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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 18th

📖 I will satisfy fully the life of the priests with abundance [of offerings shared with them], and My people will be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord. —Jeremiah 31:14 AMPC

God desires for us to experience His goodness. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above. God is a good God, and He wants us to experience His goodness all the time. The Bible tells us that He daily loads us with benefits (Psalm 68:19). God is constantly trying to bestow His blessings upon us. The Bible tells us that the blessing of Abraham will come upon us and overtake us as we diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord our God and obey His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:1-2). God has done His part. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). He has given us the ability to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:4). It’s on us now. Let’s pursue all that God has given us, and let’s not give up until we have obtained the promises. 

#theblessingofabraham #Godisgood #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 17th

📖 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ —John 1:22-23 NKJV

What do you say about yourself? How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as a winner? Do you see yourself overcoming every situation of life? As believers we must see ourselves the way God sees us. We must know who we are in Christ. We must know what belongs to us. We must also understand that how we see ourselves is in correlation with how we think. The Bible tells us that “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. (Proverbs 23:7) God gave us His Word so that we can think like Him. When we think the way He thinks, we will talk the way He talks. When we think and talk like God, we will live like Him and He lives in victory. His Word tells us that He always causes us to triumph. (2 Corinthians 2:14) If God says we are royalty, then that is what we are. If we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth, then that is what we are. If we are going to succeed in this life, it starts with how we see ourselves. We are who God says we are, and we can do what He says we can do. 

#success #vcccharlotte #wecan #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 16th

📖 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do, 

Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him and shall bless themselves by him? 

For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him. 
—Genesis 18:17-19 AMPC 

What an honor for Abraham. He was referred to as a servant and a friend of God. Imagine being called a friend of God. I believe that is what God would like to call all of us, both servant and friend. God wants us to have the attitude of a servant, but He also wants us to develop a friendship with Him. God wants obedience. God wants us to heed His commandments and to get into a rhythm of obedience. At the same time, He wants to fellowship with us. He desires to let us in on what He is doing on the earth. He wants to give us insight into His plans for our lives. Isaiah 1:19 NIV says “if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land”. Willingness shows trust. I am willing to do something because of who asked me. When God the Father asks us to do something, we should do it with joy and enthusiasm, because we know that He would not ask us to do something that is harmful. We are obedient because of reverence and respect. You put the two together and you can see why God would want to bestow His blessings upon us. God wants friendship and He wants obedience. Both are keys to experiencing His goodness and all the things that He has promised us. 

#friendship #vcccharlotte #servant #devotional #goodnessofGod 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 15th

📖 See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him. —I John 3:1 AMPC

What a privilege it is to be called the children of God. We aren’t servants, even though we should serve God. We are His children. He loves us so much that He would call us His children. Despite our shortcomings, despite our struggles, despite our imperfections, God deemed it appropriate to call us His children. He doesn’t see us the way we often see ourselves; He sees us through the Blood of Jesus. God sees us as righteous. He sees us as kings and priests. When we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, it puts us in a different class. Because of this, the world does not know or recognize us. They did not know or recognize Jesus, so we should expect no different. We are not of this world; we are of God! We should embrace this and meditate on this truth until it becomes a reality to us. We are the children of the almighty God—the Creator of the universe. When you finally get a revelation of this, it will change your life. It will change your perspective and take you to another level. 

#childrenofGod #devotional #vcccharlotte #righteous

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 13th

📖 Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] is rewarded. 
—Proverbs 13:13 AMPC 

It is always in our best interest to develop a love and a respect for the Word of God. The Word of God has the solution to every potential problem that we may face. The Word of God is how we overcome. The Word of God is the Source of faith and faith is how we overcome the world. Jesus used the Word of God to overcome the wicked one. When he encountered the Satan in the wilderness, He said repeatedly, “It is written "and quoted from the Word of God. The devil wants you to despise the very weapon that will defeat him. He wants you to ignore the Word. He’s okay with you reading it every now and then, but he wants to keep you from being consistent. God’s Word is our weapon. We must embrace it and learn to delight in God’s Word. We cannot afford to neglect the Word of God. We cannot despise it. Doing those things will not only bring defeat, but it will also bring destruction to our lives. We cannot let that happen. God is depending on us. 

#WordofGod #vcccharlotte #Sourceoffaith #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 12th

📖 However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. 

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. 

He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. 
—John 16:7, 13-14 AMPC 

We are not alone. We have been given a Helper. Jesus stated that He had to go so that He could send a Helper. He sent someone to be in close fellowship with us. That someone is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an emotion or a feeling. It is a person. Jesus said, “I will send Him to you”. The Holy Spirit will receive of Jesus and will share it with us. He will share things with us about the future. He will share things with us that are necessary. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby. We are not in this by ourselves. We must utilize and take advantage of the help that God has sent us, and He has sent us the Holy Spirit. 

#HolySpirit #vcccharlotte #OurHelper #devotional 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 11th

📖 The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger [God will meet all his needs], But He will reject and cast away the craving of the wicked. ⎯Proverbs 10:3 AMPC

The Lord knows how to meet our needs. He will not allow us to go hungry when we put our trust in Him. God fed Elijah by sending the ravens to bring him food in the morning and the evening. Jesus multiplied fish and bread and fed thousands of people. God fed the Israelites manna in the wilderness, and there were 2-3 million people. God is not moved by famine or our circumstances. God is moved by faith. He changes circumstances, and He will change yours if you believe Him to do so. His eyes are looking throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards Him
(II Chronicles 16:9). 

#perfectheart #israelites #Godprovides #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 10th

📖 I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on the earth. 
—Ecclesiastes 10:7 AMPC

As kings, we are to take our rightful place on the earth. Many believers are living below the standards that God has established for them. God expects us to be the head and not the tail. We are to be above only and not beneath. God sees us as His ambassadors and as kings and priests. Many are walking like slaves when they should be riding on the high places of the earth. We are no longer in the kingdom of darkness. We have been delivered into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. We are to walk like it and to talk like it. The Bible even tells us that the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just (Proverbs 13:22). We are seated together with Christ in heavenly places. We have been given authority. So, let's not allow ourselves to be out of place. Let us seize what belongs to us. No matter how long it takes, we must be like Caleb and demand what has been promised to us. All things are ours! (I Corinthians 3:22). 

#kings #devotional #wisdom #iamvictory

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 9th

📖 But he who did not know and did things worthy of a beating shall be beaten with few [lashes]. For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required; and of him to whom men entrust much, they will require and demand all the more. —Luke 12:48 AMPC 

To whom much is given, much is required. Many want to walk in a greater anointing. Many want promotion and more responsibility. But to whom much is given, much is required. Are you prepared for all that comes with the greater anointing, promotion, or responsibility? Are you able to handle the scrutiny that comes with the greater? There is a maturity that must take place to handle all that God wants us to walk in. You don’t send a ten-year-old to college. They wouldn’t be able to handle the course load, free time, or overall experience. College life would be overwhelming because of the lack of maturity to handle college life. You could send an eighteen or nineteen-year-old who has graduated from high school. They would be better prepared. The same could be said about the finer things in this life. We must be able to handle the expanded role in the job. We must walk in spiritual maturity to handle a greater anointing. Jesus began preparing for ministry at the age of twelve, but did not begin his public ministry until the age of thirty. Eighteen years of preparation for a three-and-a-half-year ministry that turned the world upside down and rocked Satan’s domain. Are you ready for more? Are you ready for greater responsibility? To whom much is given, much is required. 

#preparation #vcccharlotte #required #devotional #maturity 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 8th

📖 And now, you see, I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the [Holy] Spirit and obligated and compelled by the [convictions of my own] spirit, not knowing what will befall me there— 

Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.

But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God’s grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy). 
—Acts 20:22-24 AMPC  

There will be times in all of our lives when we have to make the statement that Paul made: None of these things move me. The devil will give us his best shot. He will whisper things in your ear, telling you that you will not make it. He will whisper that God’s Word will not work this time. He will say all kinds of things to intimidate and to scare you. We must stay “planted” into the Word of God. When you are rooted and grounded in the things of God, you are not easily moved or distracted by what the enemy is doing in your life. He may be attempting to wreak havoc in your life, but you know that it is temporary. You know it is a matter of time before you walk out your victory in Christ. The devil may huff and puff, but He can’t blow your house down. Your house has a firm foundation. Your house has been built on a rock. Trouble may come your way, but it will come to pass you by. You are in the secret place. No weapon formed against you will prosper. The weapon may form, but it will not prosper. The promises of God is what keeps us anchored. We will not fall if we are leaning on God. We can be like Paul and say: But none of those things move me. 

#promisesofGod #vcccharlotte #firmfoundation #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 6th

📖 So stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, merely as a human being like myself. How differently I feel now! When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! 
—2 Corinthians 5:16-17 The Living Bible 

As Christians, we are not merely human beings. We became new on the inside when we made Jesus the lord of our lives. We have the Greater One on the inside of us. As believers, we are partakers of God’s Divine Nature (II Peter 1:4). This new nature on the inside of us allows us the privilege of being called the children of God (I John 3:10). God gave us a new nature so that we can have a new life! We must allow the new nature to dominate us. We must renew our minds to the Word of God so that the new life will dominate our thinking and our actions. When we understand who we are and walk it out, it allows us to walk the way Jesus walked when He was here on the earth. Jesus walked in victory while He was here on the earth, and we can to. We have been predestined to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:29). Jesus is a picture of victory. When we walk out what is inside of us, so are we. The Word of God tells us that “as He is, so are we in this world” (I John 4:17 NKJV). 

#newcreations #vcccharlotte #newlife #devotional #victory 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 5th

📖 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. 
—Hebrews 11:1-2 The Message 

Our faith in God is the foundation under everything that makes life worth living. God has given us the measure of faith, that when developed, will overcome everything that is negative in this world. Faith in God is simply faith in His Word. Our confidence in God’s Word and His integrity will cause us to be set above the crowd. It will cause us to be the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. Faith will cause you to experience what others do not. Learning to trust God causes our lives to be worth living. Confidence in God’s Word will cause us to live a life that would not be possible in the natural. It is our faith in God that will always cause us to triumph. It is that type of confidence that allows God to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think. Now that is a life that is truly worth living. 

#faithinGodv#vcccharlotte #foundation #devotional  

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 4th

📖 And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden [delight]; and there He put the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted). 

And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired—good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity. 

The gold of that land is of high quality; bdellium (pearl?) and onyx stone are there. 
—Genesis 2: 8-9:12 AMPC 

Notice the environment that Adam (and later Eve) was placed in. Adam wasn’t placed in a desert. He wasn't placed in the wilderness. Adam was placed in a place of abundance. God did not give him two trees to choose from. God gave man a variety to choose from. The Garden was a place of beauty. The Garden was a place of prosperity and blessing. God hasn’t changed His mind about the type of life He wants for His children. God still wants His children to live a life of abundance. When God told His people about the promised land that He had for them, He said that it was a land that flowed with milk and honey. They were to eat until they were full. It was a land where there would be no scarcity (Deuteronomy 8). III John 2 tells us that God wants us to prosper and to be in health even as our soul prospers. We must embrace the will of God. We must renew our minds and allow our thoughts to become God’s thoughts. He wants the best for us and as we walk with Him, we can expect His best in our lives. We can be the head and not the tail. We can be above only and not beneath. We can be all that God wants us to be. 

#abundance #vcccharlotte #prosperity #devotional #willofGod 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 3rd

📖 When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.

Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves. 

When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God. 

—Genesis 3:6-8 The Message  

If you sin, don’t run from God, run to God. If you miss the mark, don’t hide from God, talk to God. God doesn’t want to beat you over the head because you messed up. He wants to restore you. He wants to re-establish you and place you in right standing with Him. The Bible tells us that when we sin, we should confess our sin. When we do, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). He is the condemner. He wants to remind you of your sin. He wants you to develop a sin consciousness. That’s not God. God is a God of mercy and grace. He wants to cleanse you of that sin. He doesn’t even remember it once you have confessed it. Sin doesn’t have to separate you from God. Don’t make sin a lifestyle. Confess it and get rid of it. You are the righteousness of God. Don’t allow sin to have dominion over you. You overcome it. You overcome it by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony.   

#runtoGod #vcccharlotte #talktoHim #devotional #overcomer 

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 2nd

📖 They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” 

Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.” They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus. Jesus said, “What can I do for you?” The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.” In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road. 
—Mark 10:46-52 MSG 

What’s stopping you? Blind Bartimaeus would not allow anything to stop him from receiving from Jesus. He would not allow the people to shut him up. When they told him to shut up, he cried even louder. This could have been the only time He would have been in the presence of Jesus. He would not allow anything to stop him. Because of his persistence, Jesus stopped and asked for him. He had gotten Jesus’ attention. Bartimaeus received his sight that day. His faith had made him whole, but his faith also caught the attention of Jesus. Faith will always get the attention of God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. God is always pleased when we stand on His Word. He is pleased when we act on the Word. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus could heal him, and his actions showed that. If we want to receive from God, we must do the same thing. Our actions must demonstrate what we believe. 

#walkbyfaith #vcccharlotte #standontheWord #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | June 1st

📖 Then I said to them, You see the bad situation we are in—how Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a disgrace. 

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was upon me for good, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build! So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 

But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed us to scorn and despised us and said, What is this thing you are doing? Will you rebel against the king? 

I answered them, The God of heaven will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or memorial in Jerusalem. 
—Nehemiah 2:17-20 AMPC 

No matter how things may look, you can rebuild your life. It doesn’t matter what storms you might face. It doesn’t matter what obstacles you must overcome; God can make it better. Nehemiah had taken up the task of rebuilding the wall. There were people who ridiculed and criticized the project. There was the threat of people coming to destroy their efforts. Nehemiah knew that the Hand of God was with them. He knew that the God of Heaven would prosper and protect them. They would eventually rebuild the wall, and the people would recommit themselves to God and His Word. As impossible as things look, the first step must be to rise and build. You must get started. You don’t have to be great to start, but you cannot be great until you get started. With God involved, it will be better than it was before. 

#rebuild #HandofGod #vcccharlotte #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 30th

📖 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 KJV

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 29th

📖 The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness, But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it? —Proverbs 18:14 AMP 

In the world many people are consistent when it comes to feeding themselves. As Christians we are exhorted from the Word to feed our spirit man but many times we neglect to do so. The verse here says a man’s spirit will keep and sustain him in sickness. If we are not consistently feeding our spirit, it will not be able to sustain us during that time. Just like we constantly feed our natural body, we must give attention our spirit man. We can do this by reading and meditating the Word of God daily so that the word can come up in our spirits in our time of need. We also can commune with God in our heavenly language in prayer and worship. These practices will keep our spirits strong, and in turn, keep our bodies well. 

#prayer #devotional #feedyourspirit #vcccharlotte #worship

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 28th

📖 The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your loving-kindness, Lord, continues forever. —Psalms 138:8 The Living Bible

God knows where we are supposed to be, and when we are supposed to be there. He knows which doors to open and which doors to close. He can coordinate encounters with people that can help us as we navigate our path. As we walk with God, we can trust that He will remove barriers and obstacles. He will go before us and make the crooked places straight. The Lord will work out his plans for our lives. When we believe that, it will remove stress. It will take pressure off us. Depending on Him will cause us to enter a state of rest. Faith rests. Faith trusts. Are you in faith today? 

#walkwithGod #devotional #vcccharlotte #God’splan #restinHim

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | May 27th

📖 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for by Christ]; then do not yield yourselves up to become [in your own estimation] slaves to men [but consider yourselves slaves to Christ]. —I Corinthians 7:23 AMPC 

You are valuable to God. Did you know that? He thinks so highly of you that He purchased you with the Blood of His Son Jesus. As a token of appreciation, we should offer ourselves to God for whatever He may need from us. We are not our own. We belong to God. God could have left us in a sinful state. He could have allowed us to figure out how to save ourselves. Thank God He didn’t. We meant too much to Him. God wanted us to be free from Satan’s domain and so He purchased us. We owe Him our lives. Where would we be without God? We would be in trouble and subject to Satan and his demons. Thank God for the Blood. He has redeemed us from sin and from everything that is under the curse. We would be in bad shape if it weren’t for the Lord. We are free in Jesus Name. What a privilege it is to serve such a great God. 

#ServingGod #vcccharlotte #appreciation #devotional #valuable 

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