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TODAY’S VERSE
“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.” NLT
I Timothy 1:15
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Why is it we go to church and pretend that everything is okay and never seek out the help we need? Could it be due to the fact that when someone does something wrong they so often end up being ostracized from the rest of the fellowship? It often seems that Christians “shoot their wounded”. We need to work on getting rid of the stigma of falling down in our Christian walk and learn to help each other back up.
People are looking for a Christianity where they can belong and feel comfortable, where they can be authentic and real with their life’s story. Paul tells us to “bear one another’s burdens” not to pretend we don’t have any. Paul starts his spiritual journey admitting that he is the “chief of all sinners”. As he goes through his journey he changes focus to who Christ is and what He does with sin. Christ convicts, corrects, forgives, gives grace and helps us get up after a fall and try again.
We are not perfect, but thank God, He has a perfect plan. Let’s begin today, with all our struggles and imperfections, to live for Him and rejoice in His unconditional love for us. After all, like the bumper sticker states, “Christians aren’t perfect, they are forgiven.”
TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord I am tired to trying to be perfect or to appear perfect. I can’t do it. I do, however, know how to accept your grace and forgiveness. I accept it today. Thank you Lord for accepting me with all my imperfections and helping me live for You. In Jesus name. ~Amen!
Yours, because we're His,
Tamara
TODAY’S VERSE
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.”’
II Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
I never get use to God’s grace! Grace is God’s “unmerited favor” towards us who believe. In other words, He lavishes His love on you and me for no other reason than He “wants to”. His love is a perfect love. God’s grace is His purposeful manifestation of perfect love toward us. Paul came upon a tremendous burden in his life and he sought relief from God but he ended up getting so much more. He received grace from God that was sufficient to meet his every need.
I once viewed a PBS program that was titled “Amazing Grace” and hosted by Bill Moyers. They traveled all over the United States asking people to sing the song for them and to describe what grace meant to them. It was so interesting to see and hear all the variations of the song in all the different geographical locations. I once was privileged to attend a prison service for a Christian inmate who had passed on. The inmates sang “Amazing Grace” as I’ve never heard it before and in such beautiful harmony. Recently I saw a Christian Tee Shirt that merely stated, “I am the wretch in the song.” I considered purchasing it.
Today may you be conscious of His grace toward you. May you sense it in His attention, mercy, peace, strength and love that He directs toward you. Today, may you truly hope in this and His grace will indeed be sufficient for what ever will come your way.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, how amazing is Your grace! Thank You that no matter what comes my way today, You promised that Your grace toward me will be sufficient enough to see me through. Thank You for your grace of love, of forgiveness, of mercy, of peace, of joy, of strength and of provision. I praise You for You are truly gracious toward me. ~Amen!
Yours, because we're His,
Tamara
TODAY’S VERSE
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
II Peter 1:5-8
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Do you sit around wishing there was something you could do about your Spiritual life? Do you feel helpless to live the kind of life that Christ has asked you to? Girl! Do I have good news for you! We don’t have to be victims of satanic attacks or the pull of our old nature. God in His word has suggested a better way. He tells us to make every effort to “add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” Every effort - I can live with that. Every effort means that we try, really try. It acknowledges that there may be set-backs but that’s okay. Get up, and make every effort again!
That’s what Peter means when he writes that we need to possess these qualities in increasing measure. He is talking about baby steps. We make every effort, fall down, get up and make every effort again. When we do, look at the hope, look at what God promises. He says if we make every effort to increase our faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love in baby steps, that it will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our Christian walk. You can claim this promise for yourself. Don’t buy the lie. You can live for God today. You can make a difference, I can make a difference – one baby step at a time.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, I want to live for you, but I keep tripping up. Help me take my faith and add to it goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love in baby steps. Holy Spirit, convict me, guide me and give me the discipline to begin these baby steps today - so that I may eventually, progressively walk in Your way and in Your word. In Jesus Name I pray. ~Amen!
Yours, because we're His,
Tamara
TODAY’S VERSE
“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’”
Galatians 4:6
TODAY’S MESSAGE
What a tender thought. Paul was very deliberate in using “Abba Father”. This is a more affectionate term that simply saying, “Father.” The real translation of Abba Father is “Daddy!” Imagine, God invites us to call Him our affectionate Father, “Daddy”. Can you say that? Have you thought of Him that way? Paul says that as God’s children, He has given us His Spirit and the job of the Spirit is to help us fall more and more in love with the Father until we can call Him “Daddy.” Will you let Him do that? Will you begin to meditate, to really stop and consider that He is your loving Father? Imagine His deep love for you. Imagine you coming into His presence, calling Him “Daddy”. Ask God to help you know this reality deep in your heart. After all, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
I find it easier when I imagine myself as a three or four year old little girl, dressed in denim bib overalls and pulling a wagon full of broken toys. The broken toys are actually broken dreams, broken promises, broken hearts and sometimes even a broken spirit. One by one, I give them to my “Daddy” to fix and lovingly He takes them from me and either fixes the “toy” or discards it and provides something much, much better.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, Abba, Poppa, thank You for being my “Daddy”. Holy Spirit, speak to my heart and help me feel the Father’s love, to know the Father’s love. Prompt me Holy Spirit to call God, “Dear Father, Dear Daddy” on a more frequent basis. In Jesus’ name ~Amen!
Yours, because we're His,
Tamara
TODAY’S VERSE
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S VERSE
Some people search a lifetime for a purpose. Why am I here? Where can I find meaning? We look for this bigger than life significance and we can’t find it. We search for something that will fill this hollow feeling inside. There is a craving in our soul that we can’t satisfy, a thirst that we cannot quench. It’s like the song says, “we are looking for love (purpose) in all the wrong places.” All the while the Bible gives a very fundamental answer to the secret of life satisfaction. Paul sums up our purpose in one simple verse. You and I will never be happy, never feel fulfilled until we figure out what Paul is saying. He says that you and I are the workmanship of God – a specific, personally made creation by almighty God Himself. More that that, we were created for this one simple thing, to do good works! That’s it. Our meaning, purpose, life satisfaction comes from living for God, from loving in His name, from doing good because He created us specifically to do good. What joy, what purpose, what meaning to know that we are hand picked agents of God’s good in this world. Do you believe this? Are you living this? If not, you can start today! And so can I!
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, help me to fully understand what it means to be your workmanship created for good works. Help me to comprehend that you really know me, love me deeply and have specifically called me to be your representative in this world. Thank you for such a glorious calling. Help me today to do your good works which you prepared me to do before I was even born. You are my creator, I am your servant. Thank you Lord. ~Amen!
Yours, because we're His,
Tamara
