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

FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

Philippians 4:13 WE can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

I know the Lord, and He knows me, I fear Him so I try to do the right thing, but I still follow short.  So, please pray for me, to help me repent and turn away from my sins; and I will pray for you, with the strength of the Lord. Since my son's death, I have experienced the revelation of forgiveness;  the revelations of patience; and the revelation of self-control. My prayer life has gotten stronger as well as my faith; through the comfort and peace, I received during the time we laid him to rest.  Yes, I still cry and my heart is still heavy but, through the strength, courage, and blessings of Christ and my son's death, I am better and I am so grateful, Lord.  My joy is getting up early in the morning and talking to our Savior. then sharing what we discussed with you, and that helps feel that empty space for my son in my heart. When you lose someone so close to you, you actually feel like dying; it seems your emotions your thoughts and your life in a whirlpool.  So, if I have said anything to hurt you, I am sorry; Father, if I have judged anyone wrongly, please forgive me. The Word tells us that something good comes from something bad; thank You, Lord, for my Spiritual growth and the strong desire for the things of the Spirit, since my son death

PLEASE PRAY WITH ME OR FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY, OR FRIEND.  SO WE CAN FEEL HIS PRESENCE THAT STRENGTHENS US

 Father, from this day forward, I will seek You first in all I do; nothing I do will be done for selfish gain.  So, Lord, I ask for Your strength, courage,  and faith; so fill me with the Holy Spirit, that will help me stand on Your Word without weaving.  Father, do not let the enemy attacks, catch me off guard; so help me stay focused on You and in full body armor at all times, so I will be victorious through You.   Thank You, Lord, for eyes that see, Your presence around me and ears that hear Your sweet soft voice; that strengthens and compels me to be patient, obey, and wait on You. Thank You, for protection from those who plot against me, and turning things around for my good.  Father,  I know the road will not always be clear, so thank You for surrounding me with Spiritual soldiers who will walk with me and help me stay on the right path.  Lord, thank You for the guarding Angles that have been working overtime, protecting me from all the firey arrows.  Lord, thank You, for teaching me how to use Your power, by implementing Your Word in my life.  Father, let the words of my mouth reflex You and not me; so Your people will only take what's good, and draw near to You.  Father, fill me with Your wisdom and knowledge, so I do not lead anyone to stray.  Thank You, FATHER, for life, health, and strength; as well as mercy, grace, and so, so much favor.  Fathers, the things that are written are coming to pass, we have son against father, a daughter against mother; nation rising against nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom.  There are earthquakes in various places; there is famine; there is terrorism, and all kinds of signs, help us see them and repent. In JESUS name Amen.

VaShawn Mitchell - Turning Around For Me

Job 37:12 "It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That it may do whatever He commands it On the face of the inhabited earth.

JESUS WILL SUSTAIN US THROUGH OUR DARKEST TIMES

No one can put a time on grief, even when we are strong in faith; grief has a way of breaking us down.  The emotional suffering can be overwhelming if we have to deal with it alone.  But, the process of grief can be manageable when we rely on God for comfort and personal healing.  Grief is extremely powerful when it catch you unprepared, some of us have lost a loved one that was sick; although it is still painful, we are somewhat prepared.  But, when someone is taken from us unexpected it knocks us off balance; it is painful beyond words: physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually and it will change our lives forever.  We can never compare our grief to anyone else because we all grieve differently.  The death of a loved one will remind us how fragile life is; and how much we need to focus on the things of the Spirit and not the things of this World, that are not promised to us.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Father, Your Word, will sustain us through the darkest times of our grief and continues to on a daily basis. Lord, we have to cling to Scripture for comfort and pray for Your peace that passes all understanding.  Lord, grieving can be the most difficult time for us, so please give us guidance and understanding; that helps us endure this sorrow.   Jesus, give us Your strength when we are trying to balance the feelings of pain and loss while going forward with our everyday lives.  Jesus, You have already taken up our pain and bore our suffering, Lord, but right now we need Your peace and justice for the murders, killings, and loss due to the sickness of our loved ones.  Father, we know there is no way to avoid grief, we cannot wait it out; it won't pass quickly and no one can do it for us, only You and time will heal us.  Father, You know the pain and suffering of losing a child, because we murdered Your only Son; and we are so sorry, please forgive us. Jesus, we thank You in advance for revealing to all who have lost a loved one to gun violence, who is responsible for their death, in Jesus name, Amen

DO NOT BE IN BONDAGE TO THE SYSTEM OF THE WORLD

Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor And the borrower becomes the lender's slave

Paycheck-to-paycheck living doesn't just affect people with lower incomes. Even higher incomes don't allow for much saving if one's expenses are constantly eating up our paychecks. Examining our lifestyles can reveal excessive spending, which helps us decide what's necessary and what not.  God does not want us living in debt, debt comes from the desires of the world. Debt can be extremely deceptive, we think because we have a nice car, a big house; we are living the good life.  We must have shelter, but not at the expense of us working like slaves to keep it; most of us live above our means, and that puts us in bondage.  It is easy to get in debt, but almost impossible to get out of debt.  Debt has no race, age limit, or income requirement; all debt has is a material bondage to the world's system. 

Father, give us a new mindset, one that desires the things of the Spirit; so we will not create debt, that keeps us in bondage to this world's systems.  Jesus, teach us how not to covet over the things of the flesh and others; things that create greed, self-indulgence, and lack of self-discipline.  Father, let us focus on our needs for life, and not the need for man's approval.  Father, do not let our debt become blasphemous because we have denied You an opportunity to work with us.  Father, clothe us with Jesus so we will forget about satisfying our worldly desires.  Jesus removes all envy and jealousy from us so we will not think about what others have; only what You need from us.  We pray In Your name, Amen

THE WAYS OF THE WORLD

Luke 19:41-43 as Jesus came near Jerusalem, He saw the city and cried for it, saying, "I wish you knew today what would bring you peace. But now it is hidden from you.  The time is coming when your enemies will build a wall around you

Some of our political and spiritual leaders or like those of Sodom and some of the people are like those in Gomorrah.  They do not hear the Word of God or listen to His teachings; their hands are full of innocent blood. So their prayers will not be heard.

Father, thank You for our past, although it seems we did not learn much; we are doing more things these days to dishonor You, than ever before.  Lord, Your Word says the time will come when our enemy will build a wall around us. Jesus, that time has come, Lord, give us guidance and save our world.  Jesus, we thank You, for allowing us to develop a relationship with You, through hearing and studying Your Word.  Lord, thank You, for our prayer lives and open communication with You.  Lord, continue working in and through us, to lead, others to You; starting with our children, grandchildren, family, and friends.   Jesus, fill our hearts with You wisdom, and give us knowledge, understanding, and faith; help us develop Christ-like character by nourishing our fruit of the spirit with Your Word. Lord, let us not be like those who think they are righteous and wise but do not do Your will. Jesus, teach us that to be great we must be a servant, to You and others.  So, Lord, help us follow Your teachings and not man's, give us a forgiving heart and open our minds to You. Amen

Fred Hammond & RFC - You Are the Living Word

Hebrew 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Matthew7:24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock

LET US FEEL YOUR PRESENCE

Psalm 78:32-39 but we kept on sinning, we did not believe even with the Miracles.  So He ended our days without meaning and our years in terror.  Anytime he killed us, we would look to him for help; we would come back to God and follow him. We would remember that God was our Rock, that God most high had saved us.  But our words were false, and our tongues lie to him.  Our hearts were not really loyal to God; we did not keep his agreement still God was merciful. He forgave our sins and did not destroy us. Many times he held back his anger he remember that we were only human


Lord, times are getting harder, and people are losing faith; Jesus, let us feel Your presence that strengthens us.  Father, this world is filled with unspeakable sin, hate, and evil; Lord we reach out our hands to You, please bring order to our lives and this world.  Lord, we understand that Your Word will come to pass, so these worldly occurrences and the condition of our Society, are expected, because it is written in the Word.  So, Jesus, please, prepare us for Your coming, and give us patience and the right attitude, while we wait.  Father, right now, some of us feel our burdens are too great, please help them lay their burdens at the altar and turn away in the name of Jesus.  Lord, someone is in need of financial relief;  in need of healing; in need of a job, Lord, and some have given up.  Father, we need Your grace right now, to touch each of them; bless them according to Your will and according to their faith, in the name of Jesus.  Lord, strengthen, refresh and make us new;  and let us forsake all and follow You.  Jesus, teach us how to walk into our destiny and eternity with You.  Lord, teach us how to forgive those who hate and persecute us, so we too will be forgiven. Lord, help us treat our neighbors as we do ourselves, and let us put nothing before You.  Lord, help us be submissive to You, fill us with Your Spirit; so we can loveYou with all our hearts,  souls, and minds, Amen

FAITHFUL LOVE MORE THAN SACRIFICE

Matthew 11:25 at that time Jesus answered and said, I think the O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent and has revealed them unto babes.

Jesus has given us the right to know the Father, through our faithful love for Him. He has hid himself from the wise and the learned and revealed himself to us the innocent and simple

Jesus, You have given us everything, even the rights to be restored, to our Father.  Lord, we come to You, because our hearts are heavy; with all the chaos that is going on in this world, and in our lives.  Lord, we come together in unity asking You, to restore order to this lost world and save us from ourselves. JESUS, touch our hearts, so we will study, hear, and accept Your teachings and apply them to our daily lives. Lord, You said come to You when we are spiritual tired; and You will give us rest, so we come now with the faith of a mustard seed, heal and strengthen us.  Lord, we are Your chosen servants, who love You; fill us with Your Spirit, so we will be compelled to obey and please You.  Lord, take our Broken Spirits, broken with sorrow for our sins and help us surrender to You.  Father, we want to be Your people, not our own, in Jesus name Amen

THE SERMON

Matthew 5:3 Lord, You said: blessed are the poor in spirit:for their's I s the Kingdom of God.  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the Earth.

Those who want to do right more than anything else are happy, because God will fully satisfy them.

Father, You said, we who have great spiritual needs will be happy, because the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to us, Lord we confess our spiritual needs. Lord, You said, You would Comfort us when we mourn thank You, Lord, for comfort in time of grief, pain, and our suffering.  Lord, keep us humble, and we will inherit the Earth, as it is written.  Jesus, we hunger and thirst for righteousness so please fill us with Your spirit, and help us be merciful as you have shown Mercy to us.  Jesus, let Your blood, cleanse our hearts and mines, so our thoughts will be pure and we will see Your kingdom. Lord let us be peacemakers and bless those who persecute us.  Father, bless us, when people insult us, persecute us, or falsely say all kind of evil against us, because of You.  Father, we will rejoice daily and be glad because of who and what You are in us; and Your great rewards waiting for us in heaven.  LORD, we renounce all and surrender our hearts and minds to You; Jesus, we will seek You first in our lives from this day forward, Amen

HOW WE SHOULD LIVE WITH OTHERS

1 Timothy 5:1Never speak harshly to an older man or an elder. but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. 3 Take care of Or Honor. any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. 5 Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help. 6But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. 7Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. 8But those who don't care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

The Word gives instruction on how we should live with others.  We should never speak angrily to our elders, but, respect them as if they were our parents.  We should treat young men as our sons and brothers and treat young women like our daughters and sisters.  We must never turn against our family members if we do we have turned against the faith and is worse than someone who does not believe in God.

Father, teach us the rules for living with others; Lord, we must always stand for what's right, before You.  Lord, Your Words tells us in 1 Timothy 5;21 we must do the right thing without showing favor of any kind to anyone.  Father, You also tell us 1 Timothy 5:22 "to think carefully before we lay our hands on anyone, and do not share in the sins of others;" do not dislike someone because of someone else, if so you will be just as guilty as they are, keep yourself pure.  Father, the sins of some people are easy to see even before they are judged, but the sins of the wicked are not seen; but Lord You, see all and know all, so bring them to the light and serve justice.  Jesus, give us Your desire to please our Father so we will not veer off the path of righteousness.  Jesus, remove all the stumbling blocks Satan and our enemies have placed before us.  Father, thank for forgiveness and giving us the courage to forgive those who have wronged us and we put them in Your hands, in Jesus name, Amen

DO WE REALLY BELIEVE IN JESUS

We believe fire burns so we won't touch it; we believe if we cannot swim we will drown so we won't get in the water.  We believe guns can kill us, so we try to avoid them.  We believe if we do not nourish our bodies we will die, so we eat and drink often.  We believe that certain sexually transmitted disease will kill us, so we use protection.  We believe in man, even though they have wronged us so many times before; but we still follow man.  We say we believe in Christ, but we will not pray, study His Word, worship, praise, or teach our children and our children’s children about Him.  When we believe in something, we will  do whatever it takes for whatever we believe in; so do we really believe in Jesus?

John 14:12-14 Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the Father.  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

Lord, You know us, please help us know You; and remove all that is not of You, especially doubt and fear.  Jesus, we cannot save ourselves, but You and Your Father can save us; please Lord, we are asking You to save us.  Father, we are not asking You to prove Yourself, we are asking You to help us prove our love for You.  So please fill us with the Holy Spirit, that will compel us to obey and follow You; Jesus we cannot do this without You.  Father, examine us in every area, strengthen us in what we find difficult, to commit to in Your Kingdom.  Father, You said in Psalms 58:11 then people will say, there really are rewards for doing what is right; Lord, people will say there is a God who judges the world.  Lord, there are signs all around us, that the end is near; so we ask that You prepare us for what is to come, in the name of Jesus.  Father, we pray that we will truly believe deep inside that You will reward our faithfulness far above what we can imagine.  In the name of Jesus, Amen

i give myself away/ Here i am to worship

Romans 8:1-39 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

OUR GREATEST SORROWS COME FROM PRIDE

Luke 14:7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8“When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!  10“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The transgression that caused great sorrow to the human race: fear, greed, lust, cruelty, hate, and unbelief can all be traced back to PRIDE. " Proverbs 18:12 Proud people will be ruin but the humble will be honored."  Pride does have a positive sense, a feeling of self-respect, an accomplishment, or performing a great service.  But, that type of pride that brings on arrogant behavior, or gives us a high of our own importance, is sinful. "Luke 14:11 for those who exalt themselves will be humbled"  When we think we are better than others because God has blessed us; we're wrong, we should be more humbled and thinking about how we can bless others.

Jesus when You notice us choosing the best for ourselves, humble us to Your will, so we do not make ourselves important.  Lord, let us not think too highly of ourselves so we will not be embarrassed when ask to move to a lesser place.  Father, let us mingle and give to the poor, crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then we will be blessed because we gave to those who could not give back.   Father, help us receive Your Word and give us Your wisdom and knowledge of how to use its power.  Lord, thank You, for mercy grace and favor; thank You, for forgiveness and Your strength to forgive others; thank You for provisions, the roof over our head, income, and peace.  Jesus, keep Your hedge of protection around our children and our children's children; and help us draw them back to You.  Father, continue working in and through us, in Jesus name Amen

Artwork by RonWatsonDrawings.com

Tasha Cobbs - For Your Glory

Grace means to get something that we do not deserve; unmerited favor.  Mercy means we do not get the punishment that we deserved; but we received compassion, forbearance, love, we received grace. God is abundant in grace and mercy and we can read about it in the Bible. His greatest act of grace is the gift of salvation that is available for all people through faith in Jesus (Eph 2:8-9).

YOUR GRACE ENABLE US TO BE MERCIFUL

Jonah 4:2 I know that You are a God who is kind and shows mercy.  You do not become angry quickly and You have great love.  I know You would choose not to harm us.

The least of us and those that have hate in their hearts depend on the mercy of others; when we see a person in need, angry or hate we are to help them, not look the other way.  What if God looked the other way when we were in need, angry or filled with hate?  Those that are blessed and that include the Churches, we are to be servants of God who extend grace to us; so we will show mercy to others.  Also, when we help the needed, treat them with dignity and respect; because when we help the least of them, we are helping Christ.  When we deal with angry and hateful people, we must use Scripture; because the Word of God brings transformation, not the word of man.  So rather than watching their pain and suffering from a distance get involved, let your time alleviate someone’s suffering, pain, anger, or hate.  When we are detached or disinterested in others needs, we are part of the problem, and one day we will reap what we sow.  The Lord gives us grace, to help free us from sin; and He blesses us and shows us favor when we show the same mercy to others.   

Jesus, You, came to this world as our Savior; Lord, You got in our Spirits by getting into our skin, literally.  Lord, You, became flesh so You could experience life through our eyes.  Jesus, You felt our pain, anguish and You know our human needs.  Lord, we need You right now, this world has become so dark; because we have turned our backs on You. Jesus, save us.  Lord, we need Your grace and mercy, to bring order to this place.  Father, we are being terrorized in our Churches and homes, because of anger and hate.  Lord, give us guidance back to Your path of righteousness; Jesus, order our young people steps back to Your grace because grace is the only thing that can save them and this lost world. Father, continue revealing Your grace to us that enable us to be merciful to those that are suffering and to those who hate, in Jesus name Amen.

JESUS DRAW US NEAR TO THEE

We are the broken, Jesus is the wholeness
We are the sick, Jesus is the healer
We are the hungry; Jesus is the bread of life
The Lost Spirits are weary, Jesus says “come all who are overloaded, and I will be your resting place,”

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.…

Come, let’s go back to the Lord, man has hurt us, but Lord, You will heal us; our friends have wounded us, but Lord, will bandage our wounds.  Father, give us new life, through the Holy Spirit, let the Spirit raise us up; so we will be in Your presence, and develop a relationship with You.  Give us Your wisdom and the knowledge of You, Father, heal this land and it will be healed, save us and we will truly be saved.  Father, there’s no greater love than that shown by the sacrifice of Your only Son, Jesus, Your, forgiving love is one of the greatest manifestations of Your divine nature, thank You for sharing Your love with us.  Even though we are still sinners, You give us grace, mercy, and favor; please continue working with us, and draw us nearer to Thee.  Lord, we respond to Your love with gratitude and thank You for not rejecting us, in Jesus name, Amen

LET US PRAY FOR AND WITH OUR MEN

I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Men whether you realize it or not, Jesus is the most important person in your life.  It is more important than what you do for a living, who you are dating or married to, or what you earn.  I am convinced that Christ is the bottom line of life.  You cannot have 'real life' without Him.  When you allow God to lead you, you become a better man, the man God created.  When you become a man of God, you learn how to love, forgive, show compassion, and understand life like never before.  You will lose selfish pride and you will humble yourself to God, your spouse, and your children; but not in a weak way, but a godly way, that will build them up and draw them closer to God and you.

Lord, open the hearts and minds of our men, young and old; help them see how critical a relationship a with Jesus is for their existence as human beings.  Father, teach them to be connected to you through Your Son Jesus.  Father, let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in the lives of our men on earth as it is in heaven.  By faith, we call our men saved, sanctified, and filled with Your Spirit.  Your Word instructs that faith without works is dead and useless, so we decree and declare that our men will work to develop and demonstrate their Christian faith, daily.  We decree and declare that they will be providers and protectors of their families.  We decree and declare that as they submit to Your Word, they will be transformed into new people by changing the way they think.  Lord, we decree and declare that their belief systems and behavior patterns will reflect Your righteousness in their personal and professional lives.  We decree and declare that the light of Jesus will be reflected in their actions; as they fellowship with one another.  Lord, we decree and declare that Your favor surrounds them like a shield.  We decree and declare that they will earn, save, spend and invest money in obedience to Your perfect plan for their lives and families. We decree and declare that their finances are blessed and they are lenders, not borrowers; we ask You to keep Your hedge of protection around them and let those that are in authority treat them with dignity and respect.  Jesus, above all, we decree and declare that they are victorious in everything they do because Your future for them is filled with hope, goodness, and prosperity. Lord, we pray for all men in Jesus name, Amen

WE WILL SUFFER

We all will struggle at times, Christians and non-Christians; we are lead to believe that if we are good, kind, and loving enough, the world would be bound to treat us fairly.   Unfortunately, we will learn that this is not the case.  Jesus was perfection and He suffered horrible abuse; at the hands of those He came to save, so we to will suffer.  But, Jesus has given us the tools to deal with our adversaries and adversity; we just have to learn how to use its power.  The first thing we must do is:  receive Him as our Savior, then we must study His Word, we must also pray without ceasing, and praise and worship Him; this will draw us near to Him and develop a relationship with Him, this is how we tap into His power.  Persecution will come even if we have a righteous character and Christ-like conduct; but we can be prepared to endure it all, through Christ Jesus who lives in us.

1 Corinthians 16:15 You know that the family of Stephanas were the first believers in Southern Greece and that they have given themselves to the service of God’s people. I ask you, brothers and sisters, to follow the lead of people like these and anyone else who works and serves with them.

Jesus, You, became one with man, yet still one with God; because God was the only one who could do anything about our sins.  Father, humanity has tried to follow the Law for centuries, but sin only got worse.  Lord, You are the only way we can receive salvation, You died so we could be restored to the Father.  Lord, You demonstrated Your love toward us, while we were yet sinners, You died so we could live and seek a relationship with You.  Thank You, Jesus, for assuming the form of the race You were to redeem, who also rejected You.  Forgive us, Lord, for falling short of Your, grace and mercy; strengthen us so we can forgive those that wronged us, so will be set free and forgiven.  Amen

ALL WE NEED IS YOU JESUS

Matthew 16:24-27 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Lord, we surrender all to You, withholding nothing; Father, bring us into Your presence, we cannot do this without You.  All we want is You, we are not after the blessings or the recognition of man; every incounter with You changes us, so everything we give to You. Father, in the name Jesus, we ask You to expose and bring into the light negative inner vows and strongholds that contradict Your Word and will for us.  By the breath of Your Spirit, release us to Your truth, give us eyes that expose falsehood, curses of self-rejection, self-hatred, and reactive hatred and bitterness toward others.  Jesus, we take up the sword of the Spirit and cut ourselves free from the bondage of generational strongholds and ungodly character, in the name of Jesus, Amen,

William McDowell - Spirit Break Out feat. Trinity Anderson (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

King David, himself a former shepherd, begins this Psalm with, “The LORD is my shepherd,” immediately putting himself as a sheep in the care of Jesus Christ (who is the same being as the Lord of the Old Testament-see John 1:1-3, 14 and Heb. 1:2). This analogy of Christ as a shepherd and His chosen ones as sheep, is reinforced in several scriptures, especially in John 10, John 21:15-17 and Hebrews 13:20. The shepherd is the provider and protector of his flock. The sheep are helpless without him. Similarly, human existence is but a sinful, carnal experience without God in our lives (John 5:30; Rom. 8:6-11)