Peacemakers

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

The world is turbulent and loud.  Full of sounds of hate and me against you and us against them.  This is not how it should be.  God desires unity, love and peace.  God tells us the children of God are the peacemakers.  We can be them bridge of love and sanity by loving our enemies and blessing those who persecute us.  

We are not doormats, but rather those who stand in the gap praying that more love and understanding abounds.  We don’t have to respond the way the works does, but the way our Father commands with peace ( Romans 12:18).

Father there are a lot of sides, but may we stand on your side.  The side of truth, love, and peace.  Let us be reconciled to our neighbors and walk in unity.  May the mistrust dissipate.  Help us to be peacemakers.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Glory to God

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.~1 Timothy 1:17


God is sovereign.  He is eternal.  He was, is, and will be forevermore God.  He can not be seen with the human eye.  He is the only God.  He is to be honored and receive glory forever and ever.

Sometimes I’m guilty of focusing so much on what God does for me that I forget to focus on Who He is and ascribe to Him the proper worship that is due to Him.  I am grateful for all His blessings, but what if God did nothing for me would I still praise Him?  He still is God.  He is still the one who sits on the throne.

The fact is He already has done so much by just allowing me to live and praise the Creator.  You can’t get around His goodness and faithfulness.  So I worship You Lord and give you all of the glory, honor, and praise.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for another opportunity to say thank You.  I thank You for being such a good God.  I praise You for your Holiness and overflowing grace and love.  You sit on the throne and You reign.  You are Alpha and Onega.  You are the risen King and I love You.  In Jesus name. Amen

Encouragement from Jesus

8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.~Revelation 3:8

There is nothing better than encouragement from Jesus Christ Himself. In the third chapter of Revelation he tells the church of Philadelphia that he sees their deeds an He is opening a door that no one can shut.  He knows that they have little strength, but they have kept His word and not denied His name.

These words of of encouragement to the church of Philadelphia speak to me and are for my fellow believers today.  It may not feel like You are doing much, but You are keeping the faith.  Faith pleases God(Hebrews 11:6).  He is not asking us to have a lot, but just a little strength knowing He will supply the rest.   I take comfort in knowing that He sees me.  He sees me putting one foot in front of the other every day; walking by faith.  I have not denied Him and I keep His word.  

A door to Him is open before me.  A door to grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  A door to provision and the blessings of God and this door the enemy can not shut.  What a blessing.  What love.  What encouragement to keep on walking with the Lord because He sees me.

Lord, I thank You for your rebukes and words of encouragement.  I thank You for your love and the door that You open.  May I fellowship with You and receive strength.  May I obey Your word and treasure it in my heart.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Wake up

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ~Revelation 3:2

I feel like God is speaking to me.  Wake up!  Don’t sleep through this life.  I have you days to use them for my glory.   You are falling asleep at the wheel as you ha e been lulled into complacency.  Wake up, before it’s too late.  

I have had several friends pass in the last two years.  Young people, gone too soon.  So it is a blessing that I am still here and I know that there is more that I should be doing.  There should be a greater intimacy between me and my Savior.  My work of knowing Him more each day is unfinished.  The fruit from abiding Him, His Spirit, is not coming forth.

What do I do?  I go to the only One who saves.  I seek His face.  I beg for a fresh anointing., I ask for an awakening of my spirit as His Spirit breathes life into me.  I don’t give up, but rather take heed of His message and I trust Him to complete the work that He started in me ( Philippians 1:6).  I breathe in His love, mercy and grace and I keep on running this race.

Lord, You know my heart.  Remove the dross.  Remove anything that would keep me from being vibrant for you.  Help me to strengthen what remains so that I may offer it unto you. In Jesus name.  Amen

Direct my steps

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.~Psalm 119:133

This is my prayer and plea.  That God be the one who directs my steps and orders my day.  That I walk within His will.  That I walk humbly with my God and that no sin rule over me.  I don’t want to be a slave to sin, but to Christ alone.  My King is Jesus and I want to serve in His Kingdom.

So Lord I ask that Your Spirit fall fresh on me.  That You anoint my thoughts and steps.  May I stay true to Your Word that I might not sin against thee.  Write it on my heart and may meditate on it day and night.   May I not turn to the left or right, but only go as You direct me to go.  May I trust You with all of my heart and serve You with a willing spirit.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Hold on

Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’~Revelation 2:24-25

Verse 25 tells us to hold on to what we have until He comes.  Hold on to your faith.  Hold on to your hope and belief in the One who saves.  Hold on to God with everything you have.  This verse reminds me of an old song that says “hold on and pray on just a little while longer and everything will be alright.”

The world would have us compromise the truth for a lie.  But we must hold on to the truth of God.  We must not give in, but stand up and apart with integrity.  It’s not always easy, but He has told us to hold on to what we have.  We have Jesus and He is the difference.

When I think about this verse I sometimes think I don’t have much, but my little faith means a whole lot to God and He stretches it to go a long way.  So hold on.  Don’t loose hope.  God is with You and He is coming back.   It won’t always be this way.  A  better day is coming so i will keep holding on and cling to my faith.

Father, I don’t have much but I know You to be a multiplier.  So help me to hold on until your return.  Let me run this race until the end.  In Jesus name.  Amen

In His Care

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.~Matthew 10:29-31

This verse gives me great comfort.  It says that not even the sparrow falls outside of His care.  There is an old hymn that says His eye on the sparrow and I know He watches me.  Sparrows were not worth much, but God has His eyes on them.  He tells us that we are worth more than many sparrows so we don’t have to be afraid.  I don’t have to be afraid because I am in my Father’s care.

That is a blessing to know that God is watching over me.  I don’t need to worry or fret, but trust in His divine care for me. He is interceding first me (Romans 8:34).  Right now Jesus is speaking to the Father about me.  There is nothing hidden from Him.  So I can talk to Him as He talks to the Father.  I am in His care.

Lord, thank You for providing me the perfect word at the perfect time.  Let it feed my soul.  In Jesus name.  Amen