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Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 11, 2008 at 6:50am

YOU MADE ENDURANCE POSSIBLE!

Colossians 1:23
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Colossians+1:23

Dear Father,

Help me to continue in the faith by holding on to what you have
given and by being stable and steadfast.

Don't let anything move me away from the hope of the Good News
which I heard, which was proclaimed throughout the whole creation
under heaven.

You make my endurance possible by filling me with your Spirit.
Fill me more and more! And thank you for being my Father.

In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask. Amen.

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 11, 2008 at 6:09am

Needed: A New Birth!
Bishop E. Earl Jenkins
"You must be born again." John 3:7 (NIV)
The Bible says 130 years after Adam first sinned, he was still fathering children "in his own likeness" (Ge 5:3 NIV). And as Adam's descendants we have all been born with the nature of fallen man. Sometimes people say, "He's just like his old man." Or we say, "My dad was an angry man, now I've got his temper!" "My dad couldn't stay with my mom, now I'm going through a divorce." "My dad was an alcoholic, now look at my drinking and drugging!" "My dad was a workaholic, now I put in14 hours a day." "My dad wasn't affectionate with us, now I don't know how to be loving toward my children." History repeats itself over and over through our fallen nature.
Here's a fascinating example: "Abraham said of his wife Sarah, 'She is my sister.' So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her" (Ge 20:2 NIV). Abraham was willing to sacrifice Sarah to save his own neck. What would you have done? Before you answer, notice that Isaac wasn't even born when his father did this. Yet years later he did exactly the same thing in the same place (See Ge 26:7). It's genetic! It's in our DNA.
But there's good news. When you receive Christ as your Savior He breaks that cycle. When you're "born of the Spirit" you get a new Father and a new nature (See Jn 3:3-6). You don't have to walk in the likeness of your earthly father any more; you can walk in the likeness of your Heavenly Father and become more like Him every day. Fed up with your old nature and ways? Ready for a new birth? Turn to Christ!

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 10, 2008 at 5:04am

In Need of a Savior
Alan Riley
David Miller, a ministry friend of mine relates the story of the birth of his first child. When his son was born, David was sure that there had never been a child born to man and woman to compare to this special child. "But it wasn't long after we brought him home from the hospital," David relates, "that we realized that the chain of sin was still unbroken!"
We laughed when we heard David tell that story, but he makes an important point. His child was born with a sinful nature. You and I were, too. We all were. It is a legacy passed down from Adam. Each one of us at some point in our lives makes a conscious choice to disobey God and sin, but that is because we were born with a sinful nature, a bent toward sinning, if you will.
People sometimes get upset with you if you tell them they are a sinner. They think we are judging them, but in reality that is something that we have in common with them. The Apostle Paul said that he was the "chief of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). John reminded us that if we say we have not sinned we are a liar (1 John 1:8).
The late Rich Mullins (writer of "Awesome God" and "Sing Your Praise to the Lord") told the story of getting stranded at an inn while on a hike. To meet back up with his party would require a ten mile walk and he was already spent from the day's hike. He struck up a conversation with a man at the inn and in the course of the conversation, Mullins shared that he was a Christian musician. The man offered to give Mullins a ride to meet his party, but said there was something he needed to tell him first. "I am gay" the man told him. Rich chuckled and replied that he still needed a ride to the drop off point! As he took Rich to meet up with his hiking companions, the man was silent for most of the trip.
Finally he turned to Rich and asked, "Does God hate me?" Mullins wrote that the question, and the heart cry behind it broke his heart. He turned to the man and said, "God loves you as much as He loves me! Yes, God hates the sin in your life, but no more than he hates the sin in my life." The man realized that in Rich Mullins he had found a friend, not a judge. That is how we need to relate to those around us, many of whom are struggling with sin. We aren't better than them, we're just forgiven. When I share Christ with others, I am just one beggar telling another beggar where I found food.
We tend to want to rank sin in order of severity, but God doesn't make such distinctions. It's true that in the Old Testament (Proverbs 6) there is a list of things God despises, but included on that list are lying and sowing discord among brothers. Ever lied before? (If your answer is no, read 1 John 1:8 again!) Sin is sin. It is all rebellion against Him. We are all in need of saving. We are all in need of a Savior.
That is what we celebrate this Christmas season. We need to look beyond all the hype and the materialism of the holiday and focus in on the baby in a manger in Bethlehem. The only child who ever chose to be born. The one who left the glory of heaven to save us from our sins.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 1 John 1:10-14 (NKJV)

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 9, 2008 at 3:47am

VERSE:
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good.
-- Romans 12:9
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Romans+12:9&translation=kjv

THOUGHT:
Our love cannot be feigned, faked, or fickle! That means that we
abhor things that are evil. We not only stay away from them, but we
disdain them. At the same time, we commit ourselves to lovingly
drawing closer to goodness and righteousness. In our intentions,
there are no shades of gray, only a passionate desire for what is
right, good, and holy.

PRAYER:
Holy and Righteous Father, I know that you have declared me
righteous and holy because of Jesus' sacrifice. Now I ask that you
help me live up to what you have declared me to be. Through your
Holy Spirit's indwelling, please fill me with your love and drive
out anything unclean, evil, or rancid that dwells in my heart.
Thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 8, 2008 at 7:00am

HELD TOGETHER IN CHRIST

Colossians 1:15-20
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Colossians+1:15-20

Dear Father,

We have not seen you. We do not even know what it might mean to
see you. But you have shown us Jesus, and because we have seen him,
we have seen you.

Thank you for him who is the image of you, the invisible God.
Thank you for creating all things through him who is the
first-born of all creation.

Help us grasp what is means that everything - things in heaven,
things on earth, things visible, things invisible, thrones,
dominions, principalities, authorities, all matter and all energy -
was created by him who was before all things, and that all these
things hold together through him.

How overawed we are! We prostrate our bodies, souls, and spirits
before him!

In Jesus' hallowed name I ask. Amen.

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 8, 2008 at 5:38am

In the Time of Need
Bishop E. Earl Jenkins
"Grace to help in a time of need." Hebrews 4:16 (NAS)
Grace reminds us of an ambulance coming to treat someone with a medical emergency. The paramedics offer assistance to the victim on the spot. They dispense immediate grace to the most serious symptoms. Then they slide them into the ambulance, which is equipped with more grace - more medical facilities - to deal with the problem. And as the paramedics are administering more grace to the patient, the ambulance races to the hospital where even more grace awaits. And once the patient is admitted, the hospital keeps dispensing grace to meet the need until the problem has been addressed and the patient can go home again. As the beloved hymn goes: "'Twas Grace that brought me safe thus far, and Grace will lead me home."
One day Jesus heard our emergency call: "I am a sinner and I need a Savior." He came to earth, found us dying in sin and reached down to save us. And as our High Priest, He also transported us from where we were, to a place that has all the grace we will ever need as long as we live, until we are finally and fully restored at the resurrection and go home with Him. So, how can we have a Savior and High Priest like this and not draw near to Him in prayer? "But I'm tired" you say. That's ok, just draw near. "But you don't understand. I'm hurting and I feel like quitting."
Others may not understand, but Jesus does. Just draw near to Him. He will meet you where you are, then take you to where He is - before the throne that dispenses grace!

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 3, 2008 at 6:20am

An Everlasting Love

As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who
respect him.
Psalm 103:11 (NCV)

The big news of the Bible is not that you love God but that God loves you;
not that you can know God but that God already knows you! He tattooed your
name on the palm of his hand. His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the
shore. You never leave his mind, escape his sight, flee his thoughts. He
sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and
failings of the future will not surprise him; he sees them now. Every day
and deed of your life has passed before his eyes and been calculated in his
decision. He knows you better than you know you and has reached his verdict
he loves you still. No discovery will disillusion him; no rebellion will
dissuade him. He loves you with an everlasting love.


From: Come Thirsty
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2004)
Max Lucado

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 3, 2008 at 5:34am

Where Do You Stand?
Bishop Donald Hilliard
"nor standeth in the way of sinners..." Psalm 1:1
Where do you stand? What is your belief system? Have you looked at it, truly examined your beliefs and your actions? If so, are they aligned?
Who you stand with often suggests where you stand, not just physically, but emotionally, philosophically, and yes, spiritually.
If you stand with those who do not believe in one husband and one wife long enough, just like the odor of cigarette smoke, the chances are good that this belief will rub off on you. If you stand in the way of abusers, like the stench of rotten meat, again, it will rub off on you. If you stand in the way of those with questionable morals, like the foul scent from a drunk's blood and bile-filled vomit, it will rub off on you. By the way, how do you smell and where do you stand?
Let's examine ourselves:
1. Take inventory of your beliefs-write down your three main beliefs, and compare them to your behavior- do they match or do you see marked differences?
2. What changes in friends, family, atmosphere are you willing to make in order to "stand" in the right place?
3. Do you have a plan for success- who will help you succeed?

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 3, 2008 at 5:02am

VERSE:
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the
Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that
Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
-- 1 Corinthians 12:3
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Corinthians+12:3&translation=kjv

THOUGHT:
Say it today as often as you can without being offensive to
others: “Jesus is Lord.” But more than just saying it, truly mean
it. Look up the word “Lord” in a concordance and read all the
references to it in the New Testament. Open up your heart and ask
Jesus to be Lord of your life. Jesus is Lord! He will be so whether
you or I recognize it or not. But one day, every knee will bow and
every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil. 2:10-11). Let's
just get on board while it matters most to us and to those we love!

PRAYER:
LORD God Almighty, thank you for raising Jesus from the dead and
seating him at your right hand in power and making him both Lord
and Christ. I want your Son, Jesus, to be my Lord today, and until
that Day he comes to take me home. I make this confession in the
name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Lord. Amen.

Comment by Ladyjd721 on December 3, 2008 at 4:01am

CONTENT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

Philippians 4:11-13
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+4:11-13

Sovereign Lord of all things, Abba, dear Father,

I will not complain of want, for I have learned in whatever
condition I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know
how to abound.

In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing
plenty and hunger, abundance and want.

I can do all things through you, the God who strengthens me!

Holy God, Abba, Father, you are my all-sufficient strength, and
throughout eternity you will be everything I need or want!

In the name of Jesus, for whom you were everything, and who taught
me also to let you be my everything! Amen.

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