God Is Love
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life, the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us, that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
1 John 1:1-4 New King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
God is love and love needs to love to someone!
Some people get the idea that God made man so He’d have someone to dominate. But God is not a dominator, He is not a cruel, punishing God either. God is love and love needs to give love to someone. That’s why God made man. He made man so He could give him His love. So man would fellowship with Him and God could be his friend! God made man something really special, He made man in His own image and likeness. Man is made in the image and the likeness of God. He is like God, but he is not God. He is made to have fellowship with God. But, God also gave man a free will, so he could choose for himself what to do. God could have given His love to the angels, and He did do that to some extent. But giving to angels didn’t provide God with total fulfillment. Why? Because the angels aren’t mankind, they aren’t made in His image and likeness. God wants to give His love to you so that your joy may be full and overflowing. The choice is yours. Will you receive His love and then give yours in return?

MY PRAYER…
Abba Father, I will never understand how You could love me so much that You would create me in Your own image. Or why You would chose to fellowship with me over the angels of heaven. But one thing I do know, and that is, You love me beyond compare. Please help me to love others as You have loved me. Help me Lord to be what You would have me to be. In Jesus name, I pray.
Amen

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Is Someone Stealing From You?

The thief does not come EXCEPT to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
John 10:10-11 New King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
How many of you have had someone try to steal the Word from you by telling you that there are other ways to know God? They make the claim “We’re all trying to get to the same place, we just have different ways of getting there.” Or how about this one: “Well you know God doesn’t heal everyone!” I’ve had people try both and others on me. But, that’s NOT what my Bible says. My Bible says He healed them ALL. (Matt. 4:24, 12:15; Luke 4:40, 6:19) No, these people and others like them are all just thieves, sent by the devil who is, trying to steal, kill, and destroy you. These are those who have been deceived by the oldest deceiver of all, Satan himself! Some of them might even be setting beside you in Church or even claim they are Christians going to church somewhere else. A Christian is not a Christian just because they go to church, going to McDonalds doesn’t make you a hamburger does it? A Christian is someone who has made Jesus the Lord of their lives and is living a “Christ –like” life. A Christian is Christ like and knows the voice of the Lord. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known by my own.” John 10:14. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” John 10:27 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO ONE comes to the Father, except through Me.” John 14:6. NO, there is NO other way to the Father and eternal life in Heaven except through JESUS! I didn’t say that, the Word of God (Jesus) said that! Guard your self from the deceivers in this world. They are everywhere and are in disguise. Make sure what you are hearing passes the filter test of the Word of God!

MY PRAYER…
Faithful Father, thank You for loving me so much. Thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to die for me, to take my place on the cross. Thank You Father, that You made a way for me where there was no way. Thank You that You have given me Jesus to be the Way the Truth, and the Life to me and to this dying world. Father, help us to have ears to hear and eyes to see and the wisdom to discern when the thief tries to come and steal from us. Father, I pray Lord for those who have been lied to that You will reveal the truth unto them in a way that they cannot deny it. Thank You Lord for Your everlasting Mercy.
In Jesus name.
Amen

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God At Work

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S MANNA:
God made the world in 6 days using His Word and His Faith. Now He sustains the world He made with the power of His Word and His Faith. His Word is sufficient to cast out even demons, to hold the heavens in balance and to care for all of His Children. But in each of us, He is still at work and will continue to work in and through us to His glory until Christ comes back to take His Church (Church = us = the Children of God = those who have made Jesus their Lord) home! Until then, God is still at work in us changing, building, perfecting our character and image until we are the perfect image of Him when Christ returns for His Church. Is His Word working in You? Is God at work in You?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Thank you Father, for being at work in my life. I confess that at times You seem distant, but looking back over the crucial moments where things were held in the balance in my life, I can see Your fingerprints and Your grace leading me to where I am today. I can see Your footprints where You carried me when I couldn’t walk on my own. Please make Your presence more powerfully known in my life as I seek Your will and as I seek to live for Your glory. Through Jesus I pray.
Amen

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You Are a Conqueror

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:35-37 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Conquerors! We win!! But, not just conquerors, we are more than conquerors!! When you open up the final book of the Bible, Revelation, and read and study it, that is the message you will receive. We are more than conquerors! We have won! Christians win because Jesus is the one true conqueror, and HE has already won for us. No matter how the battle is going for you right now, remember that in the end, we win! If you will not give up, you can not lose, Jesus has already won for you! If you are walking with Jesus and have put your trust in Him and don’t give up – you Win!

MY PRAYER…
El Shaddai, God Almighty, Father of more than enough, thank You for securing the ultimate victory for me by raising Jesus from the dead. I know He is coming with victory on the day You have appointed, but I pray that I may live victoriously for You until that day. Jesus told us when we pray: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” I know that there is victory in heaven, so Father I thank You that Your will be done now, here on earth, in my life. That I AM victorious now through the Blood of Christ.
As Jesus told us to pray, I pray now through Jesus my conquering King, in His Name, the name of Jesus.
Amen

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Search me, Oh God!

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Search me, O God, lead me in the way everlasting!
God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and He is all knowing. He knows the condition of our hearts even better than we do. God knows us inside and out. We can’t pretend we are something we are not with Him. We can’t hide behind a facade and pretend to be something else, He knows us! He sees all we do and hears all we say. He even knows our thoughts before we speak them. This should liberate us to be able to have real intimacy with Him, but instead most of us run from such a close relationship with God. If our desire, however, is to become more like Him, the only way to be transformed into His likeness is by inviting Him in and allowing “Him to look at our heart, our motivations, and our desires, all of it, not just some. He desires our close , intimate, fellowship most of all. He wants to renew your heart, mind and soul to a point where you think, feel, and desire the things He does.

MY PRAYER…
Father, I know You are the one who “searches hearts and minds” yet because of the grace You demonstrated in Jesus, I am confident that You love me. My heart is sorry for the sin I have committed, and I truly am ready to change. But I need Your help and Your power working in me to affect that change. I of myself can do nothing. I am really trying to serve You in honor and purity. Please fill me afresh today with Your Holy Spirit to enable me to become more like Christ. Father, search my heart and purge that which is not of You. In the name of Your Holy Son, Jesus I pray.
Amen

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The tares in the world?

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:37-43 King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Do you know what happens to the tares of the world – Those who are un-Godly? Do you have ears (spiritual ears) to hear? Are you good seed or bad tares? Are you children of the wicked one, do you offend God and are you iniquity (sin) in the World or are you the righteous children of God – those who have made Jesus the Lord of their lives AND live according to His Word. Will you pass the test of fire? Will you be gathered for the fire or for heaven? Do you know ABOUT Jesus or do you really KNOW Him intimately? There is a difference you know. Is He really the Lord of your life? It takes more than just reading about Him, to know Him. It takes more that just showing up at church every Sunday, it takes more than your catechism classes to know Jesus personally. It takes making Him the Lord of your life and fellowshipping intimately with Him daily.

MY PRAYER…
Father, I thank You for Your Holy Word and Your covenant of promises. Father I ask that You help us to understand the difference between being good seed and being tares. Reveal unto us, to our hearts, with revelation knowledge about how to keep Your Word planted within our hearts. Help us to know how to keep the enemy from planting tares in us. Lord help us to keep our hearts pure and clean with Your Word. Father I pray in the name of Jesus that the eyes of our understanding be opened and that we be filled with the knowledge of Your will and with all understanding of what Your Word means to us.
In Jesus name I pray .
Amen

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Four types of people

Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Luke 8:11-15 King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
According to the Bible verse we just read there are 4 kinds of people in the world. You ARE ONE of these types whether you believe/like it or not:

1. Those that hear the Word of God, but through unbelief (or deception by the devil) allow the devil to immediately steal the Word from them. All have been given God’s gift of Grace for Salvation. But, they refuse to believe in God.

2. Those who hear the Word and receive it, but fail to build a foundation on the Word and fall away. They would rather spend their time on other things – things of lust and fleshy pleasures, instead of building that foundation in the Word of God by spending time with the Word and with Jesus. They like what they hear, sounds good, but I’ve got my own life.

3. Those who hear the Word and receive it, but are so caught up in the cares and things of this temporal earthly realm that they become choked out…don’t have time for God and His Word because of all their things that have have them and the lusts they have for those things, and consequently they eventually fall away and become once again just like the rest of the world. They like what they hear, sounds good, try to do it, but their love for un-Godly things is more powerful in their lives – not willing to change yet.

4. Then there are those who hear the Word and receive it, and are totally sold out to God. They will give up everything this earthly realm has to offer them for the things God gives. Nothing can sway them, nothing can shake them. I Like how Paul said it like this:
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
These are those who KNOW THEIR GOD and know how to enter the “Secret Place” with Him. These are those who remain steadfast in their faith. These are those who will win in the end!

Like it or not YOU ARE one of these four types of people, Which one are you?

I myself am striving to be a number 4. Not quite there yet, but working on it!
It takes much perseverance and reliance on Him, but I am sure I can make it because: “With God all things are possible!”

Which one are you?
Your fruit will tell others which one you are.

MY PRAYER…
Father God, thank You for giving me revelation knowledge of Your Word and of Your covenant with Your people. Thank You Lord for opening the eyes of my understanding that I may see and understand the promises that You made with our fathers and that you still honor in us today. Lord help me to renew my mind and to fill my heart with Your Words of Your covenant to me. Help me to understand the true meaning of Your Word, Your covenant, and Your promises. Help me Lord to know how to not allow anything to separate me from Your Love, Your grace, and Your mercy unto Your children. In Jesus mighty name, I pray.
Amen

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Knowing God’s will for your life!

Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Ephesians 1:8-10 King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE(s)
Jesus is Lord! God’s plan was purposed in Christ from the very beginning. It centered on Christ coming at the right time (God’s perfect timing). God’s plan was to bring unity to His people in and through Christ by making Him Lord of all! What’s more, this plan that brings our salvation brings God great pleasure. God is the only loving, saving God and Jesus, who is God the Son, is both our Lord first, and then our Savior. Knowing God’s will is probably the most important thing you need to know. It really irks me when I hear people say/pray: “God, if it be Your will.” FIND OUT HIS WILL!! Read and study His Word until you know His will!! If you know God’s will then you will know how to pray properly. If you pray properly then your prayers are always answered!
So the real issue we face today is this: What area of our lives, our hearts, our secrets, our sin, our rebellion, have we not submitted to His Lordship? For when we have fully submitted ourselves unto His Lordship then and only then will we see the manifestations of all His promises begin to take shape in our lives. “On Earth just as it is in Heaven!”.

MY PRAYER…
O Precious Father, I know my heart can be deceitful. At times I even fool myself. But when I kneel in Your presence and I am convicted by Your Word, I find myself reminded of the areas I have not yet fully submitted to Your control and to Jesus’ lordship. Please, dear Father, use Your Holy Spirit to gently show and convict me of my self-deception so that I may be wholly lost in Your will. Help me Father by giving me the want to to submit all to you and then the power to do so. Through Jesus, Lord of lords, and King of Kings, I pray.
Amen

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Seedtime and harvest!
Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? “It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; “but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Mark 4:30-32

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE(s)
Jesus compares how the Kingdom of God works to that of planting seeds in the earth.
“Seedtime and harvest…, everything produces after it’s own kind….”
Genesis 8: 22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”

Take Note here Jesus didn’t say that the seed might grow or that it would only grow if it was God’s will! It really irks me when I hear people pray: “God, if it be Your will.” FIND OUT HIS WILL!! Read and study His Word until you know His will!!
No, He said, “It grows up and becomes greater.” Period.

God’s economy isn’t like the world’s. It isn’t on the rise one day and in a slump the next.
God’s economy is always the same and it always works perfectly.
God’s Word says if you plant a good (God kind of) seed in good soil, and water it properly, you’re going to have growth. Period!

So, if you find yourself in need, don’t get frustrated, don’t fret, and don’t get in a panic. Turn to God’s way of doing things and plant a Godly seed!

That seed may take the form of money, talents, time or some other resource you have to give. But no matter what form it takes, make sure you plant it in faith and give life to it by speaking God’s Word over it and surrounding it with praise and worship.

Pray over that seed. Fill it with faith, worship and the Word. Then plant it. You can rest assured—it will grow up and become greater!

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

MY PRAYER…
O Precious Father, I know my heart can be deceitful. At times I even fool myself. “Lord, as I bring You my worldly things, I bring myself. I give myself to You—spirit, soul and body.” Lord take these seeds that I have sown and apply your Kingdom rules to them. Cause them to sprout and grow and produce fruit, some 30, some 60, and some 100 percent that I may have seed for sowing and food to eat.
Amen

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To Tithe is NOT a question!

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, (Your Local Church where you are pastored and cared for.)
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the LORD of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven (one translation says floodgates of heaven)
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the LORD of hosts;

Malachi 3:10-11 New King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
To Tithe or not To Tithe, is NOT a question! The scripture is very clear about what we are to do. And don’t use the excuse “That’s Old Testament, it doesn’t apply today.” Wrong answer – God never changes! And there are plenty enough verses in the “New Testament” to verify tithing is still for today!
Tithing, you mean we’re really supposed to do that? No, We GET to do that, we have a choice. God won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. But, if you’re not tithing you are NOT doing God’s Word, if you are not doing God’s Word you can NOT expect to get anything from Him. And in fact, God said “You are cursed with a curse!” Tithing should always be done with a willing heart and cheerful heart, not because you have to. What is a tithe you ask? It is a tenth or 10% of your first fruits. In other words to make it easy for, when you get your check the first thing you should do is put aside your tithe. It’s easy, take the check amount, let’s say it is $1,534.20 your tithe is 10% of that. Just pick up the decimal point and move it one place to the left, $153.42 that’s your tithe and that is supposed to come out first for God before you do anything else with the money, it is His. See “God’s Financial Plan For Mankind” By Pastor Donald L. Kielley Jr. God even says to test or prove Him by bringing your tithes into His storehouse (your local church where you are a member and are pastored. You are a member of a local church somewhere right? That’s in His word also!) and see if He won’t open the windows of heaven and pour out more blessings than you can contain. The Hebrew word translated here as windows (‘arubbah) could also have been translated as a sluice gate (an opening for water or better yet a dam). He wants to flood you with blessings…will you let Him? And that’s not all, He says He’ll rebuke the devourer for our sakes and all we do will prosper. Is the devourer eating up your income? You have a choice, Life or death, Blessings or curse…Tithe or not to tithe. God even helps with the choice, in Deuteronomy 30 verse 19, He tells us to choose life!
I chose the Blessings!

MY PRAYER…
Father, help us to understand your plan. Help us to see how the Kingdom of God works. Open our spiritual eyes and show us Your ways. Lord help us to obey Your Word, help us to reap the blessings You have promised for obedience. Help us to reap the blessings and prosperity You have commanded us to have.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen

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