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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Proverbs‬ ‭3:5‬  ‭If you let your emotions and feelings lead you they will fail you every single time. The Bible teaches us to not lean on our own understanding because He knew our human minds, emotions, and feelings would fail us every time. The Bible also teaches us that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. This shows us that the way we think and comprehend things is not like He does. We oftentimes think that the choices we are making are best for us, but often times we realize later on that they really aren't. It's so important to ask God for guidance in all circumstances and situations before we realize too late that we cannot trust our flesh. Today, make sure you aren't letting your emotions, feelings, and thoughts lead you, instead, let God lead you. His plans and thoughts are always better for us than we have for ourselves. You will never look back and regre...

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭ Daniel slept in the lion's den, Peter slept in prison and Jesus slept through the storm. Anytime you face anything in life rest. See all of these people trusted God fully, that's what we must also do because Jesus trusted His Father even in the middle of a storm. The Bible says, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest." The best thing about God is He never fails to protect us. When you start to fully trust God you will soon realize that things don't bother you the way that they use to, you'll begin to sleep peacefully and go about your day knowing that God has it all handled for you already. You have to begin to fully trust God then you will notice that your life begins to change and you will have rest through every storm in life. If you're in need of rest then go to the one who sleeps during the st...

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭ When the enemy cannot change your mind on something he will begin to change the things around you. If your life feels complicated know that it really isn't it's the enemy clogging your mind. So many times in life I've noticed that when I'm doing the exact thing that God has designed for me the enemy will cloud my mind with doubt, worry, and distract me from my purpose. When your mind seems cloudy and you don't know if you're in the right place in life then know you're exactly where you need to be and that's the problem. When God places you at the divine place of your destiny the enemy will try his best to destroy it, don't let him. your destiny is meant for you and the enemy hates knowing that you're doing everything you can to live and have a life pleasing to God. Today, if you feel as though your mind is cloudy and like you are fighting constant spiritual bat...

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” Mark‬ ‭11:24‬ ‭ We tend to want things immediately when we pray. See God doesn't work that way, He gives us things when we need them. God never gives us something too early, and never too late. Patience is key in a relationship with God because you have to learn to trust His timing instead of your own. You have to learn that the time when God gives you something is perfect timing. Anything that we pray for is going to be answered whether God answers and it is no, not now, or yes. The Bible tells us that if we ask anything in the name of Jesus and it is in His will for us then He will answer it. When you pray for something know that it will soon be answered if it isn't the will of God then something even better than what you prayed for will come. You never have to question God's timing because He is always looking out for what is best for us. When God gives you what you...

“You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” John‬ ‭16:24‬ ‭ Sometimes, we are so quick to want to do something that we forget to ask for God's approval. We have free will, we can choose to do something that we don't ask God about but often times that results in us being hurt in the end. If we don't ask for God's approval on relationships, marriages, jobs, homes, or even small things then where will we end up? The plans that God has for us is always good, and His purpose for us will always fulfill us. My dad once told me that when you're in God's perfect will that is where you will be the happiest you've ever been or ever will be. I think of that often because life is hard but that doesn't mean we don't have joy. Joy doesn't have to do with the outcome of life, things we go through, or how life currently is joy is knowing that God has us in His hands at all times and that all things are...

“There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs‬ ‭18:24‬ ‭ The Bible says that a real friend sticks closer than a brother. Often times we have three types of friends in our lives. One is a friend that is there for a moment but moves on quickly in life. The second is a friend that helps you through the hard times but you slowly drift apart and realize you weren't meant to be close forever. The last being the third is a friend that is willing to stick by you through everything that you go through, is there for each milestone since they met you, and encourages you to be a better person and Christian. The third is a friend that is sent from God. If you ever feel like you don't have a true friend pray and ask God to send you one. You have a friend that is there through it all that being Jesus, but a blessing from God often comes in the form of a true friend. Today, if you have a true be thankful and don't take them for grant...

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:7‬ ‭ Do you ever think back on those nights you spent praying to God for the things you have now? I often times do, I think of how I used to pray to find the right person for me and to get married to. I know a lot of denominations don't believe in prophecy but ours does, I had someone come up to me and my dad and prophecy to us they said, "In one year you will be married, they looked at my dad and said but it won't be a man you choose for her it's the one God has chosen." I wrote it down in a notebook and forgot all about it, I found it right after I got married. As I read it I saw the date, it was one year exactly to the day we had our wedding reception. The person God has for you will find you at the exact moment they are meant to. Sometimes they have things they need to learn other times you're in the learning process. Something that alway...

“Never stop praying.” 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭ Those things you spend time worrying about, crying about, ranting about, or even thinking about you can have fixed in a moment's time. The question is did you pray about it? You can talk about it all you want, stress about it, cry about it, rant about it, and think about it all you want but it won't fix it like a prayer will. Prayer is a wireless connection that never has a busy line. You can pray anytime, anywhere, or around anyone and God will still listen. The best thing about prayer is you don't have to have a particular time or place to do it, you can do it anywhere you want and will still get the same outcome. God doesn't expect us to forget our problems but He does expect us to give them to Him. The Bible says, "Cast all your anxieties on Him", that problem you're so worried about isn't yours to carry. You don't have to hold on to the troubles of life you have the most amazing Savior who is wil...

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John‬ ‭3:30‬ ‭ When we let God become the person we want to talk to when we're bored and talk to about anything including our day, and most of all become our best friend that is when we begin to grow to our full potential. When God is your "go-to" person, you have a person that will "go through" everything with you! You don't have to rely on anyone except God! When God is your Father and your Friend above everyone else you begin to see all the other things in your life flourish. When we become close to God we begin to change from our old selves into new, cleansed, and better versions of ourselves. God takes the dirty parts of us and makes us clean again. It's not just about becoming close to God it's also about allowing Him to change you. God is all you will ever need! Your life focus should be on becoming the best version of yourself, that being what God wants for you. We will ne...

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” Proverbs‬ ‭29:25‬ ‭ When you change your perspective from trying to please everyone in the world to please God your decisions become much easier. If we constantly spend time worrying about what everyone else thinks, what others are going to say, and waiting for their approval we are honestly wasting time by not doing what God wants us to do. The Bible tells us it is dangerous to worry about what others think, instead, we should trust God because that is safe. for us. Whatever you're facing pray and ask for God's opinion because that is what really matters. If God's approval is on it, it doesn't matter what anyone says or thinks about it. When God opens a door for you no man can shut it, but when God closes a door no man can open it. Human power will never get us very far, but with the power of God, we can do anything. That is why God's opinion matters the very most. Don't spend time worryi...

“The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Psalms‬ ‭34:17‬ ‭ Do you ever feel isolated? Isolated means "single; exceptional." Sometimes we think that way because we are sick and can't be around anyone, have lost friends so we have no one to hang out with, are going through a breakup and feel like there is no one, have a mental illness, and don't want to be around anyone, or just feel we don't have anyone around and don't want to be around anyone. All of those can make us feel isolated. Imagine how these people in the Bible felt when they faced isolation. Noah and his family were on the ark for 40 days and nights of rain, plus the 150 days that it took for the earth to dry up, and then they were the only people left on Earth, Jonah was in the Whale for 3 days and 3 nights all alone, Daniel in the lion's den overnight alone, Job who lost everything except His faith in God, Jesus in the wilderness for ...

“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.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭ When God calls you never have to worry about what others think those who are the ones sent from God will support you. I recently felt led to enroll in a Christian Bible College, today I took that step and started a free small course of it to see if it was the one for me, I told some people that are close to me and each of them was excited for me. I thought of how those who are truly there for me will support me, and those who don't well aren't for me and don't understand my calling. The calling that God has for you is for you not for anyone else. The calling God has for you is meant for you and it will find you but only if you're willing to accept the calling. God gave us free will and that means that we have to choose to do what God wants. Your choice to do what God wants is up to you. Today, if you know the calling on you...

“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” John‬ ‭14:17 ‬ ‭As I was getting ready this morning I was listening to worship music, as the song played I felt the Holy Spirit surround me and I began to cry and worship God. Growing up and even up until last year I thought I had to be in a church with a powerful service or an altar to feel the Holy Spirit that strong. I have learned over the last year that I can feel the Holy Spirit in my bed, in the car, in my living room, cleaning, or anywhere because the Holy Spirit is with me wherever I am. Before Jesus came His Spirit was not easily found, but the day that Jesus died on the cross the veil in the temple tore and so did every boundary to get to His Spirit. The Bible teaches that God is with us wherever we go. If you need some refilling in your spiritual life take some t...

““Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:33‬ ‭ As a kid, I heard the story of the good samaritan I could never understand why everyone walked past him and did not try to help. Even the priest and the Levite both respected men walked past him, and only one of three stopped to help that being a Samaritan. That is how life is a lot, people who we respect do not help us when we need them. It's sad but true. The story that Jesus told of this was a representation of how we should treat others, we should never pass the broken and lonely, we should help them instead. We should treat them with kindness regardless of their background. We should love them and give them all that we can. The good Samaritan bandaged the man up and paid for his care. He didn't think of what the man's past was, what he would owe him, or how the man would pay him back instead he helped him without expecting anything in return. When we help oth...

““But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:18‬ ‭ If we spend all of our time looking in the rearview mirror we will never get to where we are destined for. Your future needs you, your past has already had you. Often times we focus on our happy times in the past that we forget to enjoy the little moments of life that God is giving us now. I heard someone say once, "Why spend time looking at the past when you aren't going that way." The Bible teaches us to not spend time looking at the past. See if we spent all day every day looking at the things that we didn't do, the things we would change, the good times and the bad times of the past then we would have no focus on what is now or to come. We have to keep our minds on what we can do for God now and in the future. We have to keep our minds on the things above because we are meant for better things now than before. God is always using our past as a way to relate to those that h...

“When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!” Job‬ ‭42:10‬ ‭ When we pray for our friends for the battles they don't discuss, we are blessed through them. Have you ever prayed for someone just because they came to your mind? If not you should. When God lays someone on your heart and mind often it is a reminder to pray for them. Let's think of the story of Job, he lost everything he had, yet he still never cursed God. At the end of the story of Job, he then prayed for his friends and God blessed him with double what he had before. See God watches our faithfulness and how we treat those close to us. We should pray for our friends because we want them to do the same for us. Praying for those around you is one of the purest forms of love that you can give to them. You can pray for them without them even knowing and it still is a kind thing. The way we face battles no one knows about everyone else does too. Tod...

“My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.””Daniel‬ ‭6:22‬  ‭Daniel would open his window three times a day to pray to God. One day all of Daniel's enemies came together and went to the King to sign a decree that anyone who asked for anything from God or from any human other than the king that they would be thrown into a pit of lions. Daniel still chose to be faithful to God and pray to ask God for help, when the king found out it made him very angry, they threw Daniel into the pit of lions a stone was put over the pit so no one could save him. The king then went back to the palace and had a restless night. The next morning the king went to the pit and asked for the stone to be moved, he called out for Daniel and asked him if the God he faithfully served saved him? Daniel replied and said yes, He sent angels to shut the mouths of the lions. The king ordered f...

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭ We have to learn to understand that God places the right people in our lives and takes the wrong ones out. The people meant for your life will meet you unexpectedly in ways that God provides. Think of these stories such as of Ruth she unexpectedly met Boaz in a field to get grain, Esther met Ahasuerus by her cousin Mordecai telling her to go to the palace, Jesus met Simon and Andrew while they were finishing, and Jesus met the Samaritan woman while she was getting water at the well. Never doubt that when the time is right God can send you the right friends, church family, co-workers, or spouse. God can send you the right people at any time. God will never let you be lonely for long. We often times go through an isolation period. When I was 15-16 I had one friend, I had lost all my previous friends. Although I felt lonely a lot at tim...

“And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.”‭‭Philemon‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭ Our faith in God should make non-believers question their unbelief. Our belief in God should be so strong that when unbelievers ask us a question our spiritual life is strong enough that we know the answer to their questions.  It can be scary to be bold in God, but it often shows our faith in others. When an unbeliever sees our bold faith they see courage in what we believe in they then know the reason we believe what we do. I heard a story once of a lady, she had a neighbor that was an atheist. She was outside in the yard and began to pray that God would send her enough money to get groceries. The next day the lady opened her door and there was a bag of groceries on her doorstep. She began to praise God for the miracle He had done for her. The neighbor came from behind a bush and began to laugh, he sai...

 “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”Genesis‬ ‭2:24‬ ‭ Growing up we all dreamed of finding that picture-perfect relationship, to find someone that will love you and treasure you. That isn't a bad thing to dream of or to have, but you need to pray and seek to have a relationship that brings God glory. Relationship goals for the world are a lot different than relationship goals for a Godly couple. A Godly couple is a relationship that prays together, worships together, reads the Bible together, spends time with God together, and works for the kingdom of God together. You can have a Godly relationship and it still is fun. A Godly relationship doesn't drain the fun from it, it honestly adds more joy to it because the person God has for you will be the true desire of your heart in every way possible. If you're in a relationship make an effort to put God in the center of it. If you're not in a rela...

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” James‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭ God doesn't only want weekend visits from you. Going to church, worshiping, and praying on Sunday but having no communication with God during the week will never be enough to have a true relationship with God. You have to make sure you're not giving God only Sundays with Him. If you feel as though you've begun to slip away from God, take time today to spend with Him. God just wants time with you. The Bible tells us that we come close to God and He will come close to us. Prayer is the boundary between where you're at in your relationship with God and where you need to be. When you begin to communicate with God then you will begin to see your relationship with Him bloom into what it has needed to be all along. Today, if you feel as though you're in a drought of life where you seem hopeless and li...

““Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”” Jonah‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭ One of the stories we all heard in Sunday school if we grew up in church was the story of Jonah. Here's a refresher of the story, God called Jonah to go to Ninivah a place well known for its wickedness. Jonah did not want to do what God had called, so he ran the opposite way. He then boarded a boat to Tarshish hoping to escape from God's calling for him. As Jonah fell asleep on the boat a large storm came across and the winds began to blow, Jonah told them to throw him overboard because he knew the storm was because of him. The storm stopped at once when Jonah had been thrown overboard, and God had arranged for a great fish to eat Jonah, he was then eaten by the fish. Jonah began to pray from inside the fish, he cried out for God to save him. Then God ordered the fish to spit Jonah out. Then God told Jonah again to go to Nineveh, this time Jonah did as he was told. By Jonah ...

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” Exodus‬ ‭34:14‬ ‭ Our last thought at night and first thought in the morning are often considered to be the true desire of our hearts at the time. The Bible teaches us that we should have no other God. Now I'm not saying we can't love the person we're with, love to play video games or watch tv but we cannot make anything an idol over God. We should pray before we sleep thanking God for the day He so graciously has given us and when we wake up thank God for another chance to serve Him. You cannot let things in your everyday life become greater than the One who gives you life every day. Think about it like this, if you spend the entire day watching tv, going to hang out with friends, texting on your phone, or anything else you're not going to have enough time for God. Your first priority should be to help your relationship with God thrive. Y...

“Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!” Daniel‬ ‭3:27‬  ‭Have you ever felt as though what you're facing in life is a lonely battle that you're having to face all alone? You're simply not. God is behind you, beside you, and with you always. There is never a place where you will be that God is not already there. Let's think of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego they stood up to the king and told him they would not bow to his god, because they serve the one true God. It made the king angry, so he decided to throw them in the furnace of fire, but not only the furnace but also to be heated to seven times hotter than normal. As they were thrown in the fire it killed the soldiers who threw them in. King Nebuchadnezzar then notice that there weren't three but four people in...

“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”” Esther‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭ The story of Esther is so inspiring. She knew God had called her for a purpose and she had to do what God wanted her to do even if that cost her everything she had. How many times are we in an uncomfortable place but choose to not stand up for God? We have to take every chance we get in front of any and everyone to show the love of God and spread the Gospel. God calls each of us for a purpose and each of us to help bring others to Him. Always take a chance on saving souls even if it doesn't make sense. I heard a story of a Pastor, he felt God tell him to invite an atheist friend to church, the guy got defensive and asked a lot of questions and the preacher responded with answers and told Him Jesus is the only way. The guy never ended up coming to ch...

““Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”” Joshua‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭ I think of the story of Joshua often, God told Him to walk around Jerico for seven days and then the walls would fall for the victory. During those seven days, there were no signs of anything happening, they walked each day in silence until the seventh day, they shouted and blew horns the walls then fell and they began to praise God. How many times in life do we walk around our problems praising God because we know He will make it happen. I encourage you to start today, each day take time to pray and declare that God will do what you're praying for. It might not happen in seven days but in those seven days, I can promise you something will happen in your spiritual life. The thing is when we don't see improvement we tend to want to give up and give in, but we have to be like Joshua, hold on, and trust God for the rest. God has never gi...

“But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭ We live in a world where everything moves so fast that we forget that every day is a day closer to eternity. I was praying today and I was thinking of how we as Christians know we are the ones who know the truth but are other religions don't and are they okay if they haven't been told the truth before? Soon as I prayed about that I then felt God speak to me and say the verse "Straight is the gate, narrow is the way, and few that find it." I then realized that we all are capable of knowing the truth if only we truly search to find it. If the truth was easy to find then it wouldn't be a narrow gate or few to find it. See we all were given free will since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We have that choice and perhaps that is why only a few find it. Not everyone wants to live for God and not everyone chooses to, that's w...

“It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.” Hebrews‬ ‭11:7‬ ‭ ‭Have you ever sat and watched a storm roll in? Sometimes it can be scary seeing the dark clouds roll in, but it can feel peaceful other times. I'm terrified of tornadoes, but I love the rain. When I see rain clouds come I being to get so joyful and excited over it that I feel peace with it. I enjoy the rain. The thing about rain is that we can't control when it comes or when it doesn't we have to make plans around it because nature doesn't make plans around us. As Noah built the ark he wasn't making plans for when he thought was best he was making plans for when the rain would come. He spent over one hundred years building the boat. It wasn't something that happened overnight, Noah was...

“Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.” Proverbs‬ ‭19:23‬ ‭ Today as I sat in the living room I broke something and had to super glue it back together, I then laid it on a side table to let it dry properly. As I let it dry our cats came up and jumped on the table, I told her to get down out of fear she would get in the super glue it would hurt her. In a few minutes, she jumped back up and told her once again to get down. She loves to nap on the side table. This illustration might seem silly to some, but it spoke to me. How often do we go back to something God tells us to lay down or let go of? We always think that when God takes something away it's to punish us, instead, sometimes it's to protect us from harm. God sometimes allows people and things to not work out for us and us to be pushed away so that we can be all He has called us to be. If God has taken something away that you thought you needed remind yourself that it doesn't mean ...

“Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!” Proverbs‬ ‭18:16‬ ‭ Invest in God and He will not forget you. Invest your time into prayer, invest your money into tithes and mission work, invest your work into helping, being kind and passionate towards others, and invest your emotions and heart into God's own hands. When you begin to invest yourself in God and His work you will notice He begins to invest into your life. It's like this why would you constantly pour your emotions and efforts into a friendship or relationship that isn't doing the same in return for you, you wouldn't. You can't expect to live for God on Sunday and for Him to show up every other day of the week for you. You don't get perfect attendance at school for showing up once a week so how could you learn and understand God fully by spending one day of the week with Him? You can't. Start making God your top priority in life and watch your life change for the better. Whe...