Do you practice the ‘golden rule’ in your life?

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this sums up the Law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12 New King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
The world calls this the “Golden Rule” – golden because it’s genuine, lasting, viable, valuable, and it’s from God! But it is really God’s rule given through His Holy Son Jesus and it is a spiritual law. A spiritual law is a law from God that will always be true no matter what! Imagine how different our world would be if we practiced this principle all the time – not just in our “church life”, only on Sundays, but in our daily life with our family, with our coworkers and employer, with the people we manage, with the folks on the freeway and in the neighborhoods where we drive and the grocery & stores where we shop. Toward the waiters and waitresses who serve us in the restaurants. Toward the countries of the world that we as a nation deal with everyday. What a wonderfully different world it would be if the “Golden Rule” were to be practiced always in all ways and at all times. I think I’ll start changing my world with it today! Why don’t you. Remember, What you sow is what you will reap! Also one of God’s spiritual laws.

MY PRAYER…
Generous Father, You have blessed me with so many rich and wonderful gifts. You have always given me love, even before I loved you. I understand why now, You wanted love in return. You gave love expecting to get love in return. One thing I still want You to know, Daddy, is that I especially appreciate the love You have bestowed upon me even though I didn’t deserve it, You gave it anyway. Father, help me to do the same with the people my life touches from this moment forward. Lord help me to share with them the love You have bestowed upon me. Work from within me Lord so that, that which I can not of my own-self do, I will do because You are at work in me.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen

Is the Lord with you?

In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:5-6 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
The past few years have been a trying time for many people of the world. Tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, mass shootings, recent firestorms in California, Arizona, Washington, and other states. An illegal president and a congress who blatantly ignore our Constitution and think they are above the law, the threat of Socialism (democrats!) in America, forced health care, the loss of jobs and income and all kinds of other happenings. Maybe it’s been that way for you or those you love. My prayer for you, and for them, is that they may know the comfort of God’s presence, His peace that passes all understanding. Whether it’s the popular little poem “Footprints” or the old familiar “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me,” the presence of the Lord and our trust in Him is absolutely vital to be able to stand up against our anguish! Remember the words from Psalm 91, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” The Lord longs to be with us, especially at those moments when we feel most alone. He told us that by experiencing it himself at the cross. Isn’t it time we bring God and His presence back into America? The way we experience His presence is to draw near to Him, through reading and meditating His Word, through prayer, and fasting, and through praise and Worship of Him. If you’ll take one step toward Him and trust in Him in everything, He’ll take two steps toward you! When you feel the world pressing in, then press in to God, step in to the shadow of the All Mighty and feel secure under His wings!

MY PRAYER…
I am thankful, Father God, that You refuse to be my God from a safe distance. Because You came and felt what it was like to be abandoned, forsaken, and alone, I know I can trust that I will never be forsaken by You. Please give me a clearer sense of Your presence with me in my life today. Lord as I draw near to You I know that You will draw near to me, You have promised me so in Your Word. Father, I ask that for everyone who reads this and makes a new effort to draw nearer to You that You will not only draw near to them, but that You will make Your presence known to them in a very special way for each one. This I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, my special friend.
Amen

Do you know how to stand against the devil?

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Many of the struggles in our lives are not mere accidents! They are put there to stumble us and make us fall. But, understand this very clearly, none (NOT one of them) are put there by God. Our challenges and struggles most often come from ourselves or from the hand of our enemy, Satan. He always prowls around looking for the best scheme to knock us out of our commitment to, and our relationship with, the Lord. Then he will use your own mind or a friend or a complete stranger, or even a relative to cause his scheme to be put into motion. Placing ourselves firmly in the hands of the Lord and using His tools of warfare will help us keep our enemy, who has already been humiliated and defeated by Jesus and the cross, where he belongs. Under our feet! Trust in the Lord and all His might. Remember our battle is not with flesh and blood, our battle is spiritual and must be fought with spiritual weapons and on a spiritual level. The Word of God and prayer are our greatest weapons against Satan.

MY PRAYER…
Strengthen me, O God, that I may stand against my foe and triumph by the power of Your Holy Spirit and bring honor and glory to my conquering Savior. You will return one day and take me home in victory. Father reveal Yourself to me through Your Word, Your power and Your strength that are mine to use to keep the enemy down until he is finally cast into the everlasting lake of fire. In the name of Jesus, Your Holy Son, I pray Lord.
Amen

Is God with you wherever you go?

Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Never alone. What a promise. No matter where you are God’s presence is there also, if you are a born again believer with God living inside you that is. What Psalm 139 emphasizes later, Joshua heard first hand. Basically God said to Joshua: I will go with you, and us (God is no respecter of persons), through all the seasons of life, through all our ups and downs, through temptations and triumphs, even through death. God will always be with us and He will always make a way for us where there doesn’t seem to be a way, if we will only rely on and listen to Him. When my sister lie on her death bed she told me; “I win either way!” She knew God was with her! On the darkest night, in loneliest place, far from family and friends, we are never alone if we are in Christ and He is in us. So we can take courage and feel His strength. Call upon the Lord and He is there. Be strong in the Lord and in His strength, we are not alone!

MY PRAYER…
Precious Father who is and was and is to come, thank You for being there and staying there when all others have forsaken and left me. You are the one constant in my life, life which is so full of change. Father thank You for Your Holy Angels which You have given charge over me, that they keep me in all my ways and protect me from evil. Help me become more steadfast and faithful in my commitments and relationships to honor You, glorify You, and to learn more about You. Lord empower me with Your Spirit to want more of You and less of the world. Through the Blood of Jesus I pray.
Amen

Do not live with the spirit of fear!

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Power! We (as humans) love the concept of power. When it is Godly power, might does make right. Because Godly power will always be accompanied by love and administered in love, with the mind of Christ (a sound mind). God has given us His Holy Spirit (the power), Himself (agape or the God kind of love), and Jesus our example (a sound mind). These three together make a person’s life effective. Live life to its fullest through Christ; not as a closet Christian, afraid of standing true and firm, but as one who lives by God’s power, shares God’s love, and displays God’s virtues. One who isn’t afraid that the world might find out they are a Christian, God forbid. The world isn’t afraid of sharing their homosexual garbage and other immoralities with us why should we be afraid of sharing Jesus and our faith with them. It is after all what the Bible says we are to do! “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Be always ready to minister in God’s power and Love, with the wisdom of God through the mind of Christ, in season and out.

MY PRAYER…
Holy Father God, You are without comparison in Your majesty and might. I have no right of my own to come into Your presence, and yet You have invited me there with Your love and by Your grace, through Christ. You are my Rock, my Fortress, and my Strength. I depend upon Your Love, Guidance, Power, and Your grace to sustain me through my storms and to reclaim me from my stumbles. I thank You that You have not given me a spirit of fear, but one of power, and love, and a sound (disciplined) mind through Christ. I want to be ready both in season and out from this day forward to proclaim Your Gospel to all the world. Help me Father to be diligent to prepare my heart. You are without comparison in all the world. I give you all glory and praise forevermore.
In Jesus name.
Amen

Are you held in the Lord’s hand?

[The Lord says,] “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Remember, fear is the opposite of faith. Fear will cause us to lose our will power and leave us feeling desperate and hopeless. That’s what terrorism is all about. The devil is a terrorist. He was a terrorist before the world knew what a terrorist was. But we have a loving God, a Father more precious than our natural father, who wants nothing more than to take care of our every need. He said He will strengthen us and uphold us with His righteousness. He will be your buckler and your shield if you allow him. He will be your standard and your defense against the power of the devil. But you must allow Him, He will not force Himself upon you. You must call on Him and fellowship with Him daily through Jesus, remember He is God, He is the Almighty, He is the Most High God, the Great I Am! In whom shall I trust?

MY PRAYER…
Almighty and Eternal Father, it is such sweet comfort to know that You are always there, always ready, always willing to meet my every need. To lift me up when I fall, to carry me when I am broken, to strengthen me when I am weak, to take away my fears when I become fearful. To fill me with Your Holy Spirit, the spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Thank you, Father that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen

Resist the devil and he will flee

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:8-9 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Notice that it says we must be self-controlled and alert! We must do our part first. The devil (Satan) is real, whether you believe it or not. He and his power, and 1/3 of the angels that chose to follow him when he was cast out of heaven, are here on this earth and their only intention is to bring harm and discord to our lives. Satan is the father of all lies and the devil only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But let’s not spend our time worrying about him and what he’s doing. Notice it said that the devil was looking for whom he can devour. That means you must be able to be devoured or he can’t touch you! How do you stay un-devourable? Be COMPLETELY IN JESUS. Be so full of God, His Word, and the Holy Spirit that there just isn’t any room left for even the smallest things to scrunch in. Let’s just resist him and his demon cohorts and when we are tempted let’s just focus on Jesus. Jesus has already defeated Satan and his bunch, He’s the one who triumphed over Satan, hell, death, and the grave. He made a show of the devil openly and then Jesus gave us the keys to hell, death, and the grave. He gave us His Name to use to resist the devil. My victory is already assured me in and through Jesus, my Lord! Satan trembles at the name of Jesus and he will flee if he knows Jesus is living in you. You can’t make the devil run, but Jesus living and working inside you can. Just knowing about Jesus isn’t enough. It did help the seven sons of Sceva at all! They knew about Jesus and Paul, but the demons still tore them up! Because they did not know Jesus personally. Make sure you are abiding in the shadow of the Almighty and then Let him know Jesus is living in you!

MY PRAYER…
Thank you, Father God, for sending Your Son Jesus to break the evil one’s power over us. Through the death of Jesus and His triumph You have assured me that I can live life more abundantly, that I have power over the evil one through Jesus. Father I thank You that through Jesus I have a relationship and an everlasting covenant of life with You. Today, however, I thank You that You have made me victorious through Christ who strengthens me. In Jesus name, I pray.
Amen

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Proverbs 29:25 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
What man should we fear? No man! Fear is such a paralyzing emotion. It robs us of courage and vitality, it removes our decision-making ability, and our strength. It causes us to do things we know we shouldn’t and that we always regret afterwards. Fear is the opposite of faith and it steals our happiness and joy. Courage helps us step out of fear’s paralysis and into victory. But this kind of courage only comes to us when we fully understand our position in Christ. If we are in faith and trusting God there can be no room for fear in our lives. Satan cannot take our mind, our attitude, and most of all, he cannot take our relationship with God unless we let him do so. A relationship given to us through Jesus, as long as we trust in the Lord our God and stay in faith. Perfect love casts out all fear. And there is NO room for fear when your spirit is full of ‘Faith’, faith in God and what He is and can do!

MY PRAYER…
Mighty Redeemer, thank You for triumphing over all that I would in the natural man fear. Thank you that You have not only given me Jesus in whom I trust, but a hope by which I can live victoriously. Thank You that you have not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind through my Conquering King and Lord, Jesus. In the mighty name of Jesus, I thank you.
Amen

Do you dwell in The Secret Place?

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalms 91:1 New King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Do you dwell (live and abide) in the Secret Place of “El Elyown”, the Most High God? Do you dwell (live and abide) under the shadow of “El Shaddai”, The Almighty God? Of all the names for God those two are by far my favorites. The “Most High God, and The Almighty God”, there is NO other God like Him and NEVER will be. He is my all in all and everything you could ever need or want He can provide to you, if you trust in and rely on Him! No matter how we are attacked or persecuted if we are in that secret place of the Most High God no evil can befall us, no foe can touch us. Look closely at this verse. My God is the Most High God, there isn’t nobody, no other God, there ain’t nothing that’s as High and as ‘Big’ or as ‘Powerful’ as He is! He’s the Almighty, the most powerful, the all in all, He’s anything and everything you could possibly want or need! But you can’t be doing your own thing, you must abide in Him. You must walk and live and dwell in His shadow if you expect to receive from Him. You must allow Him to guide and direct your life. You must be in constant fellowship with Him and with His Word. His Word is life and health to all your flesh.

MY PRAYER…
Holy Father God, thank You for being my Fortress and my Refuge in life’s storms. Thank You Lord that You have covered me over and have delivered me from all evil. Lord thank You that I can abide in that secret place with You at all times and that You are my comfort and my strength when I am weak. Thank You Lord for placing Your angels with charge over me to keep me in all my ways. Lord, thank You that when I set my love upon You, You deliver me from life’s trials and that You know my name! That You have called me by Your name. Through Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I offer my thanks and praise.
Amen

Whose hands hold your life?

Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:28-30 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Remember this little ditty?
“He’s got the whole world in His hand.”
He’s got the whole world in his hands he’s got the whole wild world in his hands
He’s got the whole wild world in his hands he’s got the whole world in his hands

He’s got the little bitty baby in his hands he’s got the little bitty baby in his hands
He’s got the little bitty baby in his hands he’s got the whole world in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands…

He’s got you and me brother in his hands he’s got you and me sister in his hands
He’s got you and me brother in his hands he’s got the whole world in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands…

He’s got everybody here in his hands he’s got everybody here in his hands
He’s got everybody here in his hands he’s got the whole world in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands…
He’s got you and me brother…
He’s got the whole world in his hands…

God holds His children of faith in His hand. As long as they place their lives and their trust in Him, no one or nothing can steal them away. Yes, times may get tough and the going may get hard, but if you put your fait and trust in God He will see you through! You have a choice, it’s up to you! You can put your life in His hands through Jesus or you can remain of and with the world and perish with it as it perishes, the choice is yours entirely. But God tells you in His Word to choose Life!

MY PRAYER…
Oh Lord, thank You for Your steadfast and secure love. Thank You for the assurance that my future rests in Your hands. Thank You for holding me in Your protective grace. May I live today with confidence and joy knowing that no matter where I find myself, You are there to uphold and sustain me. For I have been given eternal life, sin no longer has dominion over me because I am no longer under the law, but now I am under Your grace. For those who are led by Your Spirit are not under the law, but under grace. For this grace, I thank You in Jesus’ name.
Amen