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“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 ‭ Do you ever feel unprepared for what God is calling you to do? I know at times I feel like I won't be good enough to do what God has asked me to do. I often feel unqualified for the job and like someone else might do it better. We all have to remember that God doesn't just choose someone for the job because they will be able to do it well, He also looks at your heart, He sees the parts of you that you hide from everyone else. He sees how you treat others, and He sees what you are really like. We base our qualifications off of our experience and how we will be able to work the job, but God bases it on your personality, loyalty to God, how you treat others, and the way you show His light. Today, stop telling yourself that you're not going to be able to do what God has called you to do, if He called you for the job then He knows y...

“The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”” Isaiah‬ ‭60:22‬ ‭ God spoke a promise over my life and I know it will come to pass. I often question how, when, why me, and so many other questions. When I ask God for specifics He often doesn't answer me. I have asked for confirmations over the years, which He has given me. I think that when God promises us something in life we aren't meant to know the tiny details. We are meant to know that God will do it but none of the rest matters. See if we knew every little detail of what God was doing in the future for us we would somehow mess up His plan by trying to make it happen for ourselves. I have to remind myself that faith is not knowing the details but knowing that God will do it and leaving everything up to Him. Today, don't ask God the specifics instead trust that He has it taken care of and at the perfect time He w...

“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Luke‬ ‭6:31‬ ‭ How you choose to treat others doesn't reflect how they've treated you, instead, it reflects your relationship with God. If you come across rude, judgmental, arrogant, and other things you will be seen as someone "mean". Rather than if you were to come across as loving, caring, compassionate, forgiving, and kind that would show others the true ways of God. We have to remind ourselves that we do not have a reputation of our own, we also represent Christianity. When someone treats us poorly we should instead treat them with kindness. Today, choose to be the best representation of Jesus that you can be. Treat others how you wish to be treated, not how they treat you. Jesus always chose to be kind in every circumstance and we should too. We are the ones who set the example of Christianity in this day and age. Here are some verses to reflect on today. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humbl...

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭ I often think of the story of creation. I once questioned why God even allowed Satan to come into the garden as a serpent. I prayed on it and God spoke to me. He said, "Because I had a plan all along, that plan was Jesus." This verse tells us that in the beginning the word was with God and the word was God." Therefore, before the world was created, God had a plan for the world. He knew the world would come to this, He knew that sin was something our flesh would crave, but He also knew He would someday send Jesus. He knew that Jesus would come to save every soul to live and to forgive us. When we question why sin exists we need to be reminded that Jesus' plan all along was to come. Today, know that Jesus came down to the earth to save you, and although sin is something we are all born into we can be born again into the spirit of the Holy Spirit. Here are some verses...

“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 ‭ You've got to stop and ask yourself daily, "Is what I'm doing leading me closer to God or further away from Him?" Nothing in this world will ever come close to being as valuable as your relationship with God. There have been times I have not done my best in my relationship with God, I've put video games, watching TV, hanging with friends, relationships, and events above Him on my daily priorities. I must return to the mindset of "Does any of that amount to anything?" At the end of the day, we can play a video game later, watch TV some other time spend time with our friends tomorrow and a relationship is something that should understand your reasoning for canceling. Your plans aren't more important than your relationship with God. Today, ask yourself, are you making true time for Go...

““Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭ One day you will smile and say, "I know it was you, God." I was reading the Bible today and ended up in Matthew 7, as I read the verse above it stuck with me all day. I realized that just because I ask God once and get no answer doesn't mean it's a no. Now I'm one of those who tend to ask God for a sign, but when I don't receive it I assume it means a "no". After thinking about this verse I realized that sometimes I need to keep asking, if it is a no God will show me that. God isn't someone who just lets us dream of things for years and then tells us no. I feel like if we truly bring a dream to God with an open heart willing to take whatever He gives us, He will answer us. Sometimes God's silence isn't a no, instead, it isn't time for you to know the answer. Today, keep as...

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalms‬ ‭37:4‬ ‭ Are your desires being pushed by faith in God or your flesh? There are things we all want and dream of, but we must come to a place where we ask ourselves, is it a place of having faith that God will do it, or is it something that you know will lead to sin? You cannot expect God to be a part of something sinful. It's okay to dream big, but you have to ask yourself if that dream is something that will help you lead souls to God and bring you closer to God. Your life is meant to be surrounded by God no matter where you are. You can dream as big as you want but make sure you are including God in that dream. I always talk to God while cleaning, doing laundry, driving, washing the dishes, or even just sitting in the living room. You can include God in anything if you choose to do so. Today, include God in all things, and your dreams too. God will give you your heart desires, why not include Him in th...

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” Psalms‬ ‭23:5‬ ‭ If God is for you, then who can be against you? The Bible says we fight against flesh, which shows us that sometimes our battles aren't with spirits but with other people. Not everyone is really for you or rooting for you to win, sometimes people want the opposite. They want you to lose so they can feel better. The Bible also says that He will prepare a place for you at the table with your enemies. That tells us that even when people wish the worst on us, hurt us, betray us, or even go against us God will bless us in front of them. He prepares us to be favored even with the words they speak against us. Nothing anyone has or ever will say will change God's mind about you. Today, don't let those who think they are against you get to you. When someone comes against a child of God, it's not just about them anymore they...

“And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Mark‬ ‭16:15‬ ‭ We all have heard the stories of the heroes in the Bible, those who let God use them and change lives. We tend to put a time cap on those as if God cannot do the same through us today. God doesn't stop using us just because the Bible is already written. You cannot imagine yourself as a hero, because most heroes don't see themselves that way, but to someone in those world you are. If you've been open about your faith in God and told everyone you know that Jesus is truly the Son of God and you can be saved through His Holy Spirit. Today, know that to someone you've helped save their soul. You have given them hope that someday they will worship Jesus for all of eternity. You must be open about your faith to help others, even if sometimes that means putting yourself in uncomfortable places. Here are some verses to reflect on today. “For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but...

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”Psalms‬ ‭139:14‬ ‭ One of my favorite things is the sunset, it shows absolute beauty and the way God takes and has taken so much time for all of creation. We find ourselves finding the beauty in the stars, moon, sunsets, sunrises, the ocean, hills, valleys, mountains, rivers, and ponds. We see the amount of time God spent on all of nature and we find ourselves amazed by it. Next time you're taking a good look at nature remind yourself that everything you're looking at was made by the same God that calls you by name and loves you more than anyone in this world ever could. Today, know that God loves you enough to put just as much effort into the creation of you as He did in nature. He loves you, He cares for you and when He looks at you He is amazed at His beautiful creation. Nothing anyone thinks will ever amount to what God thinks of you. God's opinion matters most. You are be...

““Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭ Sometimes when God opens the door we have been praying for we want to run, out of being shocked that it is finally here. Recently a door I had been praying for God to open for me became the closest to ever opening, I began to see things that I didn't see before, and I truly feel that it will happen for me. I can feel it in my Spirit, I know that it is coming and honestly, it scares me. I realized tonight when God spoke to me that I'm not scared of the door or the fact it is opening, I'm scared of the unknown. I don't understand exactly when it will open, how it will open, or how I will be able to walk through the door. That is when God's plan steps in. I don't need to know any of that. I need to focus on the now, the faith of what is to come, and the fact I know it will. Today, if you're praying ...

“He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:40‬ The Bible says that the rocks will cry out if we don't worship Him. We are designed to worship God. Sometimes people will question you and say, "Well, if your purpose is to worship God why are people evil? Why do we sin before we even understand the meaning of it?" The answer to that question is simple: we are born into the flesh and eventually born into the Holy Ghost. You sin because you don't understand the depth of letting your flesh go. You are to be born of the Spirit of God, turn from your sins, and live to worship Him. Today, know that you are called to worship God, but if you don't choose to do so, then God will find it elsewhere. The birds sing songs of praises, the ocean roars His praises, the tress flows with the wind in worship, the rocks cry out in worship, the stars and plants all align and worship, and all of creation shouts His praises. You are c...

“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 ‭ We all have dreamed at one point taht we were born in a different time, even I have. We have to remember that we are born at the perfect time for the calling God has on our lives. Nothing in your life will ever come too soon or too late. God will always give you things at the perfect time. We are called for such a time as this moment. Your calling on your life, is for right now. You are able to do anything that God has called you to do. God equips us ahead of time, for us to do what He has called us to do. If you feel the urge to share the Gospel with someone don't be afraid to do so. You could be the exact person to bring them to Jesus. Today, know that you were born at the perfect time. God called you for the perfect moment to chnage lives. Whatev...

“For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”” John‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ How to worship God is something we've all had to learn over time. When I was younger I thought worshipping meant praising Him in church, crying at an altar, and listening to preaching. As I grew up I learned that worship can be so much more. You can worship with Christian music playing on the radio going down the road, when you're in your home praying when you're talking to God as He is your friend, and in ways we have yet to find. Worship is so much more than praising Him in the church. Your relationship is not defined by four walls so why would your worship be? Church is something amazing for each of us, we are surrounded by other believers, and we are feeding the truth of the Bible from our pastors. We do however have to remember that we are not confined to only praising God in the church. Today, remind yourself to worship every day, not just on Sundays and Wednesdays. God ...

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭ When you pray things begin to change. We all realize the power of words as we have hurt and hurt others with our words. If words have that much power imagine the power in prayer. When we speak to God in prayer we are not just saying words, we are talking to someone who knows our past, present, and future. We are opening up to someone who understands us and created us. We have to remind ourselves that prayer is not just words being spoken, it is mountains being moved. God hears your prayers and will open doors for you. Today, whatever it is you're praying for, know that God sees you, hears you, and will answer you. Be on the lookout because the answers to your prayers are often closer than you think. Here are some verses to reflect on today. “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” ...

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John‬ ‭15:12‬ ‭ I remember when I was younger I often times found myself embarrassed over my faith. At times I felt like an outcast because I didn't do things the other kids had done. I finally realized that maybe I wasn't meant to fit in, but instead to show others what Jesus was about. I stopped trying to look cool and instead let Jesus speak through me. I know others have struggled with this wether it be your friends at school, friends in the youth group, people at work, or honestly anyone. You can often times feel yourself hiding that part of you more and more. I have come to realize that either someone can love me for who I am as a Christian, or they can not love me at all. If they cannot respect me enough to not make light of what I believe in, then they arent the kind of friends I need. Although Jesus hung out with the outcasts and sinners, He never changed Himself to be like them. Today, ask you...

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” Mark‬ ‭11:24‬ ‭ Very soon you will be saying, "I prayed for this." When we pray for something God immediately begins to work on it, there is nothing that God cannot do. There are times when God's answer is, "not now", "no", or no answer at all. Those are the times that the amount of trust we have in God really shows. We have to trust that His "not now" means better is on the way, His "no" is yes to something else, and His no response is He is already at work. It's easy to have faith when you're hearing God's voice daily, but it's often difficult to have faith when you get no answer or not the answer you felt you needed. Today, remind yourself that God knows best. His answer is always going to be better than what you asked for no matter what the answer is. God is always looking out for you, and will always give you t...

“So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.” Mark‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭ I once asked God a question, that being, "Why do those who sin seem to have an easy life?" I don't understand it at times. I look at those who carry a baggage of sin and shame and see that they're often not fazed by it and quite frankly don't even seem to notice it. I felt God speak back to me, saying, "They might be happy on earth, but they will have an eternity to pay." I think about that often when I tend to compare my life to those who seem to have it easier than I do although their lifestyles arent Christian-like. I have come to realize that maybe they do have it easier on earth, but will they fora ll of eternity? We as Christians put all of our faith in Jesus knowing we will spend an eternity worshiping Him. Today, ask yourself, is the earthly amount of happiness worth an eternity of sadness? Is it worth giving up an eternity with Jesus? T...

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”Ephesians‬ ‭4:32‬ ‭ You have to train your mind to always look for the best in people. My entire life I've been told that I let everyone walk all over me and hurt me. I came to realize the older I get that I just choose forgiveness even when someone doesn't seem to deserve it, I love without measures, I will be kind even when others aren't and I open up even when others don't. It often might seem one-sided, but it's exactly what Jesus would do. It's being the person that others can confide in, depend on, and know they are always loved by. It's opening your heart to people who once shattered it, but most of all it's loving others after they did so. You have to choose the way of Jesus and how He would treat others. The way Jesus treats us is much different than the way the world does. You have a choice to make in life whether you will become ...

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.” Genesis‬ ‭1:31‬ ‭ You are a gift from God, whether you believe and see it or not doesn't change the fact that you are. You are a gift, God designed you perfectly just the way you are. When others judge you by your appearance and the things you're insecure about remind yourself that God looks at you and thinks you're the most beautiful creation. When God created everything, He ended the day with "And He saw that it was good." When He finished making humans he ended the day saying, "And He saw that it was very good." God not only looks at your outward appearance and thinks you're beautiful, but He also looks at your heart. He sees every hidden thought, motive, and action. He watches everything we do and knows all. Today, remind yourself that you are seen, heard, loved, chosen, and most importantly, a gift from the one tr...

“And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭ Stop trying to run back to what God healed you from. When God delivers us from situations we tend to return out of comfort. You will never become all that God has called you to be if you constantly put yourself back into places that God delivers you from. When God pulled Jonah out of the belly of the fish He didn't go back to the ocean to find another, instead He went and preached the Gospel. When God brought Noah to the top of the mountain, Noah didn't make the ark His home. When God brought Daniel out of the Lions' den, He didn't try to crawl back down. Stop running back to places that were only meant for a season. Your lessons in life are not your final destination. We aren't meant to stay in the battle but to learn from it. Today, stay away from the places God pulled you out of. Stop running to c...

“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 ‭ We all try to keep ourselves in shape and to be more healthy. We have to also keep our minds and spiritual lives healthy. The Bible says we cannot live on bread alone, so what makes us think that we can live only by keeping our earthly body healthy and not our spiritual body. We have to make sure we are making an effort in our relationship with God. If we're not trying to grow our relationship with God then we will become further and further away from God. That is a scary place to be. We cannot grow further away from God without growing closer to the world. When you find yourself having free time use that to your advantage, listen to worship music, spend time in prayer, read the Bible, do devotions, or anything you feel brings you closer to God. Today, make time if you don't have free time. God is most impor...

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭ When we pray for something we often want God to do it for us immediately. We feel God should work on our time schedule, but God's timing is better than our own. We tend to want God to do something even if it isn't a part of His plans because it's something we want. The reality is God works in His own timing, He sees and knows all so when we ask for something frequently He knows it's not going to work if He gives it to you immediately. You have to remind yourself that when God opens a door for you it's something He has worked on for longer than you can imagine, sometimes it's immediately when you pray other times it's before your prayer was even spoken. God knows the things we want and need without us asking, but we should ask and have faith He will answer. I've looked back a lot in my life and realized that God always answers my prayers, even when it isn...

“The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs‬ ‭10:22‬ ‭ Have you ever heard the expression waiting for the other shoe to fall? When God opens the doors we've prayed for we often find ourselves scared it will all fall apart. We find ourselves doubting that the blessing will truly last. We can cling to the truth that no one can stop what God is doing in your life. When it's God's timing to do something in your life there is no one, no enemy, and no doubt that can stop it. God blesses us without a refund. We cannot return the blessing. We have to remember that when God gives us something He doesn't take it back away, instead it is a gift. The blessing is yours to keep with no sorrow added to it. God doesn't prank us, or send us blessings to hurt us by taking them away. They are yours forever. Today, remind yourself that God's blessings are yours to keep. There isn't another shoe that will drop. What God has given you i...

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭ Being quick to judge someone is one of the worst habits you can have. You cannot judge someone and show them the compassion Jesus would simultaneously. We look at others and often mock or think of ourselves as better when we see them falling into sin. We are witnessing their moment of weakness, where they fell into their sinful desires. When those times come we have to remember that there was a time in our lives too when we had fallen short of God's glory, and when we did so we didn't want to be judged by others. Instead, we wanted someone to walk into our lives, encourage us to find our path with Christ again, and show us compassion. Today, if you find yourself in a position where you want to judge someone where they are falling short remind yourself of the forgiveness that you wanted to receive from others. You didn...

“But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.”Colossians‬ ‭3:25‬ ‭ We have all had times in our lives when we felt as if someone was favored over us. It would hurt our feelings and sometimes crush us. We have felt as if we were put in almost last place compared to someone, and it does hurt. We say that we are favored by God, and we are. God doesn't have favorites at that same time. We are blessed through Christ but He loves each of us equally. I think of the stories in the Bible where God could have chosen to give up on all of humanity, but He didn't. Think of Noah and the Ark, He still chose to forgive us after everyone except Noah and His family was living in sin, or the story of Adam and Eve where they brought sin into the world. He could have easily given up on us then, but He didn't. He chose to love us equally the same as the next person. There are no favorites with God, but that does not mean you are not lo...

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭ As a citizen of the United States, we are in the country of freedom. As we celebrated the Fourth of July I felt God speaking to me most of the day that freedom is found in Him. We live a life free because of the brave in this country but we live a life free from the bondage of sin, doubt, brokenness and so much more because of Jesus. We are free in Jesus, He gave His life for us to live again. That is something we can never earn or buy, it is a gift. God's freedom He gave us through Jesus is something that we use every day whether we realize it or not, we use that freedom when we find peace, joy, faith, hope, love, and all the fruits of the Spirit. Today, remind yourself to be grateful to those who fought for freedom from wars and all the things we struggle with but also be thankful for the freedom God has brought through Jesus Christ. Here are some verses to reflect on t...

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah‬ ‭26:3‬ ‭ I was playing a video game against other players earlier, and I realized when I would take my eyes off what I was doing to see what place I was in so far I would mess up. It's the same way in life. If we constantly compare our journeys to others taking our eyes off our journey, then we will never win in our own life. Our eyes have to be on Jesus at all times. I know I recently talked about Jesus and Peter waking on the water, but it reminded me that Peter took His eyes off Jesus and began to sink into the water in that story. That is the reality of life today, when our eyes are taken off Jesus we begin to sink. Today, keep your eyes fully on Jesus. I know there are many distractions in life, but we must stay focused. Your vision cannot be in multiple places at once, but on the real prize, that being your relationship with God. We've all heard the expression to keep our e...

“About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.” Matthew‬ ‭14:25‬ The story of Jesus walking on the water has always amazed me more than anything. I cannot comprehend the way the disciples felt seeing Him come across the water, the way Peter felt walking over to Him, or the way Jesus felt when they thought He was a ghost. I think of that story a lot and question how could they doubt that it was Him and His power when they spent every day with Him? I also came to the realization that we each do the same thing every day. We grow to know God but sometimes we forget to trust Him. We might see the actions He makes in our lives, how He opens the doors for us, or even how He has done miracle sin our lives, and yet we question at times can He do it? The answer is yes, He can! In the same way He walked on the water by His power, He is in control of your life. Today, don't doubt what you see. Know it's all by His power and He will not fail you. Here are ...

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” Ephesians‬ ‭5:1‬ ‭ We all say we want to be more like Jesus, but when we are put in uncomfortable places, do we react like Jesus? When I think of how Jesus would handle a situation I think of the stories in the Bible such as of the woman they were trying to stone but Jesus showed mercy, the soldiers who were playing dice for Jesus' clothes and He said, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." Those are just a few moments in which love and compassion are shown in circumstances that we as humans would struggle with. We have to choose to be compassionate and loving without boundaries. We are called to be like Jesus, walk like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and be His child. Today, when you feel like a situation is testing, you react the same way Jesus would. Here are some verses to reflect on today. “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid o...

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭ Once you experience the truth of Jesus Christ and Him being your Savior then you will never be able to look at things differently. We as Christians learn early on in our faith that through Jesus and receiving His spirit that is the only want to an eternal life with Him. We also learn that we will never be able to run from God or our purpose for the Kingdom. It's like an invisible rope that pulls us to God and our purpose no matter how far we go. We learn a lot of truths in life but there is one truth that always sticks with us. We will never be able to look at life without imagining God making it. It's something that will be set into our minds as the reality that it is. Today, remind yourself that the truth about God is that we cannot live without Him, all that we are is through Him, all that we will be is by Him, and everything we accomplish is because of H...