– Scripture:

                           Life On GOD’s Terms

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs and our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

                           Romans 8:26–28 MSG

Key Verse – That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

 – Reflection:

Living on God’s terms isn’t for the weak-hearted at all. You have to be a lion to be in the presence of GOD; he is a King and Queen maker. He doesn’t want the people who come to him to be meager and meek and stay that way or a thief and a liar and stay that way. You will change once you go to him; all you were will begin to change for the better. What about those who say they have gone to GOD, but nothing has changed for them? They are still the same selfish, lying, superficial people they have always been, but they are giving lip service to everyone, saying they have gone to our Savior. That is not up to us. We are to love them and help them with their walk if asked to. Handle them accordingly and give them what is necessary and never what they want. Manipulation is their life’s work, and you will become one of their prey.

Where do we go from here?

Honor yourself and Christ by walking the path he laid before you. I know there have been times lately when I have seen this negative manipulation in action and continued to walk in the grace that Jesus gave me. If you are experiencing any of these types of things in your walk, PRAY wait for the next steps from Christ. Don’t do anything mean-spirited to get back at them or anything. Jesus won by loving people, and we will do the same thing. Honor your walk by being the person Christ created you to be.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for the calm you place over us when we need it; we will continue to honor you for the grace you give us at the start of each day. You promise us that if we bring our problems and provide them to you, you will take care of them. We appreciate all that you do for us and will continue to do. In your name, we pray. Amen.

 – Scripture:

              In His Hands

 – Scripture:

                  No Neutral Ground

Next a poor demon-afflicted wretch, both blind and deaf, was set down before him. Jesus healed him, gave him his sight and hearing. The people who saw it were impressed—“This has to be the Son of David!” 24  But the Pharisees, when they heard the report, were cynical. “Black magic,” they said. “Some devil trick he’s pulled from his sleeve.” 25–27  Jesus confronted their slander. “A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that’s in a constant squabble disintegrates; if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? If you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn’t the same mud stick to your own exorcists? “But if it’s by God’s power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God’s kingdom is here for sure. How in the world do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse. “There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God’s Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you’re sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.

                           Matthew 12:22–32 MSG

Key Verse –  Jesus confronted their slander. “A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that’s in a constant squabble disintegrates; if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left?

 – Reflection:

Thinking about the key phrase that Jesus himself pointed out, when a person tells numerous lies to everyone, that person starts to cancel themselves out to the community. You split your house, you split the friendships you have, you split conversations. We can imagine a house divided over social issues or environmental concerns. I also know some houses are divided between meat-eaters, vegetarians, pescatarians, and freegans. Whenever we are divided, it takes a lot of work to be more compassionate, kind, and open-minded.

Where do we go from here?

Are we going to follow Jesus with our whole life, or live life within our own agenda? That is a strong divide on which a house cannot stand.

Our Prayer for Today?

Father, we are your chosen people. Help us to accept your call to a life of love and compassion for the whole world. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                             He Took on the Status of a Slave

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care, then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front, don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

                            Philippians 2:1–4 MSG

Key Verse – Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.

 – Reflection:

We don’t hear the word “esteem” very much today, but the Scripture tells us to esteem one another. To esteem means “to hold in high regard, to honor and value,” even if you don’t always agree with them. Sometimes people think, “That person doesn’t act honorably, so why should I honor them?” But the truth is, we are to honor and esteem people because they are valuable in the eyes of God. We all have people that we have had this association for, but as the WORD states, and I am placing here in this prayer, once read, you cannot deny it anymore. You know that people should be respected and regarded very well.

Where do we go from here?

If I am wearing my Apple watch, which is very valuable to me, I wouldn’t wear it to the gym or leave it at the office out in the open. No, I would keep it safe and carefully tucked away under something else, probably leaving it at home. I would put it in a safe place and protect it. I feel the same way about people. When we see others as valuable the way God sees them, we treat them carefully. We speak respectfully. We look for the good in others and honor them for who God made them to be. Choose to esteem “lift one another up” and delight in one another. Plant good seeds into your relationships even the bad ones and see a harvest of blessings in every area of your life.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank You for the people You have brought into our lives. Thank You that every one of them is created in Your image and of high value. Help us to lift people up and love them like You do through our actions and my words. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.