HAPPY KWANZAA

Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days beginning on December 26 and lasting through January 1. This holiday was created in 1966 and named for the time of year when some African tribes traditionally celebrated the first harvest of their crops.

On each night, a candle is lit to observe the nguzo saba, the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The principles of Kwanzaa are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).

2 CORINTHIANS 5:11-13

11 Since then, we know what it is to fear the Lord; we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also simple to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

Father, we praise You for Your infinite wisdom. We know so little, yet we are grateful to serve the one who knows everything. We confess that our hearts have been shattered by our sinful desires and that we have tried to hide our shame from You. Please forgive us for the ways we’ve slandered other people in our lives. We are broken, and we cannot save ourselves. We thank You for knowing our hearts better than we do. We thank You for saving us through Jesus Christ. We thank You for bringing our dead hearts to life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Please guard our hearts against worldly desires and evil spirits, and help us to not lose heart when we feel pressures leading us into doubt. Renew our minds and give us the confidence to stand on what we have learned, in Jesus' name Amen.

WE HAVE ENOUGH GOING ON TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always pray without ceasing to give thanks in all circumstances; this is God's will for us.

We have enough going on in our lives and the world to pray without ceasing, and if we have children or a spouse, we can go into overtime. God wants to communicate with us daily through prayer and worship. Daily worship and prayer open the channel for our blessings and helps keep our families and friends in the Blood. Prayer also invites peace and joy into our hearts.

Father, we thank You that Your amazing faithful love has been poured out for us at the cross and poured into us by the Holy Spirit. Let the Spirit develop our Fruit to help build Your character in us. Lord, we want to experience Your great love. Help us to walk by faith through this Valley of death, hold our hands and order our steps around the obstacles ahead. Help us endure suffering by practicing what we've learned, so Your courage and strength will manifest in our lives. Help us own our need of You as You teach us to stand with faith in our storms. Help us fully embrace Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. So, pour Your wisdom and knowledge into our hearts, in increasing measure, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, through Christ our Lord. In Jesus' name Amen.

GENESIS 41:1-43

Father God, we praise You for the Holy Spirit who grants us wisdom, fills us with life, guards our hearts, and illuminates our minds to comprehend the good news of Jesus Christ. Let us settle for nothing less than the unadulterated truth You have revealed in Your Holy Word. For we confess that apart from You, we can do nothing. So please forgive us for how we have disobeyed Your Word to put our own selfish desires before the needs of others. By the Holy Spirit, we ask that You lead us into repentance and a life that glorifies You. Help us to resist the allure of this world’s deceitful philosophies promising hollow pleasures that ultimately lead to death and destruction. Instead, put a deep desire in our hearts to know the wisdom of the Bible and use it to transform and renew our minds. Use each of us to exemplify Your holiness and love to this world as we aspire to follow Jesus and execute his commands. Make us Your gospel lights this week to those wandering in the darkness among our families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Embolden us and our brothers and sisters worldwide to proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ unashamedly. Use our testimonies for Your glory to help save souls. All this we pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

JABEZ DEFIED THROUGH FAITH

1st Chronicle 4:10 Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain."

Just like Jabez defied the curse of his name, we can fight the curse of our environment and sinful nature. When we wholeheartedly cry out to God for His presence and Mercy, He hears and answers us. So, let's pray for God to strengthen our faith and invest in His kingdom. So, the answer will be yes.

Lord, we come to Your throne with gratitude for what You have already done for us 🙏 and to thank You for another day to get our lives aligned with You. Thank You for Your sacrifice that has set us free from our sinful nature and our weakness for the flesh. Give us Your wisdom and knowledge of how to implement what we have learned daily in our lives. Lord, let our hearts and minds partner with You when we study, so we can receive the Truth that nourishes our Spirit and strengthen our faith. Lord, give us the same favor You gave Jabez to defy his supposed destiny. Father, we are conquerors through what You have done and will do in us. We have the power through our faith in Christ to overcome the challenges life throws at us, and we honor You by doing so. Father, baptize us in the Holy Spirit that helps us walk through this Valley of death without fear. Jehovah Tsidkenu continues ordering our steps in righteousness in Jesus' name. Amen. 

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Father God, we praise You for using us to bring joy to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amid all the struggles, pressures, and discouragement we face while in our frail, failing bodies, please continue transforming us into servants who are always of good courage. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit to find rest in the grand promises that You’ve revealed to us in Your Word. We confess that we are weak and that we need Your help. Prepare us for the day when You will judge an account of all our works and offenses. Though we do not deserve Your grace, we can not express gratitude for nailing our guilt and shame upon the cross through your crucified Son. Lord, we earnestly long to experience the moment when You will declare to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of Your master.” Help us this week as we continue our walk of faith, looking forward to the day when our faith will become sight. It is in the name of Jesus that we pray, Amen.

IF HE SAID IT WE CAN BELIEVE IT

 • God promises to strengthen us...Sometimes we all feel lost and overwhelmed, and we have to face our weaknesses. This is the time to study, pray, and worship Him, and He will rejuvenate us through the Holy Spirit.

• God promises to give us rest...Our Souls need to rest, and Jesus will provide us with peace of mind for that to happen. He will give us rest and emotional stability when we focus on Him.

• God promises to take care of all our needs... So many people live in financial despair, but God is there waiting to help. If we trust and believe God will provide for us, He will.

Lord, we understand that we will suffer because You suffered for us; because You suffered, we are free. Free from addictions, deliverance from sin and evil, and financial provision. Lord, Your suffering gives hope to the lost and hurting and unity in the family and with friends. Your sacrifice helps us overcome depression, save marriages, keep us in good health, heal mentally, emotionally, physically, and most of all, Spiritually. Lord, because of Your stripes, we can be free from fear, anxiety, and worrying about provisions. Lord, You promise to answer our prayers, and we believe You. Lord, You promise to work everything out for our good, and You have kept Your promise. In Jesus' name Amen 

THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREE

Isaiah 26:3 We will keep in perfect peace whose minds are steadfast because we trust in You.

The problem is we are weak. But the promise is God will give us strength. The problem is we are walking through the Valley of death. But the truth is God is walking beside us, so we don't have to be afraid. The problem is this world 🌎 is a very dark place. But the truth is He will light our path. The problem is we worry too much. But the truth is He will give us courage in those times. The problem is people will talk about us. But the truth is what they think or say doesn't matter because He has His hands on us.

"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Father, thank You for Your wonderful Truth that can be taken seriously, especially when we need healing. Whether the difficulty is injury, illness, financial hardship, a troubled relationship, or anything else. Thank You for Your Truth that we are never alone. Thank You for Your Truth that You will always remain the same. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for us, and thank You for the favor. Lord, the fact is we cannot take this walk alone, But the truth is we don't have to; in Jesus' name Amen.

REFLEXTION

 As I sit here and reflect on all the blessings God has given me and think about the person I have become spiritually, I cannot do anything but praise Him. Praise Him for saving and keeping me and the protection and blessings of my children's children. When I think about where I have come from, it makes me cry tears of joy; I have finally found Peace beyond all understanding. The Peace that only comes from the Father, and no man can take it away. So Lord, as I approach a New Year, I want to thank You for all You've done for me, even though I did not deserve it. I am so grateful to belong to You; my New Year's resolution is to become more like You and abandon everything that is not You.

Father, our goal is to be a better person in 2023 than in 2022; we want to surrender our lives to You; please use us to lift up Your Kingdom and others. Lord, our goals are to have our names written in the Book of life, Your heavenly Book in which the name of the righteous is written. Father, our prayers are for all people to come together in unity, love, and Peace and to stop putting ourselves in physical slavery due to not knowing You. We pray that each one of us will take heave to Your calling, which was made possible by the sacrifice of Your Son on Calvary. Lord, we decree and declare that all believers will stand up for what is right and good; and do what is necessary to achieve our Spiritual goals. Father, thank You for your creativity and, above all, for listening to and granting my request. In Jesus' name Amen

GRATITUDE INSTEAD OF JEALOUSY

Never get jealous of what others have; praise God for what He has done for them. Sometimes God will bless people WE feel are undeserving. But, instead of getting jealous and wanting what they have, we should praise God for what He's done for them and ourselves.

When the Queen of Sheba met King Solomon, she was not jealous of his riches and wisdom. Instead, she began praising God for what He had done for the King and blessed King Solomon with more gifts. The next day King Solomon gave the Queen many advantages and whatever else the Queen wanted.

Father, thank You for a new day and being in our right minds, and bless those who were called home. Lord, let us not harbor Jealousy in our hearts or want what others have; just praise You for what You have done for them and ourselves. Lord, help us understand that Jealousy will bring disorder in our lives and take our focus off Him. Lord, every time that source of our flesh rises, feel our hearts with gratitude for what You have done for us. So, we can be grateful for how You blessed others. So, Lord, we ask that You uproot Jealousy from our hearts and fill us with gratitude to help us act like children born of the Spirit and not the flesh. In Jesus' name Amen

WITNESS TO THE WORLD

Seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to us.

We don't have to become Preachers, but we all have the responsibility of leading as many people to Christ as possible, starting with our families. When we govern our lives with God's purpose in mind, we live a more blessed and meaningful life. To lead people to Him, we have to know Him, and we do this through study and prayer.

Father, teach us how to study Your Word daily to maximize our wisdom and knowledge of You. So, we can teach and lead others to You as we mature spiritually. Lord, give us the courage and strength to overcome our fears and doubts as we witness for You in this Valley of lost Souls. Let, Your Word give us discernment so we never miss the opportunity to rekindle someone to You.

I AM THANKFUL

Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.

I'm thankful that I woke up this morning in my right mind. I am grateful for where I am and who He is in me. I'm thankful for the Spiritual Soldiers and Guardian Angels that protect me from my enemies. I'm thankful for my children and my children's children's Father; help us teach them the way to go and give them eyes that see Your path and purpose for their lives. Hold their hands through this Valley of Death as they walk with and grow closer to You. Lord, I'm thankful for good health, stewardship, a more robust prayer life, and relationships with You. Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on my life. You have provided me more than I could ever have imagined and helped me bless others. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and their actions. Father, I am thankful that You chose my heart ❤️ to dwell in, in Jesus' name Amen 🙏 

ALL HE NEED IS YOUR TIME

Philippians 4:6 Spending time with God can be a time to give thanks to Him for the many blessings He has given you.

Our Lord only asks us to do one thing "spend time with Him, and everything else will fall into place. When we spend time with Him, we have access to His presence and power. With so much chaos in our atmosphere, we must communicate with our Lord daily, so we are not distracted and pulled away by our flesh. Spending time with God in study and prayer positions us in a place where He speaks to us.

Lord, quiet the noise around us when we study and pray, so we can hear You speak. Lord, we pray on behalf of Your will here on earth, so let us partner with You through prayer and let You will be done. Teach us how to forgive as often as You forgive us. Lord, we come to You in awe of Your greatness 🙏 help us with our unbelief as Your presence strengthens our faith. Father, give us a strong desire to spend time with You and a willingness to incorporate You into our daily lives. Lord, let the time we spend with You draw us closer to You. Let it refresh our Souls and restore our peace and joy. In Jesus' name Amen

 

IS YOUR SEED BEARING FRUIT

The wayside, the rock, the thorny, or the good ground, which are you. The wayside hearer hears the teaching, but it lies on the surface and is taken away before the seed can be watered. The rock hears the Word but doesn't break the shell, so it can't be watered and takes no root. So, the seed withered and died. The thorny hearers are okay for a while, but the world 🌎 quickly chokes out the Spirit. But the good ground a true believer not only receive the Word their lives become molded by the Word.

Lord, let us not be trampled by men and devoured by birds. Father. Let the Word crack the shell of our hearts, so our seed can receive nourishment and take root, so our Souls don't whither and die. Help us practice what we've learned, so the wisdom will manifest in our lives and not be choked by thorns. Lord, help us be inward-changed men and women who believe wholeheartedly in the Word, so we will develop Christ-like character. Lord, teach us how to apply the power of Your promise when we sow, so our seeds will bear fruit. Lord, we are Your farmers, and we are here to scatter Your Spiritual seeds across this field called life 🙏 The seeds of joy, peace, compassion, kindness, self-control, and love. Lord, nourish our seeds with Your grace, so when the sun rises, our seeds will bear fruit at harvest time. In Jesus' name Amen

THANK YOU LORD

Every morning and evening we should speak to our Lord to sing songs of thanks and praise to him. 1 Chronicles 23:30 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Good morning Kings and Queens let us pray. Thank You, for today and for the gift of life. Thank You, for the wake-up call in our right minds. Thank You, in advance fir walking with us through this Valley of death and steering us around the obstacles ahead of us. Thank You, that we have a place to sleep, food to eat, and financial relief.  Thank You, for the order in our lives and homes. Thank You, for our children 🙏 and thank You for helping us raise them in the way to go. Lord, teach us how to breathe and forgive those that wronged us. Father, let Your thoughts be our thoughts to keep us focused on You and not the confusion around us. Lord, thank You for our blessings and let us not judge others for their blessings 🙏.  Father, thank You for taking care of our families, friends, enemies, and ourselves. So, go before us and today and set our path as we witness for You through our compassion. Kindness, goodness, and love for those we fo not know. In Jesus name Amen 🙏 

DON'T LET IT HINDER YOUR BLESSINGS

We have to be able to recognize what hinders our blessings: Things like fear, jealousy, envy, hate, anger, doubt, unbelief, or strife can hinder our prayers and our blessings. Once we recognize the Spirit hindering our blessings, we separate ourselves from it. People or the devil cannot block the blessings God has for us, but they can hinder them.

According to Numbers 23:19-20, What God has Blessed, No one can curse. The truth is, No one can block God's blessings for us, not even the enemy. They can try to hinder us from receiving all that God has for us but what they cannot do is stop the Blessings that God has for us.

Father, thank You for a new day and for keeping us safe through the night. Thank You for the hedge of protection around our children, families, friends, and ourselves. Lord, let us not be our own worst enemies and blessings blockers. Let not the Spirits of the flesh overcome our Spirits of the Fruit so we don't hinder our blessings. Lord, keep our hindering Spirits from attacking us by invading our hearts with spiritual heaviness. Lord, hold our hindering spirits from interfering with our prayer lives, studies, and faith. "For we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapon we choose for our warfare is the Word. So, we take authority over Hindering Spirits operating in our lives, home, office, and marketplaces, and we rebuke you, in the name of Jesus Amen.

LOVE GOD AND YOURSELF THEN YOU CAN LOVE OTHERS

This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. ' The greatest commandment helps us see self-love is required before we can truly love others.

Life and relationships have taught me that whatever you can't control, don't worry about it; give it to God. Just be loyal, trustworthy, honest, and loveable. Someone will find you. But remember, no matter how good you treat others doesn't mean they'll treat you the same way. So live life like it's given to you. That way, you won't be disappointed or hurt. If you feel you're not being valued enough, you have to put a value on yourself. Never love someone more than God and yourself, or you will get caught in a snare.

Lord, thank You for watching over us while we slept and for today's wake-up call; we really appreciate You.  Father, we thank You in advance for the hedge of protection around our children, families, and friends. Let us all return home safely 🙏. Lord, help us understand the Word and continue pruning our Fruit as we mature in faith and Spirit. Let us not be incapable of celebrating our worth, so teach us how to love ourselves through the Word. Lord, let Your thoughts be our thoughts, so Your principles will manifest in our lives 🙏. Lord, give us eyes to see our actual value and walk us around the obstacles ahead. Father, let us learn to love ourselves and each other by recognizing the way You love us. In Jesus' name Amen 🙏 

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ARGUING

It's a waste of time to argue with a fool who does not care about the truth or reality but only the victory of their beliefs and illusions. Only spend time on arguments that make sense. There are people who, no matter how much evidence we present to them, are not able to understand, especially those blinded by ego, hatred, and resentment, and all they want is to be right even if they are not. When ignorance screams, intelligence is silent. Your peace and quiet are worth more.

Father, You are all-knowing and wise, teach us Your ways and when and what to say. Lord, we seek Your wisdom and insight in all we do. Father, we seek Your understanding, so we can walk in the path You lay before us, knowing right from wrong and being protected against temptation and deceitfulness. Lord, help make our intelligence amenable to all truths and give us the wisdom to know the meaning of silence. 

Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us that there is a time to keep silent and a time to speak. But when? How? Lord, we need to discern the difference between knowing when to say or be quiet, so we humbly seek You through prayer as we immerse ourselves in Scripture and ask for Your wisdom and discernment. In Jesus' name Amen 

LET'S GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

The Bible teaches us about the power of having a grateful heart. An attitude of thanksgiving can fill us with hope and joy. We all have much to be thankful for, especially if we have children. We could all pray without ceasing for the many blessings we have received 🙏.

Thank You, Lord, for Your hands of protection and bless those less fortunate. 🙏 Thank You, Lord, for favor and keeping us safe through Ian and preparing us for the storms to come. Lord, thank You for provision and shelter; thank You for waking us up in our right minds and healthy 🙏. Thank You for covering our homes, businesses, and service workers to help them safely navigate this Valley of death. You have provided us with more than we could ever imagine. You have surrounded us with people who always look out for us. You have given us family and friends who bless us daily with kind words and actions. Lord, You have shown us so much love, kindness, and compassion; we are so grateful 🙏. In Jesus' name Amen 

LET'S PRAYFOR THOSE WHO ARE ADDICTED IN HIS WORDS

• Alcohol addiction.

• Prescription drug addiction.

• Drug addiction.

• Heroin addiction.

• Opioid addiction

We come together for all those dealing with addiction, whether physical, mental, or Spiritual. We ask You to loose us.

And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. If you see a thief, you are pleased with him and keep company with adulterers. "You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 

Father, keep us sober-minded; and watchful. Our devil adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour...For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, and pride in possessions are not from the You but from the world...Lord urges us as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against our souls...More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character. Character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because Your love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. So, we submit ourselves to You. Help us resist the devil, and he will flee from us. In Jesus' name Amen