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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 22nd

📖 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.  
—Psalm 118:1 NKJV 

God is a good God! He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son and we ought to give him praise! We should show our appreciation to God for everything he has done for us. Lamentations 3:22 says: “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.” If it were not for the Lord’s mercies, we would be consumed, but because of his great love towards us, he sent his only begotten Son for us all. Satan may lie and make us think that there is nothing to praise God for. We, however, know better. It is clear we have a reason to praise Him because His mercy endures forever. 

#mercy #deliverance #compassion #vcccharlotte #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 21st

📖 The apostles [sent out as missionaries] came back and gathered together to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and taught. 

And He said to them, [As for you] come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while—for many were [continually] coming and going, and they had not even leisure enough to eat. 

And they went away in a boat to a solitary place by themselves. 
—Mark 6:30-32 AMPC 

The apostles had been sent out by Jesus to preach the Kingdom and to cast out devils and to heal the sick. They had come back excited, and they were constantly going out and coming back in. Even though the apostles were doing the work that Jesus had sent them out to do, Jesus still compelled them to get away and to rest. Jesus recognized that even though they were doing what they were asked to do, it was also important that they rest. Have you ever gotten so busy that you forgot to eat? Maybe you were so busy that you realized you haven’t eaten all day long. The devil wants us to wear ourselves out. He wants us to be so consumed with working that we don’t eat or sleep like we should. If we wear ourselves out, we are no good to our families, our jobs, or the Kingdom. We must recognize the wiles and the schemes of the enemy. If he can’t stop us, then he will convince us that we must work, work, work. God took the time to rest after creating the earth. Jesus took time to rest. Jesus made His disciples get away and rest. If God and Jesus took the time to rest, then we must do the same.   

#rest #vcccharlotte #devotional #JesusisLord

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 20th

📖 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. 
—Colossians 3:15 AMPC 

We all want to make the right decisions in our lives (at least we should). As believers we should have the desire to make decisions that line up with the will and plan of God. One way that we can do that is by following peace within our spirits. We may not always hear the voice of God when we are trying to discern the will of God in a matter. We can, however, always follow peace. There are times where one may receive a “check” in their spirit man or a “red light”. Sometimes it can be described as an uneasy feeling in your gut. Many times, that uneasiness can be an answer.  That uneasiness can be a no from God, or a “do not move forward”. God deals with us in our spirit man not necessarily our minds. God will either speak to us in our spirits (the inner man) or we can experience a peace on the inside, that can signal that we can move forward. Peace should always be an umpire in settling matters because it helps to bring finality. Even when God speaks to us, there should be a peace in our hearts because we know that we have heard from God. This should always bring praise to God, because He is the God of all comfort, and He is the God of peace.  

#vcccharlotte #devotional #decisions #peace

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 19th

📖 [For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be. 

He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb. 

No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, 

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.
—Romans 4:18-21 AMPC 

There are many people in the world without hope. They have been challenged financially, mentally, and physically, and they have no hope. They don’t see how their lives can get any better because of the difficulties they face daily. As believers, we have hope. Even when it looks like we don’t have any hope, we can go to the Word of God and receive some. Abraham did not consider his circumstances when it came to believing God, he was convinced that God was able to keep His Word to Him. We can be the same way. We can ignore the circumstances and simply believe God’s Word because He cannot fail us. When we put our trust in the Word of God, we can have hope. It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the world, we can stay positive and have a cheerful countenance because we know that God is faithful to His promise. If He said it, He will do it. If He spoke it, He will bring it to pass.    

#hope #devotional #encouragement #trustGod #verseoftheday

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 18th

📖 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. —Galatians 4:6-7 KJV

Sometimes we can take things for granted. According to the Scripture, we are not considered servants of God, but “children” of God. The Bible tells us that God “has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant” (Psalm 35:27). If God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant, how much more His children? Children have more privileges than servants. Many have called themselves servants of the most High, and they are not necessarily wrong. In God’s eyes, He sees us as His children. It was always His will for us to be His children. Sin separated us from God, and it was not until after the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that we were able to be called the children of God (after receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior). Children have access to everything their parents have access to. As children of God, we have access to everything that God has. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we also grow in the knowledge of our inheritance, and as we act on the Word of God, we experience the reality of what has been promised to us.  

#childrenofGod #JesusChrist #devotional #inheritance #verseoftheday

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 16th

📖 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. 

Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. 

[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. 

[They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 
—Psalm 92:12-15 AMPC

God expects us to flourish as we get older. We are to bring Him glory by standing on His Word and demonstrating that He is faithful to His promises. The world will try to paint a different picture. The world will have you seeing yourself as declining physically and becoming a burden on family members. God sees things differently. He sees you flourishing in every area of your life and becoming a living memorial of His goodness. Do not allow the world to tell you how you are supposed to age. God’s Word tells us that our lives are to get better and better as we age. Stand on the promises of God and watch Him honor His Word in your life. God is not a man that He should lie. 

#trust #Godspromises #psalm #dailydevotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 15th

📖 He will rescue you in six troubles; in seven nothing that is evil [for you] will touch you. In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the living creatures of the earth. —Job 5:19-22 AMPC

This Scripture shows us that God desires to “keep” us regardless of what the enemy may try to bring against us. He will rescue us from all types of trouble. Our God will cause us to laugh at destruction and famine. He will keep us if we had to go to war, He will keep us from the power of the sword (or any weapon). God is our Deliverer and our Protector. As believers, we do not fear death, or destruction, or anything that is under the curse. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, and He causes us to win in every situation and every circumstance when we stand on His Word. God took care of his people in the middle of famine, and He has protected His people in war. If He has done it in the past, He will do it now. He has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

#faithful #motivation #devotional #redeemer #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 14th

📖 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. —Revelation 4:11 KJV

We were created to give God pleasure. We were created to give Him joy. Is your life pleasing to Him? The Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6) Are you living by faith today or are you walking by sight? Are you calling those things which be not as though they were? As believers, we live a lifestyle of walking in the unseen. We understand that the things that are seen are temporal (temporary). They are subject to change. The Israelites did not please God when they were in the wilderness because they complained every time they faced a challenge or an obstacle. They were moved by circumstances. Faith people aren’t moved by the negative circumstances of life. Faith people understand that faith will overcome everything that does not line up with the Word of God. Let’s live a life that is pleasing unto God. Let’s live a life of faith, a life of standing, believing, and acting on God’s Word. 

#walkbyfaith #devotional #faithlife #vcccharlotte #believe

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 13th

📖 Woe to my rebellious children, says the Lord; you ask advice from everyone but me and decide to do what I don’t want you to do. You yoke yourselves with unbelievers, thus piling up your sins. For without consulting me you have gone down to Egypt to find aid and have put your trust in Pharaoh for his protection. But in trusting Pharaoh, you will be disappointed, humiliated and disgraced, for he can’t deliver on his promises to save you. 
—Isaiah 30: 1-3 The Living Bible

Do you go to God when you must make a tough decision? Do you seek His counsel? Do you ask for His advice? Many times, when we must make decisions, we go to everyone but God. We go to our best friend. We go to a relative. We don’t seek the Lord and get His mind on the major decisions of our lives, at least not like we should. Do you know how much God loves you today? Are you aware of His concern for your overall well-being? He wants to help you in every circumstance, but when you don’t consult Him, how can He? God sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper, and I am sure it saddens Him when we don’t allow Him to do what He has been sent to do: help us. Let’s not put our trust in the arm of flesh. Let’s put our trust in Almighty God. He can handle every obstacle, and He can handle whatever the enemy tries to place in our lives. God wants us to cast our cares on Him and allow Him to handle our burdens. Everything is easy to God. We will find that out the more we trust Him. Let’s not put our trust in Pharoah (the world), you will be disappointed, humiliated, and disgraced. Let’s keep our eyes on God, He will never let us down when we do. 

#decisions #devotional #askGod #vcccharlotte #trustinGod

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 12th

📖 Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! —Habakkuk 3:17-19 AMPC

The prophet here is taking a significant stance. He is taking a stance of Victory. He is saying that it doesn't matter what it looks like, I'm going to rejoice in the Lord. He was saying that he wasn't going to focus on his circumstances; instead, he was going to rejoice. He knew that God would cause him to prevail. He knew that God would cause him to make progress and excel in life. Let's be like the prophet. Let's keep our eyes on the right thing. Let’s set our gaze on the rock of our salvation. Let's keep our eyes on the One who always causes us to triumph in every situation. We look to the hills from where our help comes from, our help comes from the Lord. 

#devotional #vcccharlotte #iamvictory #Godhelpus #strength

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 11th

📖 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. —2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV

God desires for us to excel in every area of our lives. The church in Corinth was excelling in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness (or diligence), and in love. That is impressive. Despite their excelling in these areas, Paul admonished them to excel in giving. Giving not only bestows blessings to others, but it also causes blessings to come our way. When we give, it is given back to us again, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:38). Our giving causes others to give thanks to God because we were the channel that God used to be a blessing. God delights in our excelling in everything we do. If we haven’t started to excel in our giving, it's definitely time that we do. It is more blessed to give, than to receive (Acts 20:35). When we start to excel in that area, we will understand why. 

#giver #generosity #Goodgod #verseoftheday #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 9th

📖 For we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]. —II Corinthians 5:7 AMP

The Christian Walk is a walk of faith. We believe in a God that we cannot see with the physical eye. We believe that we are going to a Heaven we have never seen. We believe our names are written in the Book of Life even though we have not seen the book. We walk by faith and not by sight; it’s a faith life. We also believe and act on the Word of God, independent of what we see. We follow God’s commandments and endeavor to live a life that is pleasing unto Him. We stand on His promises, regardless of what we feel in our physical bodies, regardless of what is going on in our finances, or in any other situation in our lives. We believe God’s Word because His Word has the power to change whatever is going on in our bodies, finances, and any other area of our lives. God’s Word is truth, and He can be depended upon. We walk by faith, and not by sight.   

#faithwalk #dailydevotional #christianity #walkbyfaithnotbysight

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 8th

📖 But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me. —I Corinthians 15:10 AMPC

When there is an appreciation for where God brought you from, it should cause you to go all out for Him. Paul was saying that he did not want God’s grace to be in vain. He did not want what God did for him to be for nothing. God’s grace caused him to work even harder. It caused him to maximize every day. It caused him to press through every challenge and every difficulty. It didn’t really matter what happened in Paul’s life, he refused to frustrate the grace of God. Many of the epistles that are in the Bible were written while Paul was in prison. Prison could not stop Paul. Shipwrecks, stonings, beatings--nothing hindered Paul from finishing his course. If the grace of God could push Paul, how more should it push us? It should push us to finish our course, to stand before God and hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”  

#faithfulservant #Godsgrace #bible #push #apostlepaul #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 7th

📖 And there was a famine in the land, other than the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 

And the Lord appeared to him and said, Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I will tell you. 

Dwell temporarily in this land, and I will be with you and will favor you with blessings; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 
—Genesis 26:1-3 AMPC

Obeying God doesn’t cost, it pays. It is always in our best interest to obey God. When we get to a place where we die to ourselves and our desires, and choose to live for Him, that is when we will see things happen in our lives. Good things. Things that will blow your socks off. Isaiah 1:19 tells us that if we are willing and obedient, we will eat the good of the land. God desires for us to live good and to eat good. Obedience is the vehicle that will take us to the land of abundance, a land of overflow. God wants us to ride upon the high places of the earth. He wants us to experience His best. We must be like Isaac. We must be where He wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do. Living a life for God is living a life of obedience. Any other life would be displeasing to Him. 

#devotional #obedience #vcccharlotte #abundance #overflow

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 6th

📖 Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he. —Proverbs 29:18 AMPC

Do you have a redemptive revelation of God? God moves in our lives based on what we know and believe about Him. Jesus asked some blind men, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28) We all know that Jesus could have healed the men, but it was their believing that would determine what Jesus could do for them. Things have not changed. Our believing God gets Him in motion. Faith will always get God in motion. We must continue to study the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to give us revelation of who God is and what He can do in our lives. Faith begins where the will of God is known. The will of God is found in the Word of God. As we get the revelation of God, it will cause us to want to keep His laws. Keeping His commandments allows us to walk in the fullness of the Blessing. God wants us blessed, but it begins with seeing Him properly. We must have the proper perspective of God. He can do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think. There is nothing too difficult for Him. 

#revelation #vcccharlotte #faith #devotional #motion

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 5th

📖 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 AMPC

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 | November 4th

📖 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 
—Psalm 118:24 KJV

Today is a special day. It is a day that you have never seen before. You have the opportunity to make the best of it. You can curate this day and make it what you want it to be. Every day that you wake up, you have the opportunity to make your life better. You have the chance to make your day count. You can receive benefits you haven’t received in the past because the Lord loads us with daily benefits. Today someone didn’t wake up, but you did! You have a chance to make an impact for the kingdom of God. Let’s not take life for granted. Let’s not take the day for granted. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! 

#thisisthedaythattheLordhasmade #Godisgood #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 2nd

📖 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. 
—Psalm 118:8 AMPC

Our confidence should always be in God and what His Word says. God has no limits. He is faithful. God will never let you down when you put your complete trust in Him. He loves us and wants to handle every difficulty and problem that we may encounter. A man may break his word, but God won’t. A man may change his mind, but God won’t. God’s Word is forever settled in heaven. His thoughts towards us will forever be good. His plan for our lives will always be good. Man may have ulterior motives. He may say one thing and mean something else, but God is always the same. There is no shadow of turning in Him. We can put our confidence in Him. 

#Godisfaithful #devotional #encouragement #dependable #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | November 1st

📖 The backslider in heart [from God and from fearing God] shall be filled with [the fruit of] his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of] his ways [with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights]. 
—Proverbs 14:14 AMPC

It always pays to serve God. It is always in our best interest to live a consecrated, sanctified life before God. One minister said, “Serving God doesn’t cost, it pays.” As we serve God and obey His commandments, we can expect to be satisfied with the fruit of our ways. We don’t obey God out of obligation, we obey God out of respect. We obey God out of our reverence and appreciation for who He is and what He has done for us. We don’t want to be like the backslider. They will be filled with the fruit of their ways as well. Their outcome will be different from ours. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The payment for a lifestyle of sin is death. We don’t want the consequences of death in any area of our lives. We must serve the Lord and walk with Him. It's important that we delight ourselves in the Lord. When we do, we can expect to receive the desires of our hearts. (Psalms 37:4) We can expect it, because God promised it, and God cannot lie. 

#Godcantlie #backslider #devotional #Godlovesus #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | October 31st

📖 The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.] 

Judas, not Iscariot, asked Him, Lord, how is it that You will reveal Yourself [make Yourself real] to us and not to the world? 

Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him. 
—John 14: 21-23 AMPC

One of the best experiences that we can have is for God to manifest Himself to us. For Him to make known to us His ability and His power. God wants to show Himself strong on our behalf, but it starts with our acting on the Word of God. God is watching over His Word to perform it, and He is looking to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards Him. (Jeremiah 1:12; II Chronicles 16:9) Our believing and acting on God’s Word brings God on the scene. To love God is to obey God. Obedience to God’s Word shows that we respect God and one way we demonstrate love is by showing respect. When we love our parents, we respect them. We do what they ask us to do. It is the same way with God. We cannot say that we love God, and we don’t do what He asks us to do. Our desire should be for God to make His home in us. Wherever God stays, He takes over. And when He takes over and He upgrades. God wants to upgrade our lives. We can allow Him to by being a doer of the Word and not just a hearer only. It is the doer of the Word that is blessed. (James 1:25) 

#obedience #devotional #love #vcccharlotte #respect

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