Month: October 2010

Be One Who Fellowships with Believers

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, Encourage, Love, Motivate, WorksLeave a comment

A Quality of a Mature, Reproducing Disciple of Jesus Christ

 

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Hebrews 10:24–25, Ephesians 2:19-22

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

  1. Hebrews 10:24-25 ~ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
  2. Ephesians 2:19-22 ~ That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

  1. I see two things in these two verses that speak to my heart this morning:
    1. Motivate One Another – Often we are so busy talking to our friends about someone that I find this idea of ‘Motivating One Another to Acts of Love and Good Works’ to be such an excellent, life-changing idea. Not only will that help me to do something positive and constructive, but it will be extremely difficult for me to backbite, or belittle someone that I am trying hard to motivate in the manner described here.
    2. Encourage One Another – If someone (another disciple) was to come alongside me and encourage/motivate me in a manner described above, especially when I was feeling down and out and out of touch with the body of Christ, I believe that it would get me back on the right track. I believe that one reason the writer chose to recognize the point about neglecting to meet together is because when we are out of fellowship with other Christians, we find it difficult to meet together with them for worship. Instead of us jumping to conclusions about why they are not in church, perhaps if we chose to encourage them and motivate them to a healthy relationship with God and His people then they might see that our hearts are in the right place and that we truly want to see them on fire for God.
  2. Some of us came to Christ from very different, sometimes very opposite backgrounds. In these verses we are taught that God is using us all in building the kingdom. Wow, this is so powerful! When we consider that God is using us, and He is using that brother or sister that we work alongside of in Sunday School, or at Fall Festival or at any function, to fit together into building His temple, why would we not do all within our power to get along with that person, and to motivate that person into love and good works? In our marriage we would do this in order to build a strong and stable marriage, all the more we should be doing this on a daily basis to build a strong and stable kingdom and to show a lost world that we are Christians by our love and good works.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, this idea of Fellowshipping with Believers (other brothers and sisters who have the same Father – Jesus Christ) has taken on a whole new perspective as I was reminded about the content of these scripture verses. Please help me to dedicate myself daily to motivate my brother and my sister to acts of love and good works, and to encourage them to never neglect the opportunities we have to meet together in Your name. Thank You for reminding me that Your kingdom is much bigger than just me, so it is extremely important that I fit together with all those that have this common purpose and commitment. I acknowledge that I often have a desire to fellowship with other believers, please help me to take that desire to a whole new level as I look more to their needs and to encourage them in their walk for Christ. Father, I want to be just like You, and You were often accused for fellowshipping with those that were sometimes frowned upon by the self proclaimed ‘righteous’ of that day. Please help me to fellowship with any who You would direct me to for love, motivation and encouragement. Please send other disciples to my side, as You often do, to help keep me strong and on the right track for being effective in Your ministry.

One Who Reflects Christ

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Facial Expression, Fruit of the Spirit, Love, Love God, Love your Neighbor, Obedience, TruthfulLeave a comment

A Quality of a Mature, Reproducing Disciple of Jesus Christ

 

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Eph. 4:15, 2 Cor. 3:18, Gal. 5:22–23, Matt. 22:37–39

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

  1. Truthful – Ephesians 4:15 ~ Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head
  2. Facial Expression – 2 Corinthians 3:18 ~ So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord’s Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.
  3. Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23 ~
    But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
  4. Love God and Neighbors – Matthew 22:37-39 ~ And He replied to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

  1. Truthful – Our love for, and respect of, the One that we serve, Jesus, should force us to be like, and do just like, Jesus. He always told the truth and so should we. Then according to this verse, we will be more complete in growing to be more like Jesus, our Savior and soon coming King.
  2. Facial Expression – I believe that if my mind is centered on the glorious Savior that I love and adore and who blesses me so immensely every day, then my heart will be overjoyed and my face will surely express that joy that I feel. As a child I sang a chorus ‘I have the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart’, and having that kind of joy in my heart should always reflect in my facial expression. It is almost impossible to have the ‘joy, joy, joy, joy’ in my heart, but yet a sour/unhappy expression on my face. This verse says that having this type of joy to where it is expressed on our faces, makes us more like our glorious Lord!
  3. Fruit of the Spirit – I love how the writer says that there is no law against any of these fruit being expressed in and through us, and what is amazing is that even today there is still no law against reflecting these character qualities. These are qualities of Jesus our Savior. These are fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. If we struggle with any of these, I believe that we need to go back to the cross and make sure that everything is right in that decision that we thought we first made, because I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit will mess up in not reflecting the ‘fruit’ qualities.
  4. Love God and Neighbors – I love the way that the Amplified Bible emphasizes that our love for God is the first, the great, most important and principal commandment! Wow, that really sums it up on where our allegiance belongs! Of course, additional emphasis is on loving God with everything we have within us – heart, soul and mind. But the later part of this Scripture goes even deeper, because it says that we should similarly love our neighbor (those that we come into contact with daily – those that we should be neighborly to). I believe that this is a lot more challenging, because these ‘neighbors’ sometimes lie, backbite, or even try to harm us, yet God says in His Word that we must love them with all of our heart, soul and mind, in the same way that we love Him and strive to be a reflection of Him.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

All of the above are very tall orders dear God, and I acknowledge today that I can only accomplish these with Your love, strength and guidance. I want to reflect You though my every word and action. Please be my constant guide and director each and every day. Please give me strength and determination to reflect You in every circumstance. Lord, may my life be fallow ground in which Your Holy Spirit will find freedom to reflect all the Fruit of the Spirit, so that You may receive honor and glory.

Work ‘Til Jesus Comes

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, Obedience, Reaching the Lost, Share God’s Word, Work Til Jesus ComesLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Acts 1

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Acts 1:20-21 ~ …It also says, “Let someone else have his job.” So we need someone else to help us tell others that Jesus has been raised from death.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In these verses Peter is quoting something from the book of Psalms, in reference to the job left vacant by Judas after he died. Today I will be attending the visitation of a saint who recently died. She and her husband have been active workers in the church ever since I could remember attending the local church. The question becomes, who will take her place? It is so easy for us to sit back and watch the work being done. It is so easy for us to quickly find excuses why we shouldn’t be busy about God’s work, and why we believe that God was not speaking to us when He said that “Now is the day of salvation” and that we should do all we can to spread the gospel and the love of Jesus. Am I doing all that I can in the work of the local church? Is there something else that God would have me do for His glory and edification?

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

I pray that God will raise up new workers for the local church and a new level of commitment. I pray that God will direct me to the work that He can most effectively achieve His purpose through what I might do. I pray for guidance not to accept ‘Positions’ just for the sake of seeing positions filled, but knowing that God will achieve His purpose through anything that I might commit to. I pray for those who have sat on the sidelines and watched others work diligently for the kingdom, that they will rise up and commit to the Master to work diligently until the day He calls them home. I pray that ‘

I Pledge Allegiance…

On By Ed AlgreenIn Allegiance to the Lamb, Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, Obedience, Reaching the Lost, Righteousness, Thank You Jesus, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Acts 1

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Acts 1:6-8 ~ While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?” Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.”

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Back when the apostles first received this command, we are to understand that this was a future statement intended not just for the apostles but for all on whom the Spirit of God falls. Later in Scripture we are taught that the Spirit comes upon all who seek forgiveness of sin and call upon the name of Jesus as Lord (Christians). The church as we know it today is made up of Christians, therefore the command that was given to the apostles and to all on whom the Spirit falls, is to tell everyone about Jesus. Are we successful in following that command today? I’m sure that we can easily look upon ourselves and quickly respond that we could be doing a whole lot more. However, it seems to me like Luke is telling us that to those on who the Holy Spirit falls, they will be given power, and they will then tell everyone about Jesus. So I believe that the question this morning is not how well are we doing at spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but more along the lines of, how is our relationship with the Father? Have you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior? If you have – are you maturing a relationship with Him and giving Him full reign of Your life so that His Holy Spirit might use you to tell everyone about His love and saving grace? To be a citizen of this country, one must swear allegiance to the country and could therefore become eligible to represent this country in battle. Have you sworn allegiance to the Maker of the Universe, the King of all kings, your Creator, so that through His Holy Spirit He might find you eligible to represent Him before a lost and dying world, a battle against the foes of this world?

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

In Your Word you have told us that You sometime use the ‘foolishness of preaching’ to reach the lost. In this passage You have shared through Luke that You will give us the power of Your Holy Spirit and use us (Christians) to share the love of Christ with a lost world. Father, I feel so unworthy of such an honor, but I dare not question You. Thank You for giving me the liberty of representing You to the lost. May I never be a stumbling block to the work of Your Holy Spirit. May I represent You well so that those that I speak to or have dealings with will witness the love of the Father, and have an uncontrollable desire to want to know You as Lord and Savior. Thank You for convicting me of my sin and finding me worthy to use as Your instrument in this wicked world.

Our Reaction to God’s Word

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Bible Believing, Christian, Follow Jesus, God’s Word, ObedienceLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Nehemiah 8; Acts 1

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Nehemiah 8:9 ~ And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of them, This day is holy to the Lord your God; mourn not nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

We have heard the saying ‘We have come a long way baby’ and I believe that we always think of that as ‘progress’ or ‘improvement’ over things that our ancestors dealt with (plagues, premature infant deaths, no electric power, no powered stoves, etc), however this passage opened my eyes to how hardened to the Word of God we have become also. For many of us, the only time we hear the Word of God read is in church, yet we just about fall asleep while it is read, and we very much take it for granted that it is not meant to reveal our weaknesses or fault or sin, but merely telling stories about the sin of others many, many years ago. Friend, the more I study God’s Word the more I understand how alive it is, and how applicable it is today. You see, when we serve a risen, living God, then when He speaks to us through His Word, of course it is intended to speak to us in very relevant terms to meet our needs today. God wants His very best for His people today – that means He wants His very best for me and for anyone else who reads His Word today! Let’s put on the whole armor of God today, His Word, so that we may be best prepared to face the challenges of the devil and all challenges that will face us out in this wicked world in which we live. Remember, ‘

In Appreciation!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, Obedience, Praise, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Nehemiah 8; Acts 1

OBSERVATION

Nehemiah 8:5-6 ~ Ezra was up on the high platform, where he could be seen by everyone, and when he opened the book, they all stood up. Ezra praised the great LORD God, and the people shouted, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped the LORD.

APPLICATION

In the chapter before, the story is relayed about the people who returned from exile to Jerusalem and how they were called together so that Nehemiah could do a roll call. In this chapter the people were gathered at the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra, the high priest, to open the Law of Moses and read it to them, and the verses above give the rest of the detail. While I know that they had a lot to be thankful for, I am sure that God’s children today has equally as much to be thankful for. However I find it shocking how so many will allow the slightest excuse to keep them from God’s house on Sunday. Then, I find that so many will attend church but appear to be in a frozen state – either to be resurrected by the singing or hoping that the preacher will perform well. When last have we automatically stood to our feet when the Word of God was opened, or when have we bowed with our faces to the ground and worshipped the God of the universe in thanksgiving for all that He has done for us? We (Christians) were a people destined for hell, yet our loving Savior died on a cross that we may have life and have it more abundantly in Him. We know many friends or family sick or in hospital, yet in God’s love and grace He has seen fit to give us good health to enjoy each and every day. We should be like the people of Ezra’s day and be ready to stand and welcome the Word of God for hours on end. We should be in a constant mode of worship, and in respect to our Holy God, bow our heads to the ground or even lie prostrate on the ground as we petition before our God. People, friends, family, let us look for opportunities to hear the Word of God and give thanks to the Almighty, and let’s not wait until we are forced to do so because of circumstances that we might find ourselves in.

PRAYER

I pray that You will not have to force us to a position of where we find ourselves pleading at Your feet dear God, but that we might become a people who look forward to hearing Your Word. I pray that we might always be conscious of all that You did for us, and all that You do for us every day, so that we may be a people of praise and thanksgiving. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, please help me to be constant in Your Word and look for every opportunity to learn more about You so that I may become more and more like You every day. Thank You for who You are and for all that You do in love and compassion towards me. You are an awesome God, my Savior, my Redeemer and my Friend, and I am eternally thankful to be Your son!

Be Honest with Yourself and God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Honesty, Purity, Righteousness, TruthLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 1 John 1 

OBSERVATION

1 John 1:8-10 ~ If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].

APPLICATION

I believe that as long as God allows us to stay here on this earth we will be tempted to, and often commit sin. However we are to quickly confess that sin to the Father and seek His forgiveness and His ongoing strength and wisdom to overcome that sin. I believe that in refusing to admit that we have sinned, we place ourselves in a position much like an unfaithful spouse who will suffer facing their partner honestly, in true love and trying to have a faithful and honest relationship with them. So it will be with us facing the Father and having any type of honest relationship with Him. In fact, it will be worse, because in the case of an unfaithful spouse their partner may not know that they have been unfaithful, but in our unfaithfulness to God, He knows and sees ALL things. So we may as well go to Him in true honesty, admit our sin and seek His forgiveness so that we may resume the relationship that He desires of us. God’s Word declares that as we go to Him and seek His forgiveness, He is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sin. Let’s keep that relationship open, pure, honest and true so that God may cleanse us of all unrighteousness and therefore resume a right relationship with Him.

PRAYER

Father, I want to be able to face You in all honesty and truth at all times. Please help me to be honest with myself and seek out the things that might ever separate me from Your love and Your mercy. You made such a sacrifice to offer a means for me to keep a honest and true relationship with You, please help me to always be faithful to You and to seek Your face daily, allowing Your Holy Spirit to work deeply in my heart so that I may confess my sin before You and live a life worthy of representing You to a lost and dying world. You are Holy, True, Righteous, Loving, Pure and Forgiving. I want to be more like You every day, so I must seek ways to have each of these characteristics prominent in my life so that You may have a right relationship with me and help me to be a witness to others seeking the same.

Let’s be Light and Life to a Dark and Dying World

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, Follow Jesus, Righteousness, Share God’s WordLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 1 John 1 

OBSERVATION

1 John 1:5-6 ~ This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

APPLICATION

John actually went very deep in this short chapter. When he described God as light, we should actually understand the difference between light and darkness to best catch the implication here. I will illustrate this in two columns to give a good picture:

In Light

In darkness

Truth – 1:6,8; 2:21

Falsehood – 1:6,8

Love – 3:21; 4:7-12

Hatred – 1:9; 3:13,15; 4:20

Righteousness – 1:9; 2:1,29; 3:7

Impurity – 1:7,9

Eternal Life – 1:2; 2:17,25

Fear – 4:18

Hope – 3:3

Sinfulness – 2:16

Purity – 1:7,9; 3:3

  

Confidence – 2:28; 3:31; 4:17

  

I believe that we can see more clearly that God is everything described under ‘Light’, and that He has no qualities listed under ‘Darkness’. John is saying to those of us that have a personal relationship with Jesus, that we are to walk in such a way that our character/life reflects only the qualities listed under ‘Light’, otherwise we are fooling ourselves and not practicing the truth. We are being a phony/hypocrite to a world that needs to see Jesus/Light in us, because in many cases this is the only Bible that they read. We (our character qualities) may be all the sinner may know or learn about Jesus. Let’s not be a stumbling block for the advancement of the kingdom!

PRAYER

Father, You know all about us. You know when we are about to fall and You know when we are down already. I want to represent all the qualities that You have shown me in Your Word that describe Your perfect character. You know already how difficult and challenging this is for Your children that live in a world where there is so much darkness, but I am assured today that You have the power to see Your child represent You well to the lost and dying of this world, and in order to do that I must be a great example of Yours each and every day. May I be guilty of reflecting Your characteristics today, especially to a world that will reflect so much of the character of ‘darkness’. I believe that it is clear in Your Word that You will not fellowship with ‘darkness’, I pray that I will walk in the ‘Light’, as You are the Light!

May our Joy Be Complete Today!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, God Reigns, Righteousness, Share God’s Word, TestifyLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 1 John 1 

OBSERVATION

1 John 1:1-4 ~ [WE ARE writing] about the Word of Life [in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands. And the Life [an aspect of His being] was revealed (made manifest, demonstrated), and we saw [as eyewitnesses] and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life [in Him] Who already existed with the Father and Who [actually] was made visible (was revealed) to us [His followers]. What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). And we are now writing these things to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be full [and your joy may be complete].

APPLICATION

I wonder what writings our children and grandchildren will marvel over, from our time on earth? This is truly amazing in reading the faith of John and the boldness in which he shared about the relationship he had with Jesus Christ. Yes, I know that our children will still have the same Word of God to study and be blessed from, and I know that there is no alternative to the Word of God, but if we have a testimony to share at church or with our co-workers, I believe that it would be great to write that down so that our family can one day read through that and be encouraged, and receive strength from it. I believe that current information about ways that God is moving in His people today and using us to accomplish His will, goes a whole lot further in helping our loved ones realize that God didn’t die after He spoke to the writers of the Bible, but that He goes on working in the lives of folk that they know also. In fact, they’ll be tempted to place their faith in God realizing that just as He worked in dad’s life, I bet that He will work in mine also. While I believe that sharing my thoughts about Scripture in my devotionals with friends on the internet, I also believe that this serves as a book for my family to read about how active God has been in my life, and how relevant He is still in our lives today. In the latter part of this passage John says that he wrote these things knowing that it would help others to surrender to Jesus (so that they would be included in the kingdom) and therefore he (John) would be filled with more joy. I continually pray that as God blesses me in my devotion time, and I share it through this medium, that He would use this so that He might be glorified by the decisions of others reading this. Feel free to copy this (SOAP) format for your quiet time in the Word. Whether you share it with others is entirely up to you, but I believe that writing/typing your thoughts will help you to express your understanding and feelings before God. God spoke to people like John, and I truly believe that He still speaks to us today through His divine Word. Meditate on it daily and let God speak to you!

PRAYER

Thank You for Your Word Lord Jesus. Thank you for the relevance of it, for the truths contained in it and for the direction given to each of us that read it. May You be glorified by each of us that are blessed from reading it. May we be bold in our witness to others. May we freely share with others when we feel You have been active in our lives, so that they may be encouraged to keep reading Your Word, praying to You, sharing their faith and depending on You daily in their personal lives. I know that You are very much alive and active in my life. Please help me to encourage someone else today so that they may also know that You are available to all that have accepted You and have a personal relationship with You.

Do You Truly Represent Jesus?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Follow Jesus, Humility, Obedience, Repentance, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Luke 14 

OBSERVATION

Luke 14:34-35 ~ Salt is good, but if it no longer tastes like salt, how can it be made to taste salty again? It is no longer good for the soil or even for the manure pile. People simply throw it out. If you have ears, pay attention!

APPLICATION

Jesus had just explained to the crowds following Him what it really meant to be a disciple. Linked very closely with that explanation, He wanted them to know that He was also concerned about those who decide to follow Him and then fall by the wayside. In an earlier devotional I discussed how some may make a decision for Christ, and once they feel like ‘their ticket is punched for heaven’ then they return back to their old ways. Jesus said in these verses that when someone does something like this they are no good for anything. Taking that into account, I feel like we can deduce that fellow Christians would turn their backs on someone like that because they have defaulted on a decision that Christians thought they were serious/sincere about. To their old friends that knew them as they were, imagine how they must be looking at them and saying “you only thought that you were looking for a different life, now you want us to trust you and accept you back into our lives? Go away, for we can’t trust you”. We would truly be of no real value to either group because we can’t get our hearts and souls on one side of the fence or the other. Another verse says, let our “yeahs be yeah and our nays be nay”, in other words when we are led to making a decision and we make it, stick to it and give it all you can. Jesus is looking for folk who accept the gift that He has given to us, and to live a life dedicated to Him. This will not only bring honor to God, but allow the individual to shine in the eyes of those that see a changed life so that they too may see the need for changing their lives. I believe that God is looking for ‘Followers’ or ‘Disciples’ not just folk that make decisions and make no commitment to live up to that decision.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus I thank You for Your Holy Spirit that You have given to guide me and be with me each and every day, to help me overcome those obstacles that may otherwise trip me up and cause me to walk in ways that are not pleasing to You. Please continue to help me be a warrior for You, a shining light and example to others. Help me to never be a stumbling block to another, and please help me to always honor my commitments and decisions. Please direct me so that I will always be effective in my witness to others, allowing Your light to be evident in anything I may say or do. May