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

 

 

 

 

 

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