Actions have Consequences

This prayer was shared by Derrick Rosborough.

LORD, help me remember that actions, whether good or bad, have eventual, inevitable consequences. It may take a while, but like seeds sown in the ground, they will eventually come, just as a plant produces it’s harvest. Help me sow love, integrity, and faith so my end will be better than my beginning. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(Micah 3:9-12, Amplified Bible) Hear this, I pray you, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor and reject justice and pervert all equity, Who build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its heads judge for reward and a bribe and its priests teach for hire and its prophets divine for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us? No evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion on your account be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps [of ruins], and the mountain of the house [of the Lord] like a densely wooded height.

Spiritual Warefare

Brothers and sisters in Christ I have to admit I have been at war in my mind. Due to my own life struggles and things I’ve heard and seen the devil has been hard at work trying to make me question my faith.

I’ve never been stronger in my faith than at this point in my life and i don’t think I’ve ever felt the devil try to fight me as much. Questioning if God loves me so much why do I have to suffer more now that I am trying to do His Will and please Him. I have to say I am so happy to know His Word and have experienced His blessings because if not I can honestly admit that the devil would have a good chance at winning me over with his temptations and poisonous thoughts he tries to plant.

I KNOW that God will not put more on me than I can bear and there is no suffering that I can endure that would be more than God giving up His son for His love of me. Jesus saved us from our sins and the least we can do is acknowledge Him and show our appreciation by following the Word and Will of God. He will not forsake us. (Psalm 9:10, KJV) And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

No my battle has not been easy but I’m not giving up. The closer we get to God and doing His Will the more the devil will fight to pull us away. This is why it is so important to learn His Word. Stay prayed up. Surround yourself with Christian friends and family because we all fall down and may need support to get back up again. I thank my Christian support system from the depths of my heart for keeping me on track and reminding me of my Heavenly Father’s Word.

Everyone reach out to someone because you never know who is fighting a battle right now and seeking a life preserver. The devil makes the easy road look real good so stand together in the fight to win more to Christ and help those who may be struggling. None of us are perfect and need a helping hand at some point.

There is strength in numbers and when numbers are praying it’s mighty!

Opposites Attract

The question was posed to me that with all the differences in people and issues with keeping a marriage together, “Would God put two people together who are alike and if so how would they make it work”?

My thoughts are yes and that they would make it work because as much as they may be alike they will still have their differences. No two of us are exactly identical inside and out. God made each one of us unique in our own way and those differences that they have will hopefully be what helps keep the scale of their marriage balanced. Where one may lack the other may be strong.

Any other thoughts….

Wise Up!

Let’s take a look at Samson!

First of all, he broke the rules. The relationships he formed destroyed him. The Bible warns: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). An ox and a donkey can’t work in the same harness. Why? Because their natures are different! When God says “no” to certain things He’s not being difficult, He’s being protective. Heed Him!

Samson lived by his impulses. He thought he was in love when he was only in heat. When confronted about his relationship choices he replied, “She pleaseth me well” (Jud 14:3). Before it was over he became a laughingstock. Peter writes: “Abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1Pe 2:11 NIV). In war the strongest side wins, so keep your impulses in check.

He misused his gift. Samson exploited his God-given strength for personal gain. Listen to these words spoken to his Philistine buddies, concerning a bet he’d made with them: “Then shall ye give me” (Jud 14:13). God gives us gifts to fulfill His purposes, not ours. When we misuse them we end up in trouble.

Samson was blind to his weaknesses. You may not like to believe that your private imperfections will have public consequences, but you can’t escape what you are. If Satan attacked Jesus three times in the wilderness, he’s not going to give you a free pass! Protect yourself! Satan always attacks those who are in line for God’s blessing.

Why does God make such a big deal of this? Because sin hurts us, and anything that hurts one of His children makes Him angry.

Written by Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins

For me or for You?

This prayer was shared by Derrick Rosborough.

LORD,
Sometimes I think I am doing things for You, when it is really only for myself or what others think. Pierce the veil of my own thinking and help me see my true motives. And when I find something being done for wrong reasons, give me courage to stop it or correct it. Help me be willing to submit everything I do before You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Zechariah 7:4-6, NLT
4 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply: 5 “Say to all your people and your priests, ‘During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? 6 And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?

Make Your Own Way

Others can point the way, but you must make the journey. Others can give you their assistance and advice, but you must choose the direction of your life.

If you set out to live someone else’s dream, you’ll end up frustrated and disappointed. For you have your own special purpose, a purpose that would be deeply painful to deny. That purpose is eager to face the greatest challenges and to grow intensely more meaningful in the process.

Your purpose has a whole wonderful set of achievements that will bring great fulfillment to your life. No one, no matter how generous or well-intentioned, can give you everything you seek. For much of what you seek is to make your own way in life.

No pleasure can compare to the pleasures you earn through your own efforts. No reward can equal the reward of creating your own achievements.

Make the commitment, make the effort, and make your own beautiful way in life.

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.

‘One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

‘The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, ‘Which wolf wins?’

The old Cherokee replied, ‘The one you feed.’