6 to 8 HOURS IS NOT ENOUGH

We need to nourish our Spirit more than 6 to 8 hours a month. What would happen to your marriage or relationship if you only spent six to eight hours a month with them. There would be no relationship thing with Christ. We must spend time in the Word to develop a relationship with Christ. Love, respect, communication, and understanding make a relationship grow, which comes with time. Also, nourishing our Spirits gives us wisdom and knowledge of implementing Him in our lives.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

When we study daily, His thoughts become our thoughts; this helps us see clearly and control our emotions.

Father, it's us again, your unworthy servants, Lord we come with a grateful heart to thank You. Thank You for keeping us through another night, and we thank You in advance for a peaceful and safe day. Lord, fill our hearts with Your Spirit that motivates us to seek You first in all we do. Father, help us understand that we are here to live for You with unshakable confidence that You will keep Your promise. Lord, You are faithful to strengthen our faith and help us overcome our unbelief. So we do not worry and dishonor You.  Lord, give us a strong desire for Your Word that helps us develop Fruit and a healthy relationship with You. Lord reveals to us the principles to live by and the knowledge to implement them in our lives. Father, help us overcome the challenges before us as You comfort and encourage us to remain steadfast. Father helps us nourish our Spirit daily in Jesus' name. Amen.

BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU SAY

Mark 11:22-23 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

To follow Christ, we must believe in His Word, but do we believe what we say. Jesus tells us to speak our faith, not our problems. We release God's authority over our issues when we confidently talk about the situation. So, the next time the bills are not paid, speak to them. Lord, thank You for the help that is about to come to assist me with paying my bills. The next time you get weak and fall back into bad habits. "Lord, thank You that the bad habits I practice no longer have a hold on me." The next time your car wants to start. "Lord, thank You that my car troubles will soon be over, and Thank You in advance for the new car." Speak to our problems with faith.

Father, You said that what we say will happen when we speak with no doubt in our hearts. So, we talk about prosperity, peace, and joy in our lives. Lord, we talk about guidance and protection for our children, and our children's children, and ourselves. Father, we talk about education and jobs in our community and neighbors. Lord, we cast out all envy, jealousy, hate, and misunderstanding and talk about unity. Jesus, we speak healing Spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally healing across the land. Lord, You are the source of our freedom; help us stay focused on You and not the wickedness and darkness around us. Lord, help us be caretakers of all You have entrusted us with and let Your will be done. In Jesus' name Amen

POSITIVE ATTITUDE POSITIVE THROUGHTS

 Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Whatever we think about is what we attract. This is why having a positive attitude is so important. When we let negative thoughts in our entire atmosphere change.

Lord, help us trust in You with all our hearts and do not lean on our own understanding; so we will have positive thoughts and in all our ways acknowledge You, so You will make straight our paths. Father, reach deep down in the pit of darkness and lead us out into Your divine light.  Thank You, when the cares of our hearts are many, Your consolations calm our souls and give us the strength we need to practice what we've learned. So, let Your thoughts be our thoughts and let no weapon fashioned against us succeed.  Lord, silence every tongue that rises against us in judgment and keep us sober-minded and watchful of the adversaries that seek to devour us. In Jesus name Amen 

LORD WE GIVE IT TO YOU

"For the Lord, your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." "This is what the LORD says to you: `Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow marches against them. ... Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you."

It's better to let God fight our battles against our enemies. He knows who did what and their hearts' intentions  ♥  and although we can't understand His work, it's in our favor. I've seen what will happen when we truly give it to God. He will destroy the enemy's health, finances, reputation, even the family of those that wronged His children. Then, all we have to do is be quiet and still.

Thank You, Lord, for Your love that gives us strength to endure suffering and our day-to-day struggles. So, we surrender all to You everything as we practice the principle of patience and silence to let You fight our battles. Our battles against our enemies, disobedient children, bad relationships, lousy Stewardship, procrastination, fear, doubt,  disease, and sickness. Father, thank You for the peace and joy You have shone in our hearts through our faith and Christ. Thank You for teaching us how to breathe and do good even when it's difficult and painful to do. Lord, we thank You for all the Spiritual Soldiers You put in our lives; we pray for their children and well-being. Thank You for Your strength and courage when we get discouraged. Thank You for the confidence and support You give in our times of grief. Thank You for Your protection and binding all the confusion and chaos around us and removing us from it. Thank You for allowing us to feel Your presence when we are afraid. Thank You for the blessings, wisdom, and knowledge to implement them in our lives and the lives of others. Thank You in advance for hearing our prayers, releasing our Souls, serving justice for all that has been betrayed, killed,  Innocence, stolen and given up hope. We stand at the Altar in prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and the knowledge of Your grace, in Jesus' name Amen 🙏

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SHARE YOUR FAITH

DO YOU SHARE YOUR FAITH? Mark 5:19 Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.

We have been commissioned to spread the Word of God. By living as followers and practicing the principles of Christ, we show others how to implement Him in their lives. Never miss an opportunity to serve God through our testimony and kindness to others.

Father, we are unique as snowflakes, and so are our stories. Each story comes with good and evil, ups and downs, confusion and chaos, but they all end with You.  So, help us humbly share Your goodness daily to those that need to hear; so You can transform their hearts and minds to righteousness. Lord, let us understand that when we share our faith, we witness who and What You are in our lives. So, help us share our faith stories in ways and with people who will come to know You. Give us eyes that see those we need to connect with, and thank You for those that share their stories with us. Lord, teach us how to pray for each other and Your Kingdom. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that empowers us to be submissive to You. Thank Lord for forgiveness and for teaching us how to forgive. Thank You for wisdom and the knowledge to implement You in our daily lives. Continue working in and through us, so we will have victory over the darkness in this world, in Jesus' name Amen.

STUDYING HIS WORD GIVES US STRENTH

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

We can't be righteous if we can't forgive our brothers and sisters. So if you're holding a grudge, get over it. This is why we need to study daily to have the wisdom of God's principles and the knowledge of how to implement them in our lives.  The more we spend time in the Word, our faith becomes more robust. Then we develop eyes that see and ears that hear. Hence, we begin to understand how great He is in our lives ❤ And as we apply His principles and purpose in our lives, it strengthens our relationship with Christ and teachers us how to get along with others, even our enemies.

Father, help us understand that when we study 📖 Your Word penetrates our hearts, so, we might not sin against You.  Lord, fill our hearts with Your wisdom, so when the pressures of life or the attack of our enemies come against us, we will be prepared to stand against it.  Lord, teach us how to be Disciples and baptize us with the Holy Spirit that empowers us to pursue righteousness and the knowledge of Your grace and favor. Thank You for taking us from where we were and molding us into what we are today. Lord, following You is an internal heart decision, so Lord, we have been buried with You through baptism on which we are also raised with Your Spirit in us through our faith, in Jesus name Amen.

ARTWORK BY SHADES OF GRAY ART GALLERY 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Numbers 6:24 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace

Thank You, Lord, for a new day and another year. Lord, so many family members and friends, did not make it but thank You for keeping me. My life hasn't been easy, but it has been blessed, and I thank You. Thank You for all the Spiritual Soldiers You put in my life. Thank You for washing away all the dirt and grime so I don't look like what I have been through. Lord, thank You for Your direction around the obstacles that would have made me stumble and fall. Thank You for the Food, Shelter, and all the provisions You have provided for me. Lord, thank You for eyes that see where You brought me from and ears that continue hearing You. Father, this is the day You made me and planted Your seed. Thank You for helping my mother and me nourish the seed You planted with Your Word. Thank You for strengthening my prayer life, my praise, and worship. Lord, I witness to the world daily how You transformed me and how You can do the same for them. So, today and every day, I will rejoice and be glad that You are my Savior. I delight myself in You, and You have kept Your promise and gave me my heart desires, and I am so grateful. ♥ Thank You that Your steadfast love for me has never ceased, and Your mercy has followed me wherever I go. Thank You for giving me a purpose and letting the peace of Christ rule in my heart ❤. So, continue blessing and keeping me as Your face shine upon me in Jesus name 🙏 

HE IS PERFECT IN US AND WE ARE PERFECT IN HIM

 John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

I'm not perfect, but I'm better than I used to be. I still have to walk through this Valley of death, but I am no longer alone. Now I have protection, guidance, forgiveness, courage, strength, and peace. Peace above my understanding; I still have peace even when things go wrong. I still have struggles, but I don't have to carry the weight myself to stay focused. I no longer care what people think about me; I only care what He thinks about me. Life is not easy, but I've learned it's more comfortable and balanced as I apply His principles. I still have a long way to go, but I am complete with myself and one with Christ, and you can be too.

Father, we come to You with clean hearts and open minds; fill us with Your Spirit to see and hear You. Lord, we are not perfect, but You are perfect in us, so bind every demonic Spirit around us and every generation curse and loose us from them 🙏right now in the name of Jesus. To give You room to move powerfully, in and through our lives. Lord, help us practice what we have learned from the Word so it will manifest in our lives and strengthen our faith. Father searches our Souls, gives us clarity, and renews us daily. Thank You for forgiveness, grace, and favor, and for keeping us through another night. In Jesus' name Amen 

PEOPLE SEE US AS

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give You a future and hope.

People see us as weak and unimportant; God sees us as Fathers and Mothers of nations. People see us, slaves; God sees us as Kings and Queens. People see us as a prisoner; God sees us as ministers of His Word. So stop focusing on how people see us and meditate on how God sees us and where He's taking us.

Father, our spirits are Your workmanship, created through Christ's sacrifice for good work, that You prepared ahead of time for us.  Thank You, Lord, for Your love and grace that has given us the privilege to be called Your children. Thank You for seeking more in us than we see in ourselves. You form our hearts and minds and pull us out of darkness, thank You for allowing us to feel Your presence.  Lord, right now, we ask You to search our hearts and minds and remove all that is not of You. Lord bind every demonic Spirit around us, every sickness, disease, and generation curse, loose us from them in Jesus name.  Lord thank You, for forgiveness and for teaching us how to forgive. Lord, thank You for being the light of our lives and giving us peace beyond our understanding. Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings, lessons, spiritual growth, and  Guardian Angels you have around us. Amen

 

LOVE IS THE KEY

Not fame, not a fortune but, fruit is what we should seek.  If we seek Spiritual Fruit instead of worldly things, we would grow in love, which makes all things come together.  We can't function without love and we can't love the way we should without Christ.  

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking.  It is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.  Song of Solomon 8:7 many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot wash love away.  "This kind of love can only come through Christ."

Father, let this new day bring us spiritual fruit, so we can develop Your, unfailing love by putting our trust in Your Word.  Lord, show us the way to go, we entrust our lives to You.  Father, baptize us in the Holy Spirit, let love be the first fruit we receive, so all the others will fall into place.  Let the Spirit fill us with faithfulness, so bind Your Word around our necks, chisel them in our hearts; so we can love others like You love us, even our enemies.  Lord, help us practice what we have learned, so we will be completely humble, gentle, patient, and kind, bearing with each other in love.  Lord, we are able to do this through You, because You first loved us.  So, let the Word and its principles manifest in us, so we can live a peaceful, prosperous, and righteous life, in Jesus' name, Amen.

GET RID OF THE STRESSOR WITH THE WORD

Phil. 4:6-7 Be anxious about nothing "even" Psa. 56:3 When I'm afraid "because" Luke 8:14-15 Worry chokes God's seed "so" Pro.3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all our hearts and do not lean on our own understanding

Stress will kill us quicker than anything in the drugstore. Although we know we are stressed out, we still don't know what it is, so we're at a loss for how to cope with it. We are most stressed when angry, have fear, worry, grief, frustration, anxiety, etc. No one really agrees on stress, but all medical science agrees that stress is a major underlying cause of most illnesses. 

Father, with all the chaos and confusion around us, people are becoming more stressed. Lord, we struggle with mixed emotions as our bodies and minds try to keep up. Lord, some of us are Spiritually drained, and sometimes our day-to-day challenges outweigh the truth buried inside. Father, let us remember the prayer of David "Bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within us." Lord, we praise Your Holy name. Let us not forget our authority through Your Son and give us the wisdom and knowledge to use it against the stressor. So, let the Holy Spirit grant us peace of mind and calm the atmosphere around us. Lord, our souls, are like a turbulent sea right now, and we can't seem to find our balance. So, we ask for Your strength and clarity of mind to give us eyes that see the path to healing in Jesus and Amen.

BE A GOOD STEWARD WITH GOD'S BLESSINGS

We stay in debt because we spend more than we make. But, even worse, we spend on things we don't need to impress people we don't like. Don't get me wrong, I like nice things too, but I'm not spending more than it costs to impress people who don't care. If we spent our money on God's way for His glory, we would have more. We have to make better use of our resources. We need more control over the way we spend money, for instance: how many pairs of shoes we have that we do not wear; how many clothes we have in our closet that we haven't worn in two years; how many of us can't close our lining closet, because it's overstuffed. This is unwise spending, and we all do it. Here's a challenge, only spend the money necessary for three months and see what you save. Let's stop focusing on the material things that are useless and keep us in debt and focus on the free and eternal things, like the things of the Spirit. 

"The Lord, our God, will bless us as He has promised, and we will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.'

 Father, help us be faithful Stewards who live an examined life; that type of Steward lives a self-control life. Lord, help us be Stewards that live a sacrificial lifestyle, craving the things of the Spirit and not the flesh. Lord, help us commit to selfless service, practice inclusiveness, be team players, and always be willing to give credit where credit is due. Father, let us allocate and manage Your blessings for the greater good of all, not just ourselves. Let us not think being rich makes us wealthy because this is uncertain. But put our hope in You, who richly provides for us. Father, let us follow the plan You have for us as we surrender to You the care, conservancy, planning, and management of our financial choices. Father, we also understand that wisdom is more valuable than money. So give us wisdom and the knowledge to implement You in all we do. In Jesus' name, Amen.

HE CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED

God has always served His purpose through sinners like us and changed their lives like He did for us. Samson was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute and we are broken too. But, God loves fixing broken souls and changing the lives of the undesirables. God has always been close to the brokenhearted and loves saving those in despair.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes, we are healed"

Father, when we are emotionally, physically, and spiritually broken or suffering from scarring from deep wounds, thank You for being near to us. Lord, help us stay focused on You and not give up, so baptize us with the Holy Spirit that empowers us to stand on Your Word. Lord, give us the strength to let go; give us compassion to move on from what's been lost and walk in Your way.  Father, continue working in and through us, until we get it right, in Jesus' name.  Lord, we come to You with our hearts in our hands, piece together what's missing, and make us whole again.  Father, today we come to You with the loss of a loved one; we come to You with financial difficulties; we come to You with broken relationships; we come to You with unforgiveness; we come to You with procrastination; and we come to You with all our fears and doubts, and ask that You loose us from them in the name of Jesus.  Father, bind every demonic Spirit around us and every generation curse, remove them and heal us, right now Lord, right now, Amen

DON'T TRUST IN YOUR JOB TRUST GOD

How long could you go without a source of income? If you didn’t have a paying job for a few years, would you still be able to trust that God was working everything together for your good?

16 years ago, I took early retirement to care for my mother. Then the market crashed, and I lost a lot of money. So this time, I went back to work. I did not have a steady job, but I was never broke. I had no idea that, what I was going through, was part of God, working things out in my favor. God put people in my life to help take care of my needs, and once I was still, He began to bring everything together for my good.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

Lord, I have seen You work in my life, as well as others. I fill Your presence when I get weak and hear Your voice daily. Lord, You have searched my heart and removed most of the stuff that is not of You, and Your Spirit continues to overcome my flesh. Father, I thank You for the blessings, lessons, and love You have always shown me. Thank You for binding all the things that keep me from sitting at Your feet and lose me from them. Thank You for revealing who You are in me and keeping me focused on You and not the confusion around me. Thank You for making me complete with myself and giving me peace even in the storm. Thank You for keeping the fiery arrows of my enemies from piercing my skin. Thank You for pulling the wool off the people around me, which meant to harm me, and giving me eyes that see. Thank You in advance for justice for my son and all sons and daughters who have been wrongfully killed. Thank You, Lord, for helping me become the person I am today, in Jesus name Amen 

EVERYTHING IS GOVERNED BY PRINCIPLES

Life is about the principles we live by, and the Word teaches us those principles. Therefore, the Word is the final authority for all things, and how God provides directions for living in a way that protects us from harmful thinking and behavior.

Father, help us learn the biblical principles of life and let Your thoughts be our thoughts. Lord, let the Word fill us with wisdom and the knowledge of implementing You in our daily lives. Lord, search our hearts and minds and remove all that is not of You. So, the Spirit can take charge of our thoughts, actions, words, and lives. Lord, help us love You like You love us, with our whole being, and to love others as we love ourselves. Baptize us in the Holy Spirit that empowers us to pursue righteousness, justice, and mercy for everyone, even our enemies. Lord, let COVID-19 not limit our participation in our churches' activities, and let us support our Church families. Father, bless us with the principle of gratitude because every day we wake up is a gift from You.  Lord, bless us with the principle of humanity, so no matter what, we will keep a low view of our own importance. Lord, fill our children with the principle of optimism, so they will be hopeful and confident about their future and success. Father, bless us with the principle of generosity and forgiveness, so we will help our suffering brothers and sisters and take back our strength by forgiving those who wronged us. In Jesus' name Amen 

IT LOOKS BAD BUT WE WALK BY FAITH

The Word says: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Who would have thought going to the hospital could be based on are you worth saving, God did?
Who would have thought that you have to wait for a month to be buried even with insurance? God did?
Who would have thought that life would change so dramatically? But, God did, that why He prepared us?

Lord, You tell us: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly, we are wasting away, we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." This shall pass because we will stand on Your Word and walk in Your favor and protection. Because we know You are working behind the scenes in our favor. So, Lord, bind all our unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, pride, strife, addiction, and all that keeps us from sitting at Your feet and loose us in the name of Jesus. Lord, baptize us in the Holy Spirit and surround us with Spiritual Soldiers to help us through this Valley of death. Lord, bless those that are suffering financially and those that are sick. Let them see You, through all the people You have blessed, right now in the name of Jesus. Amen

NO RESENTMENT

Ephesians 4:32-32 put away all bitterness and wrath, and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, and forgiving, as God in Christ forgave you.

Some of us are stagnated because we can't get over the betrayal of a friend or a cheating spouse. But, holding a grudge will never let us move forward; we must get over it and take back our power.

Father, let us repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. Lord, let us not hold grudges to live peaceably with all, forgiving others as our Father forgives us. So, give us Your strength to be still and never avenge ourselves, but leave it to Your wrath, for it is written, "Vengeance is Yours, You will repay them. So "if our enemies are hungry, feed them; if their thirsty, give them something to drink; for by so doing we will heap burning coals on their heads." But, Lord, we will need Your strength and courage to do this; we cannot do it alone. Lord, help us practice what we have learned and give You room to move in our lives. So, we can forgive and not hold to things we cannot change. Thank You for Your understanding and for showing us mercy despite our faults and failures. Thank You for stripping us naked and clothing us with grace and love that brings us all together, even our enemies. In Jesus' name Amen

A RELATIONSHIP

 The Word says: Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins.  because whoever does not love does not know God

A strong relationship is built on TRUST, UNDERSTANDING, and LOVE.  A relationship with God is built on the same principles.  These three things will help us be faithful to our commitments and obligations.  Man cannot be counted on to stand by us or take a stand for us, but God can and will.  Trusting, understanding, and loving God, is the most important thing we can do in our walk, personal relationships, businesses, and lives.  When we develop a strong relationship with God, a relationship with others becomes more manageable.  

Father, You are love, and our passion for others flows from You.  Lord, You have been faithful to Your promise, even though we fall short of Your grace and are so grateful.  Lord, help the Word make our hearts pure and our intentions clear in finding our purpose in life. Father, keep our minds centered on You, so our burden will be light, and we will not get weary of doing good.  Lord, keep us on the right path, so the journey will bloom as we grow together and never lose sight of You.  Lord, You are worth all our love and respect; forgive us for not praising and worshiping You enough.  Lord, through Your Blood, You have brought reconciliation between our Father and us; thank You.  Thank You for being our Rock and Redeemer; thank You for being the source of all that's good in our lives.  Lord, of hope, may we all enjoy the peace that having a relationship with You brings and the gift of physical intimacy that You have blessed us with; in Jesus' name Amen.

WE DON'T NEED TO BRAG

 Jeremiah 9:23-24This is what the Lord says: The wise must not brag about their wisdom.  The strong must not brag about their strength.  The rich must not brag about their money.  But if someone wants to boast, let him brag that he understands and knows Me.  Let him brag that I am the Lord, that I am kind and fair, and that I do things right on earth.  This kind of bragging pleases me, says the Lord.

Father, You, give happiness to us, Your servants, because we give our lives to You.  Thank You, Lord, for Your kindness, forgiveness, and great love for all who call on You.  Jesus, teach us what You want us to do and how to respect and trust You completely.  Lord, we will praise You with all our hearts, and we will honor Your name forever.  Father, You have a great love for us, and Your Son has saved us from Spiritual death. So, we brag and boast about His sacrifice and goodness.  Lord, we boast about Your provisions, mercy, and grace; Lord, we brag about no longer being controlled by our past or our sin; and we boast about our future with You in eternity.  Father, right now, we ask You to bind everything that keeps us from sitting at Your feet and loose us.  Lord, let us walk in Your way and teach our children and our children's children the way to go.  Father, help us grow in Your knowledge and wisdom, which gives us guidance and understanding. Father, we give thanks continually and glorify only You because we will see Your marvelous light in due time.  So we pray for a humble heart so we do not practice our righteousness to be seen by man.  Lord, let us not sound our trumpets when we give to the needy but stay silent, so You will receive the glory, Amen in Jesus' name.

 

BAPTIZE US WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Matthew 28:19 Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

When the Holy Spirit baptizes us in the name of the Father and the Son, it empowers and prepares us to be His messengers. We begin to understand and acknowledge God as our Father and Christ as our Lord and Savior. We become submissive to His Word, which is the essence of our discipline and developing Christ-like character.

Lord, let Your Word baptize us in the Holy Spirit to help us become inward changed men and women. Father, thank You that Christ's faithfulness saves us, not our own. Lord, continue working in and through us to serve Your purpose. Lord, let the Holy Spirit fill our hearts and renew our faith and enkindle in us the fire of Your love. Thank You, Lord, for setting Your seal of ownership upon us and taking up residence in our hearts. Lord, strengthen our faith and empower our spiritual walk as Your Word gradually transforms us into the lovely likeness of our Lord. We pray that the Holy Spirit leads and guides us in all things and that we practice what we learned. So, we can learn to listen to the gentle promptings of Your voice as we study the Word. Give us the grace to recognize Your still, soft voice as we search through the scriptures each day and the wisdom to discern Your spiritual nudges that direct and guide us. In Jesus' name Amen