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Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 18, 2010 at 9:13am
you are welcome PoiemaDei but I'm only sharing the seeds that are being sent my way through his grace
Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 18, 2010 at 9:08am
Grace for Today
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
"Give us this day our daily bread…"
(Matthew 6:11, NKJ).
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
God has grace in store for you every single day. Grace is His supernatural empowerment, His unmerited favor on your life. All throughout scripture, we see God giving daily grace, empowerment and provision to His people. For example, when the people of Israel were in the wilderness headed toward the Promised Land, God gave them manna each morning to eat. It would just appear on the ground. But, He specifically instructed them to gather up only enough for one day's supply. In fact, if they got more than that, it wouldn't last. It would spoil. They were learning to trust God's grace every single day.
In the same way, God doesn't give us grace for a year at a time or even a month at a time. No, every 24 hours God has a fresh, new supply of grace, favor, wisdom and forgiveness. How are you going to make it through the seasons of your life? One day at a time. Look for His grace today. Look for His provision today. Look for His hand of favor and blessing today because He promises to supply everything you need for today.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, thank You for Your grace and favor on my life today. I know that You have a fresh supply of everything that I need—physically, spiritually and emotionally—today. Help me to trust You more as I seek Your face. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Thanks, Alcedes, for that exhortation on the importance of thinking according to the mind of Christ. Let us pray that God by grace would awaken us to the awareness that we have the mind of Christ and with this the ability to think the thoughts of life and victory which God has given us in Christ.
"For 'Who has known the mind of the LORD, that he may instruct Him?' But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).
It is God's mighty weapons through which we demolish those contrary negative and depressing thoughts that come to us, His children. The mighty weapons of our warfare through God are far more powerful than human psychological power. It is operation of the power of the Spirit and mind of Christ in us.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV (4) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (5) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
God will help us in this battle if we come humbly to Him to obtain His mercy and find His grace to help us rather than struggle on our own to fight it.
Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 18, 2010 at 8:27am
Today's Word with Joel and Victoria
One Blessing after Another
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another"
(John 1:16, NIV).
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
God wants to pour out His blessing and favor upon you each and every day. It says in the Psalms that He daily loads us with benefits! So many people miss out on all that God has for them because they are weighted down by guilt and condemnation. But notice what today's verse tells us about where His blessings come from—the fullness of His grace.
God's grace is His unmerited favor. That means we can't earn it. We can't work for it, and we can't change His mind about it. He pours out His blessing on us not because of what we do, but because of who He is. His blessings are based on His goodness, not ours.
Today, receive His grace. Receive His forgiveness. Let go of guilt and condemnation. Open your heart and mind to what God wants to do in your life and get ready because He is pouring out His goodness upon you with one blessing after another!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, I choose to receive Your grace today which is Your supernatural empowerment. I release guilt and condemnation and receive Your love and forgiveness. Search my heart, O God. Renew me and cleanse me by Your Word. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 18, 2010 at 7:42am
Today's Word with Joel and Victoria
Renew Your Mind Daily
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"
(2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV).
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
So many people today are not really enjoying their lives because of the condition of their minds. They constantly dwell on negative, destructive, harmful thoughts. They don't realize it, but the root cause of many of their problems is simply the fact that their thought life is out of control. They just dwell on any thought that comes.
More than ever, we have to understand that our lives follow our thoughts. If you think negative thoughts, then you're going to live a negative life. If you think discouraging, hopeless thoughts, can't-do-it thoughts, mediocre thoughts, then your life is going to go down that exact same pathway. That's why we have to take captive every thought and renew our minds with the Word of God on a daily basis.
I want to challenge you today to think about what you're thinking about. Don't let those self-defeating thoughts linger in your mind. Instead, speak God's promises over your life. Declare what He says about you. Take captive every thought and renew your mind daily. As you do, you'll be empowered to move forward into the abundant life He has for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, today I choose to take captive every thought. I choose to renew my mind according to Your Word. Holy Spirit, thank You for being my teacher and helper. I invite You to direct me in the way that I should go. Help me fulfill my destiny. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Sandra, thanks for sharing this needed exhortation.
Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 9, 2010 at 12:29am
WOW HOPE THIS ENLIGHTEN ALL OR SOME AS IT DID ME,ALL GLORY GOES TO GOD THROUGH JESUS OUR BIG BROTHER AND HIGH PRIEST
Are you catching on now? Satan’s secret weapon is "unforgiveness and an absence of love!" Satan knows that if he can deceive us into harboring anger, bitterness, or grudges toward our fellow Christians, he can actually cause us to fall from the grace of God. The scripture says, "looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" (Heb. 12:15).
According to the Bible, it brings grief to the Holy Spirit if we will not forgive and love one another. The Apostle Paul said, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you" (Ephesians 4:30-32).
Is it really possible to lose one’s salvation by merely holding a grudge against someone? Jesus left no room for doubt on the subject. He clearly stated that we cannot have God’s forgiveness if we choose to withhold forgiveness toward others. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt 6:14-15).
It’s no wonder why Satan works so hard to stir up turmoil, and tries to keep us from forgiving and loving each other. If he can deceive us into harboring bitterness, he knows that we will exempt ourselves from God’s forgiveness of our sins, and will ultimately go to the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). The consequences of unforgiveness is reiterated in many scriptures: Matt. 18:21-35, Mark 11:25-26, Matt. 6:12, Luke 6:37, Luke 11:4.
The scriptures make it very clear that the person who withholds forgiveness in not right with God. Their prayers go unanswered, they lack the Lord’s joy and peace. They will usually mainfest a critical and judgmental attitude, along with a dissatisfaction with with the people and circumstances around them. They may blame their unhappiness on a variety of other things, but the problem lies within themselves -- they’re simply out of fellowship with the Lord.
Friends, it’s time to wise up and become aware of Satan’s most effective weapon! Many believers still seem to be ignorant of these tactics of the enemy. They coddle offenses and grudges as though they were "pets" to be fed and watered. There is probably nothing else that has been more devastating to the body of Christ than unforgiveness. It has split Churches, destroyed families, and ruined lives forever! No wonder Christ spent so much time on the subject.
Jesus taught that loving God and loving one another were the highest ideals of His followers (Luke 10:27). Love and forgiveness is the most basic standard of Christianity -- it is the mark of followers of Christ -- the highest display of spiritual maturity! Love is the evidence necessary to convict you as a true follower of Jesus Christ. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).
Wonderful contribution, Alcedes. We must distinguish between the nominal Church and true Church, the Body of Christ, whose members are personaly connected to Jesus Christ and manifest the life of Christ in words and deeds.
Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 7, 2010 at 1:59pm
SOMETHING I FOUND AND FELT IT SHOULD BE SHARE MAY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER USE IT TO HIS GLORY
The Church
The Church is nothing less then the body of Christ.
Every person, in every country, of every language and culture that calls Christ Lord is part of this body. Together, with all of our diversity of gifts and passions, we are connected to one another, growing together into maturity.
We need each other.
None of us individually or in a specific country holds the whole picture of Christ. No one way of worship or teaching or serving is the totality of Christ on earth. It is only with all the parts of the body operating fully in each area of the world that we are the fullness of Christ.
The Church Is
- alive
- THE way for believers to connect and grow to be like Christ
- the wisdom of God shown to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies (Eph 3:10)
- the pillar and support of truth (1 Tim 3:15)
- relationship of believers (1 Cor 16:19)
- many members, but one body (1 Cor 12:20
- a place to care for one another, suffering and honoring together (1 Cor 12 26)
- a place of love, forgiveness, encouragement, growth, and healing (Acts - Revelation)
- the source for outreach with the good news of Jesus Christ (Mt 28:18-20)
There is nothing else like the body of Christ - the church. In Him we are connected globally, spiritually, eternally. In Him gender, race, culture, wealth, and position are all equalized; all are brothers and sisters in Christ - the family of God.
The Church Is Not
- an institution
- a building
- a business
- a corporation
- programs
- a club
- rules and regulations
- a set format or structure
- religion
What many have come to call "the church" is not the church at all. It has become one or all of the above and that is not only not inviting, it is repulsive.
Many are leaving the institutional church discouraged, hurt and desperate to know God. An institution does not nourish. A religion is not the same as an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
As people leave the "church" (the institutions) we find that they are not leaving their search for God behind. They are still seeking after God because we were designed to long for Him.
A Call To BE The Church
When the church is acting like the church was intended, lives are transformed and the world gets the opportunity to see Christ lived out in the flesh. People are then drawn to Christ as they were when He walked the earth - they are drawn to the body of Christ.
It is said that if Christians acted like Christ, more people would want to join the church. People were drawn to Him because He loved them and offered them true life. That is the role and goal of the church - to love people with His love and bring them to the One who is Life.
When we DO and ARE what Christ was on the earth we are being the church - loving the downtrodden and setting the captives free - and making Christ known.
Comment by ALCEDES JONES on August 6, 2010 at 7:06pm
Romans 8
22We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now.(A)
23And not only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the firstfruits of the [Holy] Spirit [a foretaste of the blissful things to come] groan inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies [from sensuality and the grave, which will reveal] our adoption (our manifestation as God's sons).
24For in [this] hope we were saved. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what he already sees?
25But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure.
26So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
27And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.(B)
28We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
29For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was [b]aware and [c]loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.
30And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].
31What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?](C)
32He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?
33Who shall bring any charge against God's elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?]
34Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?
35Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?
36Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.(D)
37Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors [d]and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
38For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things [e]impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,
39Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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