.  What was poured over Saul's head when he was made King?

4.  In which city was the famous temple of Artemis?

5. What does "gospel" mean?

6. How many books does the Bible contain?

7. What kind of animal, belonging to Balaam, spoke God's words?

8. The valuable crop of which tree is used for making oil?

9. What was the name of the man to whom Jesus said, "You must be born again?"

10. What is the name of the the festival at which Christians remember the coming of the Holy Spirit?

I pray you are challenged and led to His Word today.

Anyone Up for Testing Their Knowledge?

I thought this would be fun to do, being that I just did it with my own family and I have to say, it was fun and we all learned alot and G and I also realized well, we didn't do so hot.

Anyone interested in testing their knowledge?

1. Who was Isaac's father?

2. Who got transformed into a pillar of salt as she looked back?

3.  Who was thrown into prison, had dreams, but eventually became prime minister of Egypt?

4.  Which woman protected the spies at the city of Jericho?

5. What was the name of the priest that Samuel served under?

6.  What was the name of the seven-year-old boy who was crowned King of Israel?

7.  What was the name of John the Baptist's father?

8.  In which town did Mary and Joseph live?

9.  Where was the wedding at which Jesus changed water into wine?

10. In which city was Straight Street?

I wish I was sitting with you over a cup of coffee asking you these questions. It would be so much fun. Enjoy brethren, I hope you know all of them, and if not I hope it challenges you to get in the Word today.

He's Earned It

"And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him." Ephesians 3:17

In order to trust, one has to get to know someone. It has to be developed. Time has to be spent with that person, questions have to be asked and answered, and if we are honest, trust has to be earned.

So how does that work with the Lord? Do we make the Lord earn our trust? Is that even the right phrasing?

God is God. Yet being God He still knows that our hearts are weak and that we need to know His existence, His presence, and His love for us. And because of that, He displayed His existence through creation, His presence through the Holy Spirit, and His love through the death of His Son, Jesus.

He continues to show us His faithfulness. His trust is steadfast. It is strong. It is real. We can give Him our heart and trust that it will be treated with love, compassion, gentleness, and kindness.

So as we trust Him more and more, the more our hearts become His home. And I need Him to have complete residency within my heart.

He has given me absolutely every resource possible to trust in Him and His Word is the main one. If I don't read it, study it, and store it, then I will never fully develop a deep trust for Him, nor will He be more and more at home in my heart.

Jesus I need You and I need my heart to be completely filled with You. Help me to trust more and doubt less. Amen

I Need It...do you?

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit." Ephesians 3:16

There is so much power in Paul's prayer to the Ephesians and to us. I have read this prayer so many times; I have prayed this prayer over many others and for my boys as well.

But today the Lord brought me back to this passage and I know for a very specific reason. There is power in praying God's Word over yourself and others. And He knew I needed it!

The moment the Lord brought me back here it felt as though Paul was praying this prayer over me and for me specifically. 

I felt the security, the hope, the relief, the comfort come as I read our particular verse above. And just as I was about to move forward, the Lord stopped me and said one line at a time.

Brethren I need and want His mighty inner strength to fall all over me through the Holy Spirit that is alive within me. I know how glorious He is and that His resources are truly unlimited and that brings me great comfort.

As I went over and over this in my heart, I couldn't shake the mighty inner strength. I need mighty inner strength to stand up against temptations, and any and all arrows Satan tries to throw at me. Especially right now with all this change that has taken place in our lives.

I mean who in this world does not want or desire mighty inner strength? Okay, well we know there are a few who could care less, but not me. 

I NEED IT! I am weak, I am easily tempted in certain struggles and I can give in without thinking it through.

So, for this sinner, in need of Jesus daily, I need His glorious unlimited resources of mighty inner strength.

I want to be strong, but in order to develop this mighty inner strength, I have to get Miss "ME" out of the way and let the Holy Spirit take center stage.

Even that in itself is hard, but brethren it can be done and the Lord promises that.

Jesus thank You for always knowing exactly what I need and for the comfort that comes from Your Word. Amen

Altar Sunday

Jesus as I approach the altar and kneel before Your holiness and presence, I ask that You reveal to me all of the sinfulness that You see, so that I may lay it out before You with confession and repentance. I want there to be nothing that hinders this time I desire with You.

Open my heart Jesus and fill it with Your word.

Thank You for opening the door to Your throne room.

Re-Kindling the Passion

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” John 3:16-17

Sometimes we just need to be brought back to the beginning when our fire and passion for Christ began.

Do you remember that moment when you and the Lord first met? Do you remember the days that followed?

Do you remember how you felt, how He took your breath away, how you knew He was the one that would change your life forever?

Living Spirit Filled

“So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” Ephesians 5:15-18

I just don’t want to talk God’s Word yet never live it out. I don’t want to spend time studying, only to walk away forgetting what I have studied.

I don’t want to live one way around certain people than another around others.

I don’t want to be greedy, ungrateful, selfish, angry, bitter, jealous, hurtful, ugly, sinful, or spew meanness and gossip from my mouth.

I don’t want to be like the world, or a spectator in Church. I don’t want to be concerned only about myself or do things that please only me.

I don’t want to be grumpy or rude, lazy or careless.

I don’t want to be an average mommy or a mommy who dumps her kids off at Church for others to teach them the Word of God.

I want to be joyful, grateful, humble, loving, kind, patient, merciful, forgiving, and thankful, a hard worker, a peace maker, an encourager, a servant, an example, and a teacher.

I want to be a woman who is filled with grace, and whose complete identity is found in Christ. I want to be confident, faithful, trustworthy, and committed. I want to lead by example and show my children what a life lived for Christ is all about.

I want to live in such a way that people see only Christ and not me.

I know this is all a work in progress, but I am thankful to be marked as God’s child by the Holy Spirit who is working in me and helping me become the woman Christ designed me to be.

Jesus thank You for the great Counselor who is living and working within me!  Help me to become all You have designed me to be. Amen

Happy Thanksgiving From the Morgans and RG3

A New Identity

“Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else.”  Ephesians 2:1-3

…but today in Christ you and I have a new identity; an identity that is far greater than the identity we could ever make, work for, or desire for ourselves. Today we are identified as…

You are justified (declared not guilty)-Romans 3:24

No condemnation awaits you-Romans 8:1

You are set free form the law of sin and death.-Romans 8:2

You are sanctified (made holy) in Jesus Christ-1 Corinthians 1:2

You are pure and holy in Christ-1 Corinthians 1:30

You will be made alive at the resurrection-1 Corinthians 15:22

You are new person-2 Corinthians 5:17

You are made right with God-2 Corinthians5:21

You are one in Christ with all other believers- Galatians 3:28

You are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ-Ephesians 1:3

You are holy and without fault-Ephesians 1:4

You are adopted as God’s children-Ephesians 1:5, 6

Your sins are taken away, and you are forgiven-Ephesians 1:7

You will be brought under Christ’s authority-Ephesians 1:10, 11

You are marked as belonging to God by the Holy Spirit-Ephesians 1:13

You have been raised up to sit with Christ in the heavenly realms-Ephesians 2:6

You are God’s masterpiece-Ephesians 2:10

You have been brought near to God-Ephesians 2:13

You share in the promise through Christ-Ephesians 3:6

You can come with freedom and confidence into God’s presence-Ephesians 3:12

You are members of Christ’s body, the church-Ephesians 5:29, 30

You have been given fullness in Christ-Colossians 2:10

You are set free from our sinful nature-Colossians 2:11

You will have eternal glory-2 Timothy 2:10

I don’t know about you, but I want every one of these to cover me that when others see me or hear me, they see that my identity is in Christ.

These are amazing and worth studying and storing within us until every one of them literally become a part of us.

Father as I look over all of these that identify me, I ask that You help me soak all of them up and live them out. Thank You for the beauty that comes from each of them. Amen

How To Get Rich

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it." Ephesians 3:19

The Lord cannot contain His love for us. He has so much that it falls on us like a heavy rain covering every inch of us. It is so thick and surrounds us on every side.

His love is so powerful, so real, so strong, so captivating it is hard for us to fully understand it.

Let the Lord lavish you with His love today. Let it fall heavily upon you, that your every pour soaks it up.

Jesus we thank You and praise You for Your love. It truly is the richness our souls desire. Amen

Keeping the Passion

How do you keep your passion for Christ?

Altar Sunday

"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

Only God Is

Only God Is…

“As for God, his way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” Psalm 18:30

Only God is…

The strongest

Perfect

True

Faithful

Keeps His promises

Saves us

Rescues us

Heals us

Loves us unconditionally

Cares for us at all times

And Only God is God.

Father thank You for being the One and only God! Amen

Mismatch

I wonder how often we speak more about ourselves and our doings than we do about God and His doings.

Isn't that what giving thanks is really about, focusing more on God than on ourselves.

God knows if our hearts our truly thankful. Yet we often think we can live a mismatched life. 

Praise God He knows the real is and loves us anyway. He is good brethren, He is so good. 

Jesus keep my lips from speaking opposite of what You really see in my heart. You can not be deceived.  Amen

He is at Work within Me

"He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10

I opened my eyes, my heart heavy, and my mind full of thoughts.

This morning I found myself broken. Broken for many reasons. My sinfulness, the lost, those who have lost loved ones, my selfishness, my girlfriends fight with cancer and the condition of my heart.

And in the midst of all these thoughts the Lord made His way in and reminded me of His presence, His love, and the fact that the Holy Spirit is living and working within me.

Today I am thankful for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for the work He is doing within me. I am thankful that I am a child of the living God and because of that I can overcome my struggles with sin. I can serve others, I can make a difference for His kingdom. Because of Christ I can do the good things He planned for me long ago.

I am made new in Christ and I am beyond thankful that He saved me from my old self.

Jesus strengthen my faith and help me to believe all that Your word says. Thank You for Your saving grace and the richness of Your love. Amen

It's Found in Letting Go

Sometimes our greatest blessings are found when we let go and let God take control.

Jesus thank You for the ability to final relinquish control and allow You to have it all. Amen

Bad Day...Give Thanks

 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 116:1

In the midst of my not so happy day today, I stopped what I was doing and started writing down everything I was thankful for.

It is amazing how quickly the Lord can remind me of how blessed I am and how much He loves me. The more I wrote the better I felt, the more the frustrations went away, and the happier I became.

God is so good!

When we take our thoughts captive and place them on the Lord and what's most important, the more He changes our hearts and lifts our burdens.

Jesus thank You for allowing me to place the negative behind me and focus on You and Your love. May my thankfulness become a habit everyday at all times. Thank You for Your goodness. Amen

He Is...

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1

He is alive

He is forgiving

He is kind

He is patient

He is loving

He is merciful

He is slow to anger

He holds no records

He is perfect

He is holy

He is faithful

He rose from the grave

He is our healer

He is our protector

He is our comforter

He is our guidance

He is our strength

He is everlasting

He is Creator of all things

He know us in detail

He loves us in spite of our faults

He is giving

He is…Lord

Give Him thanks!

Jesus You are more than we could ever acknowledge. Thank You for all that You are and all that You do. Amen

Altar Sunday

What state is your heart in when you enter the House of the Lord?

It's important for our hearts to be prepared before we enter His house. All to often we walk into Church like we walk into work.

But Jesus deserves and desires more than that from us.

Can You List 100?

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28

If asked, could you list 100 things you were thankful for.

Have you ever tried to write them out?

Writing them out seems to open your eyes and heart, and makes you realize how much God loves you and blesses you.

What would happen to our hearts and thoughts if we wrote our blessings out every single day?

We would be transformed and changed. Our hearts would be softened, love would seep in, and anger and bitterness would slip away.

Our lives would be more patterned and shaped like Christ’s.

Things would be different, better, joyful.

We would react differently to our circumstances. We would focus more on His glory, His love, His character.

This is our choice! Let’s choose to focus on what we are thankful for, everyday.

Let’s not wait until something bad happens or our time is shortened to begin counting our blessings.

What are you thankful for?

Jesus we are too blessed to ignore it. We are too blessed and loved by You to not acknowledge it. Thank You for all You have given us. We are too blessed to not spend time praising You. Amen

A Similar Heart

“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful^[b] one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:5-11

We need to constantly speak God’s Word into our hearts so we are more aware of His goodness than we are our troubles, worries and fears.

That is exactly what David did all throughout the Psalms. He set the example for us and showed us the importance of keeping our hearts open and our eyes on Christ.

He taught us the importance of praise and what a thankful heart looks like.

He showed us the need for confession and repentance.

Through David the Lord showed us His mercy and forgiveness.

Is Jesus alone your portion and cup?

Jesus thank You for David’s story! He had a heart that pleased You, I pray You find our hearts to be pleasing to You. Hearts that are thankful, full of love and mercy. We love You, thank You for Your goodness. Amen

I Am Most Thankful For...

“Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” Psalm 32:1-2

For me, I am not sure there is anything greater or that I am more thankful for than what Christ did for me. He took my place, He became the ultimate sacrifice, and He covered me in His blood, forgave me and bridged the gap.

There truly is joy in those of us whose rebellion has been forgiven and whose sin has been put out of sight.

Jesus thank You for forgiving me! Thank You that my sin has been put out of sight. Thank You for this precious gift of life that I now have because I have You. Amen

A Thankful Heart is an Aware Heart

"Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Is there a better way to give thanks than by living out this passage?

A joyful heart is a thankful heart.

A praying child is a thankful, trusting child

A thankful heart is a heart aware of the mercy and grace it’s been given.

Jesus our joy is found in You and we thank You and praise You for Your goodness, mercy and love. But most of all we are thankful for You and what You did on the cross for us. Amen

God Has it All Under Control-Trust Him

“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.” Ephesians 1:18

The election has been on the minds of Americans today. Who will it be, who will win?

Only the Lord knows and has known for sometime. He knows who will be placed in the role of leading America.

He knows His heart, His thoughts, His every move and every intention.

The Lord knows the direction our country will go with whoever wins.

I find comfort in knowing that our God knows the future.

I find comfort in knowing that the Lord has my best interest at heart because I am His and He promises to protect His children.

Do you know the one thing that bothers me the most about all of this? The lives of those who are lost! There is more concern and talk about our new President than there is about those who are lost.

I get it, I really do, but I get Hell too. I get that in just a few short hours our new President will be named, life will go on, and we will all keep doing what we need to, to make it each and every day.

But here is what is bigger than all of that. In the end it’s either Heaven or Hell.

Salvation is the biggest and most important thing for us and it comes down to each of us individually making the choice. But it also comes down to us who are in Christ to get out and share His name and His Word with as many people as we can and as often as we can.

The two candidates didn’t waste time getting out and spreading their name and their plans for America’s future. They have been traveling and speaking for months.

Isn’t Christ worth that same effort and dedication plus a whole lot more? He is!

He is the one that determines our future, not the President. He is the one that saves us from death, not the President. He is the one that can heal us, not the President. He is the one that died for us. He is the one that is true, honest, perfect and holy. The President, whom ever that will be is human. He will fail us, but Christ will not.

All I am saying is if we as Christians keep our priorities in the right order, which is Christ first, then everything else will line up according to His will and plan.

Let’s pray for those who are lost, and let’s pray for our future President that Christ will be Lord of His life and He will seek Him first before He makes any decision.

Jesus open the eyes of the blind and the heart of our future President. May they experience You in a new and personal way. I pray You become more and more at home within their hearts and that their roots will go down deep into the soil of Your marvelous love. May they get a glimpse of how high, far, wide, and deep Your love is for them. I pray You become their first priority and that they put their complete trust and faith in You. You are our future. You are our hope. You are our every thing. Without You we have nothing! Thank You for seeing the bigger picture. Amen

Effort and Choice

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

We must remember to give thanks to the Lord no matter our circumstances. I find this to be very hard at times.

Do you?

There are a lot of times when we allow stress, illness, frustration, hurt, money, appearance, etc to distract us from our blessings and God’s goodness.

God is so much better and greater than any of those things. Yet we still tend to focus more on them than Him.

It’s a messed up situation, really. But the more we focus on Him the more we see His goodness. So in reality if we would just stay fixed on Him, stay buried in His word, the better off we will be and the more we will realize His goodness and love.

It’s a daily effort and a daily choice.

So let’s choose to focus on Him. It is way more joyful and uplifting anyway, which I know we all need anyway.

Jesus You are good! Every single thing about You is good, perfect, holy, and beautiful. Thank You for Your unending love and mercy. Fix our eyes on You. Help us to fill our thoughts with Your word and love for us. In Jesus name amen!

Altar Sunday

“I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O LORD, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your miracles. I love your sanctuary, LORD, the place where your glory shines.”

Psalm 26:6-8

The Sacrifice that Honors Him

But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23

The greatest sacrifice is a heart full of thanksgiving. That is the sweetest aroma we could ever offer to the Lord.

When we acknowledge His goodness, love, mercy and grace and we express it through our praise and obedience, He is honored.

How often do we stop and thank the Lord for all He has done, does, and will do for us?

What changes do we need to allow the Lord to make in our lives so we can spend more time giving the sacrifice of thanksgiving that honors Him?

He is greater and bigger than any problem. He stronger and more powerful than any illness! He is more forgiving and loving than any human.

Jesus You are amazing, beautiful, holy, and perfect! Thank You for Your unending love and protection. Thank You for the gift of life. Amen

The Representation I want Seen in my Heart

“I will thank you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name. O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

I want this verse to be a representation of my heart. I want to constantly be sharing the marvelous things the Lord has done.

He is so good. He is the joy that fills my soul.

Jesus may I spend the remaining time here on earth in a state of thanksgiving. You are so merciful and loving. You are worthy of honor and praise.

I should constantly be thanking You for the forgiveness and mercy You have extended to me.

Forgive me for focusing more on the problems than blessings.

Keep my eyes and thoughts constantly on You and Your goodness.

Amen

A Heart that Acknowledges

"I will thank the Lord because he is just;  I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17

To offer thanksgiving means that we acknowledge God's goodness.

When our eyes are on the Lord our entire being should be in a constant state of thanksgiving.

His goodness surrounds us, let's acknowledge it! 

Jesus thank You for Your goodness. Help us to acknowledge it more an more until our hearts are full of thanksgiving. Amen

Halloween

How do you feel about Halloween?

Do you ever wonder what Jesus thinks about Halloween?

Do you even celebrate Halloween?

Jesus this is one man-made event that always leaves me feeling uneasy. I pray that we will be mindful of what is pleasing to You. Amen

How Will You Respond?

How do you respond to the Lord when He calls? When you know the Lord is impressing on your heart to do something, do you do it?

Do you share His Word when He presents the oppurtunity?

Do you forgive when He tells you to?

Do you act in love rather than anger or hate, when the situation is heated?

Do you speak in truth and honesty when asked a question?

All these things plus more are God-given oppurtunites, and He is calling us and commanding us to them as He says. Not as we think or feel.

And this can be very hard!

It can also be very rewarding.

So how will you respond to the Lord?

Jesus may our answer to You always be yes. Help us to do as You have commanded us, not because we have to but because we love You. Forgive us where we fail You. Amen