BELIEVERS CAN FEEL HIS PRESENCE

The eternal living Christ has made His presence known in many ways and on many occasions. The Scriptures repeatedly remind us of His presence, from the beginning with God’s presence in creation and when Jesus walked as a man here on earth.

Acts 3:20-21 That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Lord, thank You for allowing us to feel Your presence and love, a love that is the will rather than emotions. Father, we acknowledge that You are our creator, our redeemer, and the final Judge of all things, so give us Your courage to stand on Your Word and let our actions represent You.  Lord, keep us from being religious fanatics but inward-changed men and women; who will testify of the goodness of You.  Lord, set us apart for Your service, anoint us with Your wisdom, so we will become Your disciples and commissioned for Your excellent work. Lord, give us the knowledge to implement Your Words in our daily lives so we will be special messengers of Christ Jesus. Father, fill our hearts with Your Truth, so we will have assured freedom from doubt and uncertainty. Lord, let us be full of confidence and conviction that the penalty of our sins has been paid; by the blood of Jesus and through our faith, we have been saved, in Jesus' name we pray, Amen

Giants by: Donald Lawrence

Samuel 17:45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”  48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

JESUS, HATE, AND SIN CANNOT CO-EXIST IN THE SAME TEMPLE

A subject that reveals our sins will not appeal to us; we do not want to hear about things that are offensive or opposing to God when living in sin. No one who has had an abortion intends to talk about it (unless it's to stop someone else from having one); most times, they are ashamed of their sin. The KKK wears hoods to hide who the Haters are, people who hate enough to kill someone because of their beliefs or skin color. We, who live in the flesh, do not want to hear God's Word about our sins; some even justify their sins. People that commit adultery hide and sneak around; because they know they're doing wrong but blame the person they are cheating on. People that desire worldly things; will sacrifice their souls to keep them; they do not care about the consequence.
We can keep claiming we love Jesus "like Judas did" and live in sin. But do not be fooled that we are passing the test when we willfully sin against God's Word, "This is called blasphemy. " It applies to such sins as cursing God or deliberately degrading things related to Him Mark 3:22-30 and Matthew 12;22-32). 1 John 1:6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but live in spiritual darkness; if we are not practicing the Truth, we are not part of the Truth. As we study God's Word and understand the true meaning of His Word, we become more Christ-like and change our ways.

Lord, You said that You are entirely convinced that we are full of goodness; although most Christians today live in sin, You still show the same love and mercy. Father, we understand that sin is a sin, but we are committing an abomination now: against the Word, the Church, and humanity, Lord, we have become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus, how can we say we know the Word but do not heed the Word? Forgive us for the way we choose to live. Father, we have turned the Churches into businesses, and our Spiritual Leaders live like Rock-Stars; while the communities and neighborhoods around the Church fall apart. Lord, we no longer use the Churches as Sanctuaries; for those who seek refuge or help, we turn Your lost sheep away. Jesus, we need Your help right now; bring unity among Your people who are called by Your name. Our struggles are no longer against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, the power of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil.   So, Lord, we need Spiritual unity that gives us strength and courage; to fight against the things of this dark world, Lord, let those who claim YOU stand up and be a light that brings hope and justice to someone's life. Lord, help us live in such a way that we do not get shame of You or ourselves;  Father, we humble ourselves to You and ask for Your forgiveness, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Silentnight by The New Mount Zion Men's Choir

Isaiah 9:6–7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Father, help us develop a Christ-like character so. we can become the disciples You created us to be, and help us be submissive to Your Word.  Jesus, open our eyes that we may see the wonders of You, that will profoundly alter the course of our lives.  Lord, give us ears that hear Your, wisdom and knowledge, that will increase our faith and draw us nearer to Thee.  Father, nourish our Fruit so we will develop: love, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, understanding, self-control, and unity with others.  Lord, remove our materialist desire and replace them with the things of the Spirit; that will compel us to do good, and stay on the path of righteousness.  Jesus, give us a forgiving spirit and remove all obstacles that keep us from sitting at Your feet or hindering our blessing from You.  Jesus, thank You, for willfully dying so we could live; so give us this day our daily bread and forgive us for our sins, nourish our souls with Your Word; so we will be in full body armor at all times, and help us keep our flesh at rest.  In Jesus name, we pray, Amen

WE MUST HEAR THE WORD AS IT IS WRITTEN

Luke 20:45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,46, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and, for a show, make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Lord, our Spiritual Leaders, are preaching to please people and not You; they speak against sin but never about any particular sin. Father, we all fall short, but how can we claim to love You; and indulge in so many forms of violating Your Word.  Father, we must hear the TRUTH of the Word to receive transformation, so let us receive what’s good to develop Fruit.  Jesus teaches us the importance of prayer, study, and witnessing to others; through our testimonies and actions that honor You and lift others up.  Lord, help them understand that we are not judging; just speaking the Word as it is written gives it power in our lives.  Father, let us not be religious fanatics’ but inward changed men and women, eager to serve You and others.  Lord, give us a heart of true repentance through Your strength and courage so we can turn away from our sins, that separate us from You, in Jesus name Amen

JESUS LIVES AND IF WE DO NOT BELIEVE OUR SPIRITS WILL DIE

1 Corinthians 15:1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel, you are saved if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to  Peter and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.


Father, we are set free from sin through Christ and nothing else; Salvation is by grace through our faith in Jesus. Father, we know that "the only thing that can save us is our faith expressing itself through love, which gives us peace. Lord, when we focus on Your will, we find peace, love, and order in our lives, and we can help bring that same peace, love, and charge to others. Jesus, we have not seen You, but we have been in Your presence, and we believe You are our risen King. Thank You, Lord, for dying so we could be set free from sin, and we ask that You remove all that is not of You, and fill us with the Holy Spirit, so we will be submissive to Your will. Father, we pray for all lost people, help us help them see Your light; through our good deeds and faith. Thank You, Lord, for forgiveness and help us forgive those who wronged us. Father, let us not be self-righteous; but be patient with the right attitude, while we wait for Your will to be done, in Jesus name Amen

JESUS NEVER KNEW US

The Word of God is to give wisdom to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young. The daily study enables us to understand better and enhance our relationship with Christ. The Word teaches love and self-control; it gives us direction and guidance for developing a disciplined lifestyle. When we study the Word daily with an open heart and mind, the Holy Spirit will penetrate our fears, doubt, worries, and sinful lifestyle; and fill us with the love and faith of Christ; this is what enables us to be submissive to Him. We cannot walk in the dark and be accepted by Christ, even if we are being used as His vessel; if we participate in the world's sins, we walk in darkness.

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Father, help us follow Your Son and listen to His instruction, so You will not forsake us. Lord, teach those who witness for You that we, too, must live as we teach; and not walk in darkness by pleasing the flesh. Lord, let those who plot against us not draw us into their evil schemes, which take our eyes off You, that will entice us to give in to evil. But, fill us with Your strength and courage to stand by Your Word; and not self-righteousness, which takes us out of Your protection. Father, only Jesus' wisdom and knowledge will save us from the ways of wicked men, so give us Christ-like character that will help us follow the path and plan You have for our lives. Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice that has saved us from sin through grace. Thank You for forgiveness and the strength to forgive others, and may Your Word continue working in and through us, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Whitney Houston - I Look to You

Jeremiah 29:12-14Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

WHY OUR PRAYERS GO UNANSWERED

John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

As long as what we ask for is developing and affirming our Christ-like character, He says yes.   If our prayer request is for compassion, love, kindness, self-control, or faith strengthening, Jesus' answer is always yes. If our prayer request takes us out of His will, His answer is usually "No." Jesus will not answer prayers that take us out of His will or make us more prideful and self-serving? 

Father, we are not worried about our journey because we know You are guiding us; and where You lead, Lord, we will follow because You are in control. Jesus, we believe that Your Word is accurate, so when times get rough, help us stand on Your Word and remove all doubt and fears. Lord, You are our world's Savior, yet You came to be a servant, not to be served. Lord, give us Your desire to serve others, and let us not think too highly of ourselves. Father, keep us humble and provide us with patience and ambition to please You, so help us walk in Your will. Jesus, teach us how to pray and help us teach our children and our children's children. Lord, help us examine ourselves and all that is not of the Spirit; please remove it, in Jesus' name; amen.

Michelle Williams - 'Say Yes' ft Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland

Once God has established His purposes for our lives no one can say NO. What God has shut, no man can open and what God has opened, no man can close.  Satan and His followers will wear themselves out in efforts to make a situation turn badly for believers, yet God will still accomplish His plans for us.

WE NEED UNITY

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. Romans 12:4-5 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another

The enemy and Satan recognize the power of unity; Satan knows we have been equipped to stop him from messing up God's plan for our lives, and  Satan is desperate to stop us. This is why we are constantly under attack; he wants to keep us fighting to take our eyes off the prize, which is our Savior. This is also why we are surrounded by Spiritual Soldiers who fight with us in unity and strength. Satan makes excellent efforts to cause division because he knows we will become ineffective if he succeeds. This is why Jesus calls us to become one body to work in unity to overcome the evil and darkness of this lost world; we cannot do it alone.

Lord, as Your people, we must overcome division, so we can come together and fight our battles. Jesus, let us not join those who cause confusion; we must not help Satan and his followers tear us down, but work together to build each other up and strengthen Your Kingdom. Father, help us recognize those with dark souls who are the source of disunity and act under Christ's authority to eliminate the threat. Father, let us be as desperate to serve You and others as Satan is to destroy us. Lord, You are a God of peace and unity; it is against Your nature to work amid confusion, so search our hearts and remove all that is not of You.  Lord, unify us to work together, accomplishing great work,  helping our neighborhoods, communities, and empowering ourselves. in Jesus name Amen

WE ARE ALL ONE WORKING ON ONE ACCORD

FROM SELF-SERVING TO SERVING CHRIST

Hebrews4:12-13 for the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing souls and Spirits, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before his eyes to whom we might give account.

The Word of the Lord is different from any other words written in any other book. The Word of the Lord brings life to those who study and hear His Word. God's Word possesses the power to change us from self-serving individuals to Dedicated men and women of Christ.

Lord, Your Word is sharper than a double-edged sword, and it has the power to change us from self-serving people, two servants of Christ. Father, Your Word penetrates deep into our hearts to cure our lousy psychology, our distorted self-image, and our arrogance and pride. Lord, You judge our thoughts and attitudes and keep us in touch with Your purpose for our lives. Lord, give us a strong desire for Your Word so it may separate us from all that is not of You and all that hinders our blessings. Jesus, help us discover Who You Are and help us deal with our doubt and fears; we pray to You with faith, Amen.

Put God First - Denzel Washington Motivational & Inspiring Commencement ...

Setting goals can be hard, pick one too difficult and we have to contend with the fact we didn't do it. Pick one too easy and we will be asking why we didn't pick a real goal. Either way, you want to look back and know that we did gave it all and made a real impactful to change; and the biggest part of accomplishing our goals is Christ

JESUS FIGHT OUR BATTLES

Deuteronomy 20:1-9 when we go to war against our enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than ours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord our God who brought us up out of Egypt, will be with us.

We must let God lead us when bitter, spiteful, and wicked people come up against us.  Even though we are justified in our anger, don't let them make us lose our blessings by retaliation.  Do not let them take our focus off Christ; just pray on it,  be still, and let God be God. Do not speak on it, do not act on it, just pray on it and wait.

Father, we know we must forgive, so please take over this battle with the Enemy so we do not grow weary.  Jesus, thank You for revealing to us the plot of our enemies so they may fall into their own traps.  Father, we decree and declare no matter how many times they come up against us, we will not fall but stand on Your Word with faith, and we will be victorious.  Father, pull the mask off all those who pretend to be something they're not; show the motive behind their good deeds for the world to see.  Lord, let us not be religious fanatics, but inward changed men and women, who stand for justice; for those wronged, killed, or betrayed by those we trust. Father, the Word tells us, "never avenge yourself, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is the Lord, and You will repay them.  Jesus name, Amen

JESUS SPIRIT GOT WEAK AND OUR SPIRIT WILL GET WEAK

Matthew 26:38-42 Jesus said, "My heart is full of Sorrow, to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."  After walking a little further away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, " My father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering. But do what You want, not what I want. Then Jesus went back to His followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, " you men could not stay awake with me for one hour? Stay awake and pray strength against Temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak."

This is the first time that I see Jesus in the flesh, although  He knew what His mission was; He also knew the horrible death He was about to face, "for us," who wants to crucify Him.  So, for a brief moment "Jesus was weak in Spirit and did not want to go through with this" He did not pray once to let this cup of suffering pass, He prayed twice.  Even,  Jesus spirit got weak, so it's ok if we get weak; but this is the time we do exactly what Jesus did, give it to God, pray to our Father.

Father, give us strength through the faith we have in Your  Son, who sacrificed Himself; so we could receive Grace, and forgiveness for our sins.  Jesus,  we are Your scattered flock; save us from the darkness of this world and the wolves in sheep clothing, and bring back those who have strayed away.   Father, nourish us with the Word until life becomes meaningful, and renew our hearts and Minds.  Father, it is not Your will that one of us should perish; so continue to work through us to draw the blind to You. Lord, teach Your followers how to be just and righteous to all; with no exception to who commit the wrong, and let us not sit amongst the wicked. Thank You, that Your loving heart yearns toward the meek, feeble, and timid, so You can rescue Your most unworthy servants.  Lord, thank You, for Your truth that gives us a gentle and kind hear; thank you for Your strength and courage that allow us to forgive our enemies, and thank You for Your forgiveness and Grace in Jesus name,  Amen

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING FOR CHRIST

Matthew 25:42-44 I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you did not invite Me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave Me nothing to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you did not care for Me. Then we will answer Lord when did we see You: hungry and did not feed You; thirsty and did not give you anything to drink; alone and away from home, and did not invite You in; or saw You naked and did not clothe You.

Then He will answer when you saw the homeless, the sick, the orphans and the widows, those that are treated unjustly, those that are weak and cannot fight for themselves.  When we refuse to help those in need, we refuse an opportunity to do something for Christ.

Father, help us live to please You, and not man who cannot give us everlasting life. Jesus, You are the only one that can give us peace; so fill us with the Holy Spirit, so we can experience a peace above all understanding; that will help us witness for You and do good work.  Lord, we will follow You and seek Your glory, so take up residence in our Temples; and remove all that is not of You, and make our hearts Your home.  So, we will walk in Your will and  stay on the path of righteousness; helping others and honoring You,

GIVE US EARS THAT HEAR YOUR VOICE

Isaiah 30:21 And our ears shall hear a word behind us, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

We have so much noise going on in our heads and chaos going on in our lives; that it makes it difficult to recognize God's voice.  We live in a fast-paced world, and sometimes it can be challenging to hear the sweet soft voice of our Savior.  Even when we listen to Him, it can be difficult to distinguish among the many voices; and interference in our hearts and minds that can drown Him out.  But there is a way for us to know if it's God's voice we hear.   When God is speaking to us, it will persuade us to do good, give us feelings of love, give us a heart of forgiveness, build others up and ourselves, inspire us to be better, and provide us with peace.   Practicing biblical meditation also helps us silence the external noise and distractions around us, which will help us hear Him when He speaks.

Lord, fill us with the Holy Spirit, so we can hear Your voice and help us surrender in faith to You.  Father, let us live by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of our sinful nature.  Jesus, we are Your followers. You know our voice, and we hear Yours.  Father, let Your grace mold us into the character of Your son; and manifest His holiness in us, so we may yield our flesh to You.  Father, deliver us from all the ways of sin and make us clean so we will hear You when You speak to us.  Lord, thank You for the arrangement of peace You made with our ancestors, an arrangement that continues forever, and forgive us for our disobedience In Jesus name Amen.

WE HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND NOW WE ARE EQUAL

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

If believers follow the Word, they would know that all men are created equal.  What this means is we are all given through Grace the same Dominion of authority over our lives.   But, only in the Spiritual realm, we are all given the same free will to choose life over death.  We Are All Made In His Image Spiritually, and we can walk in His character through the fruit of the spirit.  So, how do we develop the Fruit of our Spirit, by receiving Jesus as our Savior, studying the Word  (and pray to receive all that is good), pray without ceasing, worshiping with other believers, and praise to Jesus our Lord and Savior?   Then the Holy Spirit will give us the strength we need to obey His teachings.  Especially His teachings about: loving no other God but Him; treat our neighbors as we treat ourselves, and train our children in the way to go; by teaching His Word from generation to generation.

Father, through Christ, we can learn how to love and serve each other no matter what age, color, or ethnicity, gender or nationality.  Father, the Word tells us that we are all created equal, and we all can be Your children, receiving the full inheritance of Your promise.  Lord, help us teach Your Word, to our children and future generations so that they will also love You and others!   Father, nothing speaks to us about how much You love us, like the Cross of Jesus; Jesus, thank You for laying down Your life, so we could live.  Father, You did not give us grace because we love You; but because You loved us and sent Your only son, to be the propitiation for our sins.  Lord, on the cross, we experienced Jesus love, and in His resurrection, we have seen Your power.  Father, forgive us for our sins and give us the strength and courage to forgive others, in Jesus name, Amen

KEEP A LOW VIEW OF OUR OWN IMPORTANCE

We know being humble is impossible without God. We know of no other help that makes us humble and allows us to show mercy.   Without the Holy Spirit, we are normally: Haughty, Prideful, Coveting, Greedy, Egotistic, Judgmental, Spiteful, Envious, Arrogant, and thick neck people. 

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves under Your mighty hands, with compassion, kindness, gentleness, and patience.  Jesus, forgive us for our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let us draw near to You with a pure heart full of confidence and faith, having our hearts free from sinful desires, and our bodies washed with the Word so we may be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Let Your Word dwell in us so we will not follow false teaching with strange doctrines, let us study and hold on to what is good.  Lord, let us not complain or chase after our lustful desires but let us be rich in good works, ready to obey and willing to share with others.  We pray that the whole body is knitted and joined together and that every part does its share causing growth to the body and others around us.  Father, as each one of us, has received a gift, let us ministers it, looking out for the interests of others. Lord, let us love one another with a pure heart so that we do not lose the things we have been blessed with. Lord, let us become watchful in our prayer life, as we wait for Your return. Father, help us run with endurance the race that is set before us and setting our minds on things above and not on things below.  Lord, keep us pressing toward our calling, by putting on the whole armor so we may stand against the evil of this lost world.  Father, give us the courage to speak the Truth of Your Word, the blessings and the wrath with great boldness, so You will stretch forth Your hand to heal us, in Jesus name.  Amen

A humble volunteer at Metropolitan Ministry cleaning their kitchen

Pastor Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago - Awesome

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord