 |
|
 |
||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
|
Devotional for June 30-
He’s Standing Guard “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 7 NIV In my neighborhood, I look around from house to house and see signs that say, “Protected by ADT” or some other sort of alarm company. When walking into stores, you can here the varying beeps of cars that indicate the alarm system has been armed. As individuals, we look for ways to feel safe and know that our possessions are protected as well. If we were not concerned about protecting ourselves, those we love, and our material goods, then we would not take the time to invest our money or time in gadgets that give us a sense of safety. Yet, we miss a very vital point. These items are just things. They do not have the ability to safe guard our hearts or minds. They can’t give peace. If they could, why do you still have people jumping at little sounds in their houses even with an alarm system? That is because only our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is able to grant us the peace that alarms can’t do. When we allow ourselves to know intimately the peace of God, then we allow ourselves to receive the tranquility which releases us from fear and worry. To the natural mind, it doesn’t make sense to be calm when the doctors have said that you have cancer. To the natural mind, it doesn’t make sense to still have hope when your spouse walks out the door. To the natural mind, it doesn’t make sense to be encouraged even when all those around you say that it can’t be done. That is why the peace of God exceeds our natural minds ability to understand how we could receive divine peace when all chaos is breaking loose around us. As we receive Godly given peace, we are free from the bondage of guilt, fear, worry, and anxiety through our prayer lives. So how do we receive this peace that Christ offers freely? We receive it through prayer and supplication. In seeking God during our prayer time, Paul states that the peace of God guards ours hearts and minds. Why is this important? The enemy tries to use our trials as a tool to cause us to become bitter, suspicious, and unforgiving. All issues of the heart. In addition, he wants to make us think ungodly thoughts or feel as if we are going crazy, literally. Also, all issues of the mind. Through His peace, Christ is standing guard, protecting our hearts so that it may remain open to his direction. God is standing guard shielding our hearts and minds from the darts of anxiety, worry, shame, fear, doubt, difficulty, and disappointment. If you find that you are walking with the weights of any of those things, seek Christ in prayer and allow him to grant you with the peace that surpasses all understanding. Prayer My God, thank you for being Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. My God of peace. You are there, willingly, to stand guard over my heart and mind if I would choose to allow you in those areas of my life. Lord I pray that nothing is off limits to you. I choose not to carry the weight of doubt, fear, shame, anxiety, guilt, or worry. I choose to come to you laying all of it at your feet knowing that you promise to give me peace in the midst of my trials. Help me not to look at my situations with my natural eyes, but to see through my spiritual eyes. Let the words that come out of my mouth speak life to my situations and not death. Thank you that you have equipped me with the faith that I need to walk the path you have created for me. I love you Lord and I give you all praises and glory. In Jesus name, Amen. Suggested Weekly Monday Philippians 4: 1-7 Tuesday 1 Peter 1: 5-6 Wednesday John Thursday Colossians Friday Romans Saturday Isaiah 26: 3 Sunday John Application This week, whenever you find yourself without peace, seek God in prayer where ever you may be to ask him to grant you the peace that surpasses all understanding. About the author: As a wife, mother, educator, daughter, friend, I, Minister Mamie L. Pack, seek to be an accessible tool to the Lord. It is my desire to use my gifting of writing to reach the lost, encourage the believer, and teach the people through the Word of Jesus Christ. Devotional for
Desiring Freedom “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1: 25 NIV Often I have heard in church when I was a babe in Christ, that Christ came to free us from the bondage of sin. It wasn’t until much later on in my walk with Christ that I really knew what that meant. Bondage, in biblical terms, simply means a spiritual attachment. Now that may not sound like much until you gain the revelation of what has been attached to you all these years. When I first started growing in Christ, I gained the revelation that the spirit of control, manipulation, and dishonesty were spirits I was all too familiar with. I had lived with these spirits for so long, that I didn’t even realize that they had attached themselves to me and became all too common place. It wasn’t until I began being taught, studying the Word of Christ, going to Christ in prayer, and applying His word in my life that I gained the revelation that I was in bondage. Thankfully, I had the tools that Christ gave each of us to be free of the ungodly spirits that seek to devour and destroy us all. James understood that by having a relationship with Christ, we can be free of every sin and demonic spirit. To often, believers are going to church to get hyped up but leave the sanctuary with no power. Receiving the Word is but one piece to receiving freedom in Christ. James admonishes us that the believer, who receives the teaching of Christ, should not forget what he/she has heard. The believer is challenged to take the teachings of Christ and apply it to every area of his/her life. When, we, as believers, apply the word; then we shall be blessed. It is nice to compliment the pastor or speaker for a job well done after a message has been preached, but it is more effectual to receive and apply the word to your life. Christ’s desire is for us to life a life of freedom in Him. Many of us want to be free of the weight of the guilt, shame, dishonesty, or sexual sins we carry, but are not willing to do the work that is required for this to take place. If your desire truly is to be free, then: 1. Be willing to be taught: Christ gave us pastors, elders, teachers, ministers, preachers, evangelists, prophets and apostles to teach us the Word and for the perfecting of the saints. In order to fully grow, then you must be willing to stay humbly submitted to God and submit yourself under the authority of Godly leadership. 2. Pray: Some things only come by prayer and fasting. Prayer is your personal connection with God. Nothing is off limits when we are praying to Him. 3. Study the Word on a regular basis: Set time aside throughout your week to read and study your Bible. You cannot apply what you do not know. 4. Repent: Confess your sins to the Lord and repent. God is just and willing to forgive us, all we need to do is ask. 5. Apply: The Word says to tithe, so tithe. The Word says to not gossip, so don’t. Apply the Word to every area of your life. When in doubt, see what The Bible says about it. Prayer Awesome and loving father, thank you for providing the Word as a light to my path. I know that I am able to seek your guidance for any area of my life. I realize that you came and died for me so that I would be free from the bondage of sin. Please help me to have a submissive spirit so that I may be willing to be taught by those you have called in ministry leadership. Guide me so that my prayer life may be increased and that I have a desire to study and apply your word in every area of my life. Thank you that you created me to be a doer and I choose to apply your Word through my actions. Forgive me of my sins and the times I have chosen to do other things instead of spend time with you. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, Amen. Suggested Weekly Monday James Tuesday John Wednesday Romans 8: 2 Thursday 1 Peter Friday Matthew Saturday Luke Sunday James Application Take time to be taught, pray, study, repent and apply the Word in your life. All praise reports are welcomed of your growth and walk in Christ. About the author: As a wife, mother, educator, daughter, friend, I, Minister Mamie L. Pack, seek to be an accessible tool to the Lord. It is my desire to use my gifting of writing to reach the lost, encourage the believer, and teach the people through the Word of Jesus Christ.
Devotional for By Minister Mamie Pack Topic of Study: Radiating Joy “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17: 22 KJV When I was younger, whenever I would start to stress, I would feel it throughout my entire body. I would begin to have severe stomach pains, my head would ache, and I would become completely drained. This would go on for several hours. During those times, I was emotional, cutting with my words, and just not a pleasant person to be around. The sad part was that I was unable to see myself. I didn’t know that my internal problems were causing external reactions to those that I was around. But when I had a cheerful spirit, everything was completely different. I would want to be affectionate; I had a willing ear to listen; I felt invigorated. This is what it is like to live a life with the freedom of spiritual joy. When we have joy given by the Holy Spirit, it radiates on everything around us. We can’t help but to smile. A merry heart is one that is free to cheerfully serve the Lord, rejoices in Christ, and enjoys the journey that Christ has set before them. Sometimes in our effort to live holy, we make it seem like it is such a sad, arduous task. We walk around so serious, solemn, and rigid, but Christ did not intend for us to live this life in a solemn manner. He wants us to enjoy the life that He has given us within the realms of his commandments. He says that he wants us to be cheerful givers. He says that he wants us to serve him with gladness. God intended for us to have joy in all situations. That is why, when we are cheerful, we have more energy, more strength, more willingness to serve. Yet, a person with a spirit broken, or in bondage, to depression, anger, vanity, carnality, bitterness or sin impacts the mind, the spirit, and the body. This is actually poison to the body. The negativity that spreads infects not just our physical body’s ability to function, but it also infects the relationships we have with others. It hinders us from being able to rejoice in the blessings of others. It hinders us from being able to speak life over our marriage, children, or church. It hinders us from receiving all that God has for us. Please note that the author stated that a merry heart is like medicine. Why do people take medicine to begin with? We take it because we have some sort of illness or affliction. Having a merry heart, or a joyful spirit in the Lord, is the medicine to cure the afflictions of our spirits. We just must choose to allow Christ to heal us of whatever may ail us. I encourage you this week to allow the joy of the Lord to be the medicine you need to cure all of your afflictions. Prayer Lord, I am so very thankful that you are a healer. Thank you for coming into my life to heal me of all the areas of my life that kept me in bondage and afflicted. I now know that you intend me to live a life full of your joy. I choose to surrender all that I am and all that I have to you for your will. Help me to be a joy to all of those that I meet. I love you Lord, in Jesus name, Amen. Suggested Weekly Monday Proverbs Tuesday Proverbs Wednesday Isaiah 50: 4 Thursday Proverbs Friday Jeremiah 31: 25 Saturday Psalm Sunday Proverbs Application This week make a conscious choice to have a cheerful heart in everything you do. About the author: As a wife, mother, educator, daughter, friend, I, Minister Mamie L. Pack, seek to be an accessible tool to the Lord. It is my desire to use my gifting of writing to reach the lost, encourage the believer, and teach the people through the Word of Jesus Christ. Click here for other writings available at the author's blog www.LifeINowLive.blogspot.com
Seeking Him “But seek ye first the I cannot count how many times I have read this scripture or the numerous messages that I have heard, but this week it truly spoke to me. You could say that I am a life long learner. I have spent most of my life in some form of formal education fine tuning and tweaking various aspects of my knowledge. Even now, I am working toward earning my PhD in Education. As I continued to grow in Christ, I gained the revelation that some characteristics that I thought were just “Mamie” were actually the giftings that Christ designed me to have. The schooling just helped. However, it has always been easy for me to rely on my talent to speak, to write, to interact with others that I have often forgotten to seek God’s guidance and direction. My flesh would flare up and I would just go about doing my tasks without taking the time to talk to God. It is the spirit of pride, of arrogance that has plagued many in my family that I recognized that must be dealt with. The only way to put my flesh under subjection was by going back to God. Here in Matthew, Jesus gives us insight on how we are to prioritize our lives. We are to seek God first. For me, this meant to seek God in prayer for direction and humble myself to His will. It is my desire to use my giftings for His glory and not for vain recognition. God does not want us more concerned about anyone or anything else before Him. Our relationship with Him must come first. Then we are to seek his righteousness. When we do this, God promises to provide for all of our cares. In seeking Him, we are able to develop an ear to hear His voice prompting us, guiding us, correcting us through the Holy Spirit. The less we seek Him, the harder it is to hear Him. We all have areas in our lives that are easy for us to take for granted because we have always had it. We forget that it is a gift to be used to God’s glory. You see each day we have a choice in seeking Him in every area of our lives. Just because writing may come easy for me, it is He who gave me the gift and it is in His power that lives are touched and transformed. I am the tool. I can choose to invite Christ in my decisions, my writing, my daily walk or I can choose to rely on myself. We each have that decision to make. I encourage each of you to take time out throughout your day to seek God for guidance on how to use your giftings to glorify Him. Prayer My Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me with so many different gifts and talents to be used in building up your kingdom. I pray that I stay humble before you in all areas of my life. Continue to use the Holy Spirit to guide me in areas of my life that I take for granted and need to bring to you. Purge me of any pride or arrogance that stands in the way of me being used to fullness of your will for my life. Forgive me for thinking that it was anything that I have done that was so great, but it is because of you who live in me and the favor you have placed upon my life that I have prospered. Thank you for choosing me. In Jesus name, Amen. Suggested Weekly Monday Matthew Tuesday Hebrews 11: 6 Wednesday Isaiah 55: 6 Thursday 1 Chronicles 28: 9 Friday Psalms 27: 8 Saturday Luke 11: 9-10 Sunday Deuteronomy Application Take time out each day to seek God in prayer, meditation and reading of His word. About the author: As a wife, mother, educator, daughter, friend, I, Minister Mamie L. Pack, seek to be an accessible tool to the Lord. It is my desire to use my gifting of writing to reach the lost, encourage the believer, and teach the people through the Word of Jesus Christ. Clike here for other writings available at the author's blog www.LifeINowLive.blogspot.com
Devotional for July 28- by Minister Mamie Pack
Let it go “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” Psalm 55: 22 KJV During my career, I decided to take a test that would allow me to gain nation wide certification. It was a big task that I was sure I would be able to tackle, without any sort of hindrance. When the day finally came and I received my scores, tears began to pour down my cheeks. I didn’t pass. For the first time in my career, I felt like a failure. Gathering myself together, I decided to try it a second time, again, no success. There I was again for the third, and I would like to say that I passed but I did not. Yet, after that third time, I really went to God and laid myself before him. What was I doing wrong? How could I be a success in other areas of my career, but could not pass one part? I had all sorts of self-doubt and inferiority running through me. I was even ashamed to let anyone know that once again I did not pass. What is it about perceived worldly failure that allows us to feel inadequate or ashamed? Often times, we have no problems sharing all the good aspects of our professions, academics, or family lives. It is when we aren’t the success we expect ourselves to be that we keep it to ourselves. God does not rejoice in what seems to be our failures. We give him glory by how we handle our relationship with him when those times happen. When it appears that we have failed or have messed up beyond repair, the psalmist says to “Cast thy burden upon the Lord”. God wants us to come to him and express how we feel and give him all the hurt, anger, pain, shame and disappointment we feel. In doing this, God says that he will sustain us. During this time, what would seem to weigh us down can be turned into a way to grow, become stronger in our walk with Christ, and for our faith to be increased. We know that God is carrying the weight of the situation and we don’t have to. If God called us to it, then He will bring us through it. By not obtaining the certification, I still had to know that my God is an awesome God. Instead of allowing the weight of my burdens to crush me, I choose to believe that God was still working everything to my good. God knows the ultimate plan for our lives. It is in those moments of failure that we learn where our relationship with God really is and how we perceive our God to be. You see it is easy to praise God when everything is great, but what do you do when failure has opened the door? Do you still walk with a praise in your heart or do you lack faith and try to fix the situation yourself? Allow your burden to be a tool to bring you closer in your walk with Christ. Prayer My loving father, I am thankful that you are a burden barer. I know that the times that I am weak, you are there to carry all the weight that I face in life. Please forgive me for the times I choose to fix things myself instead of giving them to you. I know that my burdens can be used as tool to grow closer to you and that you will not allow me to carry more than I can bare. I choose to trust you and have faith to know you are an almighty God. In Jesus name, Amen. Suggested Weekly Monday Psalm 55: 8-23 Tuesday Proverbs 16: 3 Wednesday Matthew Thursday 1 Peter 5: 6-7 Friday Philippians 4: 6 Saturday Psalm 37:3-8 Sunday Luke Application The next time you find yourself weighed down with a burden, take it to God in prayer. About the author: As a wife, mother, educator, daughter, friend, I, Minister Mamie L. Pack, seek to be an accessible tool to the Lord. It is my desire to use my gifting of writing to reach the lost, encourage the believer, and teach the people through the Word of Jesus Christ. Click here for other writings available at the author's blog www.LifeINowLive.blogspot.com
***********************************************************************
Click here to leave guest comments. |
 |
 |
|
| Site Map |