Pray to God Morning, Day & Night

Verses: Psalms 5 : 1 - 12
Song inspired by the chapter:  Song has been uploaded from YouTube.com and is not my original.

My thoughts about the verses:

The most important thing we have to remember is to praise God.  We need to worship God throughout our entire life.  We should know without a doubt if we serve God our prayers will be answered.  No matter what happens we should realize we need to give it over to God.

David also wanted those that were against God to know that they would suffer.  God would hear his prayers of need and God would take care of those hurting him.  If we depend on God we will learn the proper way to live.  We will be happy because we are serving God.  We will also be happy because God will bless us.

People that are against God are kept out of the presence of God.  The fact is that those that serve God are always in the presence of God.  Those that serve God are to always to live a life of truth. Those that are against God do not tell the truth.  This happens because the people do not have God in the middle of their life.  To live a life of truth you have to have God behind you.

People who do not worship God will do everything possible to find weaknesses and faults in God. Yet, as God's people we need to focus on the strength god gives us.  God will protect us and provide a shield to keep us safe.    It is God's endless love for those that serve the Source of Happiness that changes life.

The most important thing we can do in our life is allow prayer to become the center of our life.  We need to pray in the morning.  Lifting up to God your needs in the morning you can start the day with the support you need to make it throughout the day.  You need to not only pray in the morning, but you need to pray throughout the day and night.  The more we pray the stronger relationship we will have in God.

Remember every day to pray so that you can be surrounded with peace.  Do not worry about your adversaries because God will take care of them.  What you need to do is concentrate on serving God with all of your life.

Prayer:

Dear God we thank you for hearing our prayers.  Help us keep focused on you and not worry about those against us.  Dear God we offer our praises to you morning and night.  We know that if we offer it up to you that we will be able to live in happiness.  God will be in the center of your life. In the name of the Holy One we pray.  Amen

Questions:

How often do you pray?  Are you putting God in the center of life?  Do you worry about those against you or do you offer it up to God to handle?

The things of this Earth will pass but peace in God will Last Forever

Verses: Psalms 4 : 1 - 8

Song inspired by the chapter:  Song has been uploaded from YouTube.com and is not my original.

My thoughts about the verses:

Like many of the psalms there is a comparison between those that sin and those that serve God. This particular Psalm addresses the difference between worldly goods and the reward received from serving God.

Let us start with the rewards received from serving God.  See when you serve God there is a peace that fills your life.  Though you may be struggling you can rest in the arms of God.  The peace that you feel comes from knowing that God will get you through everything.  We need to know that when we leave this Earth we will receive Everlasting life.

David was going through so much.  He had enemies all around it would have been easy to walk away from God.  Yet, he realized that he was not at fault for what was happening.  He was serving God and doing what he was called to do.  He was able to lay his head down at night and rest.  He knew whatever happened he had a reward that no one could take away.

Yet, there is something else that we get from this chapter.  Those that want worldly goods and do not concentrate on serving God really do not have inner peace.  They plead for things of the world. Yet they do not understand that no matter how much you have you can’t take it with you when you pass.

If your goal is to have as much money and worldly goods are you forgetting to serve God.  Serving God brings the things that we need to gain..  Isn't it true that you are actually pushing away the Source of Peace.  Just think about it how you can rest if all you are worried about is achieving things on this Earth.  Your soul cannot rest in this situation.

Look at what happens around people that are trying to achieve worldly possessions.  Many are sad because they can’t get everything they want.  Their existence is achieving the next big thing.  They teach their children that the only way to survive is to have the best of everything.

This takes me back to my childhood.  My parents were not rich.  We didn't have all the latest fads.  Yet, the one thing we did have was an abundance of love.  My parents made sure that we got to do things.  I can’t even remember all of the day trips and overnighters that we took.  It was a time for family bonding.  My parents through this showed me and my brother that it wasn't the latest fashion that was important.  What was important was being around your family and having good times.

It is now time that we put away our desire for all the latest trends and concentrate on showing love.  Love can be shown in so many ways.  Simply smiling and telling someone that you are thinking about them can change a lot of things.  Giving the ones you love a hug may be all that is needed.  Remember important dates with a call or card.

Showing peace to others by a hand shake or genuinely listening to what they say.  We can show that love by lifting up prayers for those that are in need.  Opening doors and helping those that need an extra hand.  Imagine today all the little things that you can do that do not involve worldly goods to show people how you really care.  We need to remember to praise God because the true giver of love is from up high.

Prayer:

Dear God thank you for giving us Peace.  Thank you for giving us the biggest reward possible.  Thank you for giving us the gift of everlasting life.  Help us concentrate on you.  Help us put the desire of serving you above in worldly goods.  We praise you.  In the name of the Source of Peace we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you choosing serving God or gaining worldly goods?  Have you accepted that God can give you inner peace?  Are you willing to allow God to give you the reward that will not pass, the gift of everlasting life?

God will be our protector

Verses: Psalms 3 : 1 - 8

Song inspired by the chapter:  Song has been uploaded from YouTube.com and is not my original.

My thoughts about the verses:

We are often so afraid of what is going on around us.  So many people feel that they are all alone.  People feel like they are facing life by themselves.

Imagine being David your own son is against you.  There are so many people that are fighting against you. You have a true reason to be afraid.  For if they catch you they will kill you take over the throne that God has anointed you to fill.

Yet, David doesn't something very different than expected.  Even though he is afraid he sings praises to God.  He knows that God will help him out of his troubles.  That God's hands surround him.  That there is no reason to be afraid for God is his protector. He knows that no one can defeat him as long as God is on his side.

How many times do we struggle forgetting that God is there in our life?  We worry about the things of this life.  We often forget that God will carry us through the rough patches.  That God is our shield against our enemies.

If we focus on the Savior we will find strength and comfort.  No one can take away our connection with God.  Imagine living a life in which you are not afraid of tomorrow.  Instead you focus on serving God.  You send praises up to God in your bad times.  Because you know that the one that saved you from your transgressions will get you through the struggle you are facing.

Prayer:

Dear God we lift praises up to you.  We love you for everything that you do in our life.  We praise you for never leaving us alone in our time of need.  In the name of the Most High we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you worried about the struggles you are facing today?  Isn't it time you turn them over to God?

The promise of blessings to those that Serve God

Verses: Psalms 2 : 1 - 11

Song inspired by the chapter:  Song has been uploaded from YouTube.com and is not my original.

My thoughts about the verses:

Historically this is about the nations coming against King David.  King David is the appointed ruler of the nation of Israel.  Those nations that who are in war against the chosen King are against God.

The story goes further than the appointment of King David over the nation of Israel.  It goes to the anointing of Jesus above all nations.  The fact that, Jesus will be anointed to rule those that choose to serve the living God.

What we have to realize that people need to unite in worship and service to God.  The fact is that people who serve Jesus will be blessed.  Jesus is the truly anointed Messiah that will unite the people of the world.

The enemies will be scattered as if broken pottery.  See Jesus will collect the broken pieces of pottery that are willing to serve the Living God.  Those broken pieces that choose to stand against God will be left shattered on the ground.

Jesus wants all people to have peace.  God the Heavenly Parent has done the anointment of the Son.  It is our job to worship the one that came for us.  We should be willing to bow to Jesus and serve and worship the true Messiah.

Yet, many people do not do this.  Instead they stand at odds with the one that came to save them.  They stand at odds against God.  They try to make war with the people that do serve God.

We also need to remember that there are people that say that they serve God that truly do not.  You need to live a life that brings honor to God.  God wants us to accept all people.  Think about this we should not turn people away from God.  Therefor there are times that we have to step out of our comfort zone.

We have to accept all people that love Christ the same way.  We need to make sure that we live our life focusing on spreading the love of God to all people no matter whom they are or where they are.

Prayer:

Dear God thank you for your love.  Thank you for anointing Jesus as the true Messiah of the nations. Help us keep focused on spreading the good news to the world.  Help us be the people that you want us to be.  In the name of Most High we pray.  Amen

Questions:

What type of pottery are you?  Are you serving God?  Have you accepted the Messiah into your life?

There are Two ways to Live your Life

Verses: Psalms 1 : 1 - 6

Song inspired by the chapter:  Song has been uploaded from YouTube.com and is not my original.

My thoughts about the verses:

People do not realize that they have a choice to make on the way they live their life.  One way is to continue going down the path as a sinner.  The second is to accept Jesus in their life and go down the life of a forgiven man.

Those that stay on the path of sin will perish.  The gift of everlasting life will not be given to them.  Their life though it may seem as things are going well will in the end lose it all.

Those that follow Jesus will gain the gift of everlasting life.  Their life will be blessed.  They will be gifted through peace and other treasures.   Their gift is not what they can obtain on Earth but what they obtain within their spirit.

I want to point out that it is important if you choose to leave the life that follows Jesus you must truly live that kind of life.  Simply you have to tell others about Jesus.  People should be able to look at your life and tell that Jesus is the center point.  You have to walk with your eyes toward God.  You need to use the gifts of peace and love that God has shared with you.

There are so many people that claim to be Christians that do not live the life of a Christian.  Their actions contradict the ways of God.  They judge people.  They persecute people.  Their actions actually turn people away from God.  It is important that you utilize the gifts that are given.

Today I am convinced that people should reevaluate their life and determine if they can truly are living up to the expectations that being a Christian is.  I have been watching and seeing so many people that are getting hurt throughout the world by people that claim to be Christian.  Yet their way of life looks more like that of those that choose to be wicked.  Their hate has caused so many to want to run away from anything Christian.

So many young people are being influenced by these people.  They see people who are announcing that they are devout Christians persecuting people.  This makes them want to run away and hide.  They are choosing to distance themselves even if they do believe in Jesus.  The term Christian is slowly becoming a word that means hate to so many.

Christians that are truly living the ways of Jesus need to stand up and unite their voices.  They need to show the world that being a Christian means much more than judging others.  Our trees are standing strong and are full of fruit.  Yet, we must show people through our actions and deeds that being a Christian is a life changing experience that is worth it.

Prayer:

Dear God we offer our songs of praise to you.  We thank you for loving us no matter where we are in our life.  Help us to turn away from our wickedness.  Help us to be the people that you will be proud of.  In the name of the Most High we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Which path have you chosen?  Are you ready to live a life that brings glory to God?

Jonah is taught a valuable Lesson we need to Follow

Verses: Jonah 4 : 1 - 11

My thoughts about the verses:

Now Jonah has gone through many struggles and learned a lot of lessons in a very short period of time. For starters he learned not to run from God's calling.  He learned that God was full of compassion. Yet, he missed something up to this point that God was trying to teach him.  He needed to learn that God not only loved him and his community but the entire world.

Imagine getting angry because God used you to save an entire community.  That is exactly what God did for Nineveh.  He sent Jonah to Nineveh to tell them that if they did not change their way they would be destroyed.  Instead of being over enjoyed that the city was saved he became angry. He asked God to take his own life because the city was saved.

God decides that he has one more lesson to learn so he grows a plant that protects him from the heat.  So there sits Jonah sitting under a plant being protected by the sun and heat.  Then God sends a worm to start eating the plant.  It dies and the shade that Jonah is living under disappears. All of a sudden a hot wind starts blowing on Jonah.

Jonah gets more upset than before and tells God to go ahead and kill me.  You can imagine how he feels.  He is sitting there saying even though I did run from you in the beginning I did come through. Now you are punishing me with heat.  He must be thinking that God hated him more than the people that were in the city.  They were saved because they turned from their wicked ways.  Here I sit being punished.  I have already begged from your forgiveness.  Yet, you are torturing me while they are not having to stress and endure your punishment.

Yet, the lesson God wanted him to learn is that he needed to understand God loves all people. We need to understand today that Jesus did not just come to help one or two communities both the entire world.  That anyone who trust in Jesus can receive their award in Heaven.  We are to rejoice because God loves us all.  We should not think that we are better than any other group.  The love that God has is big enough for the entire world to share.

The world needs to learn this lesson.  If you look around there are so many different religious groups fighting each other.  One group thinks that God loves them more than the other.  That they deserve God's favor over another.  I just look at the different groups that are fighting each other and wonder if they understand that God wants the body of the church to be united.  God wants the entire body to stand together.

That is why I am so blessed to be involved with a denomination that understands that we should not allow little things to separate us.  That the church is an extension of God.  Because of that we need to love each person. That we have no right to judge others for their differences.  I love going to a church where people of different faith backgrounds can come together and love each other.

I believe it is time that churches that accept people for their differences stand up.  The only way to end the hate that exists in the world is to have a united voice for the body of Christ.  God never meant for us to be separate.  Think about Jonah and his anger and you will see that God was teaching us that we should be grateful that others have the same blessings we have.  The most important part of the lesson is to remember that you are not more deserving of God's love over any other person or group.

Prayer:

Thank you God for showing us love.  Thank you for sending Jesus so that we can all have the blessing of eternal life.  Help us to put aside our differences.  Help us unite with other religious groups to change the world.  Help us become the Church body that you desire us to be.  Help us dear Jesus forgive those that have wronged us so that we can be the people that you want us to be. In the name of our Risen Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Do you judge people that are different from you?  Are you willing to accept that the body of Christ needs to stand united?  Are you willing to let go of the things that happened in your past?  Are you ready to serve Jesus and lead others to the same loving grace that God has given you?

God is Compassion

Verses: Jonah 3 : 1 - 10

My thoughts about the verses:

I like to compare the event that occurred in Nineveh with what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. There is a big difference between Nineveh and Sodom.  In both situations God had made a determination that the towns both need to be destroyed due to their evil ways.  God wanted to show compassion to both towns by sending someone to deliver the message.  Yet, one decided to heed the warning and the other attacked the messengers.

Lets start with Sodom and what happened.  The angels arrive at Abraham's encampment and they foretell what will happen in Sodom.  They tell him the people have turned wicked and that the city will be destroyed.  It is at that point that Abraham starts negotiating that if only a few people were found not to be wicked that the city would not be destroyed.  The Angels say that they will judge them when they arrive.  They immediately meet Lot who takes them in and shows them hospitality.

Now look at what happens in Nineveh.  The entire city hears the warning that Jonah brings to them.  From the richest to the poorest the city takes the warning.  Even the King turns from his evil ways.  He orders that everyone show God respect by fasting.  They turn from their evil ways and commit themselves to God.

Both were given an opportunity to turn from their ways.  Both were sent messengers that were delivering the word straight from God.  Yet, the difference is that Nineveh heard the warning a changed their ways.  While Sodom lived up to their reputation and showed the strangers no hospitality at all.  They did not change from their wicked ways.

Yet, God showed compassion in both situations.  In Sodom he lived up to his promise to
Abraham and saved those that showed that they were not wicked.  Because Lot had showed the strangers hospitality his family was saved from destruction.  In Nineveh because the whole community accepted the truth presented by Jonah the entire city was saved.

God is Love.  God is not vengeance.  God shows us in both stories that he would rather save the people that destroy the city.  Yet, it is up to us the people to choose God.  When we decide to follow God we receive the compassion and love that God freely offers.  God loves us so much that Jesus was sent to be the last sacrifice.  The compassion of God shows through this.

Prayer:

Dear God thank you for being compassionate. Thank you so much that you have given us the ultimate opportunity to be forgiven by you.  Thank you for loving each one of us.  Dear God we ask that you walk with us each and every day.  Help us understand that you Love us know matter what we have done.  Help us accept you into our life.  In your Holy name we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted God into your life?  Are you more like the citizens of Nineveh or Sodom?  Have you realized that you need God?  Are you willing to listen to the messengers that God sends your way? What choice will you make today?