We all try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack us at once. Satan tries to confuse us. We feel like our lives are being consumed with the cares and troubles of this world. Paul referred to these ideologies as fortresses in which people are imprisoned and need to be set free and brought captive to Christ and obedient to the truth.

Many times, I have said, “Will I ever have peace or enjoy any quietness of heart?” Ephesians 2:1-3 says “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

The power that raises believers out of death and makes them alive is the same power that energizes every aspect of Christian living. Satan cannot take our salvation, but he wants to make us miserable in our salvation. but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

God will use the fires of adversity to “melt” our hearts. When the Apostle Peter wrote this epistle, it was shortly before or after the burning of Rome and at the beginning of the horrors of a 200 - year period of Christian persecution. Peter explains that four attitudes are necessary to be triumphant in persecution: 1) expect it; 2) rejoice in it; 3) evaluate its cause; and 4) entrust it to God. (The McArthur Study Bible)

PRAYER: Praise the Lord for His Great Power, Goodness, and Mercy. All that You endured for us Lord on the cross has no comparison to the assigned fiery trials of this short life, so we choose to Glorify and Magnify the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
 By Sis. Cheryl Torain

SCRIPTURE:  “Moreover brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain” 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2

Did you see that last statement of the apostle Paul’s in verse 2?  I have often thought that the worst kind of deception is that which we tell ourselves.  Many people profess that they are saved.  They  base their belief on having walked a church aisle, shaken the preacher’s hand, following that up with baptism.  Maybe their claim of salvation rests on their “P.K.” status—they’re a preacher’s kid.  Worse still, many believe their own “press”; they place great confidence in their reputation or think of themselves as a truly “nice” person.  They regularly give money to the poor and a host of other worthy causes.

As commendable as all these traits are, their possessors may yet find themselves on the receiving end of our Lord’s words found in Matthew 7:22, ---‘I never KNEW you:  DEPART from Me, you who act wickedly.’  [Talk about the telling link between our habitual conduct/ attitudes and our confession of knowing Him]!
 
 If we really know Jesus and are known by Him, we’ve been forewarned to make sure that our righteousness exceeds that of the very religious Pharisees—of both biblical and modern times. We must not forget the scriptural warning that” knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Let us avoid the devastating sin of self-deception and, instead,  aim to walk worthy of the calling with which we’ve been called. Let us wholeheartedly embrace what Christ describes as a “saving faith!”
 
PRAYER:  Dear Father, please grant us a willingness to repent of the dangerous self-deception of merely  “going through the motions,” or “playing church.”  Convict, where necessary, of the need to pursue a true and vital personal relationship with You.  Thank You, in Christ’s name; amen!
By Sis. Denise Diggs

Father, we thank You for the Word You've given unto us.  We ask now, Father, once again that You would do that supernatural work in all of us. That our hearing and our thinking would be of one mind with You and that we would understand what You desire to be applied to our lives. May Your word, in Its perfection, and in the Holy Spirit, in His perfect work, accomplish these things despite the imperfection of Your servant. Indeed Father, use me to speak in accordance to the Word and we'll give you praise and thanks for we ask it all in Jesus’ name amen and amen.
Pastor Wayne Cockrell
Taken from Getting Through Bad Times That Become Worse

Whose name comes to mind when we think about a biblical upright person? Most often it is the man, Noah. There are reasons why this person is known as one who lived a life of uprightness. Noah found favor with the Lord; He remained steadfast and focused. He was not easily deterred from his mission. Noah’s blameless, upright life did not mean that he was sinless. He believed, feared, and followed God’s rules and commands. Noah walked with the Lord. Another name that comes to the surface is Job, who is said to be blameless and upright. Also, a man of integrity, who feared and trusted in God, his redeemer. (Job 1:1; 19:25). For Job is confident that his redeemer lives.

In Titus 1:6 and Job 1:1, blameless means to be a person whose life and character are so righteous that no one could bring a public charge against them. In fact, an upright person is characterized as:
. One who walks with God
. One who is obedient to God’s commands (all that He says to do)
. One who turns away from evil. (Walks in the ways of the Lord God)
. One who is gracious and compassionate
. One who fears the Lord
.One who is faithful
. One who is steadfast
. One who loves not the world, nor the things of the world
. One who refuses to compromise
. One who is committed to doing right, while the world is in chaos and sin
. One who is cleansed of all unrighteousness (repents of sins)
. One who is inclined to prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit
. One who worships the Lord God in spirit and truth

We are to intentionally commit ourselves to believe and obey God in all that we do. Repentance of sin, being cleansed of all unrighteousness makes it oh so possible to live blamelessly in a world of chaos and sin. God judges sin fiercely, and He mercifully delivers us. Those who follow the Lord and walk in His ways will experience His presence and enjoy His blessings. Most assuredly, Noah walked with. He is considered blameless and upright by every sense of the definition. What’s more “all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition,”( 1 Corinthians 10:11). Blessed be the Lord God for these examples for us to follow.

PRAYER: Lord, You know me, my going out and coming in. Nothing is hidden from You. Help me to love the things You love and to turn away from all appearances of evil. In Jesus’ name. Amen
By Sis. Novella D. Carpenter

The winter season creates an appreciation for spring,
It symbolizes renewal, resurrection, and new beginnings.

It marks the end of winter conditions and the hope of restoration,
A fresh start for new growth provided through the Lord’s salvation.

Appropriately referred to as His buds of redemption with promise,
Encouraging us to look forward to our future with reward and harvest.

The winter season causes us to rely on God’s strength when we are weary,
Learning how to trust His timing, although matters appear difficult or scary.

For as the winter rain and snow come down from heaven, God is working,
It’s meant for new growth to bring forth purification, renewal, and purpose.

Winter years of passing sin, storms, misery, and pain without new growth or fruit,
This newness involves clearing anything that threatens or jeopardizes our divine roots.

“Come away,” says the Lord, as He invites us to a new life while a hard and barren season ends,
Now we can see the Lord desired renewal, intimacy, and newness from the beginning.

Developed green figs, singing birds, tender grapes, and blossoming flowers with a sweet-smelling scent,
Experiencing all things work together for the good, as we don’t look like where we’ve been.

The Lord knew what it would take to make us exclusively beautiful,
Maturing us to blossom in the spring so we can be seen and useful.

So, we must plant ourselves in God’s Word and prayer consistently,
Ensuring we are rooted in the Lord to grow and serve overtime effectively.

Meanwhile, it’s necessary for spring cleaning for our hearts, bodies, souls, and minds.
Removing past ways for newer ways so the Light that lives in us can brightly shine.

Now, when witnesses see our journey, the spring results will resemble the Lord’s new creation,
As the season changes, righteousness and praise will spring up before all nations.

Now the world will see the fruit produced from the seeds of our heavenly Father,
A beautiful garden is prepared in the winter, but the spring reveals the Gardener.

PRAYER: Lord! You are amazing! We pray that You continue to renew us to what You want us to be. We want Your will, not ours.
By Bro. Glenny Moore

The wisest man on earth, King Solomon, understood human nature, our tendency to be inflated with pride during prosperity, and our propensity to sin. Upon completion of his own dwelling and more importantly, the Lord’s awesome temple, an undertaking assigned by God especially for him and not his father, King David, King Solomon approached all the assembly of Israel and in a massive dedication ceremony he acknowledged the greatness, sovereignty, and mercy of God. From the bronze platform King Solomon proceeds to offer supplications to the Lord and targeted requests in a series of ‘If/When’ statements hoping that the Lord’s gaze would continually be upon His people and that when the nation prayed at the temple, the Lord would hear their prayer in heaven and forgive.

If we sin in this manner... then hear from heaven and act and judge. 2 Chronicles 6:22

If Israel is defeated because they have sinned against You, but then return and confess, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive their sin. 2 Chronicles 6:24-25

When there is a drought because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 27 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants. 2 Chronicles 6:26-27

When there is famine, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers  in the land, then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), 2 Chronicles 6:28-30

When Your people go out to battle against enemies and they pray to You toward this temple, then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, 2 Chronicles 6:34-35

“When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them…when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You…then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.” 2 Chronicles 6:36-39

King Solomon's prayer is a foreshadowing of Israel’s future and in the presence of all the people and God, he gave them the template of worship: humble oneself, pray, confess, repent and wait. Then the Lord, affirming his prayer from 2 Chronicles 6,  speaks to Solomon and says in 2 Chronicles 7:12, 14, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we have sinned against You in word, thought, and deed. Please forgive us. You said we can come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.(Hebrews 4:16 ) We pray, Jesus, that  we who know Christ as Savior, if there is any unconfessed sin that we would humble ourselves and  “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” {Isaiah 55:6-7) Yes Lord, please hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land.
By Sis. Paula Smith

Abraham had a life of highs and lows. As Abraham had more victory in his faith walk, God ultimately tested Abraham by having him offer up his son Isaac, the son of promise (Genesis 22:1-19). Abraham’s test was not a temptation but was God’s way of showing Abraham what was in his heart. As Abraham came to Mt. Moriah, he had to leave his servants to go to that place of sacrifice to worship God.

Brokenness is a place of sacrifice and worship that you go alone when God speaks to your heart. When Abraham obeyed by offering Isaac on the altar, not only did his faith mature, but he went to another place in his worship. He experienced a new name for God “The-LORD-Will-Provide.” Our answer to prayers is in our obedience. The answer is sometimes “behind us” after we obey as “the ram was already caught in the thicket behind Abraham.”

Having passed the test, which God already knew he would, God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead of Abraham’s son, and the peaceable fruit of righteousness flourished in Abraham’s heart in a climate of spiritual peace. Success and blessings seem to be connected to action and obedience. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they obey and don’t quit.

PRAYER: Precious Lord as You assign the tests and allow the temptations to come, may we choose obedience even when it may cost us greatly. Thank You for Your Awesome wisdom in how You are conforming us into Your image for Your Glory!!
By Sis. Cheryl Torain

I recently came across  a list of souls online who were “reformed atheists or agnostics.”  I use the term “reformed” because this somewhat eminent group of intellectuals, debaters, scientists, philosophers and such, has reportedly repented of their unbelief and rejection of the gospel, and embraced Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

The list drew much ridicule and snide commentary among some readers.  The latter regarded these converts with great suspicion, while others derided their embracing of the Savior in their advanced years, saying, with much authority, mind you, that these renowned brainy types have only turned to affirming the resurrection in light of the imminency of that “yawning chasm” called death and eternity!

To those cynics (as it pertains to others’ conversion to Christ) and hardened gospel rejectors, I make no argument, except to say “The Lord knows those who are His…..” [Nahum 1:7;  2 Timothy 2:19].  In John 10:14 Jesus announces that He is the Good Shepherd, and that He knows His sheep and is known by His own.  Such affirmations by my Lord are sufficient to allay any and all possible unrest over the rise of false prophets, motivational speakers masquerading as preachers, but who are merely “making merchandise of the people,” as the apostle Peter describes it in 2 Peter 2:3.  The eternal God and Savior knows who is real and who’s simply “galloping in the game,” AKA professing but not possessing the Spirit.
 
PRAYER:  Dear Father God, thank You for choosing me to believe on Your only begotten Son, who rose victoriously from the grave accomplishing my salvation as prophesied way back in Genesis 3:15.  Without His atoning work on Calvary’s cross, I’d be among those deemed in Your Word as “most miserable.” Your name be PRAISED!  AMEN!
 By Sis. Denise Diggs

Mike asked Tanya, “Was it really a Good Friday”? Tanya was instantly annoyed by the question, because Mike was known to make light of serious situations. Tanya didn’t know how to respond, she wanted to react. She didn’t know how others felt about what Christ did for the world, but she knew how she felt about what Christ did for her. And Mike’s question made her angry. Mike continued saying, “I’m surprised that you aren’t upset about an innocent man being killed by the ‘system’.”  He was smirking. “Jesus, was Black, right? I mean you and your friends should be out with Black Lives Matter signs on Good Friday but instead y’all are celebrating the death of an innocent man.”  By now, Mike was in full chuckle, his blue eyes and blonde curls danced with each chuckle. Tanya was turning red as her blood boiled, she thought, “is he joking about my Lord’s sacrifice?” Lord, help me to represent You well, she prayed. At the same time Mike’s wife told him to stop joking all the time.

Tanya decided she could crash out on Mike, ignore him or educate him. She wasn’t the same person she was 5 years ago before she gave her life to Christ. She no longer had to be controlled by anger, but she struggled in this area. With another quick prayer and deep breath, she answered, “Well, I believe Jesus was Middle Eastern and of Jewish descent, not Black. And although you may not think that Friday many, many moons ago was Good, it was. The death of Christ not only reconciled man to God it offered eternal life to believers. Mike, not as jovial, now said, “So it is Good for the world, but not Jesus. He was crucified and committed no crime. The people, His people, even choose Him to die over a murderer (Mark 15: 12-15). Doesn’t sound like a Good Friday.” Tanya was surprised at how much Mike knew about the crucifixion of Jesus, but she didn’t believe he was a believer.

Tanya explained what Christ did was indeed a sacrifice, that He willingly took on the sins of man, the shame of sin, and the punishment of sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Bible says that "the cost of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:23). What made it Good was that Christ was pleasing the Father and fulfilling prophecy. She encouraged Mike to read Isaiah 53, and she returned to her desk. Once there she whispered a short prayer, “Thank you, Lord.”

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for restraint when responding to non-believers. Thank You for the confidence to stand up for You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that guides us, but more than anything, thank You for Your Son, Jesus the Christ who died for our sins. It was indeed a Good Friday when Jesus willingly took the sins of man, the sin of the world on His shoulders.  Lord, we love You, appreciate You, and adore You. In Jesus name, Amen.
By Sis. Patricia Towns

SCRIPTURE: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-6

Easter Sunday represents the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation,
The death, burial, and resurrection justify a victorious celebration.

A bitter-sweet weekend leading up to the greatest event in our world’s history,
Christ died, but today He is on the throne alive as a divine miracle and mystery.

This act verified, certified, and justified Jesus Christ as the Greatest of All Times,
Hosanna was executed and fulfilled as we consider this Holy weekend’s timeline.

Revisit the biblical accounts leading up to and during the events of the Cross,
In His human state, the pain and suffering should have made Him want to get off.

But He sustained it all to pay the necessary price for our debt,
The bible shares this loving and sacrificial deed step by step.

Jesus was captured and arrested after the Last Supper,
He was tried and falsely accused by religious leaders and others.

He was beaten, mocked, and crowned with thorns,
He was crucified while His mother watched and mourned.

While enduring on the Cross, Jesus spoke powerful final words,
“Father, forgive them…”, while in pain, still others were considered and observed.

“It is finished.” The burden of our sins was not diminished,
At His death, our souls were in order to become replenished.

Darkness covered the land, and the temple veil was torn in two,
A symbol and representation of direct access to God and you.

So, Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, then He was buried in a tomb,
On the third day, Sunday, He rose again, and for our souls made room.

Now, we can walk in victory rather than walk for victory,
This Easter weekend implies His glory and our eternal security.

PRAYER: Thank You, Father, for sending Your only begotten Son to save us. In the matchless name of Jesus! The Greatest of All Times! Amen.
By Bro. Glenny Moore

Many believers worldwide go to church service on Good Friday, and they hear the Seven Last Words from the cross. There are really sayings or phrases from the cross not words.
Those sayings are:
1. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 22:34)
2. Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43)
3. Woman, Behold, your son and Behold Your mother (John 19:26-27)
4. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)
5. I thirst. (John 19:28)
6. It is finished (John 19:30)
7. Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46)

My favorite saying is number six: “It is finished” or “Tetelestai” (te-tel- la- stai). Tetelestai is the Hebrew word for the phrase, ‘it is finished’. This literally means, the sacrifice is complete or the debt has been paid in full. Tetelestai was placed on the back of 1 st century legal documents to indicate that a debt had been paid completely without any debt left. In the last moments of life, Jesus took the time to tell the world that the debt of sin was paid in full with His blood…tetelestai…it is finished (John 19:30).

“There is no greater love than this that a man lay His life down for His brother” (John 15:13). This is what Christ did for us. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice and cleared the world’s debt. It is finished! My debt and your debt has been paid in full.

Rejoice!! Rejoice!! Because for all who believe the price of sin has been paid (John 3:16). There is no longer a need to sacrifice the blood of goats, bulls, or lambs (Leviticus 16:8-28) because He, Christ, became the sacrificial lamb. Rejoice!!

PRAYER: Jesus paid it all! All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain (and) He washed it white as snow. Dear Lord, Thank You for Your obedience even unto the cross. Thank You, for Your forgiveness, Your grace, and Your mercy towards me. Because of the obedience and sacrifice of Christ my sins, past, present, and future, have been forgiven. Lord, Your continued guidance is necessary so I can live life in such a way that honors that gift that was given before I was even thought of. With a full heart and a humble spirit, I thank You. In the matchless name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
By Sis. Patricia Towns

A beloved man of God once commented that of the two holiest days on the Christian calendar, he has an especial love and reverence for the Resurrection celebration called Easter. The fact that Christ Jesus was willing to completely empathize with all of us by entering what it means to live in a world under the evil one’s sway, is worthy of our unending humble thanksgiving. That said, isn’t it interesting, when you consider the account of Luke 23:39-43, that the mocking thief hanging next to Jesus displayed what has typified the heart of Christ-rejectors to this very day?

They, as did that thief, want a God whom they can manipulate—not the “I AM” of the Holy Scriptures. {Exodus 3:14; John 8:58} The other one in deep humility rebukes the mocking thief, acknowledging Christ’s pure righteousness, and is declared by Him to be free of condemnation! The other, it appears, died in his lost condition. He was completely blind to his need for repentance and sought only to escape the penalty earned by his criminal deeds. What an unchanging picture of modern-day humanity!

If your spiritual eyes have been opened to believe on Christ, praise God for His election of you, as described in verses like Ephesians 1:11, 1 Peter 1:1 and other places. Live in the light of His unceasing love, by seeking to always obey His word, and don’t forget to seek out opportunities to share the Gospel invitation with others in need of His incomparable deliverance.

PRAYER: Father, because You have opened the spiritual eyes of some of us to believe on Christ for our soul’s salvation, we can truly and eternally celebrate the indescribable love You have lavished upon us through the Person of Your Son! We bless Your reverend name! Amen!
By Sis. Denise Diggs

When we do things according to our own desires and will, we make trouble for ourselves. Therefore, we should maintain close fellowship with the Lord and ask for wisdom in our circumstances. As the Lord, in His humanity was obedient to God the Father, how much more should we be obedient to the Lord because of His great forgiveness.

Chastisement must be accepted with the right spirit for the right result. It is not a matter of accepting a minor chastisement with grace, but seeing chastisement as a “habit of life.” When that’s present, then “the peaceable fruit of righteousness follows.” Spiritual growth seems to be connected to action after pain. Spiritually mature people keep moving despite the pain of chastisement. They may sin and hurt God’s heart, but they don’t quit.

Hebrews 12:9 says “Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” When our parents chastened us, it helped us to grow. It did not always feel good, but when done in love and wisdom we learned some things. Respect for God equals submission to His will, and those who willingly receive the Lord’s chastening will have a richer, more abundant life.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for pursuing me through Your loving chastisement. Yes, it hurts Lord, but I know that You love me and will always do what’s best.

By Sis. Cheryl Torain

The Old Testament and the Old Covenant could not change people, nor could its sacrifices perfect a person’s conscience. While God prescribed external acts to temporarily deal with sin, following those acts could not bring about an internal change (Hebrew 9:9). This covenant, a special agreement that God made with His people, was made with the Nation of Israel and it was good; yet, conditional while dependent upon man for its effectiveness. This covenant included sacrifices, which had a one-year warranty (Hebrews 9:12). A divinely created relational bond through which God revealed Himself and administered His kingdom plan. There was no provision for lasting redemption for the people. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The sin debt has to be paid.

The Old Covenant was good, yet temporary; burdensome, strict, onerous (hard), written on stones and to be ministered by earthly priests following the letter of the Mosaic Law. Yes, this covenant was rigid, and it was confined to only the Israelites, its’ School Master, to teach them about sin. While The Old Covenant sacrificing cleansed the outside, but was never meant to rid the people of their sins. Recognized as a covenant of works which covered theological practices, health and dietary, social practices and criminal laws, the people made sacrifices for their sins: intentionally and unintentionally. The Lord God issued promises of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. When Israel agreed to obey the covenant laws, the nation spoke in unison saying, “We will do everything the Lord has said” (Exodus 19:8). The Bible bears witness to what resulted.

The law was a shadow of things to come, because God had something better in store for His peoples, which involved His Son for all peoples, tongues and nations. Man would no longer be responsible for the effectiveness of the law. Christ Jesus’ coming fulfilled the law. In Him are better promises. God promised, saying “I will be their God, and they shall be My people, I will shepherd My peoples; I will write My law on their hearts and in their minds” (Hebrews 8:10). “I will never again remember their sins “ (Hebrews 8:12b).

PRAYER: Lord You are so amazing in all Your ways. I know You love me, for Your Word says; “You so loved the world, (billions and billions of peoples) that You gave Your only Son to give his life on the cross for me.” Not me only, but for all people, tongues and nations. You are love. What amazing love! All of my life, You have been faithful and so good. In Christ Jesus, Amen
By Novella D. Carpenter

Growing up, my mother used to tell me, her overly-sensitive little girl, ‘When you leave this house each morning, leave your feelings at the door; it’s a mean, nasty world out there, and folks don’t give a rap ‘bout your feelings!’  While that advice was then and remains hard to debate, especially today, it’s far more enduring and edifying counsel to daily recall how deep, how wide, and how high, and endlessly rich is the Savior’s love, especially for those of us who belong to Him! That’s worth remembering every hour of every day!

Author Thomas Merton is credited with saying, “If we know how great is the love of Jesus for us, we will never be afraid to go to Him in all our poverty, all our weakness, all our spiritual wretchedness, and infirmity.” God is in love with each of His blood-purchased ones! He knew us at our worst before He found us in our lost condition. “Each of the days ordained for us was written before even one of them came to be,” says Psalm 139:16. That alone should assure us that no matter the trial or the foe, our heavenly Father can and does use them all to conform us to the image of Christ; but we must be willing to yield to that process, entrusting all that He allows to happen to us into His sovereign and omnipotent hands. (Psalm 66:10-12) Without faith, it is indeed impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 13:6) He doesn’t love us “by degrees,” nor conditionally, and certainly these aspects of His nature and character are worth remembering daily. Bless God for His indescribably wonderful love!

PRAYER: Dear Father, what manner of love You have bestowed on us, "that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1) Thank You, Abba, for imbuing us with a sense of the reality of Your love every day; help us to live each moment in the light of that enduring and divine love. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
by Denise Diggs

Our eternal Father in heaven, as Your people who are called by Your name, we come before Your throne of grace with great anticipation.  We realize that it's all about You.  It's all about Your Son. So we yield now to the Holy Spirit that He might show us these great, wonderful truths and that they may be engrafted into our hearts so that they become the motivation for living. They become the motivation for obeying You. We ask you a favor upon the servant that you might use me once again to speak in accordance to Your Word and we'll give You praise and we give You thanks to our Father, in Jesus’ name amen and amen.
Pastor Wayne Cockrell
Taken from True Faith is the Foundation for Prayer

One of the main principles taught in Scripture is the believer’s call to set our mind on things above versus things on the earth.  Despite how you choose to look at life, whether glass half full or glass half empty, the believer’s responsibility is to raise the gaze and attention to the Lord Jesus.  “The name of the LORD is a Strong Tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).  We are to take every opportunity to encourage those around us to keep their eyes on the only One who is able to exceed expectations.

What we tend to capture in our lens can often cause despair; however, we understand that God has prepared us for all of life’s conundrums.  For He gave us Romans 8, where we find many proclamations of God’s presence in our lives.  To name just two truths highlighted in Romans 8:  (1) “nothing shall separate me from the love of God;” and (2) “all things work together for the good of them who love Jesus.”  Sinking into the practice of despair should never be our testimony.  The way we love and speak should shout hope, victory, and triumph.  Yes, this is yet another reason the believer should diligently delve into God’s Word.  We are on assignment with our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

In the Book of Hebrews, Christ is described as the brightness of God’s glory.  He establishes His faithfulness and His powerful presence here with us.  However, somehow, we unfortunately run to old practices.  There is no excuse for the believer to speak with doubt, fear, or inferiority.  God declares in Deuteronomy 31:8 that we are to remember Him, our LORD, and how He goes before us and will never forsake us.  We are His and we are being conformed into the image of His Christ.

In Christ, we hold a role of royal priesthood; yes, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14.  The Godhead of the universe deems us so valuable that Christ, the Son of God, died a horrific death to satisfy His Father’s holy demands against sin.  Yes, then He resurrected to establish our faith to serve Him, our loving Savior as He sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven as our Advocate.  We are the object of His love.  He makes it possible that we stay encouraged and keep going as we fully live for His glory on this side of eternity!  Hallelujah!

PRAYER: Lord, we realized that we are on assignment.  We are called to live as You instruct; and not for ourselves.  We are hemmed up to one another; and we are called to love beyond offense and any other distraction strategically set in our path.  For You, Oh God, are ABLE to do exceedingly and abundantly above what we could ask or think; therefore, we can fully live as You require and expect.  Help us to always remember Your work so that we can forever  be the witnesses and light that the world needs.  In Jesus’ Name-Amen!
By Sis. Lisa Williams

We’ve heard it from our parents, grandparents, teachers: the admonishing to gather together your faculties and act like you have sense. All too often we’re caught in a conflict from without or within and the result can be an imbalance of emotions, thoughts, and actions and we need simply to ‘get ourselves together.’ How do we ‘get ourselves together?’ Much like a car’s check engine light, we have to recognize it, address it, and fix it.

Recognize it - periodically you and I are alerted to our heart’s condition by our carnal response to things in and around us, but sometimes like that check engine light, we ignore it, blame it on others, or even procrastinate about recognizing the warning. 2 Corinthians 13:5  says to, “Examine ourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?”  On occasion we let our guard down and we forget, Christ IS in me and I should not be responding in this way. “O wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24)  Let me get myself together.

Address it- the beauty of acknowledging I am out of sorts is that I can commune with the Father about it. Jesus, I am out of sorts and something is wrong. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Back to the check engine light analogy, only the Great Mechanic/Physician can provide the help we need to get ourselves together. If we ignore addressing the matter it will, more often than not, get worse. So “come boldly to the throne of grace” and just ask, “Lord, help me get myself together?” So we may, “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Fix it – you look around for a tool to address this issue and find there is only One. But maybe there is another way, a short cut? A work-around? My ingenuity has worked before. My creativity has helped in times past. K-nope! Humility through godly self-assessment must be addressed before any problem is fixed. We’ve been here before with our seasonal humility (humble today-not so humble tomorrow), but we forgot and now we must revisit its’ training ground, which may involve the TEACHER of all teachers, chastening. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful;" (PAUSE: have you ever gotten a beating as a child for some bad thing you did? Painful-It changed your whole life! You said you'll NEVER do that thing again-Halleljuah for an old school beating!) "nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11. God’s hand of chastening is the ‘Fix’ and we must be trained by His perfect, targeted chastening to produce the ‘peaceable fruit of righteousness’. Because “whom the Father loves, He chastens!” (Hebrews 12:6) Thank You Lord for loving and chastening me, for Your goodness leads me to repentance (Romans 2:4) and to get myself together! May we all “humble ourselves under the mighty Hand of God, (1 Peter 5:6)” stay ahead of that check engine light, “that He may exalt us in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

PRAYER: Father in heaven, the manner of love You have for us is remarkable. Thank You for corrective measures You use for Your children. You, oh Lord, are a gracious God, exercising loving kindness, tender mercies and when Your hand of chastening comes upon us, may we look up and embrace Your purpose for it and Your plans for us. In Jesus’  name I pray, Amen.  
By Sis. Paula Smith

Boredom—aka mundaneness--is a rising trend, says a recent online article printed by nature.com, and Christ followers are not immune. At times we, too, may find ourselves lamenting the mundaneness of our lives, rather than choosing each day to view our duties as something we do “as unto the Lord.” [See Colossians 3:23]

Some of you may remember the sage advice given by that famous cartoon feline of yesteryear—Garfield, who drolly embraced the mundaneness of February by calling it “the “Monday of the year.” I always thought that half of March should also have been included in his assessment; but all joking aside, what should be the Christ follower’s handle on life’s inevitable moments of mundaneness? What should be our mindset when tempted to view our daily lives as more of a “daily grind?” First, a heart check is in order. Discontentment may well be the primary culprit!

Like those Israelites in the Book of Lamentations, when we remove our focus each day from our Lord and fixate on life’s sheer daily-ness or hard places—translated: things are not exactly as we’d have them to be—we are inviting discontentment and shunning thankfulness! Do we really desire to pursue a life that pleases God; or are WE still “on the throne,” in effect telling HIM that WE know what’s best for us? Does our faithfulness to His kingdom causes matter more to us than our own personal life agendas? [Be honest]! God means what He says in 2 Corinthians 5:9—that our passion as His children should be pleasing and glorifying to Him, no matter what our life season! That said, we do well to ask ourselves are we being mindful of the possible lateness of the hour in our own lives? Are we ready to make any necessary readjustments? Let’s be about that!

PRAYER: Father God, please reignite our hearts to value faithfulness in our respective daily assignments, and resist complaining about the daily “sameness.” Let us regard these duties as coming from Your merciful, omniscient and sovereign hand. You’ve called us to faithfulness, despite our temptations to discontentment. Thank You, in Christ’s faithful name; amen.
By Sis. Denise Diggs

We are not limited to just looking for heroes of faith in the Holy Bible.
There is a living woman ambassador for Christ, seen as a devoted disciple.

Cheryl Torain is a believer commissioned on earth to represent Christ’s kingdom,
In her ministries she has served as a wife, mother, singer, author, and leader of women.

In October 1972, Sister Cheryl received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior,
A virtuous woman who lives through her faith, lifestyle, words, and behaviors.

Her knowledge of God’s Word and willingness to spread the gospel are honorable,
The work we’ve witnessed inside and outside of the church is highly commendable.

A devoted member of Genesis Bible Fellowship Church for over 40 years,
Her fervent work is noticeable and inspirational amongst members and peers.

The name and voice of Sister Cheryl echoes throughout the choir loft, lobby, and pews,
Ministering audibly and musically to our hearts, spirits, and souls in harmony and on cue.

It’s established what we are going to get when we step into her presence,
The Lord is on her heart, mind, and tongue as she regurgitates scriptures with lessons.

Sister Cheryl can be found on the front pew of the sanctuary with great expectation,
Her attitude and disposition appear as if Jesus will return at any moment with anticipation.

She celebrates, applauds, and praises Him as if He is right there,
Looking her best to receive Him from the style of her shoes, clothes, and hair.

She has made it her purpose to share her testimony at any cost and every opportunity,
Utilizing her gifts to minister as an author or singer throughout the church and community.

Sister Cheryl is what we know in the Bible as a Virtuous Woman,
Her love for Jesus has made her an influential leader for the Kingdom.

She harbors a healthy fear of the Lord that dictates the service-oriented Spirit she carries,
Mirroring the deeds of Ruth, Esther, and Hannah, who exhibited faith, integrity, and courage.

Served as a devoted wife while actively continuing as a committed mother and grandmother,
Wise and kind, strong and dignified, industrious and hardworking are the acts she covers.

So, we celebrate this Virtuous Woman of noble character, strength, and wisdom,
Her attributes, abilities, traits, and qualities are written and described in Proverbs 31.

Therefore, who can find a Virtuous Woman? For her price is far above rubies,
Sister Cheryl can be found at Genesis Bible Fellowship Church, fulfilling her godly duties.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for blessing us with an example of a godly woman. In the matchless name of Jesus! Amen
By Bro. Glenny Moore

God has given four structures of authority: family, government, church, and business. He conforms us into the image of His Son by putting us under one or more of these umbrellas of authority. When the Lord chastens us even through one of these umbrellas of authority, it is to prove that He loves us and that we are in a relationship with Him.

The Lord wants to protect us. Sometimes we forget that outside of the umbrella of protection is the enemy. “Be sober; be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are  experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (I Peter 5:8-9)

The word for “devil” means “slanderer,” thus a malicious enemy who maligns believers. He and his forces are always active, looking for opportunities to overwhelm the believer with temptation, persecution, and discouragement. Satan sows discord, accuses God to men, men to God, and men to men. (The MacArthur Study Bible) He cannot take our salvation, but he desires to unravel our fellowship with Christ and take us out of Christian service.

PRAYER: Lord, please give us wisdom as we seek You for making right decisions and responses under these different umbrellas of authority. May we “Trust You with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding; but in all of our ways acknowledge You Lord, and You promised to direct our paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
By Sis. Cheryl Torain

Once we have been drawn by God to trust in His Son, we are told to renew our mind—to let the mind of Christ be at home in us! We’re required to live surrendered to Christ’s lordship over every area of our life—not merely in those areas wherein we have no struggles. [See Matthew 5:47] We’re called to love other people---all sorts of people—the kind, the not-so-kind, the easy-going, peace-loving, and the downright eccentric! We’re to forgive as we’ve been forgiven and shun thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. Dear reader, do you get the idea that these things are all impossible to consistently do apart from God’s enabling grace? He knows this, just as He knows each of us!

Frankly, quite a few expectations of the Spirit-yielded life require our doing exactly what we simply do NOT want to do. Lest we allow our flesh, the world, or the devil to persuade us to give up trying to walk worthily of our high calling in Christ, reflect on the fact that our Lord has gifted us with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms” [Ephesians 1:3, 4]. God be praised for equipping us to live this earthly life in a manner that is above the natural.

Put another way, this life of yieldedness is hard, and not always easy to see as being in our best interest, and yet God says it is! Ah, but this is why the Christian life is described as being a supernatural one; it is initiated by God, fed and encouraged by God, sustained and protected by our God; moreover, we have His promise that He’s the One who will perfect that which concerns us [Psalm 138:8; Philippians 1:6]. We should be ever THANKFUL for that!

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your many promises, especially those which assure us that the good work of salvation that You initiated within us will be completed by You. Help us to remain committed to daily choosing Your ways rather than those of the unredeemed culture that surrounds us. Thank You, in Jesus’ faithful name; amen!
By Sis. Denise Diggs

Our eternal Father in Heaven, as your people, who are called by your name, we come before your throne of grace with great anticipation. We realize that it is all about You! It is all about Your Son.  So we yield now to the Holy Spirit, that He might show us these great and wonderful truths and that they may be engrafted into our hearts so that they become our motivation for living.  They become the motivation for obeying You.  We ask Your favor upon this servant, that You might use me once again to speak in accordance to Your Word and we'll give you praise and we’ll give You thanks our father in Jesus’ name. Amen and amen!
Pastor Wayne Cockrell
Taken from Simple Keys to Successful Prayer

Growing up in a Baptist church, there were songs outside of hymns I grew to love.  The late Deacon McFadden of FABC used to sing a song entitled, “Real”.  The lyrics included, “Jesus is real to me; Oh, yes, He gives me the victory.  So many people doubt Him; I can’t live without Him.  That is why I love Him so; ‘cause He’s so real to me.”  He sang this song in bass with so much conviction.  He would begin this song in a low tone and as the song got good to him, he would sing louder.  Leading us to believe he had lived to know Jesus in and through some real ways.  Jesus is the reason we are able to sing and have our being on this side of eternity.

I appreciate all of what my life has shown me and is still showing me about people, trials and victories.  Without Christ and all of the experiences and what I know about the difference He makes, I am sure I would be faithless, to say the least.  However, the Lord makes Himself known and He causes us take notice of His overwhelming, yes, relentless love, and keeping power.
 
His presentation of love and keeping power molds us to believe, to trust Him to send help in our time of need.  His help often leads us to know Him, the Lord Jesus, just a little bit more.  He causes us to grow-up through our stresses and worries and come to know Him to be the One in whom we can depend.  His promises are “yes, and in Him, amen,”( 2 Corinthians 1:20) and He is immutable so we do not ever have to wonder about His love or His care for us.  He brings us to see Him high and lifted in our matters of life. Yes, He brings us to our Hallelujah.-Amen!

His rescue and restoration is renewing.  The Lord has a way of giving us gratitude and the ability to go forward just a little while longer.  He “is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above what we could ever ask or think,” (Ephesians 3:20)  He is our Strong Tower, our Yahweh, and our everlasting Father!  He gives us His great light in the times of darkness. He is radiant so much so that we are able to share with another and thereby, able to cause another to see their way or life in and with Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for making Yourself known to us.  We are often faced with Your greatness.  We see You and we worship You!  For we are humbled as we see You as our Deliverer, Healer, and our Soon-to-come King.  For Your Love is everlasting.  And for that, we are grateful!  In Jesus’ Name-Amen.
By Sis. Lisa Williams

In some cultures, before a wedding the women get together and clean the bride and sometimes even the home the bride and her husband will live in. Bridal cleansing is a pre-wedding skincare routine that includes full body exfoliation, cleaning, and facials. However, there are some cultures that do this type of cleansing as a part of their regular routine. In the Korean culture, this cleansing ritual is called Seshin, it is done weekly and it is communal. This cleaning of the body is from head to toe and includes soaking of the skin first to soften it, then rigorous exfoliation (a special mitt is used) that removes layers of dead skin, cleaning with soap, moisturizing, and ends with sauna like heat. This process needs the assistance of a professional scrubber. After having a Korean body scrub, a person may feel cleaner than they have ever felt in their lives. The weekly ritual is held in a quiet place and is meant to not only cleanse the body but the mind and the soul. The entire process takes almost 2 hours.

To the contrary, in African cultures there is a similar cleansing routine, but it is done daily and privately. It consists of exfoliation and cleaning by using natural products like black soap and an African net cloth and then moisturizing with natural products like shea butter. The African net is used to exfoliate, and it is made from a fisherman’s net. The cloth is long so the user can exfoliate and clean their back and neck without the help of others. This process removes layers of dead skin and unclogs the pores. It leaves the skin soft, supple, and clean. And the soaps and butters used also act as a type of aromatherapy that comforts and soothes. Although, it does not take as long as the Korean scrub the result is the same: removal of dead skin, cleaning of the body, and physical and mental detoxification.

Likewise, the spiritual cleansing of the believer is deep and personal. This cleansing is from the inside out. Similar to the Korean and African cleansing the spiritual cleansing after accepting Christ leaves the believer softer, supple, and glowing. First exfoliate, this includes shedding the old man and if necessary, people, places, and situations that keep the believer in a sinful state (Ephesians 4:22). Next physical cleaning. This should be done daily by prayer and reading the word. The goal is spiritual purification and divine cleaning that includes forgiveness and brokenness (Psalm 51:7). Last but extremely important you should moisturize. Moisturizing  strengthens the protective barrier of your heart resulting in a believer that yields to the Holy Spirit and is protected from conforming to the world (Galatians 5:16).

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father thank You for providing a way for spiritual cleansing. Thank You for making it possible for us to repent. Thank You for loving us enough that You sent Your only begotten Son to die for our sins. Thank You for grace and mercy that is given so freely. Thank You for Your word that when read, studied, and followed we become softer but not soft having  the ability to love even our enemies, we become supple walking with grace, spiritually limber, mentally adaptable, compliant to the Lord’s will, and having a yielding nature. Lastly, when Your Word is read, studied, and followed there is divine protection from the traps and tricks of Satan. It is for freedom, that Christ has set us free. So, we should stand firm and no longer be entangled with the yoke of bondage. Thank You, Lord, for the spiritual scrub that breaks the chains of bondage. In Jesus name, Amen.
By Sis. Patricia Towns