Just a quick Thank God I'm Forgiven blog before I leave for procedure.
God loves and pursues you and you are forgiven and will be with Him forever. Meditate on the below devos and blogs today and thanks God for all His many blessing! I have great pace and God is in control! Thanks for all the prayers and encouragements! See you soon! Shalom!
Harvest Prayer Blogs:
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So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. (Romans 8:6, NLT)
When you read the above passage from Romans, it seems like a very clear and easy choice. Death . . . or life and peace. But when it comes to practical choices, in the middle of the stressful seasons of life, it isn’t that clear. Christians who don’t want to let the sinful nature control their minds can find that happening, often without realizing it. When peace seems to be elusive, it’s a good bet that the Spirit is not in control of our minds.
Trusting the Holy Spirit to deal with circumstances beyond our control can be very freeing and can bring rest and peace into our souls.
There is a key word in Romans 8:6 that appears twice: “letting.” It is used in the context of allowing either your sinful nature or the Spirit to control your mind. The clear implication of Scripture is that you get to choose who will control your mind. The result of your choice will be either death or life and peace. This isn’t a small choice but something that can forever change the direction of your life.
Sometimes, when life is out of control, we can so easily forget to relinquish our desire to seize control rather than trust God to bring his “rightness” to our circumstances. We feel compelled and overwhelmed and as a result, we forget to choose that which brings life and peace. When we decide instead to let the Spirit control our minds, we are able to lay aside the anxieties of life and choose God’s peace. On a very practical level, perhaps the easiest way to do this is simply to ask the Lord for his help.
Lord, help me today to let your Spirit control my mind. It is so easy for me to step in and try to fix or control things that are beyond me. My trust is in you. I choose to let you control my thoughts and desires today and each day of my life.
--Adapted from Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God (A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus) by David Butts. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise God as the master even of the grave.
- Thank the Father that “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20).
- Confess your failure to place your life and death fully in the hands of the risen Christ.
- Commit yourself to standing firm in the victory which Christ has achieved over sin and death and hell.
- Ask that you will “know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (15:58), and so work with extra fervor.
- Pray that the people of your congregation will become well-grounded in the basics of the Scriptures, and that they will faithfully live their beliefs.
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here. |
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ODB:
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My friend Joann passed away from a stroke just as the coronavirus began to spread in 2020. At first her family published that her memorial service would be at her church, but then it was determined it was best to hold it at a funeral home to control the size of the group attending. The new notice online read: Joann Warners—Changed Venue.
Yes, her venue had changed! She’d gone from the venue of earth to the venue of heaven. God changed her life years before, and she lovingly served Him for nearly fifty years. Even while she lay near death in the hospital, she asked about others she loved who were struggling. Now she’s present with Him; she has changed venues.
The apostle Paul had the desire to be with Christ in another venue (2 Corinthians 5:8), but he also felt it would be better for the people he served for him to remain on earth. He wrote to the Philippians, “It is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Philippians 1:24). When we grieve for someone like Joann, we may cry out to God something similar: They’re needed here by me and many others they loved and served. But God knows the best timing for their change of venue and our own.
In the Spirit’s strength, we now “make it our goal to please [God]” (2 Corinthians 5:9) until we see Him face-to-face—which will be far better.
By Anne Cetas
REFLECT & PRAY
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In what ways are you revealing your love for God and others where you are right now? How might you serve Him today?
I give myself anew to You, God. Please fill me with Your Spirit of love and make my life count for You.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:1) is the destination of “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27), those who by faith have received Jesus as their Savior. In that wonderful place, there will be no more tears, death, mourning, crying, or pain (v. 4). Heaven is where God dwells (1 Kings 8:39, 43, 49; Psalm 33:13-14). When He was on earth, Jesus confirmed this to be true. He stated He came from heaven (John 3:13; 6:33, 51) and would return there (14:2), where He would be seated at the right hand of God (Luke 22:69; Hebrews 12:2). After He ascended, two angels reminded His disciples that Christ would one day return to earth from heaven (Acts 1:6-11). When believers die, they’re eternally in the presence of God!
Alyson Kieda |
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UR:
Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 (NIV)
On a recent family trip to Florida, we had a week of beautiful weather. But then the governor declared a statewide emergency because Hurricane Ian was on its way. I could feel my anxiety level rising. People who lived in the area began to talk of evacuation before the storm’s predicted arrival in three days. I was thankful we were leaving that day and would be long gone before the storm arrived. But I wondered, What must it be like for people who live here permanently to be in a constant state of anxiety during the hurricane season?
I live far from tornado and hurricane zones. But at the same time, life has many “storms” waiting in the wings most of the time. We get news of the latest calamity. Famines, floods, and fires fill the television screen. Will we have enough water, food, or even money in the future? But Jesus reminds us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We too can be overcomers when we give our worry and fear to God (see 1 Pet. 5:7). Doing so, we can live in peace, trusting that whatever happens God will guide, comfort, and strengthen us hour by hour, day by day.
TODAY'S PRAYER
O Lord, help us to live without fear, knowing that though storms will come, you are with us. Amen.
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