Building A Sure Foundation For Christian Growth

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Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 5, 2010 at 6:54pm

Chosen


TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world…"
(Ephesians 1:4, NIV).


TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God chose you before the foundations of the earth. Before the worlds were ever formed, He knew you. And, He didn't create you to be average. He didn't create you to barely get by. No, He created you to excel! Not only has He chosen you, but He has equipped you with everything you need to live His abundant life. He has deposited seeds of greatness inside every person. But in order to tap into those seeds of greatness, you have to believe this and act on it.

Too many people today are going around with low self-esteem, feeling inferior like they don't have what it takes. They are living a lie. And as long as we have a poor self-image, we're not going to experience God's best. In order to be all that God has called us to be, we have to see ourselves as chosen, valuable and victorious.

Today, meditate on this truth. Let it sink down deep into your heart. Let it build confidence and security in you. As you understand your value, you'll rise up higher and higher into the life of victory He has prepared for you!


A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for choosing me. Thank You for equipping me. Help me to see myself the way You see me. Show me Your ways that I may walk with You in confidence and trust all the days of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 5, 2010 at 6:37am

First Aid for Your Soul
Inspiration > First Aid for Your Soul

First Aid for Your Soul
by Doug Hill


All of us, it is safe to say, will find ourselves in crisis at some point in our lives. How can we best seek God's direction when our darkest hour is upon us?

Probably the best insurance we can have is to be spiritually prepared. To maintain an ongoing relationship with the Lord, always carry in your heart what Reverend Billy Graham once called a "Spiritual Survival Kit." Its key elements are prayer, Scripture and Christian community. Being equipped with those spiritual fundamentals will keep your lines of communication with God wide open in times of tranquility as well as in times of turmoil.

Being prepared to walk through darkness with God at our side also means we need not constantly anticipate darkness. Jesus affirmed this emphatically during the Sermon on the Mount. "Who of you worrying can add a single hour to his life?" he asked (Matthew 6:27).

While it is true, bad things happen to good people, God has assured us that ultimately, all will be well. As the saying goes, if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 5, 2010 at 6:12am

I THOUGHT THIS SHOULD BE SHARED MAY GOD USE IT FOR HIS GLORY
The Fruit of Our Words


TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"I create the fruit of the lips…"
(Isaiah 57:19, KJV).


TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Did you know that your words are like seeds? They have creative power. In the future, we will eat the fruit of our words. That means our words are going to produce exactly what we're saying.

That's why it's so important to make positive declarations over our lives every single day. We should say things like "I am blessed. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am talented. I am creative. I am wise." When we do this, we are standing in agreement with God's Word. We are sowing good seed. We are preparing our future for when we arrive.

Today, make sure you are sowing good seed with your words. Speak God's Word which is truth that will set you free. Let His Word fill your heart and mind and direct your mouth with what to say. Set yourself up for success in your future and pave the way for victory with your words today!


A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for Your Word which is truth that sets me free. Help me to guard my words and sow good seed into my future. I choose to hide Your Word in my heart. Keep me close to You and direct my steps. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 3, 2010 at 8:45am

Psalm 63
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.

10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 3, 2010 at 8:19am

Psalm 34 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 34
[A Psalm] of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out, and he went away.
1I WILL bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad.

3O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

4I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.(A)

5They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces shall never blush for shame or be confused.

6This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7[a]The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers.(B)

8O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.(C)

9O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear.

10The young lions lack food and suffer hunger, but they who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing.

11Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to revere and worshipfully fear the Lord.

12What man is he who desires life and longs for many days, that he may see good?

13Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

14Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it!

15The eyes of the Lord are toward the [uncompromisingly] righteous and His ears are open to their cry.

16The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.(D)

17When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles.

18The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent.

19Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

20He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

21Evil shall cause the death of the wicked; and they who hate the just and righteous shall be held guilty and shall be condemned.

22The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 3, 2010 at 8:03am

Choose Your Friends Wisely


TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"…Do not throw your pearls before swine"
(Matthew 7:6, NAS).


TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Do you realize you have treasure on the inside of you? You could say that your pearls are what God has given you to be a blessing to the world around you—your gifts, talents and abilities. When you get around true friends, people who really believe in you, they won't be jealous of your gifts. They won't constantly question who you are. They won't try to talk you out of your dreams. It will be just the opposite. They'll help you polish your pearls, develop your pearls, enhance your pearls, and grow your pearls. In other words, they'll give you ideas. They'll connect you with people they know. They'll help push you further along. If you stay around people who don't value your gifts nor appreciate what you have to offer, that's casting your pearls among swine.

Your inner circle, those who are closest to you, should be people who celebrate who you are; people who are happy when you succeed. They should be people who believe the very best in you. Remember, it's not the quantity of friends that's important, it's the quality of friends. Choose your friends wisely so you can be all that God has called you to be.


A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts, talents and abilities You have given to me. Help me to recognize the treasure within. Give me wisdom to discern the right relationships You have ordained for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Comment by Pastor Bob B on August 3, 2010 at 6:53am

CREATION IS SHOWING US ALL ABOUT GOD

For choir director. A Psalm of David. "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. '' (Psalm 1:19)

“Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20)

Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artist. You can learn so much about him from reviewing his wonderful master pieces. He told a story with every creation. You can tell so much about what was important to him and even about his character from his creations.

God is also a great artist and each and every day is a creation from His wonderful hand. No matter how much human sinfulness has tainted his work, yet God's handiwork is evident everywhere. The heavens are continuing to tell the story of His glory. His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and his divine nature are clearly seen in his handiwork. Yes god is the greatest artist in the universe and it will take us an eternity to see all that He has created.

Prayer;
Father God you are a wonderful, masterful, creator. You have told us a story about yourself in your creation. You have done great and marvelous things that we can see with our own eyes, hear with our ears, and handle with our hands. Oh God how great you are and how worthy you are to be praise. We have no excuse because your handiwork is everywhere. In Jesus name amen

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on July 29, 2010 at 4:58am

The Great Reward


TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!"
(Hebrews 10:35, NLT).


TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

What are you believing God for today? Promotion? Healing? Stronger relationships? Freedom from addiction? God has promised all these things to you in His Word. He wants you to live in blessing and wholeness all the days of your life. But in order to experience His promises, we have to do our part. We have to keep believing and trusting in Him. That's what today's verse is saying: if we will stay in faith, if we will keep believing, keep hoping, keep doing the right thing, God promises there will be a reward. I like how one translation puts it, "Don't get discouraged. Payday is coming!"

When you're tempted to get down, when things aren't going your way, just say to yourself, "This may be hard. It may be taking a long time, but I know God is a faithful God. I'm going to keep believing because my reward is coming."

Friend, as you trust Him and stand in faith, as you boldly declare His promises, you are positioning yourself to receive His blessing. No matter what your circumstances look like, remember payday is on its way—and you will experience the blessing and reward He's promised all the days of your life!


A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for Your good and precious promises. I choose to trust that my reward is coming. I choose to follow Your commands because they lead to blessing and life. Give me a heart that is fixed on You and fill me with Your peace. I patiently wait on You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Comment by CESAR HUSMILLO on July 20, 2010 at 10:32pm

Brother RG,

So how do we get a deepr experience of the Cross? How do we know we are walking in Spirit?

Comment by Jacqueline Harris on July 16, 2010 at 4:55pm

Brother Bob, I like the Word that you wrote about us being formed into vessels of honor, through being broken, and God shapes us and molds us into His image, healing us and putting all things back together again. He is our Rock.

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