It's so cool that God allows us to choose joy always that flows from trust and our intimate knowledge of God and His ways! PTL! No matter what you are facing , God knows, cares, is with you and will help to work all things together for good! So, choose joy and grow in trust as you experience His mighty hand of grace, love and mercy upholding you! Yes rejoice! Be still and know! Amen!
*Someone needs to hear, understand and embrace this . Is it you or someone you know? Talk to God about that and just worship, trust, obey and walk joyfully in the Lord !
Good Morning Persevering in Faith Friends and Friends of God! Amen! The end will come. Are you ready? Are you praying expectantly for Jesus to come back or to enter into your situation? Come Jesus come! I might have to change this to a song for as we continue our study of Matt. 24-25 and Jesus' teaching about the end times. Maybe start your worship and quiet time with this song ? Come Jesus Come: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0uvyPvYV4&list=RDwh0uvyPvYV4&start_radio=1
WOW! Amen! Be still and know! Worship and pray expectantly. Our Healer and deliverer is on His way! And until that day he warned us to be ready and to persevere in faith no matter what we are facing. He knows! he has a perfect plan and He is working all things together for good for those who believe and are called by His holy name! That's you, me and us! Rejoice! And be ready. And remember this, we need each other and as times grow increasingly dark and harder as promised we will need to gather, pray, encourage, uphold and help each other and allow God to use us to draw in His end times harvest and help them through the difficulties ahead. Yes Come Jesus come!
God blessed us with drawing and tearing down the strongholds for one we have been praying to come as Patrick joined us. God is pursuing him hard and he is softening to the work of the Holy Spirit in him. Thank you for the love and grace you showed him! Keep praising God for His good works in those around us and trough us and keep praying for Patrick and those like them who think they have no option but eternal punishment to come and see that God is good and to experience His love, mercy and grace overflowing. Amen! Yes streams of Living Water are flowing from us! PTL! Check out Our Daily Bread (below) as it uses Eph 2:1-10. This passage speaks to Patrick and all of us and ends with one of our focus verses Eph 2:10. Pray for many strongholds to be torn down with people who come to bread and clothing ministries and our neighbors. Ask Jesus to have His eyes and heart and willing hands and feet to go live and love more like Him as He has planned for you and for those yet to come! The harvest is ripe! Pray for harvest workers and workers to come from the harvest. God has been answering that prayer. Meditate on this passage as you dwell in His love and grace and allow it to flow through you. And then spend some time with our devotionals as you seek first God and His Kingdom. And remember the promise that as you do so, all we be added that you need to accomplish what God has for you . And with that you will know His peace and joy too! Amen! Shalom shalom!
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Eph. 2:1-10 Made Alive with Christ
2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
When Mark was pulled over by an officer for driving while intoxicated, he was afraid his college football career was over. He was sure he was going to jail. But the policeman instead dropped him off at his college. When Mark asked why, he said, “I’m giving you grace.”
Still, the young man was certain his coach would find out, and he’d lose his scholarship. So when his coach asked to see Mark after practice the next day, he was very apprehensive. Surprisingly the coach said, “I know what happened , but I’m giving you grace.” He then suggested that Mark consider attending church the .
He went. And guess what the pastor talked about? The grace of Jesus in offering us salvation when we don’t deserve it. Mark got the message. That day, he trusted Jesus as Savior, and he spent the rest of his life serving Him—starting a ranch for boys who need a second chance—who need grace.
It’s by God’s grace that believers in Jesus “have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace does what good works can’t do (v. 9; Romans 11:6). It’s a gift provided by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
The burden of our sin doesn’t have to weigh us down. As Mark discovered, God’s grace can free us and give us life “to the full” (John 10:10).
How have you experienced God’s grace in your life? What are some ways you can show it to others?
Dear God, thank You for showering Your grace on me. Please help my life to be marked by grace and mercy.
Visit go.odb.org/041326 to learn about the extent of God’s grace in offering us salvation.
TWFYT
UR: God's Direction
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. - Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
One day while traveling to work I had to change buses. When I reached my first stop, my phone navigation indicated that my next stop was across the road and to the left. But I didn’t see a bus stop on the left, so I walked to a stop I could see on the right. It wasn’t the correct stop, though. I decided to trust the navigation, but when I reached my supposed destination I still didn’t see a bus stop. Then I looked up and saw a sign hidden among the trees. Relieved, I caught the bus in time and made it to work.
In Genesis 12:10-20, Abram traveled with Sarai to Canaan, a land that God promised would be blessed. When Canaan experienced famine, Abram chose to go to Egypt instead. However, God remained faithful and protected Abram and Sarai, eventually leading them back to the right path.
Like Abram, when we follow God’s direction, we may encounter difficulties that seem to contradict God’s promises. This doesn’t mean the path is wrong — rather, it is a test of our faith. Even when we face challenges, God is trustworthy. If we have faith and follow God’s guidance, we will eventually reach the right place.
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's Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to put our trust in your guidance, even among hardships and uncertainty. Sometimes we cannot see the whole picture, but we know you can. Amen.
