How hot is your zeal for God? How hot is your zeal for the work of God? Are you excited about the things of God? Many people have a zeal for their favorite sports team. They have their favorite team’s logo on their car. They might have a flag outside of their home with their team’s logo. People can have a zeal for the company they work for. People have a way of showing their zeal when they want to.
How do people see your zeal for God? Do you talk about God when the opportunity presents itself? Are you in church every time the doors are open? When you are excited about something, it shows in your actions. Paul had a zeal for Judaism for a time. He even tried to destroy Christianity by having Christians arrested and put in prison. After his encounter with Jesus, his zeal changed, and he became an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. As believers, we are not to be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to let our lights shine, and we are to be the salt of the earth. God needs us to be a light in this dark world.
#zeal #Bible #motivation #vcccharlotte #devotional
David had a commitment to God and to His temple. He was so committed that it has been estimated that he donated millions of dollars' worth of gold and silver to be used for the building of the temple. That type of commitment begins with a commitment to God. It would take an individual who had a deep conviction and appreciation for God for he or she to make that type of donation toward the building of the temple. It’s baffling how stingy some Christians can be. Some argue about tithing and question how much one should give in an offering? The question should be asked, “How committed are you to the house of God”? How committed are you to God? How much do you love God? When you are in love with God and committed to God, there is no limit to what you are willing to give. You understand that when you take care of God’s house, He will take care of yours. Our giving is not a demonstration of obligation, it is simply a demonstration of our appreciation for God and for the church.
#gratitude #tithesandoffering #devotional #bible #message
What are you doing with the Master? There were two sisters in the presence of Jesus, and yet we see to different actions. One sister sat at Jesus’ feet. She hung on to His every word. She could not get enough of the Word of God. On the other hand, her sister was concerned about being hospitable. She was concerned with serving the food. She became aggravated with her sister because she would not help her to cook and to serve their guests. Jesus had to correct her and tell her that Mary had chosen to do the right thing. She was concerned with the Bread of Life. Martha was concerned about natural bread. She allowed herself to be distracted by something that was not that important. Many of us are like Mary, and many of us are like Martha. Some of us have prioritized the Word of God and made it first place in our lives. Others of us have not made the Word of God a priority in our lives. We have focused on everything except the Word. We all must adjust our focus at times. We must examine ourselves and ask ourselves how much priority we are giving the Word? We will know when we have our priorities in order when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When that is first, we will never lack for anything in our lives.
#seekGod #priorities #devotional #focus #vcccharlotte
It doesn’t matter what happens to us in life. We all face hardships. We all face challenges in life. When we do, we can know that if we put our faith and trust in God, He will work everything out in agreement with the counsel and design of His will. The devil can never get up early enough to get ahead of God. No matter what obstacles the enemy may throw in your way to hinder your progress. He cannot stop the will of God for you. He cannot prevent you from walking in His will for your life. You belong to God. He has an inheritance for you. He has a purpose for your life. It doesn’t matter how rough the storm may get, stay with God, and know that He will get you where you are supposed to be.
#trustGod #willofGod #dailydevotional #iamvictory #motivation
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) If Jesus had not come, we would not have access to the Father. If Jesus had not come, we would miss the true end and scope of life, which is God. It is in Him (God) that we live and move and have our being. It is God who made us and not we ourselves. It is God who wakes us up every morning. It is God who has blessed uswith talents and abilities. Jesus came to restore us to our Maker. His coming and our acceptance of Him allows us to fellowship with the Creator of the universe. Jesus came to restore our place as children of God. If He had not come, we would be in a mess. We would be without hope in this world. Thank God for Jesus’willingness to come. Thank God that we are free from sin.
#freedom #iamvictory #Jesus #whomtheSonsetsfree #trustGod
Peter had a rough night fishing. He did all that he knew to do. He was still dealing with the disappointment of not catching anything when Jesus asked to use his boat. When Jesus finished His sermon, He told Peter to cast his net in the deep. In the natural, this didn’t make much sense because the fish could see the net during the day and would naturally swim away from the net. However, when Peter acted on Jesus’s instructions, they caught so many fish that their boats begin to sink. There are times when God will give us instructions that may not make sense in the natural, however it is always beneficial that we obey God. Obedience always pays. When we are willing and obedient, we will eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19).
#bible #simonpeter #trustGod #dailydevotional #vcccharlotte
This woman had an impossible situation in her life. The doctors had tried everything, and yet instead of getting better, her condition got worse. When she heard of Jesus, she knew that He was the answer to her problem. Unfortunately, many believers have not come to that place yet. They are still seeking physicians instead of seeking Jesus, the Healer. It was faith in Jesus and His ability, that set this woman free from this cruel condition. The same thing will free you from your condition as well. Within the Word of God lies the power and ability of God. Psalm 107:20 tells us that, ”He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” The Word healed, and the Word delivered. The Word is doing the same today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
#sameyesterdaytodayandforever #Jesus #Healer #devotional #iamvictory
We have all had an issue with our flesh. If it were not for our flesh, we would not have half of the issues that many of us have experienced. When we get born again, our spirits are made new but unfortunately not our minds or bodies. We must renew our minds to the Word of God, and we must train our bodies. We must discipline our bodies because at times, the flesh does not want to exercise. The flesh may want to overeat or eat the wrong types of foods. The flesh is what causes many to sin.
Paul is telling us that he treats his body roughly because he is training it to do what it is supposed to do, not what it wants to do. As believers, we must allow our spirits to dominate us, because as we do, it causes our bodies to get in line and do what its supposed to do. We must finish our course, and to do that, we must be disciplined spirit, soul, and body.
#discipline #dailydevotional #ApostlePaul #trustGod
God wants to manifest Himself to us. He wants to be real to us. Many people know of God, but they don’t know God. God wants to reveal Himself to us and He wants to fellowship with us as much as possible. He gave us His commands in His Word so that we can know what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. We can know what is pleasing and displeasing to our God. As we follow His commands and pattern our lives according to His Word, God will begin to manifest Himself to us in a greater way. The Bible tells us that God is a “rewarder to those who diligently seek Him”. As we draw nearer to God, God will draw nearer to us, bringing His power and His ability to turn every negative situation around and to take our lives from glory to glory.
#Godlovesyou #vcccharlotte #drawnightoGod #glorytoglory
This leper is a lot like many Christians. They aren’t sure what the will of God is. They don’t know if it is God’s will for them to prosper. They don’t know if it is His will to be healed. They question a lot of things about God. Jesus made it clear what the will of God was in reference to the leper’s request. It was God’s will to heal the leper, and it is the will of God for us to be healed. You can go to God in confidence knowing that He can and will heal you.
A minister once said that “Faith begins where the will of God is known”. God gave us the Word of God so that we can know what His will is for His children’s lives. Jesus said in John 15:7, “If ye abide in, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”. As His words abide in you, then you will know His will, and your desires will line up with His will. When your desires line up with His will, then you know that it is just a matter of time before you receive what you desire from Him.
#dailydevotional #faith #willofGod #Godlovesyou #vcccharlotte
Jesus gave us a prayer secret in this verse. He tells us that we must believe we have something before we see it with our physical eyes or have it in our physical possession. Most Christians want to see it first before they will believe it. It does not take faith to believe something you can see with your physical eye. It takes faith to believe you have the thing for which you have prayed before you see it or are in possession of it. As people of faith, we walk by faith and not by sight. We cannot be moved by what we see in the natural, we must be moved by what we believe. Let us keep believing God. We cannot receive from Him until we do.
#faith #prayer #trustGod #devotional #vcccharlotte
What a compliment. Every believer should desire this to be said about them. At some point, it should be said that everyone is talking about what God is doing in your life. They should hear about your faith in God. Our faith should be growing. We should be believing God for more manifestations of His Word in our lives. As we believe God more and more, people will begin to acknowledge what they are seeing. It's not about bringing you glory; it's about bringing God more glory. As God manifests Himself more in our lives, our lives become testimonies of the goodness of God. More manifestations cause more glory for God. Let's not shrink from opportunities to stand on the Word of God. As we experience more victories, we give God more glory, and your faith will become known in your area, in your circle of influence.
#testimony #dailydevotional #faithwalk #ambassadorsforChrist
We all can have a moment when we forget about the power of the tongue. With all the chaos that is going on in the world right now, it's easy to talk about it in our everyday conversations. We can get caught up in conversations about the rising costs of living, the economy, our government, family issues, job issues, we can go on and on.
As believers we must guard our words. We must be sure to speak life over our country. We must confess that God will continue to meet our needs no matter how high food and gas prices may get. We must remind ourselves and others that there is nothing too hard for God. God is our Healer and our Deliverer. He prospers the works of our hands. We cannot chatter without thinking. As we continue to renew our mind to the Word of God and put His Word in our hearts, it will be easy to confess God’s Word. We must get it in our hearts in abundance because out of the overflow of our hearts, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Guard your mouth, it could mean life or death, success, or ruin, the choice is yours.
#wordshavepower #confession #dailydevotional #proverbs
Many Christians are defeated because they do not know who they belong to, and they do not know who is on the inside of them. We are a part of the most powerful family in the universe. Our God is stronger, smarter, and wiser than any other entity in the universe, and He lives on the inside of us. He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. We have the forces of Heaven ready to assist us when we speak the Word of God, and we have a God who will grant to us whatever we ask when we ask according to His will. The God of the universe is on the inside of us, and we have access to His wisdom, His knowledge, and anything we need help with. Our trust and confidence should never be in man. Our trust and confidence should be in God. There is not a more powerful being than God, and there is not a more powerful family than the Body of Christ. We have access to, and we are a part of both, so how can we lose?
#GreaterIsHeThatIsInMe #TrustGod #devotional #Christian #PowerofGod
God had already instituted the law for His people. He wanted more. On His timing, He sent Jesus into the world to redeem humanity. A part of that redemption was Jesus using His own blood to cleanse man once and for all from sin. This simply meant that Jesus put an end to the sacrificial system under the law and put in place the New Covenant based on the sacrifice of Jesus. His blood was sufficient to atone for mankind’s sin and the penalty for that sin once and for all. God wanted to have access to us, and it was sin that separated us from Him.
It is through the blood of Jesus that we can access the throne of God and attain help whenever we need it. The blood of animals gave humanity a temporary right standing, but the blood of Jesus made that right standing permanent. We can still miss the mark, but when we do, if we confess our sin, we can be cleansed from it by that same blood and be cleansed forever. What a great God we serve: a God that wanted to fellowship with us so much, He was willing to sacrifice His only Son so that we can be in right standing with Him. Praise God for His intense love for us!
#redemption #iamvictory #devotional #JesusChrist
You want to talk about favor? Paul was a prisoner and was being transported away. On the way to Italy, they stopped in Sidon. While he was there, as a prisoner, Paul was allowed to visit with some friends and to be refreshed and cared for. What system of government allows their prisoners to hang out with their friends at a stop on the way to being transported to another city. Paul was allowed to do so because of the favor that was on his life. Yes, he was persecuted and faced many hardships. On the other hand, he escaped death multiple times, and he was treated differently than the average prisoner. The favor of God can be with us in the most trying times. The favor of God can put us over when it looks like we are going under. Let's believe God for His favor. It belongs to us. It is a benefit we should enjoy as His children.
#Godsfavor #bible #encouragement #dailydevotional
What a compliment! God said that he found a man that was after His heart and wanted to carry our His will and His plan fully. A lot of Christians want to carry out their own plan and want God to put His blessing on it. God already has a plan that is blessed if we will just simply carry it out. Many times, believers do not seek the Lord or His plan. They simply make decisions based on external factors. We must make a decision not to be carnal. We seek the Lord about the major decisions of our lives.
Because we are after the heart of God, we want His plan for our lives. Our desire should be what He desires. His program should be more important than our program. Total fulfillment takes place when we are carrying out the will and the program of God. Until that takes place, there will always be a void and an emptiness in our lives. Our lives will go to the next level when we are willing to say what Jesus said, “Not my will, but your will be done.”
#notmywill #trustGod #purposedriven #devotional #followGod
Samuel was a miracle child. His mother had been unable to bear children, and she had promised the Lord that if He gave her a child, she would give the child back to the Lord. God honored Hannah’s request, and she had a son. When the child was old enough, she took him to the temple, and the child served in the temple. As parents, we must understand the importance of putting our children in a position where they can cultivate a relationship with God at an early age. Hannah made a robe for her son and put him in a place where He would serve God all the days of his life. Parents have a responsibility to give God another generation. We must raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. If we do not do it, who will?
#dailydevotional #childrenaretheheritageofthelord #bible
God has said so many good things about us in the Word of God. Despite God’s thoughts toward us, many do not see themselves the way God sees them. God sees us as blessed. He sees us as more than conquerors. He sees us as the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. Unfortunately, many disagree with God. They are like Gideon; they make excuses. They bring up their upbringing. They may bring up the color of their skin, their gender, or other excuses. Moses was the same way. God had told Moses that He had chosen him to deliver the Israelites out of slavery; and Moses gave excuses of why he could not do what God had already said he could do. We must always agree with God. Our agreeing with God causes us to walk in what He says belongs to us. Let’s practice agreeing with God. It doesn’t matter what we think about it. It is when our thoughts line up with His thoughts that our lives line up with what He has said.
#agreewithGod #devotional #Godlovesyou #moses #bible
One cannot run from what is inside of him. God never removes His call or His giftings. His call and giftings are for the assignment. God did not change His mind about Jonah and his preaching to Nineveh. God did not change His mind about Moses, even in his old age. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone misses the mark, but the callings never change. God may have to alter the route, like He did Moses. There may be delays, but the gifting and the callings will always be there. Never give up on what is on the inside of you. God knows how to make the latter part of your life a beautiful part of your life. God knows how to make the latter end greater than the former.
#trustGod #motivation #giftsofGodd #vcccharlotte #redemption