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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 16th

📖 “Tell them, ‘As sure as I am the living God, I take no pleasure from the death of the wicked. I want the wicked to change their ways and live. Turn your life around! Reverse your evil ways! Why die, Israel?’ -Ezekiel 33:11 The Message 

God has no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. He sent His Son so that no person would have to go to hell. God never intended for His man to be sick, poor, or oppressed. These were all results of the Fall. Sin entered into the earth because of the Fall, and mankind has paid the price for it ever since. God desires for humanity to not only receive salvation, but He also desires that humanity lives a life free from the curse. This is one reason God desires for His people to prosper so we can finance the Gospel. We can also send missionaries and support Christian radio and television outreaches. People must hear the Gospel, and we must all do our part. God takes no pleasure in the wicked perishing; He desires that they change their ways and live. 

#John3v16 #Godlovesyou #devotional #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 15th

📖 “Like a bird that wanders from her nest [with its comfort and safety], So is a man who wanders from his home." -Proverbs 27:8 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

We must endeavor to never allow the enemy to tempt us into thinking there is a better place than "home". Many young people backslide because the enemy entered their thinking and gave them the impression that there is a better place than home. When we say “home”, we simply mean the Christian faith.  Sometimes the devil can give the false impression that the world is fun, and that Christianity is lame. He is a liar and a deceiver. The prodigal son fell for his lies and asked his father for his inheritance. He left home and went out into the world. He spent all he had and found himself in the pig pen. He finally came to himself and realized it was better at home. Don't be like the prodigal son. Don't be deceived. It is always better in our Father's house. 

#prodigalson #comeback #devotional #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 14th

📖 “A man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and had a son. She saw there was something special about him and hid him. She hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer she got a little basket-boat made of papyrus, waterproofed it with tar and pitch, and placed the child in it. Then she set it afloat in the reeds at the edge of the Nile. The baby’s older sister found herself a vantage point a little way off and watched to see what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile to bathe; her maidens strolled on the bank. She saw the basket-boat floating in the reeds and sent her maid to get it. She opened it and saw the child—a baby crying! Her heart went out to him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.” Then his sister was before her: “Do you want me to go and get a nursing mother from the Hebrews so she can nurse the baby for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter said, “Yes. Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter told her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me. I’ll pay you.” The woman took the child and nursed him.” -Exodus 2:1-9 The Message  

Many are familiar with the story of Moses. Pharoah had given the order that every male baby born should be killed. Moses’ mom wasn’t having it. She knew that there was something special about her son, and she refused to let her son perish. She placed her son in the basket and put Moses in God’s Hand. God’s Hand stayed on Moses for the rest of his life. Thank God for praying mothers. Thank God for mothers who refused to allow the devil to have their children and put their children in God’s Hands. We have a responsibility to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and while we are doing that, we place them in God’s Hands. We place them in His Hands of guidance, nourishment, and protection. As we honor the mothers all over the world today, we remind you to keep your children in God’s Hands, there is no better place for them to be. 

#HappyMothersDay #devotional #powerofprayer 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 13th

📖 “Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.” -Proverbs 25:19 Christian Standard Bible 

Have you ever asked someone to carry out a task, and the person dropped the ball? They did not follow through. They did not follow instructions. They simply did not do what you trusted that they would do. This is what this proverb is referring to. We must be careful who we are assigning tasks to. Everyone isn’t faithful. Everyone isn’t reliable. We must make sure that as Christians, we are reliable and trustworthy, and that we do all things well. We are representatives of the kingdom of God, and we don’t want to misrepresent God. We must represent the kingdom of God accurately because we are all that God has in the earth. Let’s make God look good.  

#dependable #trustGod #devotional #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 12th

📖 “Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?" -John 11:40 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

Believing plays a vital role in receiving. Jesus said this about prayer: “For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. (Mark 11:24). The devil is constantly trying to get us to doubt the integrity of His Word. He did it with Eve in the Garden of Eden. He asked her “Did God really say...?” The devil hasn’t changed his methods. The Word of God is the one thing that can defeat him. If he can get you to doubt the Word, he knows that can cause you not to use it. We must not doubt the integrity of the Word. God is not a man that He should lie. If we will stand on and believe on the Word, we will see the glory of God. 

#gloryofGod #vcccharlotte #devotional #imabeliever 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 11th

📖 “The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” -2 Peter 3:9 Amplified Bible Classic Edition 

Thank God for His mercy. Thank God that He is long-suffering. Aren’t you glad that God isn’t like some of us? We tend to give up on and write people off. We can sometimes become impatient. God is ever merciful. He is aware of what is taking place on the earth. He is aware of the sin, crime, and atrocities that are taking place. Instead of allowing judgment to take place, God has been extraordinarily patient. He is waiting on us to get our act together. We must be the same way towards people and the promises of God. We must not give up on the promises of God, and we cannot give up on people. We must be like our Father, extraordinarily patient. When we are, it's just a matter of time before we experience the fulfillment of the promises of God. 

#Godspromises #devotional #vcccharlotte #mercy 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 10th

📖 “The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn’t ask God about it. So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it. And then, three days after making this covenant, they learned that they were next-door neighbors who had been living there all along! The People of Israel broke camp and set out; three days later they reached their towns—Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. But the People of Israel didn’t attack them; the leaders of the congregation had given their word before the God of Israel. But the congregation was up in arms over their leaders.” -Joshua 9:14-18 The Message  

Have you ever made a major life-changing decision without consulting God and then ended up regretting moving forward without His wisdom? That is what Joshua did. Joshua made a decision based on what was presented to him. He made a covenant with men that he was supposed to conquer. The men presented themselves as a people who came from a faraway place when they were from up the street. They deceived Joshua, and then because of their agreement, they could not be conquered; they were now considered Joshua’s subjects. This was not the will of God, but because Joshua had made the decision to make the covenant, there was no going back. We must all learn from Joshua. When it comes to the significant decisions of our lives, we must seek the Lord. When someone comes to us with a business proposition, we must seek the Lord. Everything that sounds good isn’t always good. When you seek the Lord, He will always endeavor to lead and guide you in the way that you should go. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

#spiritled #devotional #devotional #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 9th

📖 “Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” -Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 New King James Version 

 

Two is always better than one. We are so much stronger when we work together. No man or woman was meant to be an island to themselves. Together we can accomplish more. The hand cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you.” We all need each other. Establishing relationships is always an advantage, especially when two believers come together. The Bible even tells us that “if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20). Let’s endeavor to stay unified and establish godly relationships. Good things happen when we do. 

#unity #devotional #inspiration #twoisbetterthanone 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 8th

📖 “And those who believe shall use my authority to cast out demons, and they shall speak new languages. They will be able even to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them; and they will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them.” -Mark 16:17-18 TLB 

 

The General Orders of a Sentry are important rules that guide those on guard duty in the United States Armed Forces. Commonly known as the "11 General Orders," these directives contain every possible scenario a sentry might encounter on duty and how to ensure their safety and that of others. All of the "11 General Orders" are very important and have great natural and spiritual value. However, let’s look at a few that will help every believer better understand their duties as a “soldier in God’s army.” 

· To take charge of this post and all government property in view 

· To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing 

· To be especially watchful at night and, during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one to pass without proper authority. 

These specific orders give a service member command authority to act on behalf of the Commanding Officer, regardless of their rank. The Right to Command becomes their responsibility as if they were the Commanding Officer on duty. The relevance of this example contains within it a very powerful biblical truth. It demonstrates what Christ did through the cross in authorizing the New Testament Believer the “Right To Command” in His absence, under His authority, against all enemies--both foreign and domestic. These rights extend to all enemies--seen or unseen, natural or supernatural. 

Jesus uses the phrase in Mark 16:15-18, “In my name,” which infers, “by Jesus’ authority.” Any believer who has faith and truly believes Jesus’ word will be empowered to do the things which he refers to in the word of God. The Good News for you is to realize that Christ has given you the right to walk in authority in this life. However, in order to appropriate this divine provision, you must know who you are in Christ; you must know what belongs to you in Christ, and you must know what you have been equipped to do. So, don’t complain about what you have allowed to take advantage of you because YOU have been duly authorized, in Christ, to use His authority here on the earth. God said to Moses in Exodus 14:15, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” In other words, USE YOUR AUTHORITY! You have been given the right to command! 

#spiritualauthority #devotional #vcccharlotte #army #soldier

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 7th

📖 “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.” -I Samuel 17:45-47 King James Version 

When David faced Goliath, He did not brag about his skills with a slingshot. He did not talk about his experience with the shepherd’s staff. He did not refer to any earthly weapons. David leaned on God’s ability and not his own. David was coming in the Name of the Lord of hosts, not his own. He was not fighting to make a name for himself, he was fighting so that the earth would know that there is a God in Israel. David knew that the battle was not his but the Lord’s. We could learn a thing or two from David. When the devil attacks, we cannot rely on our intellect or our resources. We must fight with the resources of Heaven. We must fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons. We fight with the Word of God, the Name of Jesus, and with the whole armor of God. We fight from a place of victory. We fight knowing that the battle is the Lord’s. When we fight the way David fought, we can expect to win the way that he won. The battle is not ours; the battle is the Lord’s. 
 
#spiritualwarfare #devotional #vcccharlotte #davidandgoliath 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 6th

📖 “A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men." -Proverbs 18:16 King James Version

God has blessed all of us with gifts and talents. The development of those gifts and talents will determine whom we stand before in life. When an evil spirit was tormenting Saul, one of his men spoke up and recommended David because of his ability to play the harp. From that time on, when Saul was tormented, David would play for Saul, and Saul would experience relief from that oppression. What if David had not practiced playing the harp? What if he was just an okay harp player? He was recommended because he was skillful at what he did. We must become masters at our crafts. We must continue to develop and get better and better. Our quality of life will improve as we do. 

#talents #gifted #devotional #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 5th

📖 “Adonai, God, said, “It isn’t good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him.” -Genesis 2:18 Complete Jewish Bible

It isn’t good for us to be alone. We were created to have fellowship with others. We were created to have relationships and friendships and to interact with each other. The Bible tells us that “iron sharpens iron; so, a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17).” God uses our relationships to improve us and others. It is our interactions that allow us to become better individuals. Our interactions with others can open doors. It can cause us to become wiser and better in our respective fields. Having relationships can cause us to have experiences that we would otherwise not have if we were alone. Of course, we understand we can’t be friends with everyone, but we can engage in friendships that will contribute to our overall well-being. As God said, it is not good that a person should be alone.

#ironsharpensiron #devotional #vcccharlotte #relationshipgoals

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 4th

📖 “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” -Mark 11:23 King James Version 

Whoever said, “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” did not have a clear understanding of the power of words. Although words are invisible, the spiritual power that they contain has divine ability that can produce an affect that is far greater than the wounds of a stick or stone. The Bible reveals that the earth was created through the power of faith-filled words (Hebrews11:3). Everything that God did in Genesis was connected to the words in which He spoke. The phrase, “and God said,” is repeated more than nine times in the first chapter of Genesis, which shows the pattern of how God works. 

In Genesis 2:19, the Bible says, “After God created the animals, He brought them to Adam to see what Adam would name them.” God gave Adam “on the job training” in using his authority in speaking God’s Word. God’s design was that Adam exercise authority over the earth through his words. That is why when satan came in the form of a serpent, it required that Adam do more than just look at him to know that there was something operating from the serpent that was not normal. Adam had to exercise his God-given authority, which was backed by Heaven with the “God-words” coming from his mouth. He had the same authority that Christ used when He said, “Get thee behind me satan for it is written…” (Matthew 4:4).

One of the marvelous truths that we are privileged to operate in is that God’s Word in our mouths is still backed by Heaven. Jesus walked in this same pattern. His authority was released through using words. The people he healed, the demons that were cast out, the miracles that were performed were all done by words. He taught us that we can have what we say, if we follow His instruction (Mark 11:23). The authority that we possess today can only be released through our words. So, what is in your mouth? What is coming out of it? What results are you experiencing in your life because of what you have or have not said? 

#sticksandstones #devotional #spiritualauthority #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 3rd

📖 “But Noah was a pleasure to the Lord. Here is the story of Noah: He was the only truly righteous man living on the earth at that time. He tried always to conduct his affairs according to God’s will. And he had three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth." -Genesis 6:8-10 The Living Bible 

This is what every believer should desire, to be a pleasure to the Lord. We know that God takes pleasure in our prosperity (Psalm 35:27), but we should also desire that He takes pleasure in our lives. Our desire should be that we live a life that is well-pleasing to God. We should not only be people of righteous living, but we should always conduct our affairs according to God’s will. One way that we do that is by doing what the Word of God tells us because God’s Word IS His will towards us. The Bible tells us that Noah walked with God. When we walk with God, eventually we get to a place where all we desire is to be a pleasure to the Lord. Our lives should always bring glory to Him. 
 
#devotional #glorytoGod #righteousness #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 2nd

📖 “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.” -Mark 13:34 (KJV) 

One of the keys to success in any job or career field is to have the proper knowledge base for the specific job. In many places of employment, companies use what is called, “desktop procedures,” which is an instruction manual containing detailed information that describes the nuts and bolts of the job and will assist the employee in performing their daily tasks. The Bible is the believers’ desktop manual. It will equip you to know how to exercise your authority for success in life. 

God’s authority is more than a historical authority; it is a contemporary, right now authority that belongs to you when you accept Christ--effective immediately! You can exercise your authority right NOW--during a recession, negative medical report, and challenging and uncertain times. You can BOLDLY decree what God has said about your situation. You are actively exercising your authority when you know God’s Word, then apply it by speaking to every “life situation” that arises against you. 

The popular phrase used in recent years, “What would Jesus do?” is just like a file that can be used daily from God’s desktop manual—the Bible. Be just like Jesus. He would never allow any circumstance, situation or condition to dominate, harass or intimidate Him--and neither should you! 

#devotional #vcccharlotte #wwjd #motivation 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 1st

📖 “Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men." -Proverbs 22:29 Amplified Classic

The majority of successful people are hard workers. They work 10-12 hours a day. They go to bed late and get up early. They study. They read. They are obsessed with improvement. For many of them, that is why they are so well known. They stand before great men because they have paid the price for greatness. The admission fee to stand before great people is to pay the price for greatness. There are few exceptions. The good thing is that we determine who we stand in front of. If we lack work ethic and determination and are unwilling to work diligently on our calling and giftings, we will always stand before obscure men. We determine who we stand before based on our level of diligence. Greatness or obscurity? The choice is yours. 
 
#diligence #Godfirst #businessman #businesswoman #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | April 30th

📖 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” -Hosea 4:6 King James Version 

“What you don’t know can hurt you!” This old familiar phrase has profound spiritual meaning. The Bible reveals this point in the book of Hosea 4:6 when it states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Countless multitudes of men and women suffer spiritual defeat, chronic bad health, and financial problems, etc., because of a failure to understand what is contained within God’s Word. It really makes us ignorant of our rights and privileges, thus leaving us at the mercy of the world’s system. One of the saddest parts of this experience is that many of these people are believers--the beloved children of God. 

Jesus intended that believers walk in the light of understanding concerning the authority we have been given. In Mark 4:35-41, the Bible reveals the story of Jesus and His disciples on a ship during a very bad storm. Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the back of the ship during the storm. He had already announced in verse 35, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” The disciples forgot all about what Jesus said to them when the storm arose. They began to fear, panic, and think about the worse outcome. Instead of remembering, in faith, what Jesus had already said, they awoke Him from His sleep to solve a problem they were already equipped to solve. Their lack of belief and failure to understand that the authority to speak to the storm resided within them caused them to be remembered as “those with little faith.” 

Today, some believers still walk in fear and panic, waiting for Jesus to “awake” and handle their situation. We must remember His Word and have confidence that we have already been equipped and empowered to use His authority. He often remains silent during our storms because He desires that we use the authority that is in our hands to make our storms cease. Whatever storm is confronting you today, just relax and use your authority, knowing that Jesus has given you the authority to rebuke the storms that have been raging against your life. 

#speaktothestorm #nofear #JesusChrist #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | April 29th

📖 “Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." -I Timothy 4:12 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

As believers, we are to be examples to the world. We are to be the moral compass to the world. Unfortunately, many believers haven’t sold out to God, and there are things in their lives that are displeasing to Him. As believers, we must be willing to be examples to other believers. We must demonstrate how a believer is supposed to talk and how to act when it comes to walking in love, faith, and purity. Christians can be at various stages in their lives, but it is up to us to be examples of what holiness and consecration look like. Holiness isn’t a long skirt and no makeup; it is a life that is sold out to God. Let’s be aware of our actions. You never know how your lifestyle is having an impact on other people. 

#moralcompass #devotional #vcccharlotte #Christianwalk 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | April 28th

📖 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." -Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” The word “power” in Matthew 28, simply means authority. Authority is defined as, “the right to command; to take charge; to command; to enforce rule. Jesus stripped satan of the power he stole from man when He became “The Captain of our salvation” through His death, burial, and resurrection. With this selfless sacrifice, Jesus defeated the power of the devil, restored lost man to his God-ordained place, and reclaimed the authority that Adam lost. Praise God…hallelujah! 

It has always been God’s plan that His appointed heir should have the authority to command and enforce rule in the earth. Although Adam failed to use his authority against the devil, Jesus succeeded. And because of what Jesus did on the cross, believers now have the divine legal right to take charge and command the works of the enemy to cease and desist in their operations against our dominion in the earth. The Good News for every believer today is in knowing that Christ has not left us at the mercy of life’s circumstances and situations. We’ve been given authority to command and conquer, in Jesus’ name, Amen! 

#authority #vcccharlotte #JesusChrist #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | April 27th

📖 ““In a similar way, urge the younger men to be self-restrained and to behave prudently [taking life seriously]." -Titus 2:6 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

Life must be taken seriously. You only get one opportunity in this life, and then you spend eternity somewhere else. We will stand before God for what we did here on earth. We will have to give an account for what we did with the talents, gifts, and abilities that God blessed us with. We shouldn’t waste the time that we have left, and we cannot be so caught up in the things of this world that we forget to pursue the things that God has placed in our hearts. We must be about our Father’s business. We have destiny to fulfill and goals that need to be accomplished. Let's be sober about the times we are living in. We must make our Father proud! 
 
#soberlife #followGod #vcccharlotte #devotional 

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