🙌 Lift your head up and REJOICE! The Creator of the universe is on YOUR side. No matter what you're going through today, your can still rest and find safety and comfort in Him. He is your protection from hurt or danger (seen or unseen). There is power in the name of Jesus! His name is precious and those that love it will be filled with joy! God’s love for us is like a shield, and the more we aim to live uprightly and allow Him to lead our lives, that shield is one that surrounds us and protects us from every fiery dart or attack of the enemy. So, remember: your countenance is even important to God because He cares about what’s going on inside and outside of you (Psalm 24:9): pick your head up - WE WIN and there is nothing too hard for you with God on your side (1 Corinthians 15:57, Philippians 4:13)!
#vcccharlotte #dailydevotion #biblestudy #protection #scripture #verseoftheday #morningmotivation #encouragement
📖 “Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]” -1 John 4:7-8 AMP
🤔 Become more acquainted with God - His love - and your life will exude both the love of God and compassion towards others. Spend time with discontentment or hatred and it will eventually exude from you and make an impression on those around you. If we are “followers” or “imitators” of Christ, then our hearts should mirror the nature of Christ. In fact, God has called “our bluff” when that is not the case. His Word reminds us that we never did know God if we cannot walk in love with our brothers and sisters. One passage of scripture even tell us that if we say that we love God, who we haven’t seen but work contentiously against our brother or sister, who we see on a regular basis, then we are liars (v. 20).
It’s always a heart issue at the core, so examine yours daily and ask God to make you more like Him. He can give you a new heart (Psalm 51:10) and fill it with His love (nature).
🙌 Give us your heart and your nature oh God so that our deeds conversation please and represent you better.
Oftentimes, we can have the tendency to rely on our own intellect when making decisions, but the Word of God encourages us to not depend on our own understanding and to seek God's guidance in our decision making. So trust God for wisdom with making that big decision you need to make. He can provide you with divine insight and revelation that your intellect was not privy to. He wants the very best for you and desires to lead you and guide you. Accept His loving help.
#vcccharlotte #dailydevotion #biblestudy #wisdom #guidance #direction #path #understanding #scripture
📖 “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.” -Matthew 6:33 AMP
🙌 If we have accepted Christ in our heart, then we are God’s CHILDREN and therefore, His responsibility. He doesn’t want us to waste time being anxious over the care of this world. Our attitude and character should mirror our Fathers. So “seek” after the Kingdom of God and His ways, and He’ll provide (Philippians 4:19). Come against worry and fear in the name of Jesus! You are in His hands and when you busy yourself with His business (Kingdom business), He’ll take care of yours. Release it to God and REST in Him. Happy Wednesday!
📖 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." " -Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT
🤔 Oftentimes, we can have the tendency to rely on our own intellect when making decisions, but the Word of God encourages us to not depend on our own understanding and to seek God's guidance in our decision making. So trust God for wisdom with making that big decision you need to make. He can provide you with divine insight and revelation that your intellect was not privy to. He wants the very best for you and desires to help you and guide you. Accept His help. He loves you and cares about you.
#vcccharlotte #dailydevotion #biblestudy #wisdom #guidance #direction #path #understanding #scripture #verseoftheday
“Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” -Matthew 19:26 NLT
If God said it, that settles it. You can take His Word to the bank because He cannot and will not lie or deceive you (Numbers 23:19). Oftentimes, because we live in a physical world, the natural response, as to whether God can “bring us out” of a situation is subconsciously weighed in with whether or not someone else (a physical being or human) can “come through” for us. However, it’s important as children of God and ambassadors of Christ, that we make a habit to first go to our Father God, seek and obey His direction and instructions and then place our faith in Him and in the fact that He fights for us.
Regardless of what the circumstances looks like and what man has said or done, why should we waste time and energy exalting the opinions of humans who are as frail as breath, when we serve the the Most High God & Creator of the universe?! He will fulfill every promise that He has given to you. So, give honor and praise to Him in advance for what He will do on your behalf. He is faithful, and He will not let you down. REST in Him and have a blessed day!
God is not moved by outward appearances (I Samuel 16:7). He is moved by the condition of our hearts. When we earnestly seek God with all our hearts, He speaks to us and is moved to reveal Himself to us. Take the time daily to pray in the spirit to stir up your spirit man. Seek God’s face in prayer and by meditating on His Word as desperately as a deer pants for water at a stream (Psalm 42:1). Only Jesus can quench our soul’s thirst, so continue to drink from His well.
#soulsthirst #mattersoftheheart#dailydevotional #vcccharlotte #iamvictory
📖 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.” -Psalm 19:14 AMP
🙌 When the pressures of this world seem to be blowing in our direction , we have only to lean on God - our IMMOVABLE Rock. He steadies our footing and makes our way clear (Psalm 143:10) because He loves us and cares about our well-being and safety. In a spirit of gratitude for that love, we should honor Him through our words and deeds. He is a Holy and righteous God, and He cares about what we spend time meditating on (Philippians 4:8). May our thoughts reflect our respect and appreciation for His love, holiness and the sacrifice He made for us through His Son Jesus. Selah.
#devotional #ourRock #honor #meditation #vcccharlotte
Feeling empty or inadequate in an area of your life? Well, there’s no need to worry, fear or grow discontent. God’s ever-flowing, agape love never runs dry; and, it has the ability to fill ANY void in our hearts and to consistently groom us towards perfection (Psalm 138:8)!
🙌 He desires to heal us and make us whole, inside and out, but because He generally loves us, He also just wants us to simply trust Him. When we put our faith and confidence in His direction for our lives and what He has said and thinks about us, He can dwell in our hearts and use us for His glory. What an honor it is to be “used” by Him and at His bidding (2 Corinthians 5:20). Soak up His love for you by resting IN Him, meditating on His love letter to you (the Word of God) and keeping your sensitive to His instructions throughout the day (by praying in tongues). Have a blessed Friday!
📖 “For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” -1 Peter 1:3 AMP
🤔 Have you forgotten that God has literally given you all that you need to live your life victoriously? The more time we spend “at His feet” and meditating on His Word, we get to know Him better thus making it easier to conform to His ways. He sent His Son Jesus so that you could be reconciled with Him, delivered and set free from any sickness, disease, bondage or baggage. He’s made you MORE than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). He is your protection and covering, so you have nothing to fear (Psalm 91:4). If you need wisdom and direction, you have access to the Holy Spirit - your Helper - and you only have to ask Him (James 1:5). In and through the mighty power of God, you will find the strength you need to fulfill every task before you today (Ephesians 6:10, Philippians 4:13)! So hold your head up and walk humbly and confidently in the divine power that God has been given you on this #ThankfulThursday!
🤔 Feeling anxious or “stressed” lately? What have you been thinking on? It’s imperative that regardless of our current circumstance - good or bad - that our mind is focused on God, and that we have a desire to walk in His will and way for our lives. Then He can “keep” our minds with an unexplainable peace that the world can’t even comprehend (John 14:27). The peace that God gives is consistent and unbothered by circumstance. So remember to bring God any cares and concerns that you have. Trust that He will move on your behalf and give you the wisdom, favor and direction that you need (Proverbs 3:5-6). He will NEVER leave you. He will NEVER fail. 🙌
📖 “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV
🙌 Good morning new mercies! God has has blessed you with an entirely new set of them today. Yes…He is faithful and because of His faithfulness, we can be faith FULL; we can put our hope in Him. He is dependable and consistent, and His heart towards us is compassionate. So never tire seeking God’s direction and/or walking in His purpose for your life. If you’ve missed the mark, His grace is sufficient; if you’ve hit it, it’s still only because of His grace.
Take the time to reflect on and thank God for His love for you this morning. Appreciate His “leading” of your life (Psalm 23, Isaiah 30:21). Because of God’s faithfulness to us, our hope and faith IN HIM can be renewed afresh this morning and the next, just like his mercies. He is a good Father! May we represent you and the family well today (Ephesians 2:19)!
Regardless of the circumstance - good or bad - praise and a heart of gratitude will always have the ability to turn a situation around for the better. When we live by and operate from a spirit of thankfulness, quite naturally, we “reflect” on the goodness of God and what He has done previously. It is, in a way, exalting God above the circumstance, and our faith in Him is strengthened. What He did before, He can do again. He is consistent, and we can depend on Him (Hebrews 13:8).
Gratitude can even open our eyes to new or creative opportunities that we otherwise may have been blind to. So don’t neglect your time with God (through prayer & meditation on His Word); and actively look for opportunities to show your love and gratitude for His faithfulness in your life. Not only will you be honoring God’s will, but you will be setting up the scene for Him to move on your behalf and to give you the wisdom, direction & favor that you need.
📖 “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23 AMP
🤔 In order for us to walk harmoniously with God and reject our carnal nature, we have to ensure that the fruits of the spirit are actively “growing” inside of us. Love, inner peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all fruits that should be developing and bearing witness in our personal character if God’s Spirit is in us, and we are allowing Him to change us from the inside out. Just as fear & love - light & darkness - can NOT co-exist, neither can we walk in the spirit and in the flesh simultaneously.
The more we grow and mature in our relationship with God, the more we are able to reject carnality. The “fruit” will be visible to those around us; and as representatives of Christ, it’s important that others know us by our fruit, especially love (John 13:35). Ask God for His help in making sure that you are providing the best “environment” for your fruit to be harvested in. Sometimes, that simply means being aware of what we are exposing our spirit man to (entertainment, unfruitful conversations, associations, etc.). So stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit. The maturation and condition of your fruit depends on it. HappyGrowingSeason!
We are encouraged all throughout the Word of God to diligently seek wisdom because it its value is worth far more than any riches here on earth (Proverbs 8:11-12).
Do you need wisdom to make an important decision today? God loves us so much that He freely gave us His Son Jesus so that we can be saved and reconciled with Him. In a similar fashion, He has freely given us wisdom, and He’s not stingy about how much He gives us. We have only to “ask” God for wisdom and the wisdom He gives is pure, brings peace, and is merciful and fair (James 3:17). So, what are you waiting for?
You have to make the decision to totally submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit so that God’s wisdom directs your life. Just trust Him and NEVER doubt (v.6-7). Our God ALWAYS delivers, and He will never fail you or lead you astray! He’s consistent, reliable and dependable. So, lean on Him, trust Him and just ASK! Have a blessed Saturday!
📖 “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” -Philippians 1:6 AMP
🙌It’s refreshing to know that God is a “finisher”. He didn’t start calling creation - as we know it - into existence and then give up because He was tired or no longer inspired. Be encouraged that in a similar fashion, the work that God has begun IN you, whether it’s your purpose, a vision that God has given you or even Him helping you to make improvements in your life (Psalm 138:8), He will complete it. He has not and will not give up on you, so don’t you dare throw in the towel either! You can do all things with the help of the Lord (Philippians 4:13). Pray to God for help with the faith and endurance to emulate the character of our Savior. You have nothing to fear. You have a sound mind and have been equipped with the power of God to complete any task today and moving forward in Jesus’ name (2 Timothy 1:7). HAPPY FRIDAY! #ImAFinisher #PrinciplesOfBeingAFinisher #vcccharlotte #perfect
