Verse of the Day

“And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”
Titus 2:11-14

Live With Hope

Every now and then we become lost. We become so succumbed in our own lives that it is easy to get distracted and forget what life is really about. Paul instructs us to “turn from living out Godless and sinful pleasures.” He refers to them as “pleasures” so it can be a difficult choice to turn away. However, he reminds us that they are godless and sinful pleasures so the end never justifies the means. Instead, we are to live in this world with hope, wisdom, righteous living and a devotion to God. But how can we do this? How can we possibility resist godless and sinful pleasures and live with hope, wisdom, righteous living and devotion to God? Paul gives us this one answer at the end of the passage. He writes “Christ Himself gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” What a mighty plan. Today let this be your reality. Let this thought permeate everything you do, “God loves you so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross and resurrect from the dead so you could be free from every kind of sin, totally cleansed and committed to doing good deeds.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your guidance, hope and wisdom that You have given all of us. Thank You for cleansing me of all my sins. Help me to be reminded that my sins are forgiven and to not dwell on them. Help me today to turn from Godless and sinful pleasures and devote myself to You and the good deeds You created me for. In Jesus Name.

Amen

Let us not forget

I apologize for the late post but Christmas was just so busy!

I know a lot of us Christians are convinced that Christmas has been corrupted in recent times by all the “worldly” people in our American society. The Television shows, the commercials. The thought that saying “Merry Christmas” is socialy unacceptable. We yearn for what we feel must have been the “good old days”- perhaps in the time of the “The Brady Bunch,” or at least farther back, in the days of “Little House on the Prairie.” The holiday would have been holy. Families would gather around the tree to hear Dad read the Christmas story. Having a merry-time hymn-singing around the star-topped, light covered fir tree.

Some times we get so caught up in the lights, the gift giving and receiving, the ham cooking, the desert baking, and making sure everyone is happy that we forget about why we are having Christmas, we forget about the true meaning of Christmas. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life.

Here is a sweet poem I found;

The Perfect Gift

Some may think it’s presents, Others family.

Some may think its all about Putting up the tree.

But what I believe, I know is true:

He died for me and for you.

God sent His Son on Christmas Day,

To later leave, and take our sins away.

How could a Father give up His Son?,

Even though He became the Holy One.

His love so great and so true,

There’s nothing He wouldn’t do for you.

So when we celebrate this year,

Give plenty of love and joy and cheer.

But there’s one thing we mustn’t forget,

Jesus is the perfect Gift

~Emily Ulm

Christmas is about Gods promise of a Savior and the fulfillment of that promise. Christmas is about God showing us that His promises will always be fulfilled.

The prayer I have for all of us is that no one forgets what happened Christmas morning. No one forgets His promises and everyone understands that there is nothing He wouldn’t do for us.

Todays Prayer

Dear God, I praise you today with my whole heart. Everything that is in me says, “Praise You God!” I thank you for your tender mercy. I thank you for your love and provision. I thank you for forgiving all my sins. Forgive me for forgetting so easily. Truly Father, you are worthy of all my praise. I worship you now with praise and thanksgiving, In Jesus name.
AMEN

Lesson of The Week

Un-doubtabl Englands most well known preacher, Charles Spurgeon wrote; “I don’t which is more incredible, God’s faithfulness or man’s forgetfulness!” It is so easy to forget all that God has done for us. We get so preoccupied. Our lives get so crazy that we can go whole days, weeks, perhaps months without thanking God for His presence and provision. But today is a new day! Today we can say with David, “Let all that I am PRAISE THE LORD!” Today we can thank Him with our whole heart. Right now we can lift our eyes to heaven and shout, “Thank You God for all your blessings!” He forgives our sins. He crowns us with love and tender mercies! He fills our lives with good things. Stop and spend a moment thanking Him for all He is and has done for you.

Verse of the Day

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”
Psalms 103:1-5