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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 2nd

📖 "For not from the east nor from the west nor from the south come promotion and lifting up. But God is the Judge! He puts down one and lifts up another.” -Psalm 75:6-7 Amplified Classic  

God is the source of our promotion. We do not look to man to promote us; we look to the Lord. The Bible even tells us that we are to work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). God promoted Joseph while he was a slave and a prisoner. Daniel was promoted while he and his people were taken into captivity. Nebuchadnezzar even commented that “the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Daniel 4:25). Our job is to work as unto the Lord and to walk in a spirit of excellence. As we do those things, we can rest assured that promotion is on the way. Promotion does not come from men; promotion comes from the Lord. Be encouraged.

#promotioncomesfromtheLord #trustGod #humility #iamvictory #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 1st

📖 "The Scripture passage came true. It says, “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.” So Abraham was called God’s friend." -James 2:23 God’s Word

What a compliment! To be called a “friend of God”. This should be the goal of every believer, to be called a friend of God. The good news is that we have the characteristics of what made Abraham a friend of God. He simply believed God. Sound easy? Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. God’s Word says that we are healed, yet many are saying that they are sick. God’s Word tells us that we are righteous, and yet many Christians call themselves sinners ‘saved by grace’. You cannot be a sinner and a Christian at the same time. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are no longer sinners. The Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, and sin has no more dominion over us. God is not a man that He should lie. Because of that, we can believe His Word and act on it. As we do that on a consistent basis, we’ll see change in our lives and in our status with God. You won’t just be a child of God; you will be considered a “friend of God”.

#friendofGod #devotional #tgif #inspiration #vcccharlotte #abraham

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 31st

📖 "As Jesus was walking by the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon [Peter] and Simon’s brother, Andrew, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]." -Mark 1:16-18 Amplified Bible

If you were to look at these men, you wouldn’t think “men of God”. You would probably just see fishermen. When God sees you, He doesn’t see you as you currently are. He already knows what He has placed on the inside of you. He knows the path that He has for you, and He will place people along your path that will cause positive changes in your life. He will place people in your life that will help to influence you to develop new habits and to change your lifestyle. Peter witnessed so many things during the ministry of Jesus. I’m sure he did not know that he would be a pillar of the Church once Jesus ascended back into Heaven. Peter allowed Jesus to change him as He walked with him and followed his example, and the same thing will happen to us if we obey Him and follow His lead.

#fishersofman #Jesus #simonpeter #dailydevotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 30th

📖 "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." -Hebrews 10:35-36 King James Version

When pursuing the will of God, there will be hardships. There will be tests and trials. Regardless of what comes our way, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. The Bible tells us that we are not just conquerors, but “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). If we stay with it, we will receive the promise. The Word of God tells us not to get weary in well doing, for in due season, we will reap if we faint not (Galatians 6:9). Patience is a key characteristic in the race we are running. Many act as if life is a sprint, but life is not a sprint. Life is a marathon. We cannot get in a hurry, and we cannot allow ourselves to get frustrated. We must trust God and know that as we follow Him, we will walk in all that He has for us. Remember, “the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18). 

#patience #devotional #morethanconquerors #vcccharlotte #brighterdays 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 29th

📖 "I’ll show what it’s like when someone comes to me, hears my words, and puts them into practice. It’s like a person building a house by digging deep and laying the foundation on bedrock. When the flood came, the rising water smashed against that house, but the water couldn’t shake the house because it was well built. But those who don’t put into practice what they hear are like a person who built a house without a foundation. The floodwater smashed against it and it collapsed instantly. It was completely destroyed.” -Luke 6:47-49 Common English Bible

Jesus makes it very clear in His teaching. If you want to be successful, you must be a doer of His teachings and not just a hearer. Jesus compared the lives of the doer versus the hearer. The doer of the Word was like the man who built a solid foundation and when the storms beat against his house, it was able to withstand the winds and the rain. The hearer of the Word was like the man who built his house without a foundation and his house collapsed during the same storm. What we do with the Word of God will determine what will happen to our lives when the storm comes. The strength of the storm will not determine the outcome, the strength of the foundation will.

#jesus #devotional #iamvictory #WordofGod #foundation

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 28th

📖 "Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.” -Hebrews 12:1 Contemporary English Version

Have you ever watched a track meet? Have you noticed what they wear in track and field? The sprinters don’t run in a sweat suit. They don’t wear much because they want as little resistance as possible while they are running. As believers, we are running the race that God has set for us. Sin will slow us down and even take us off course if we stay in it too long. We must see to it that we keep sin out of our lives so that we can finish our course and finish it with joy. We don’t want to be disqualified and removed from running our race. We must be determined to finish our race. We want to hear, “Well done,” from our coach and Heavenly Father—our God.

#coach #trackmeet #motivation #dailydevotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 27th

📖 "Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple.” -I Chronicles 29: 3 New English Translation

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 him or her 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 you. 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

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 26th

📖 "As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.” The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.” -Luke 10:38-42 The Message

What are you doing with the Master? There were two sisters in the presence of Jesus, and yet we see two 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 anything in our lives.

#seekGod #priorities #devotional #focus #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 25th

📖 "[Earnestly] remember the former things, [which I did] of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me" -Isaiah 46:9 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

There are times in the Bible when God tells us to forget things from the past, and there are times when He tells us to remember them. He may tell us to forget the past because there are better things ahead. He may tell us to remember the past because replaying past victories can strengthen our faith and strengthen our resolve. Past victories remind us of how God came through before when things looked impossible. Whatever God has done in the past, He can do it again. We must be willing to forget the past when it comes to our failures and shortcomings. We must also be willing to remember the miracles and the breakthroughs. They remind us that God has not changed. If He did it before, He can do it again.

#iamvictory #faithfulGod #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 24th

📖 “We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed; Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.

For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!], Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting." -II Corinthians 4:8-10; 17-18 Amplifed Bible Classic Edition

In these verses, Paul mentions his hardships and the troubles he faced while he was on his missionary journey. Despite all the difficulties he faced, he referred to them as “light afflictions”. He called them momentary. Paul had the right perspective on the challenges he faced. He knew that it was temporary. He knew that the invisible things were deathless and everlasting. He was aware of the rewards that were awaiting him in heaven. He didn’t make the mistake that many Christians are making. We can become so fixated with our problems that we forget that the problems are temporary. We forget about what is waiting for us when this life is over. We forget about heaven. Let’s keep our eyes on what's important. Everything else is subject to change, for we walk by faith and not by sight.

#heaven #faith #verseoftheday #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 23rd

📖 “Are not my words as a fire, saith the Lord: and as a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" -Jeremiah 23:29 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

Are there things in your life that you are having a hard time getting over? The Word will burn it out. The Word will separate you from everything that is displeasing to God. The Word will break in pieces every obstacle that stands between you and the good life that God has preordained for you to walk in. As you spend time in the Word, the Word will transform you. II Corinthians 3:18 tells us that “we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”. As we continue to look into the glory of God (Word of God), we are changed into the same image. We will eventually look like what the Word says we are. We will be changed into His image. 

#glorytoglory #devotional #vcccharlotte #WordofGod 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 22nd

📖 “The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts." -Proverbs 20:27 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

God wants to lead us by our spirits. He doesn’t want us led by our senses because Satan is the god of this world. He can manipulate and control things in this natural world, but he cannot manipulate our spirit man. This is because our spirit man is connected to God. As we develop our spirit through prayer and the Word of God, we become more sensitive to God. This enables us to hear Him more clearly. It allows us to sense His leading a whole lot better. God wants to reveal His plans for our lives to us, and He does so through our spirits by the Holy Spirit. (I Corinthians 2:11-13) We don’t have to be in the dark about anything in life. We can simply make it a priority to continue to develop our spirit. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14).

#sonsofGod #verseoftheday #spiritled #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 21st

📖 “"On that same day [when] evening had come, He said to them, Let us go over to the other side [of the lake]. And leaving the throng, they took Him with them, [just] as He was, in the boat [in which He was sitting]. And other boats were with Him. And a furious storm of wind [of hurricane proportions] arose, and the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled. But He [Himself] was in the stern [of the boat], asleep on the [leather] cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, Master, do You not care that we are perishing? And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still (muzzled)! And the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was [immediately] a great calm (a perfect peacefulness). He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)? And they were filled with great awe and feared exceedingly and said one to another, Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?" -Mark 4:35-41 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

No matter what storm is raging in our lives, we can rest when we know that Jesus in our boat. We don’t have to worry about going under when He is with us. Storms will come. Hard times may come, but regardless of what may come our way, we will get to the other side! We will outlast the storm. The wind will cease eventually. The rain will stop. All we have to do is walk by faith and not by sight. If we will stand on the Word of God, we can weather any storm. Jesus would not allow the disciples to go under, and when we put our faith and trust in Him, He won’t allow us to either. We will get to where God wants us to be: a place of victory. 

#pray #jesus #iamvictory #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 20th

📖 “Whoever has knowledge controls his words, and a person who has understanding is even-tempered" -Proverbs 17:27 God’s Word Translation

A person who has knowledge and understanding will control both their tongue and their temper. Sometimes when people get upset, they lose their temper and say whatever is on their mind. When they do, they have a tendency to regret what was said in a moment of anger. We cannot allow our emotions to get the best of us. The Word of God tells us to be slow to wrath (James 1:19). We must control our words, because our words have power. We don’t want to curse people or say things that we really don’t want to come to pass. We must walk in the fruit of the spirit. We must maintain our joy. We must stay in control of our words and our temper. 

#wordshavepower #devotional #understanding #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 19th

📖 “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” -Proverbs 18:24 King James Version

Many of us have a best friend. We have people in our lives who we can call on whenever we need them. If we want people to be there for us, we must be willing to be there for them. We must show ourselves friendly. God wants to be our best friend. He wants to walk with us and talk with us. He wants to be there when we are down, and He wants to be there when everything is good. He loves us and cares about us. When it comes to this Scripture, we always think about our earthly friends, but let’s not forget about God. He will stick closer to us than any human being and He will never let us down. 

#faithful #inspiration #friendshipgoals #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 18th

📖 “God made everything with a place and purpose; even the wicked are included—but for judgment." -Proverbs 16:4 The Message

God created everything with a place and purpose. The birds were not created to function underwater. The fish were not created to swim on land. Have you seen a shark that was swept on the shore and ended up out of the water? Do you know what happens? The people rush to get it back into the water because that is where it is supposed to be. We were created for the earth. We were created to have dominion on the earth and to be ambassadors of heaven, our future home. We all have a general purpose and specific purpose, a purpose just for you to fulfill. As we walk with God, we will realize and experience both. Let's walk in our purpose, and let's glory God by doing so. You will not be fulfilled until you do.

#theCreator #purposedrivenlife #vcccharlotte #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 17th

📖 “After Jesus had finished all that He had to say in the hearing of the people [on the mountain], He entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a bond servant who was held in honor and highly valued by him, who was sick and at the point of death. And when the centurion heard of Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and make his bond servant well." -Luke 7:1-3 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

The centurion was in a desperate situation. One of his servants, who was very dear to him, was about to die. The situation looked hopeless. It reminds you of the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She had been to several doctors and instead of getting better, she got worse. Just like the woman with the issue of blood, the centurion heard of Jesus. Something happens when you hear of Jesus. When you hear of Jesus properly, it is supposed to give you hope. When you hear the Word of God, it should give you hope as well. The centurion had so much confidence in who Jesus was (and is), he told Him that he didn’t have to come to his house. He only needed Jesus to speak the word only. He understood the authority that Jesus walked in. He understood the spoken word. We also must hear of Jesus properly. We must hear about God properly. Things change when we do. They will turn around for the better. 

#gamechanger #devotional #faithfulGod #vcccharlotte 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 16th

📖 “Blessed (happy—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition—and to be envied) are you when people despise (hate) you, and when they exclude and excommunicate you [as disreputable] and revile and denounce you and defame and cast out and spurn your name as evil (wicked) on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and be glad at such a time and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven; for even so their forefathers treated the prophets.” -Luke 6:22-23 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

No one wants to experience persecution. No one enjoys being ostracized or ridiculed. The last thing one feels like doing is leaping for joy. However, we must realize that God’s ways are higher than our ways. We must understand that the servant is not greater than his master. The student is not greater than his teacher. Jesus was persecuted and all He did was set people free and teach the Word of God. They wanted to kill him. They wanted to throw him off of a cliff. They wanted to stone him. They conspired to kill him. Most of us haven’t experienced that type of persecution and probably never will. If we are persecuted, we should be glad about it. We’re in great company. Our reward is rich, great, strong, intense, and abundant.

#persecution #greatisourreward #unashamed #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 15th

📖 “You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth” -Proverbs 6:2 Amplified Bible Classic Edition

Many times, we are where we are because of the words of our mouths. In context, the verse is talking about giving a pledge or your word to do something or pay something for someone else. The verse tells us that when you do that, your own lips have gotten you in trouble. Your words have put you in a place you may later regret. The principle is still true. Your words can take you to a place where you did not want to be. Your words created boundaries in your life. Your words can take you down the wrong path. You are snared by the words of your lips. We must be careful when we give our word to people. We must be wise when we agree to cosign for someone else. We must not allow ourselves to be snared by our words or caught by the speech of our mouths. We must choose our words carefully.

#wordsofwisdom #verseoftheday #powerofwords #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | August 14th

📖 “So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full—then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." -Deuteronomy 6:10-12 New King James Version

God desires for His people to have the best. He wants to provide for us so that we can be an example of His goodness to the world. God told the Israelites (who were His covenant people) that they were not to forget who gave them the cities that they did not build. They were not to forget who put them in a place where they would eat and get full. God did not just give them empty houses, but houses that were full of good things. He did not give them run down looking cities, but beautiful cities. God blessed His people immensely. Not out of obligation, but out of love. They didn’t determine the terms of the covenant, God did. All of this was God’s idea. God’s thoughts toward them were good, and He hasn’t changed. His thoughts toward us are good as well. He loves us and He wants to take great care of us. 

#Godlovesyou #devotional #vcccharlotte #covenant 

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