THOSE WHO HAVE PAID THE PRICE FOR US

Revelation 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?  14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.  16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sunlight on them, nor any heat.  17 For the Lamb which is amid the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Every generation has a group of people who paid the price for the rest of us with their faith and blood.  Those who have died for Christ or His purpose, those who have been washed by their suffering, and have received their robes pure and clean, let us join that small group of people whose blood was their witness.

Father, we have come out of great tribulation; we come from every nation; Lord, we have repented of our sins and made clean with the blood of the Lamb.  Lord, You said though our sins are like scarlet, they will be cleansed and made white as snow, and we shall be Your children through Christ.  Father, we thank You for giving us Your only Son to be a sacrificial Lamb, to take the punishment for our sins; thank You, Jesus, for saving us with Your blood.  Father, please prepare us for Your Son’s return, and remove every obstacle that keeps us from sitting at His feet.  Father, help us lay aside the chains of our humanity as we wait patiently for our Savior.  Lord,  let us not complain while we wait because our impatience is but one more sign of our unwillingness to trust You.  Father, we know waiting, and belief is the instructions You have given, so fill our hearts and minds with patience and faith; until You return.  Father, please remove any hate, anger, envy, jealousy, or strife from us, so we do not lose our souls or dishonor You because of unforgiveness, in Jesus name Amen.

VaShawn Mitchell - "Nobody Greater" "Searched All Over" Music helps set the atmosphere

1 Chronicles 29:11 "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

TRUST GOD NOT MAN

TRUST God, not sometimes but all the time; God will keep His promise. But we must play our role in His plan for our lives.   The beginning of this Trust journey starts with excepting Christ as our Savior, then we must study the Word, believe what we read and practice the Word to nourish our Fruit.  When we Trust Him completely,  we will obey Him; we must obey all instructions if we want to nourish all our Fruit of the Spirit.  If we follow half the instructions when we assemble a house, the house will fall when the storm comes; but if we follow all instruction the house will be steady; If we follow and trust His instruction we will be steadfast.  When we trust God we surrender to Him fully, just like when we trust man: we trust man with our children, we trust them with our finances, we trust them with our futures, and we trust them with our lives.  Even though man has let us down so many times before; but God has always brought us through, so why do we still trust man more than we trust God.

Ps18:1 We love thee, O Lord, our strength. 2  Lord, You are our rock, our fortress, our deliverer; and our God, in whom we will trust; You are the buckler, the horn of our salvation, and our high tower. 3 We will call upon You Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so we will be saved from our enemies.  4 The sorrows of death compassed us, and the floods of ungodly men made us afraid.  5 The sorrows of hell compassed us about: the snares of death prevented us.  6 In our distress we called upon You, and cried unto our God: You heard our voices out of our temples, and our cries came before You,  into Your ears.  7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken because You were angry. 17 Thank You, for delivering us from the strong hold of our enemy which hated us, and tried to prevent us in the day of calamity, but You was our stay.  Thank You for rewarding us according to our righteousness and according to the cleanness of our hands. 21 For we have kept the ways of You Lord, and have not wickedly departed from You.  Father, forgive us for falling short of Your mercy grace and favor, in Jesus name Amen

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

James 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have worked.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble!

When we see people in need and fail to help them, we lose the opportunity to experience joy.  God wants us to create a better life for those around us.  Joy is a direct result of our willing service to others.

Lord, thank You for the uncontainable joyous expression of our faith and being able to live in the presence of Your salvation.   Father, teach us to help those around us, make a better life for ourselves.  Father, we must understand that we must seek to take care of our own needs and care in the same way for the needs of others.  Lord, You create life, our lives, and the lives of those needy souls to whom You call us to minister.  Lord, when we take time to care for those in need, we earn an honest joy, a joy that reminds us that we are a part of Your Kingdom.  Father, let us follow Your plan for our lives, even when we do not understand the purpose of Your calling.  Father, thank You for forgiveness and strengthening us so we may also forgive those who wronged us.  Lord, strengthen our faith, as we do good work for those who are in need, in Jesus name Amen

THE TESTING OF OUR FAITH

James1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

God, exposes us to temptation, not to lead us into sin, but to afford us an opportunity of exercising and improving our graces and virtues. Hence our Lord declared those to be blessed who were persecuted for righteousness’ sake,  By persecution and affliction; worketh patience — Exercises and thereby increase our patience, through the divine blessing, and your resignation to God’s will, from which many other virtues will flow. But let patience have her perfect work — Let it be duly and fully exercised, that we may mature to the fullest.

Father, You said You will never give us more than we can handle; and You will always give us a way out of temptation.  Lord, Continue ordering our steps, during our test; so we will not stray away from Your path of righteousness.  Lord, keep Your hedge of protection around us as we walk through the valley of death, o we will not fear evil.  Father, thank You for self-control and please remove all demonic Spirits around us' and cancel every generational curse.  Father, thank You for helping us produce steadfastness, so we will stand firmly on Your Word without wavering.   Father, give us Your wisdom and the knowledge of You as we develop Fruit.  Lord, forgive us for not passing Your Word to the next generation and the next,; please intercede right now and help us save our children.  Father, we trust You, Your timing, and Your plan for our lives, in Jesus name Amen

WE'VE BEEN REDEEMED

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe

As believers, our goal is to be more like Christ; the life of a Christian is seeking after one goal, Jesus.  Once the word of God fills our hearts it will no longer be us who live, but Christ that lives in us. Then we will understand God’s mercy; is a part of God’s nature, and it will become a part of us as God’s word fill our hearts.  The same generosity, compassion, and forgiveness God give to us we will show to others. Our spiritual walk begins with accepting Christ as our Savior and the Word God will be the road map that leads us to maturity and our purpose.

Lord, the sacrifice of Your Son, redeemed us and made us Your children.  Father, help us be more like Your Son and less of ourselves, give us the peace of Your kingdom which man cannot give.  Lord open our hearts and minds to the wonders of Your love so we may show the same mercy to others that You have given to us.  Lord, teach us how to pray and seek You daily through Your Words, and keep us in Your will. Father, show us that unity is good and pleasing in Your sight that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  Father, It is so easy to forget Your promise and power when we face uncertain and difficult times. Lord, forgive us but we sometimes doubt that You are real, because there is so much interference in our lives.  So, Lord, we ask that You remove all obstacles that keep us from sitting at Your feet and all that is not of You from us.  Father, You knew that we would struggle with unbelief so thank You for speaking reassuring words to us through the Word.  In Jesus name Amen

GIVING TO OTHERS

Teaching children and adults the importance of giving to others, whether time, money or energy, is one of the most valuable character traits in a child of God.  It doesn't matter if you have a lot to give or a little, it's the heart that matters!  You never know how a small act of kindness can draw someone closer to God.

Ephesians 4:28  Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.  Deuteronomy 15:11  There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Father, teach us to carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, we will fulfill the law of Christ.  Lord, You are not unjust; and You will not forget our work and the love we have shown You as we have helped Your people and continue to help them. Lord, we are not able to see each other’s heart or the challenges each of us face, so Father, teach us how to be more caring of others needs.  Lord help us lighten the burdens of others, let us be an instrument of Your love where there is hate, Lord let us bring inspiration and hope to those in despair.  Father, let us be the beacon of light that leads the lost to You, in Jesus name Amen

PEACE AND WHOLENESS

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

When we become at peace, it is the state of wholeness and completeness in our relationship with God and others.  This order of peace will help us strive to do the work of God and help us edify His Kingdom through ourselves.  Our physical relationships, material, and worldly things won't matter because our Spiritual needs are fulfilled in our hearts, and this will give us the mindset of completeness.

Father, thank You for rescuing Your people from the dominion of sin and spiritual darkness and placing us in Your righteousness and spiritual light.  Lord, thank You for Your desire to complete us and make whole our mind, body, and souls.  Father, continue our sanctification process so we may be set apart from sin and move toward Your Holiness.  Lord, direct our way to You and increase our love to one another and all just as You do to us.  Father, thank You for establishing our hearts blameless in Holiness through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Amen

LET US PRAY

Father, help us forgive so we will be forgiven; Lord, help us take back control of our lives, through forgiveness.  Lord, give us ears to hear Your wisdom and acknowledge and eyes to see all You do for us, that we do not deserve.    Father, right now there is so much hate in this world, and our Leaders are fueling the fire; save us, Lord,  Father, race, and religion has kept us separated,  from each other and separated from You; as they fuel Hate, Envy, Jealousy, strife;  causing division among the people.  Father, touch our hearts so we can receive Fruit that transforms us inwardly so we will develop Christ-like character.  Father, fill us with the Holy Spirit too helps us obey and function as one in the body of Christ.   Father, we need You to intervene in the Hate that is consuming us, right now in the name of Jesus.  Lord, help us understand that standing together is better than standing alone, so please help us remove self from the problems, and strengthen our unity.  Father, give Your people who are called by Your name Your strength and courage to stand for You, and on Your Word.  Lord, thank You for life, health, being in our right minds, and for saving us.  Father, we ask You to help us save our youth; Lord, forgive us for not training them in the way to go so they would not stray far from You.  Father, we are asking for mercy and grace, please do not reject them.  Lord, we are raising a generation of atheist, because we do not teach our children Your Word, but they are being taught everything else.  Lord, this world, and our country is so out of order, Father, we surrender to You, our Savior; please take charge of our lives. In the name of Jesus, Amen

GOD CAN USE ANYONE EVEN A SINNER

Joshua 2:2-6 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite's have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house because they have come to spy out the whole land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)

It’s the nature of grace that makes all sinners usable; Rahab was a prostitute that God used to hide the two spies Joshua sent to Jericho to look over the land, that He promised them. Rahab noticed the greatness of God in the movement of Israel from Egypt to the borders of Canaan.  Rahab knew the Israelite's could have never escaped Pharaoh and lived in the Sinai desert for all those years without God.  Rahab told the spies she knew God had given them the land, so she was determined to help them. Rahab kindness to the spies was returned with kindness to her and her fam ily when Israel conquered Jericho, and she was blessed for her obedience.

Father, we are the people who are called by Your name, thank You for giving Your only Son as our Savior.  Lord, we pray to You with faith and confidence, that we will receive Your grace.  Father, we pray for compassion and kindness, to be restored to us and this dark lost world. Father, You made all nation from one man, so we are all one blood.  Lord, we pray for the families that lost their loved ones in the line of duty Lord, give them Your comfort and peace.  Father, thank You for guidance and protecting us from our enemies and the evil of this world. Lord, thank You, for the nature of Your grace that makes us usable, for Your purpose.  Lord, we are all sinners, so let us not judge each other; because we are all the same in Your sight.  Father, bring those down that think too highly of themselves and lift those up that are humble as You order our steps in Your will.  Lord, let us not boast of our wisdom, strength, or riches, but let us boast about the kindness, justice, and righteousness of You.  Lord, this Nation has forgotten about You; we have removed You from our lives and our children lives, and we ask for Your forgiveness. Father, we are Your servants, do not reject us.   Lord, thank You for allowing us to have a relationship with You, and the peace and joy You have brought to our lives.  Father, strengthen our faith and please remove all doubt and fears, so we may develop Fruit and Christ-like character.  Lord, help us to be inward changed men and women, with a strong desire for the Word and the things of the Spirit, in Jesus name Amen

WARNING AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Luke 12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousand had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

Jesus tells us to beware of false prophets and fake people who would deliver us up to darkness and evil.  People who loved to wear their designer clothes or drive their fancy cars before men, and covetousness toward material things. Typically, we think of hypocrisy as not practicing what we preach, the false pretense involved in telling other people how they ought to live their lives, but not consistently living with what they claim their beliefs are; or, if not inconsistent at least being insincere about what we do simply to show off to others. People that talk about others to make them look bad, so they can feel better about their shortcomings.  People that smile in your face and try to steal your joy at the same time; who envy and hate you, but still come around you.

Father, thank You for giving us eyes that see the hypocrites, around us that only look to use those in need, to make themselves look good.  Lord, let all that they do unrighteous be revealed to those that are fooled, by their acts of kindness.  Father, make known all the wrong they hide and compensate those they have wronged or harmed.   Lord, give the people they have whispered about, ears so they can hear what they secretly say about them and others.  Father, let the political, community servant, and our  false prophet compassionate roles they play crumble before their eyes and give them their just reward.  Lord, let their greed overcome them, and all the material things they hold valuable pass away.  Father, give all Your people discernment to know fake people and false Prophets so we will steer clear of them. Lord, thank You for keeping our enemies at our feet; and let them drown in their unrighteousness so they can see Your power.  Lord, thank You for moving people out of our lives; that was never meant to be, and thank You for Your protection from them.  Lord, thank You for saving us, thank You for mercy and grace, and continue to order our steps in Your will, in Jesus name Amen

EYE FOR AN EYE

When we choose to live for Jesus we must also develop His character; we cannot have it both ways, in the Spirit and the world.  We must love everyone even those that hate us; needless to say we cannot accomplish this daunting task, without God’s strength.  We live in a society of raw power: the one with the strongest fists or the most guns wins. Instead of the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” our ethics are, “Do unto others first before they do unto you.” “If they do anything bad to you at all, finish them off before they can do anything worse.” Or my personal favorite, “I don’t get mad, I get even.” All of these expressions are natural responses; however, you and I are called to live a supernatural life.  Jesus says, “When you love without limits, you are like God.

Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and does not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Now, when necessary, you should seek to protect yourself, your family members, and victims of injustice and cruelty. But what Jesus is saying is this verse: When someone insults you, do not seek revenge. You should not trade insults, even if it means you receive more.  You must avoid retaliation and personal revenge

Father, we do not want to lose our souls, because we cannot forgive; so give us Your strength and love, to forgive those who wronged us.  Lord, open our minds to Your understanding; as You fill our hearts with Your wisdom and the knowledge, to let You lead in our lives.   Father, give us Your courage to walk away from drama and insults; help us to think and act like Christ, in these situations.  Lord, teach us how to pray for those who persecute us so we may be children of God.  Father, we understand we cannot just love those; that love us because there is no reward in doing these simple things.  Lord, give us eyes that see, walking away and praying for the evil of others; makes us more Christ-like, and bring honor to You.  Lord, give us this day our daily bread and forgive us for our sins, as we learn to forgive others.  In Jesus name, Amen

GOD DON'T WANT US TO ACT RIGHTEOUS HE WANTS US TO BE RIGHTEOUS

A. God's Purpose
1. Is not that we act righteously, but that we are righteous people from the inside out.
2. Is not that we would do a good job of acting out a role of righteousness, but that we would be genuinely transformed into our inner being.

B. God's Judgment
1. Is not on the basis of how we have performed or acted.
2. Is not on how we have appeared to others but it is on who we are behind the mask.
3. 1 Sa. 16:7, "...for the Lord sees not as man sees for man looked on the outward appearance, but the Lord looked on the heart."

God is not concerned about how we dress, speak, or how many people we have following us.  How we act means nothing to nobody, but us and maybe a few naïve followers; that feel like they have to be in the known group, to be somebody.  We have people that go out and feed people, but if that same person knocked on their door; they would turn their nose up at them, and ask them to leave.  So their actions were not to help those in need, but an opportunity to make self-look good.  God is looking for Soldiers that are genuinely transformed and want to help the least of us; not prey on the least of us, as a stepping stone in our secret agenda.

Father, You see us for who we really are, not who we pretend to be; because You see what’s in our hearts, and our agendas.  Lord, fill us with Your Spirit, so we will be genuinely transformed into righteous people, and not righteous acting people.  Father, we ask that You pull the sheep coats off all these wolves that are acting out roles to fool others.  Lord, let us not look to man for recognition, that means nothing to anybody, but those who think too highly of themselves. Father, give us a desire for the Word; so we can imitate and follow Jesus so we may become someone in Your Kingdom that will last forever.  Lord, help us be humble so we will treat all people the same; and not use others in need as a stepping stone, to elevate ourselves.  Father, bless those who help the least of us, the ones who do not perform for man's glory; but those who work for You, that express true compassion, love, and kindness for You and others.  Lord, give us discernment so we will be able to see all the fake people and false prophets, in this dark world, in Jesus name, Amen

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Fighting Temptations He Still Loves Me Lyrics

WE ARE FREE TO STUDY AND HEAR THE WORD

Nehemiah 8:1-3 & 5 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

 With the mere reading of the Word, there is a desire to do better; it's amazing how God Word speaks to our souls, with a transforming power that we cannot explain. But, now we have the opportunity to study and show thy self-approved, anytime we want to; because of Jesus sacrifice, we are blooded into His family.  As children of God, we have the same rights as Jesus. We can talk to our Father and study with Jesus daily, not just Sunday or the gathering in the square but daily; which helps to give us a greater understanding of His Word.   The more we study the more the Word cleanses us, and as we are cleansed the Holy Spirit begins to fill our temples; as our spirits mature we develop Fruits of the Spirit, which gives us strength and perseverance to understand, obey, and stand on His Word with faith.  But, we also need to gather with other believers to pray together; worship and praise together, study together, learn and teach together, unity among believers gives us strength.

Father, we are grateful for this new day, being in our right mind and blessed.  Lord, we thank You, for keeping us through the night; and we ask for Your protection throughout this day, and give us the strength and courage to witness of Your grace and mercy.  Father, we thank You that You have opened Yourself to us, sinners saved by Your Son and grace; who can come boldly to the throne in prayer, worship, praise, and study without fear.  Father, give us a Christ-like desire for Your Word, and let us hold on to what's good; so we will understand the truth of the Word, and implement You into our daily lives.  Lord, draw Your people who are called by Your name together, in unity and on one accord; to fight against hate and racism so we can become the people You created.  Father, bless those who are dealing with the loss of a loved one, please give those left behind comfort and understand; that death is a part of life, and their loved one has no more worry; Lord, we pray You receive our souls.  Father, give us the wisdom and knowledge of Your disciple, and the love of Your Son; and Your grace, that is sufficient for us Amen

WE NEED A TRUE FRIEND

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: "No Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friendship, for He laid down His life for His "friends." What is more, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, by being born again and receiving new life in Him.

Here are some examples of true friendship between David and Saul's son Jonathan, who, in spite of his father Saul's pursuit of David and attempts to kill him, stood by his friend. You will find that story in 1 Samuel chapter 18 through chapter

John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.

Jesus wants to have the same friendship/relationship with us, that He had with His Disciples, by talking with us daily, through the Word.  The Word is the gate way to our friendship/relationship with Christ.

Father, thank Your friendship and for laying down Your life for us, so we may live and be restored to our Father.  Thank You, Lord, for accepting us into Your family even though we are still sinners.  Lord, You are closer than a brother, sister, mother, or earthly friend; and You open Yourself to us, so we could have a personal relationship with You.  Thank You, for allowing us to know You, and our Father's will for us.  Lord, thank You, for given us eyes that see the plot of our enemies, and ears that hear and listen to Your sweet voice. Lord, thank You for the Spiritual Soldiers, You have placed in our lives; that will help us reach the goals You have set for us.  Father, keep us from friends who are unreliable so we do not come to ruins; or those who called themselves friends, but only wish to harm us. Lord, give us a friend like Saul was to David, Jesus was to Lazarus, and like Jesus is to us; so we can lift each other up, not tear each other down, in Jesus name, Amen

LET US PRAY FOR UNITY

Acts 17:26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation

Lord, let Your will be our choice; help us to keep our focus on You, as You transform us into holy people.  Guard our minds against anxious thoughts, and may You be the center of our desires.  Father, our country is in turmoil our unjust laws are destroying what was built on Your Word, and by Your people.  Lord, we are praying for unity and peace; because we are all of one blood and one race, regardless the color of our skin.  Father we all pay the same taxes; we are all humans beings and our blood is all run red.  So, Lord, help us dismantle racism; Father, we are aware that we struggle not merely against flesh and blood, but against those institutions and systems that keep racism alive.  Lord, we are all the same in Your sight; none is inferior or superior to the other.  Father, let not religion that is man made separate us, or those who harbor hate in their hearts.  Lord, give us Your wisdom and knowledge to rid ourselves of racial stereotypes that oppress some people unjustly; while providing entitlement to others.  Father, help us become one nation under God; and embrace the hopes and fears of all people, in this world You created.  Lord, heal us of envy, jealousy, and hate; so we can become one with You, in Jesus mighty name.  Lord, touch the hearts of those that come in contact with children with gentleness and kindness; so they will treat our children with respect, and they will in return give respect. Lord, please heal us, and help us find the path of righteousness, in Jesus name, Amen

RELY ON GOD AND HIS WORD WHEN WE ARE AT WAR

Our Youth are being killed at an alarming rate, we have the largest prison system in the world; now we are building private own prisons, which mean more people will be locked up for longer periods of time.  Ninety percent of the evil and pain in this world is because of power, greed and for the love of money. Churches are operated like a business, instead of a Sanctuary; Pastors are living like rock stars, while souls are being condemned. Neighborhoods and communities are falling apart, while gentrification and high taxes are pushing us out of our homes, and the lack of jobs makes our future look bleak. 

What do we do when life throws these curve balls; and one thing gets stacked on top of another and another until we feel the crushing weight of pressure, anxiety, and stress.   In times like these do we to cling to the Scripture “God won’t give you any more than you can handle”," No, the verse God won't give us more than we can handle” is referring to temptation, not life situation.  So, what Scripture will we use for life situations, when we have poured out all aspiration and are at the end of the last ounce of strength?  God wants us to rely on Him, not our own strength; because we are too weak to fight alone.

There is a Biblical answer found in 2 Corinthians 1:8 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On Him, we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

Father, help us rely on You when life throws us a curve ball; teach us how and when to use Scripture to fight our battles so we will not, grow weary.   Lord, our day to day struggles, is becoming unbearable; please help us endure this despair through Your Word so we will not get tired of doing good.  Thank You, Lord, for the great privilege that Jesus has given us; to be able to come before You, forgiven and cleansed by the blood, and able to rely on You for help, comfort, peace, and relief. Thank You, Father, for not allowing our enemies and evil to trample over us; continue to help us fight these battles through Your Word and Your Son's sacrifice.  Lord, help us study Your Word with understanding so we can memorize Scripture; that will help us defeat our enemies and the evil one, just like Christ did in the wilderness.  Father, You have given us direct access to You and the power of Christ; but, we must study so we will be prepared in full body armor, ready at all times for battle.  Lord, the blood has restored us to You, please give us a desire for the things of the Spirit; so the things of the world will not harm us.  Father, sometimes we get weak and discouraged; please give us Your, strength and courage, in our time of need so we will feel Your presence, that comforts us and give us peace.  Lord, forgive us for falling short of Your mercy, grace, and favor; and help us trust in what is written, and not rely on our own understanding.  Lord, help us surrender to You, be still and wait on You, in Jesus name, Amen

IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

How thoughtless we come into the presence of the Lord in prayer.  We need to slow down and examine ourselves, are we prepared for prayer, worship, and praise; are our hearts clean, are we harboring unforgiveness for anyone, do we have hate in our hearts. Are our souls free of all idolatries, if not we need to pray for ourselves first, then prayer for whatever else?

Psalm 26 Judge us, O LORD; for we have walked in our integrity: we have trusted also in You, LORD; therefore we shall not slide. 2 Examine us, O LORD, and try us examine our hearts and minds. 3 For Your loving kindness is before our eyes: and we have walked in Your truth. 4 We have not sat with vain persons; neither will we go in with dissemblers. 5 We have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 6 We will wash our hands in innocence: so will we compass Your altar, O LORD: 7 That we may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. 8 LORD, we have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where Your honor dwell. 9 Gather not our souls with sinners, nor our lives with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for us, we will walk in our integrity: redeem us, and be merciful unto us. 12 Our feet stand in an even place: in the congregations will we bless YOU, LORD. In Jesus name, Amen

WE NEED A CLEAN HEART WHEN WE PRAY

Our hearts are the center of our lives, the beginning, and the end; it is also where we set up the throne of God, by receiving His Son as our Savior.  Our hearts are where we enter into the presence of God, and where He inspects our faith, our love for Him and our motives.  Our hearts are the first place God inspects when we come to Him in prayer; to see if we are clean, the heart tells if we have: taken bribes struck out at a fellow human with hate or harboring anger and unforgiveness against anyone.  It tells if we have been involved in side deals that have; profited us and hurt someone else; it tells if our hands have shaken people hands in political side deals that hurt God’s people.  God examine our souls to see if we are worshiping idols; when we admire material things or set our minds on things that dishonor God, He will take it away.   Since no one can examine our hearts, not even a Doctor can tell what’s in our hearts; the only person that can examine the heart is our Lord, so He is the only person that can pass judgment on anyone. It amazes me when I think of how, something so powerful chose a place; as small as our hearts to dwell in, so I ask you today is your heart clean.

Let's prayer in God's Words for a clean heart, so the King of glory may enter and cleanse us white as snow, and make room for Him to dwell

Psalm 24 The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, which seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. 7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.

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OUR PURPOSE IS TO SERVE

Luke 22:24-30 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' "But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like the servant.  "For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. "You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Father, we are Your servants, whom You uphold, Your chosen ones in whom You delight in; You will put Your Spirit in us and we will bring justice to the nations.  Lord, we will not shout or cry out, or raise our voices in the streets.  Father, like a bruised reed we will not break, and a smoldering wick we will not snuff out.  Lord, in faithfulness we will bring forth justice; we will not falter or be discouraged till we establish justice on earth, and in You, we will put our hope. Amen

Philippians 2:5-8
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men

MONEY CONTROLS THE FLESH, OUR SPIRIT CONTROLS THE HEART

Ecclesiastes 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money controls all things.

When I first read this verse it shocked me to hear the Word say "that money controls all things".  But then I realized it was talking about the people of the world because people of the Spirit know we need money to pay bills; but, money is not what controls our lives, the things of the Spirit control us. Ecclesiastes 10:19. A feast is made for laughter, not merely for caring, but chiefly for pleasant conversation, and the society of friends; not the laughter of fools, which is madness, but that of wise men, namely, that cheerfulness by which they fit themselves for business or severe studies: and wine maketh merry, make glad the life, exhilarates the mind; but money controls all things — Procures not only meat and drink for feasting, but all other worldly advantages. Therefore be frugal, and spend not all in luxurious eating and drinking, remembering, that money is wanted for a great many other purposes. Some refer this verse to rulers and consider this last clause as being added to aggravate the sin and folly of luxury, to which, when princes give up themselves, they not only neglect their business but thereby waste money

Father, You have the power to establish us in a place of stability if we give way to You,  Lord, take away our desire for the material things of this world, that keeps us in debt; and replace them with the things of the Spirit, to help us develop Christ like character.  Lord, remove all envy,  jealousy, hate, and strife from our hearts; so we may come boldly to Your throne with a clean heart so You will hear our prayers.  Father, let us take Your yoke upon us and learn from Your Word; to become gentle and humble in heart so we will find rest for our souls.  Lord, our hearts rejoice in You, and Your Spirit lift us high; we will boast about You to our enemies for we delight in our deliverance.  Lord, we are all sinners, let us not think too highly of ourselves; but treat all people the same, because we are all one in Christ.  Father, do not let us be controlled by money or this evil world, but open our hearts and minds; and give us Your wisdom and the knowledge to implement You into our daily lives.  In Jesus name, Amen

Jonah’s Prayer for Salvation (Jonah 2:2–9)

We have all felt shame and regret for dishonoring or disobeying God's will; we may never be swallowed by a whale, but we can still experience the shame and regret that Jonah felt after he ran from God.  When we feel distressed, call on God through His Words.

“In my distress, I called to the Lord, and he answered me.  From deep in the realm of the dead, I called for help, and you listened to my cry.  You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.  I said, ‘I have been banished  from your sight, yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.  To the roots of the mountains, I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” Amen

JESUS UNDERSTANDS OUR FEARS BECAUSE HE DEALT WITH HIS OWN FEARS

Matthew 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will.

This verse is the first time I saw the human side of Christ.  Matthew 26:39. And he went a little further — the Word says, He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, so that the apostles could still both see and hear him; and fell on his face — It seems he first knelt down, and then, as the passion of His soul increased, prostrated Himself on his face to the ground, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, That is, if it be consistent with the salvation of the world; let this cup Of bitterness and terror, pass from me — And it did pass from him soon; for when he cried unto God with strong cries and tears, he was heard in that which he feared,  God took away the terror and severity of that inward conflict.

Just like Jesus cried out to the Father, concerning His fears; we too can cry out in our times of fear, to be released.  God understands our fears, more than we do; this is why we must seek Him, in our time of troubles.  God will always keep His promise to us, but we must first ask Him with faith and He will answer us.

Father, thank You for the sacrifice of Your only Son, who died so we may live.  Lord, thank You for overcoming this world so that we could have peace; so do not let our hearts be troubled, and give us Christ-like strength and courage to trust in You.  Father, Your Word says “if we love You, we will obey You”; Lord, we do love You please fill us with the Holy Spirit, that will compel us to surrender to You and obey Your Word.  Father, thank You for justifying us through our faith in Christ; so we can be restored to You.  Lord, teach us that our sinful ways can only bring death; so give us a desire for the things of the Spirit so we may have life.  Lord, You are our Savior, because through You the barrier that separated us from the Father; was abolished in the flesh, on the cross.  So, Lord, help us make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit; through the studying of Your Word, prayer, worship, and praise.  Father, let us not be religious fanatics but inward changed men and women; who seek Your face, in all we do or say.  Father, keep Your hedge of protection around us, and cover us in the Blood from the top of our heads to the soles of our feet, in Jesus name Amen

LORD WE NEED YOUR STRENGTH TO FORGIVE

God want us to give our testimonies about His goodness when we give our testimonies to others; they will see God’s grace through us.  Giving our testimonies is good; especially when it's about forgiveness, grace, eternal life, and a union with Christ, which is available to everyone.  Here’s a testimony of forgiveness and grace that I had to deal with when I was doing some things out of God’s will.  I was harboring hate in my heart for people who had wronged me, and I refuse to forgive them.

 Then I read 2 Corinthian about how Paul was the most dangerous enemy of Christianity, but after his conversion, he became the most useful vessel. Through God’s forgiveness and grace Paul was changed from a weapon of destruction into weapons of construction because of grace and forgiveness, once Paul understood and received Christ; he ask for forgiveness and God showed him grace, the transforming grace that He offers us. So I thought if God can forgive Paul for all the persecution he gave to others, I should be able to forgive those who hurt me, so I prayed to God for strength to forgive, and mean it from my heart. Paul was the same person but forgiveness and grace reversed him, so I prayed to God and ask for the same forgiveness and grace, and He answered me; He said I will forgive you, now you give grace and forgiveness to all the people that have wronged you.  Once I talked to everyone I was angry with, I felt better, my days became easier and my life was more productive.  Because once I gave to others what God has given me, His blessings started to overflow; I am the same person, but with a different mindset; which changed my direction; and my life has increased under the new inspiration of forgiveness.

Father, Your, grace is not only more than we deserve, it is sufficient; especially in our weakness, because it reveals Your almighty underserved love for us.  Lord, Your, grace is clothed in forgiveness which is our strength in disguise.   Father, Your Word has encouraged us day after day toward reconciliation with You and others, because the time is near; so open our hearts and minds and let us receive You, and become the people You created.  Lord, fill us with Your peace and not enmity; but that inner heart of peace, that proclaim us to be vessels to this world.  Father, help us face our weakness and let us minister to others; and let not our weakness led to arrogant testimonies, but to a kind and gentle confessions.  Lord, help us arrive at righteousness, through our study, faith, and discipline;  and remove everything from us that separates us from You, and the knowledge of Your Word.  Father, instill in us Your life changing values, that changed Paul from destruction to construction; and teach us how to preach Your Word to this dying world, through our actions and testimonies.  Lord, we ask for forgiveness of our sins, and we need Your strength to forgive others.  Father, keep Your hedge of protection around our children and our children's children and order their steps in Your will.  Father, give our children self-control that will give them a voluntary separation from this world and a closeness to You, in Jesus name, Amen

IT'S OK TO WEEP, JESUS WEPT

It's ok to cry when we are dealing with adversity, the pain of death, or the stress from day to day life. Even Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus and the disbelief of the people, and weeping is also a process of healing.

I have experienced pain, hurt, betrayal, and so many losses of loved ones in the last two months; that at times I felt like, throwing in the towel.  But when I think about all the things that God has brought me through, it gives me the strength and courage I need to continue standing on His Word.  I know everything that God does is for my benefit so I won't ask why, but I will ask for His comfort and peace while I am in this storm.  I also know that anytime God is about to take us to another level, the devil tries to discourage us.  BUT GOD, I know You and You know me, and all this I am going through; is for my Spiritual growth and maturity, it is also to show me who’s who in my life, and I am so grateful.  You have changed my life for the better, and I know You, did not bring me this far to leave me; so all the things that have happened to me has given me eyes that see and ears that hear Your soft voice when I’m alone with You.  Thank You, Lord, for the people that gave me a lesson; thank You for the people that gave me a blessing, and thank You for the people that caused me pain.  Thank You for the people You have moved out my life, and thank You for the new ones You have brought in my life.

Father, I do not blame You for any of my problems, and I do not expect You to intervene every time I am in distress; but I do expect You to keep Your promise, even though I am not worthy.  Lord, I thank You for guidance, protection, and ordering my steps in Your will; I thank You for all the Spiritual Soldiers You have surrounded me with, and I thank You for revealing all the wolves in sheep clothing.  Father, I thank You for my guarding Angle; who has protected me from the plot of my enemies, and I pray that justice is served to all, who are not righteous.  Father, I pray that my son’s killer and all those that are involved be brought to justice, as well as all the other senseless murders that have taken place in our community and neighborhoods.   Father, I pray for the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, family, and friends who were left behind; fill their hearts with comfort and joy, and help us to accept that our loved ones are in a better place.  Father, I thank You, that I am still in my right mind; through all this adversity, so please help me keep my life in order.  Lord, take over my thoughts and remove all that is not of You; help me release anything that separates me from You, and strengthen all the things of the Spirit that dwell in me.  Lord, help me be still and stay out Your way; and let You be God, so I give You the throne, fix my life right now In the name of Jesus, Amen

WE MUST STRENGTHEN OUR PRAYER LIFE

Luke 18:13-14: “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Father, right now we ask You, remove all jealousy, hate, envy, and strife from us; so we may come to Your throne with a clean heart, on one accord, and in unity prayer.  Lord, we do love You, so help us deny ourselves; fill us with the Holy Spirit, that will compel us to obey Your Word.  Father, there is so much darkness in this world; that it hard to feel Your presence, so we grow weary.  Please, Lord, let us feel Your presence that gives us strength, courage, and life; so we may endure the test of the flesh.  Father, help us train our children in the way to go so they will not stray far from You; and forgive us for taking You out of their schools, homes, and their lives.  Lord, there are so many people suffering, because those who You have blessed with much; do not share with the least of us, please touch their hearts and help them understand, where much is given much is required. Father, take away all these dark clouds of life that surround us; and replace them with the brightness of Your grace so we can see You.  Please, Lord, remove pride, greed, and all that is not of You from us; so we can develop Fruit, and become more Christ like.  Father, help us see that chasing the material things of this world will keep us in debt, stress, and far from You.  So, please give us a desire for the things of the Spirit, so we can stand against evil, and help bring life to our lives, and those around us.  Father, where there is pain, please give comfort; where there is sickness, please give healing, where there is homelessness, please give shelter, and Lord where there is financial distress, replace it with educations and jobs, in the name of Jesus.  Lord, this world is so out of order, and only You can save us; so Father, please hear our cry, and open up the gates of heaven and pour out Your blessings, although we are not worthy.  Lord, forgive us for our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Lord, forgive us for falling short of Your mercy, grace, and favor and thank You for life, health, and strength, in Jesus name Amen

The Sound Of Heaven William McDowell Lyrics