Longing for Help
And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. Luke 15:16, ESV
In the passage above Jesus is teaching the people who do not know him about compassion and love. He shares a parable about a father and a son. The son had left his father’s house with his inheritance and had gone off on his own. He has wasted away all he had. Now that he had nothing and there was famine in the land, no one would give him anything. When I read this scripture I could not help but think of the unhoused in our community. Most of them probably do not have rich fathers who could give them an inheritance that could be wasted away, but they are all in a situation where they need help.
Many times in the past when I would see the unhoused, I did not necessarily see the person. I saw the behavior of their condition and my thoughts immediately went to judgment. When judgement fills our heart, we can become callous towards individuals who need our help the most. I read somewhere that every time you sweep your soul clean with the word of God, you are seeking the lost. This is because the word of God transforms your heart and you begin to produce the fruit of God that draws those that are lost to you.
In the passage above this young man eventually comes to the realization that he has a rich father whom he could go to for help. Every single individual on the face of the earth has a rich father that they can go to. God is rich and he is our Heavenly Father! So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27. Unfortunately, everyone does not know that they have a father who is waiting to help them.
The question is, “Will we be there as God’s servant to bring the refreshment to those in need?” I heard this pastor say, “All those that were sick, hopeless, broken, and full of demons went to Jesus. If we have the light of Jesus in us, why are those not coming to us for help?” There are a whole lot of people longing for help. Are we too focused on ourselves and in doing so missing the opportunity to serve? Scriptures says, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10
Father, I pray that the heart of every believer is so changed and transformed that the lost souls come running to us; because all they see is us is you! Hallelujah! We will know exactly what to do! In Jesus’ name, amen!
Key Points:
The harvest is ripe and ready.
Make sure your heart is ready to harvest the harvest.
The harvest is all around you.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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The Light
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John1:5, ESV
This particular morning at 1:30 AM I did not want to get out of the bed and go pray. But as I laid there the Holy Sprit began to remind me of a woman in Luke 13 who had been bent over for eighteen years and yet she continued to go to the synagogue for worship. In the passage, after eighteen years on a particular day, Jesus is at the synagogue teaching. The woman never said anything to Jesus, but he stopped in the midst of his teaching and healed this woman. I got up and headed down to my prayer room.
There is light in the darkest of hours; we just have to keep our faith in God. I was reminded of Joseph when he was sold by his brothers to a caravan of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt. It is hard to imagine how Joseph must have felt, knowing that his own brothers hated him so much that they would sell him. He had no idea if he would ever see his family again. Yet the move to Egypt was in God’s plan for his future. I don’t know if it was God’s plans for his brothers to sell him, but nevertheless Joseph was headed towards a purpose God had planned for him.
Ludwig van Beethoven[n 1] (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music. His works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era in classical music. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterized as heroic. During this time, Beethoven began to grow increasingly deaf. Beethoven's hearing loss did not prevent him from composing music, but it made playing at concerts—an important source of income at this phase of his life—increasingly difficult. It also contributed substantially to his social withdrawal. [Wikipedia]
You would think that God would have allowed Beethoven to keep his hearing as a world renowned composer, but many have said that his best work came after losing his hearing. Many times the things we think that are our greatest hinderance can be our most profound blessings!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s experience with racism lead him into the calling that God had ordained for his life. He was an American Christian minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. As a black church leader and a son of early civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Sr., King advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and nonviolent civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination. [Wikipedia]
The example of these life lesson’s teach us that we never have to be afraid of the dark. The light is always there in the midst, we just have to keep our trust and faith in God!
Key points:
There is purpose in opposition.
Patience, faith, resilience and trust are required to experience the light.
Never let the darkness stop you.
Many times, the best times of our life comes with the greatest challenges.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Showing Love
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20, ESV
The passage above is a parable about a father’s lost son. The son asked his father for his inheritance and when the father gave it to him the son left and wasted all the money. When the son realized what he had done, he came home to apologize to his father. The passage above said that while the son was a long way off his father saw him. He ran to him and embraced him. He kissed him and had compassion on him!
The Holy Spirit directed me to read the story above in the Bible and when I got to this passage, he asked me, “Are you looking for the lost with compassion? Can anyone “feel” the embrace of God from you from afar?” As I pondered those questions my mind went back to my behavior at a concert that my hubby had taken me to for my birthday a few days earlier. We went with all my siblings and their spouses. It was the first time we had done this together in a long time. I was so excited!
We all sat in this long row together, my husband was on the end of our row with one seat left open. This lady sat down beside him and she started talking with him. My husband is a very friendly person and loves talking to people. He is an extrovert, so when there is someone new to meet he is excited. He turned around and introduced me to the lady and we spoke. But afterwards, she continued her conversation with my husband. Now, we have been married for over forty years so I wasn’t too concerned about this woman chatting to my husband, but I was getting upset because she wouldn’t stop talking! I nudged my husband and I said, “Can we have a conversation?” He looked at me and said, “Sure!” He explained that she came alone and that he was just trying to be nice. I think I said, “Okay, but I don’t care. That’s not my problem.” I had this attitude that I was trying to deal with and then the lady leaned over into our conversation and said, “Oh I hear that it is your birthday! Happy birthday!” There was not an ounce of kindness, or compassion in my soul. I could barely respond to her.
I was irritated with my husband because it was none of her business that we were at this concert for my birthday. I had the idea that my hubby and I were going to enjoy this concert together and chat about the music and how we liked it. But he was spending more time answering her questions than he was talking to me! As a result, I had an attitude and therefore it was no fun for him to chat with me. My sister decided that she wanted to go to the bar to grab a drink so my hubby joined her. When he came back, he has three drinks, one for him, one for me and one for the woman. I did not say a word because I realized that God was working on something inside of me.
As the scene replayed in my mind and the question God had prompted in my spirit, I wondered if I had missed the opportunity to show Christ’s love. My situation was not exactly like the passage above about the father and his son, but his son had done him wrong and yet he was looking to show his son “love.” I did not give that woman a chance to feel Christ’s love. I am a firm believer that God allows things to happen for our growth. There was absolutely no coincidence that I would read the story of the lost son after my incident! God was reminding me that I am here as his instrument to serve him and not myself. When the focus is on ourself and what we want, we can lose a soul that needs love. The son was willing to be the father’s servant; he just wanted to be back home. But his father gave him more than he could have ever imagined. That is exactly what Jesus has done for us and what he wants us to share that with the world!
Key points:
Showing love can cost you your feelings.
Don’t let your feelings hinder your outcome.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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It is the Law
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8, ESV
In the passage above Moses had died and God was giving instructions to Joshua. Joshua would then be the one to lead his people into the Promise Land. God tells Joshua to keep the book of the law on his lips and do not depart from it. If he did as the law said, he would be prosperous and have good success.
Law: the system of rules which a particular country, or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties. Oxford dictionary.
In Hebrew the word for “law” is the Torah. God was telling Joshua to follow the instructions given to Moses and he would be successful in his journey. The Holy Spirit directed me to one of my journals where I had taken notes from several different teachings many years ago. He referred me to page 45 which was all about the law. As I was reading my notes, I had written that the law is just like a “green light.” I move in it because the law says I can. In the same way this is how the law of God works. Because it is the law I move with the law of God. Instantly the Holy Spirit began to speak to me. He said, “You obey the law of your government because it will keep you safe and it is the law! How is it that you believe and follow man’s law, but doubt and question my law?”
As I meditated on that word, the Holy Spirit brought to me scripture after scripture that was his law. Specifically, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 KJV He said, “Did you see that the word says I bore your sins? Why do you continue to put yourself down and walk with your head down when the law says, I took care of your sins?” When he died we died with him and when he rose we rose as a brand new creation. He said, “This is the law!” It does not matter how we feel, or what we think. The law says that he took care of our sins. All we have to do is stand on the law!
I am righteous because it is the law. I am holy because it is the law. I am sanctified because it is the law. I have peace because the law says so. I am healed because it is the law of God. God’s spirit lives inside of me and therefore I have all that he has. When God brings corrections, he is leading us to righteousness. We may not feel any of the things that I just listed above, but it does not matter because as a believer it is the law of God. The more we meditate on the word of God, speak the word out of our mouth, and do as it says, we will see the law manifest in our lives.
Take aways:
The Bible is the book of the law for the believer and every promise is a covenant.
Guaranteed success comes from meditating on the Word of God day and night, and following it’s instructions. Your feelings cannot change the law! What the law says about you is the truth; whether you see it, or feel it!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Your Choice
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7
The first humans on earth were Adam and Eve. God had given them some instructions on how to live on the earth he created. He even told them the consequences of what would happen if they chose not to follow his instructions. We know that Adam and Eve were born with intelligence. They had a sound mind and were full of wisdom, power and love. They knew right from wrong. They knew sin, but had never felt the consequences of that sin. It reminded me of when I was offered recreational drugs in my youth. I knew that it would have had a bad effect on me, but the “choice” was mine to make. Thank God I chose not to take them! However, Adam and Eve made the decision to do their own thing and they went against God’s instruction.
So when they disobeyed God they locked man into sin and out of eternal life. No one else born through Adam and Eve would have the opportunity to free themselves of sin. Man was condemned forever. But our loving God knew that man would fall and had put a plan into place to offer us another chance at eternal life. Remember God told Adam that if they ate of the tree of “Good and Evil” they would die. So, the cost of sin is death. The only way others could be free from sin was that someone would have to live on earth without sinning and would have to die for all those who sinned.
Jesus said to God the Father, “I will go!” And God sent him through the Holy Spirit to be born of a virgin and to live on earth. He lived a righteous life without sin and encouraged others to accept his “new” way of life. In the end, he gave up his life for sinners and died on a cross for our transgressions. He paid the ultimate price for sin. When he did this, death could not hold him hostage because there was no sin found in him. So Jesus rose from the grave. He now offers anyone who wants to be born again through him eternal life. He is not speaking of a physical birth, but a “spiritual” birth. We all came through physical parents who were full of sin. Jesus offers man the opportunity to a new birth in him spiritually which will give man eternal life. We all know that when a person dies their spirit leaves the body. Jesus offers everyone a choice to where a man’s spirit eventually will reside; in eternal life, or eternal damnation. We now have the same opportunity that was given to Adam and Eve. We can “choose” where we want our spirit and our soul to live. We are not forced into this decision; it’s an option and we are invited to choose.
There are only two rulers in this world. “Satan” the ruler of the air and “God” the ruler over everything. Satan wants as many people as possible to go with him to eternal death. His focus is to deceive as many as possible from a life of eternal salvation. But God loves man so much, that he has done everything possible to offer man eternal life! God is not trying to deceive mankind; he is just bringing the truth to people and allowing them to make a decision. The choice is yours. I encourage you to choose life!
Dear God,
Please open my heart to understand you so that I can make the right decisions for my life. I ask that you will bring me clarity of thought, continuity of thinking and accuracy of the truth so that I can understand you and not be deceived by Satan. I thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Rise Up!
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:14-15, NIV
I went down to visit my parents for a bit just to get out of the office. While I was chatting with them my mom shared with me that her and my father had gone over to a couples’ home on Easter to drop off food and pray for them. They knew that the lady had not been able to walk since January 1, 2024. She was believing God for this surgery that would get her back on her feet, but she was told that after further examinations it would be too risky for her life to do this surgery. The lady was really down.
The family had no idea that my parents were coming with Easter dinner and they were so excited when they saw dinner was prepared. While they were there my mother took anointed oil and put on this lady’s legs. She laid her hands on the lady while my father touched my mother and her husband and they prayed. It was an awesome visit.
On Tuesday, the lady called my mom and said that she got up and walked! She walked to the rest room and to the laundry room by herself! She also said there had been some kind of tumor that had been on her leg since she was a teenager and after the prayer it was gone!
Every born again believer in Jesus Christ has this power! The world is hurting and hungry for healing and we have the answer, RISE UP! God has given you everything you need! Walk by the faith that he has given you! Listen, you are not the one doing the healing, that is God’s job. Scripture said all the believer needs to do is pray in faith and the Lord raises up the sick! God does the work!
How can we believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and His power now lives in us and not believe that he will answer your prayer? Scripture says, “God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” Psalm 66:19 If you are lacking in faith, just ask the Holy Spirit for help, He is right there with you and he is your helper!
The one thing I did not tell you is that my parents are in their eighties. Yet, they are moving just like Moses did letting God use them for all that he called them to do!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Marching Orders#2
And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave the orders to all the commanders about Absalom. 2 Samuel 18:5. ESV
Joab said, I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. And ten young me, job’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.
In the scripture above King David, was going to war with his son Absalom who had deceived the people’s hearts. The people’s hearts had turned against King David and towards his son Absalom. Absalom had taken over King David’s throne and they were now in a fight for rulership.
David had ordered those who were in charge of his army to be gentle with his son Absalom for his sake. The entire army heard what King David had requested. Joab was told that Absalom was trying to escape the battle on a donkey when his hair had gotten caught on a tree limb and he was hanging from the tree. Joab asked the men if they had struck him down and they said, “No, because of the king’s request.”
Joab had the opportunity to follow the king’s order, but he chose not to. Instead he killed the king’s son with three javelins that he thrust into Absalom’s heart. When we are put in a position of authority, we do not get to make the decisions we think are right, we have to follow the orders given. It appeared that Joab did not suffer the consequences for his behavior, but later we find that he murder’s Abner whom King David had made peace with. 2 Samuel 3 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” 2 Samuel 3:28-29, ESV
Just as King David said, when his son Solomon became king he ordered Joab to be killed because Joab went against him. When Joab knew he was going be assassinated, he ran to the house of the Lord and would not come out. The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever.
Disobedience and taking matters into your own hands can have a devastating impact on not only you, but on your generation to come. Scripture says, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. Choose wisely because your choices impact the lives of your offspring.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Sisters
So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. (Laban gave[b] his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. Genesis 29:22-30, ESV
Jacob had worked seven years for Laban’s daughter Rachel, but instead he gave him his daughter Leah. When Jacob complained Laban agreed to give him his daughter Rachel for another seven years of work. Now there was a big celebration for Leah, however she learned that her husband didn’t want her. Her father Laban asked Jacob to finish out the wedding week with her and then he would give him her younger sister Rachel to be his wife as well. This action caused great discord within the family.
For many years there was a constant rift between the two sisters. Leah hated Rachel and blamed Rachel for stealing her husband. God opened Leah’s womb because she was not loved by her husband and blessed her with sons. When Rachel saw that she was not having children, she became jealous and gave her maid servant to Jacob so that she could build a family. The fighting went on for many years until Jacob brought them together and told them that they had to leave their father’s house because he had stolen from all of them. In that moment they become a unit and worked together to leave as a family. Genesis 31:14-19, ESV
We cannot control some of the things that happen to us. We can only control how we choose to behave in the situation. Leah and Rachel were put in a horrible situation and both of them suffered because of someone else’s actions. But God brought them to a place where they could agree to work together for the best of their family.
You may be dealing with a horrible situation because of someone else’s actions. Hate, anger and sorrow may be feeling your soul, but if you release to God he will heal and deliver you. David said, “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.”
Father,
I trust you! I trust your word! You said in your word that I would have trouble. Some things seem so hard and impossible to me that it's difficult to understand your love for me. But you said that you came to set the captives free! I pray that you will heal my soul and deliver me from all the pain inside so that I can make the right decisions to love and live in your joy and peace! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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The Storm will Pass
In our city there was a lot of talk about a big storm coming. The news outlets were telling everyone to get things put away because of the storm. They said that it would last for about a week. I decided to get up early and go jogging before the storm hit our city.
While I was out on my run I saw other people up early exercising and taking their walks. I noticed maintenance workers checking storm drains to ensure they were unclogged so that the rain water would not back up. Everyone was making preparation for this storm. While I was making my observation, I heard the Holy Spirit ask me, “What causes a storm?” I said, “I’m not sure, but as soon as I get back from my run I will look it up.”
When I got home, the thought was still in my spirit. So, I looked up what causes a storm on the internet. There were three things listed: moisture, unstable atmosphere and something to start the movement. While sitting there just thinking about how that worked, the Holy Spirit said, “You are the moisture. Believers are the moisture.”
My mind went back to the story of the Samaritan women who Jesus met at Jacob’s well. She was there to get water and Jesus told her that if she wished, she could have the “living water” from him. When we accept Jesus as our personal savior we have the “living water,” or the word of God on the inside of us.
Then God gave me a revelation. He said that we cause storms in our lives when we are obedient to him. We cause movement in the atmosphere and the moisture starts to shake things up. I saw the vision. When we were are not doing anything the Holy Spirit comes along and gives us an assignment. We say, “yes” and we start to move. Our moisture water starts to form rain drops and Satan starts to take notice. Remember he is the prince of the air. He starts to check to see what is going on and then everything stirs up into a storm.
When all kinds of crazy stuff starts happening in our lives, we wonder what is going on. We say to God, “I am doing what you said and now it seems like things are getting worse instead of better.” We shook up the atmosphere. Satan sees that he is about to lose territory because of this movement and he does whatever is necessary to try and stop the movement.
When we step out in faith we say, “no” to Satan. We have moved out of the place of complacency and into war against Satan with God’s protection. When David said, “no” to Goliath, he entered into warfare. They were all ready in a war, but no one was moving. David stepped up with his faith in God, five smooth stones and his slingshot. When David killed Goliath, the Israelites took off and conquered the Philistines. See, David was the “moisture” that caused the storm and brought victory to the Israelites. [1Samuel 17] When we move in faith with God, we stir up the atmosphere and the storm clouds start moving, but just like with David the storm passed and likewise you will also have the victory!
We can stand on God’s word; no matter what the storm looks like! You will always have the victory! Because Jesus has already conquered the world! Do not be moved by the storm, but know that in Christ you are on the winning side!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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He is Always Watching Over You!
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2, ESV
Our God is the creator of everything and he is omnipresent. This means that God is everywhere, at all times and he is watching over you. I was out taking a walk when my daughter sent me a picture through her phone of her son. She was in the other room, but she had a monitor on him which is connected to her phone. At anytime she can see what he is doing. He was asleep just moving around in his bed and she took a picture of him from her phone and sent it to me.
Her son would never know that she was watching over him unless we showed him that picture. As I was walking the Holy Spirit said, “That is exactly how I am with you. I am always watching over you. Even when the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of it. I was watching over it. I am always right there with you.” Just like her son could not feel, or see her, but she was right there.
Later as I reflected on the topic the Holy Spirit reminded me that we cannot see our spirit, but our spirit is always with us. We cannot see or feel the blood pumping through our veins, but it is right there moving in our bodies. We cannot see what the blood is doing in our bodies, but we experience the results of it’s work because everything in our body is operating so that we can live.
He then reminded me that we may not see the physical image of God, but we can witness his existence all around us. The sun rises and sets everyday. The ocean only comes so far and then goes back out into the deep. All the different types of vegetation, animals, insects that come and go without the assistance of man. He watches over his creation and he watches over you!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
You can also follow me at JCCMinistriestv:
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My published books are now available at:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Life%27s+Journey+volume+2+Jacqueline+Crooks&language=en_US&ref=nb_sb_noss
A Place of Solace
Our soul is invisible, but we seek to bring pleasure and comfort to it by using tangible, material things. These material things will only bring temporary comfort, joy and peace. They can never bring total fulfillment to us because they are only material things. You cannot fulfill the invisible with the material. That is why so many people are looking for a place of rest and peace. They will seek out beaches, sit in a forest, go to the ocean, any where they can find a place of solitude for their souls. Our souls seek refreshment, but what is our soul? It is our mind, our will and our emotions. Our souls are invisible, and need the invisible God to bring rest, comfort, and contentment.
The true place of solace is with God. He is our place of refuge. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He is not looking to fill our souls with the temporary, materialistic desires of the flesh, but with his Spirit. His Spirit provides all that our souls need to stay in a constant place of peace, joy, harmony and love. He fills the invisible soul with all the unimaginable presence of himself! When our spirit meets his Spirit, perfection will arise in your soul. Everything will be amazing because you will feel the oneness of God. You will experience the place of your birth. Your soul will be at home. You can be completely vulnerable. There will be no shame or embarrassment; just perfect peace, joy and contentment in the Holy presence of God our King! When you release your soul to this place, everything else will fall into place!
He gives you perfect peace those whose mind is stayed on him. [Isaiah 26:3 NIV]
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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He Heals
…I am the Lord that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26, KJV
I pray a number of scriptures in the morning over a whole community of people. One of the scriptures I pray is Exodus 15:26 which says, “And said, if thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all is statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
I had been praying this scripture for a while when this particular morning the words, “I am the Lord that healeth thee,” hit my soul. In my prayer God said, “No one can heal, but me.” You are praying to the power that heals. I do not need man’s expertise I am God and I heal! No one can buy my healing. I heal! My prayer took a turn and I knew that he was telling me healing was in my presence. I began seeing those I had been praying for as being healed!
The medicine does not do the healing. It sustains, but does not heal. I have high blood pressure, so I take blood pressure medicine to regulate the pressure of my blood. The medicine does not heal me, if it did I would not have to take it everyday. I was thinking of when I had surgery on my feet, the doctor took care of what needed to be done during the surgery, but he sent me home with bandages so that my feet could heal. The doctor had done all that he could do, but he could not heal my feet. I had to wait for God’s natural healing properties within my body. When we get a cut on our finger, we can apply some anesthetic on the cut, but we still have to wait for it to heal itself.
God says, “I am the one that heals thee.” He heals in every area of our lives. Healing is not just left to physical, but spiritual, mental and emotional. No matter what you are dealing with in the moment; God heals when we follow his word. Healing comes with belief and obedience in God.
My dad was healed of bone cancer in his golden years. He went through the treatment process and then one day after 5 years of treatment, his doctor says I don’t know what happened, but you no longer have cancer! We all celebrated the miracle from God! However, my younger sister in her early thirties died of cancer. Does that mean God is not a healer? Absolutely not! Our prayer was that God would heal her on earth, but he chose to heal her in heaven. She left that sick body! It lays in the ground at a burial site, but she received a her healing all in one with him!
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalm 91:14-16
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Walking on Water
I have been listening to this song Trust in God for months now and God has used this song to help me to understand that he has given each of us a measure of faith to do what he has placed inside of us. Without walking in that faith we cannot please him, or fulfill what he has called us to do. I am reminded of the story of Peter walking on water. In Matthew 14 Jesus had finished preaching and there was no place for the people to go to get food. Jesus took two fish and five loaves of bread and prayed over it and fed five thousand people. Scripture says that when the people had finished eating there were 12 baskets of food left over.
Immediately after, Jesus sent his 12 disciples into a boat to go ahead of him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. Jesus went up to the mountain by himself to pray. When it was late at night, Jesus came to the disciples walking on water and the disciples were afraid. But Jesus said to them, “Do not fear it is me.” Then Peter asked, “If it is you command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.”
When Peter stepped out of the boat into the water his eyes were on Jesus. He had the faith to believe that he could walk on water and he did. But somewhere during the walk he took his eyes off Jesus and he started to sink. He screamed for help and Jesus caught him. Jesus’ words to him was, “Yea of little faith.”
We all get to walk on water! Peter was showing us how to walk in our faith and what happens when we lose sight of Jesus. Every time God calls us to an assignment he shows us the finished project. It is always bigger than what we can handle on our on. We don’t have the ability within ourselves to do the task ahead of us. It is like Peter stepping out on the water. He did not have the ability to do what he did. Jesus gave him that ability with his faith. God knew that Peter had the faith. He knew what he had given him. Peter just needed to keep his eyes on God and not on what was around him.
All the impossibilities that God calls us to do is our water; it is our walk on water! The waves are high and it is impossible for us, but with God nothing is impossible! So how do we walk in faith? We do what he has placed right in front of us. We do not worry about all the things that we need to get done. We just step out with what we can do in front of us and keep our eyes on God. He will open up the door and the provisions will be waiting when we get there!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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One Language
And the Lord said, Behold they are one people and they have all one language; today this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. Genesis 11:6, AMP
I was on the treadmill running while listening to message when I heard the pastor read the verse above. It seemed after she spoke those words everything went silent in my mind and I begin to focus on those words. I was so focused that I had to jump off the treadmill and write down that scripture so I would not forget it. The speaker had said when we are in one with God speaking the same language there is nothing impossible for us to do in Him.
As I meditated on those words, it came to me that my husband and I make decisions all the time as to what we would like to do. It can be as simple as agreeing to take a trip San Diego. We agree on where we want to go to stay and what we will do when we get there. Because we are in agreement and we speak the same language, what we have decided happens. We see this practice consistently happening all over the world. Steve Jobs co-founded the technology giant Apple Inc. with Steve Wozniak. They were of one mind and worked together to build what looked and seemed impossible to others.
The scripture above is telling us that this is what man can do when they are of one mind. But for those who are believers in Jesus Christ and have the mind of Christ there is more than we could ever imagine waiting for us to do! Scripture says, “…what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]” 1 Corinthians 2:9, AMP
We as believers have the mind of Christ 1Corinthians 2:16. We hold the thoughts, feelings and purposes of God’s heart. So why are so many believers not doing those things that God has prepared for them? It is because as Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian church, “I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as non spiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet]” 1 Corinthians 3:1, AMP. Many believers do not speak the same language as Christ and have reverted back to the flesh.
Apostle Paul goes onto say,”I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and fractions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere unchanged) men?” 1 Corinthians 3:2-3, AMP
Although we have the mind of Christ and his Spirit lives within us, if we operate out of our fleshly behavior we cannot fulfill all that God has ordained for us. We have to stay in his word and do as God reminded Joshua when he was getting ready to lead Israel into the promised land. He said, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1, ESV
Father,
I give you glory and praise! I worship you! Thank you for allowing me to repent and seek your face. It is my desire to do all that you have ordained for me to do. Father I cannot fix myself, please help me to move from all these fleshy ways so that I can have the heart after you and speak the same language fulfilling all that you have ordained for me. In Jesus’ name amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
You can also follow me at JCCMinistriestv:
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My published books are now available at:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Life%27s+Journey+volume+2+Jacqueline+Crooks&language=en_US&ref=nb_sb_noss
My Fourth Man in the Fire
I heard the words “my fourth man in the fire” which were a part of the lyrics to a song I was listening to called Trust in God by Elevation Worship. I knew immediately that they were talking about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were Jewish men who worked for King Nebuchadnezzar. He had built an image of gold that he wanted everyone to worship and bow down to when music was played at a certain time. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to this image and they told the king that they only worshiped God.
The king had made a decree that anyone who did not obey his command when the music played would be thrown into the fire. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused, the king was so angry that he had the furnace made seven times hotter and he had them bound and thrown into the furnace. When the king looked into the furnace, to his amazement he saw a fourth person in the fire walking around with them and he said that the fourth one looks like a son of the gods. Daniel 3
Jesus will always be wherever we are. He did not stop the king from putting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, but he was there with them. God had a plan that would cause the king and all those around him to know that he was God. The many situations that God allows us to be in has nothing to do with us, but we are his vessels to let others see God’s glory so they could come to know him. Scripture says, “….that then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:26-30,ESV
When you are a servant of the Most High God, you always have a fourth man in the fire! Hallelujah!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Move
When God says move, it is not always comfortable. When he told Abraham to move, he had to pick-up and leave where he was comfortable to another region where he did not know anyone. When it was time for Esther to move, she was taken against her will by the king of Persia. But God’s plan was that she would become queen. When Joseph was being prepared to be second in command in Egypt, his brothers sold him into slavery.
When we say, “Yes” to God, we need to be ready for whatever he brings our way. Several weeks ago I was in my briefing room listening to the Holy Spirit when he gave me an assignment. I was uncomfortable and said, “Are you sure this is you speaking to me? Are you sure this is what you want me to do?” I did not hear another word. I knew the answer and I was very uncomfortable. God had given me a specific message to give to someone and I just felt like it was not my business. He did not tell me their business, but he sure put me in an awkward position!
I wrote down everything he said and I just let it sit there. It was 3:30 a.m. when I received the message. At noon I still had not sent it. Then I started to feel pressure on my spirit and I knew exactly what it was. I said, “Okay I will send it, but can you give me some confirmation that this is what you want?” I was told to send the message through a text to two people, so I did. I was so nervous about getting the message to the right individuals and making sure that it was going to the correct person, that I sent it to the wrong person! I immediately deleted the message! As I prepared to send it out again, the second person I sent it to called me and said, “I got your message,” and those same thoughts had crossed my mind about what God had given me to say.
We laughed as I shared about how nervous I was to send the message! Her phone call was God’s confirmation to me that I had moved according to his plan. He did not give me that confirmation until after I obeyed his instructions. I have always said, “God use me! I give all of myself to you!” When he choses to do so, I freeze. Ugh! ELOHIM, the creator of the world knows everything! We do not need to know his plans and we do not need to know the outcome. We just need to move when he gives us instructions. I believe those simple moments are tests for what is next. No matter who, what, or where God sends us, or gives us instructions, we are to move immediately!
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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The Law
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2, ESV
In the United States of America there are laws for everything. From “Pedestrians must cross the street using the sidewalk”, to “The president of the United States must be a natural-born citizen”. In our society we are accustomed to laws, and we must obey them if we want the rights and privileges afforded to us as citizens.
It is the same way in the Spirit. We all know that we are made up of spirit, body, and soul. When it comes to our spirit there are laws that must be followed depending on what privileges we want to enjoy. Scripture makes it clear there is the law of the Spirit of life and the law of sin and death. Whichever law we follow will determine how we live here on earth and in eternity.
We were all born into the law of sin and death because of those who came before us, all the way back to Adam and Eve. Sin and death became a part of our DNA because of the choices Adam and Eve made (Genesis 3). Before Adam and Eve sinned, they were living under the law of the Spirit of life. God knew man would eventually make the wrong choice and provided a way for each individual to choose how they wanted to live their life. Our hearts can rejoice because of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. Now we can choose which law we want to live under! Sin is what put us under the law of death but when we chose Jesus Christ none of our sinful behaviors can separate us from the Spirit of life in Him. Jesus paid the price for our sin! We have a guarantee that we are saved and never have to worry about our salvation!
Below I have listed some information from the book of Romans that will bring more clarity as to the good news of life with Christ. This information was from a Bible Study I attended:
The apostle Paul refers to the law of sin and death in Romans 8:1–2: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” What is the “law of sin and death”?
In these verses, Paul contrasts two laws: the law of the Spirit and the law of sin and death. The law of the Spirit is the gospel or good news of Jesus, the message of new life through faith in the resurrected Christ. The law of sin and death is the Old Testament Law of God. The Law is holy, just and good (Romans 7:12), but, because we cannot keep God’s Law on our own, the result is only sin and death for those under the Law.
Romans 7:5 explains Paul’s focus on the Law as leading to sin and death: “For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.” In contrast, the “way” or law of the Spirit is noted in Romans 7:6: “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” The Law itself is not sinful (Romans 7:7). However, the Law defined sin and stirred up our natural rebellion against God’s rules, resulting in sin and death.
Romans 7:10–11 speaks of how sin, death, and the Law are connected: “I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.” This death refers to spiritual separation from God. Shackled by our depraved nature, we naturally opposed the Law, and we found that God’s life-giving Word served only to sentence us to death. It is because of this that Paul can refer to the Law as the “law of sin and death.”
The conclusion of Romans 7 shows the need of the gospel to deliver us from the consequences of sin under the Law: “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:22–25).
The next chapter, Romans 8, begins by declaring there is no longer any condemnation or judgment for those who are in Christ. We have been released from the law of sin and death. Paul’s argument from Romans 7 transitions in Romans 8 to a rejoicing over the change the gospel makes in the lives of those who believe in Jesus. The chapter concludes by confirming, in the strongest terms possible, that believers can never be separated from God’s love: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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Generations Have Purpose
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Matthew 1:17, ESV
As we read scripture, we learn about all the generations leading up to the coming of Jesus Christ. All throughout those generations were signs pointing people to the coming Messiah. The Israelites were looking for Him to deliver them from their oppressor, who they thought was Rome. But when Jesus came, He enlightened everyone with the truth: our true enemy was not flesh and blood, but Satan.
Scripture teaches that many of the religious leaders misinterpreted the meaning of the laws in such a way that they were blinded when Jesus came to bring light. When Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, he must be born again to see the kingdom of God, Nicodemus did not understand what He meant. It is so important that we understand Jesus’s message today so we are not lost when He comes. We do not want to be distracted by false narratives that deceive us from the truth. John 3:16 says God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Jesus is coming back soon and when He comes, those who have accepted Him as their personal savior will have life eternal with Him.
“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:17-18). Everything happening in our season of life has one purpose - to direct our hearts to the coming Messiah in hopes that we will accept His gift of salvation before He returns.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’. And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelation 21:1-5).
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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My Sheep
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27, ESV
In the verse above Jesus is speaking to some of the Jews at the temple who do not believe He is the Son of God. They have asked Him if He was the Christ, and to tell them plainly. In Jesus’s answer to them He quotes the verse above. There was a time in my life when that scripture really bothered me because I did not know if I was one who heard Jesus’s voice. I had accepted Jesus as my personal savior and knew His commandment, but I did not hear His voice.
I remember asking Jesus, “How come I don’t hear your voice?” I said, “I attend church and I hear what the pastor speaks about your Word, and I understand what they are saying but I don’t hear your voice speaking to me.” In those moments I did not realize that God was inviting me into a personal relationship with Him. When your heart starts to prompt you with questions, it is God drawing you into Him. I had accepted Christ as my personal savior but had stopped right there. I had not made the attempt to get to know Him personally. As I started to sit with Him, He started to speak to me. At first, I was really surprised and would say, “Is that you? Are you speaking to me or is this my imagination?” He definitely let me know it was Him.
See, I did not recognize His voice at first because I had not spent time with Him. When I first started dating my husband, I did not recognize his voice in a large crowd. But after many years of marriage, I can recognize him even if I can’t see him. I can identify his walk, his cough, his laugh, the way he speaks because my ears have been trained to recognize his behaviors. It is the same with God. The more we spend time with Him, the more we will know Him. I can feel God’s still, quiet voice speaking to me even now. I feel His touch in my spirit saying, “Do this” or “sit here” or “don’t move yet.” He is always speaking and giving direction because He is my shepherd, and I am His sheep.
Jesus goes on to say to the Jews, “…those who hear his voice he gives them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no on is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:28-31). Because of this, the Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. When we are so overcome by our own thoughts, we can seek to crush the blessing that is right before us without even knowing what we are doing.
Adonai,
I give you glory and praise! Thank you for opening up yourself to me and for allowing me to hear your voice. Thank you for this intimate relationship with you! Thank you for saving me. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
You can also follow me at JCCMinistriestv:
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The Gift That Keeps on Giving
I would love to tell you a great testimony about a gift I purchased and gave to others that just kept on giving. But truth is, the greatest testimony I could tell is about the gift that Jesus gave. That gift never runs out, and we should have a heart of gratitude for what was given to us.
There is a scripture in John where Jesus prays over the disciples and ultimately us as believers. In one portion of His prayer, He says, “…Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:17-19).
Jesus was praying to God the Father for the disciples because He was getting ready to go to the cross on all our behalf. And in His prayer, He says “sanctify them; set them apart, make then holy in the truth of your word”. Even though the disciples had been with Jesus for a time, they had not yet been made holy because holiness came only under the blood of Jesus.
Then He says to God, “…as you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them,” meaning all of us followers of Christ. And here is the good part - He says, “…for their sake I consecrate myself” meaning He has sanctified Himself to be the offering for us so that we may be holy in the truth.
Jesus had to become our offering for us to be set apart and made holy. He had to be the payment for us to receive the gift of holiness in truth. We are holy, there is nothing we can do to make ourselves unholy. He made us holy.
Every year we celebrate Thanksgiving. Around that time last year, I looked up both words:
Thanks: kindly or grateful thoughts; an expression of gratitude
Giving: to make a present of; to put into the possession of another for his or her use
Our heart posture should always be one of gratitude (being thankful ready to show appreciation) because of what Jesus did for us. And giving should be an offering of ourselves. How do we become an offering to God? Because He made us holy and set us apart for His work in the world. We give ourselves to the work as unto Him. Remember in Jesus’s prayer He says, “I have sent them into the world to give the world the truth his word.”
So in this season, we want to make sure we are doing the work of the Father in this world. With the heart of gratitude, let us offer His love, which He consistently gives to us to pour out to those around us.
Father, I thank you for the season I am in. I thank you for a heart posture of thanksgiving. As you gave yourself for me, I give myself to you, for the work of your ministry in the world. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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