Friday Writing...9/20/19..."Surrendered and Pure"

Good Morning,

The topic today is about the importance of surrendering all to God and for His wishes and directions. Here is a quote from this writing, "When the Grace of God unites with a surrendered life, rivers of living water will flow endlessly."

This allows us to experience the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit.

Are you willing and able to surrender.
God bless you,
Brother Thomas and Jody
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                                          Today's Devotional
                                       "Surrendered and Pure"

Written by
Brother Thomas Ukwute
  and Jody Ward

For many are summoned and called, but few are chosen. 

You see, many are invited but only a few make it.

Matthew 22.14

God is not a partial God. Though He provided all of us with the platform for living and ministry, all are not always willing to pay the price that is required for service. God deals with us, and uses us, to the level of our availability.

The Holy Spirit will freely flow from vessels that are totally, and uncon- ditionally, surrendered to Him.

The key is in Scripture...       

Get out! Get out of there! Leave this place of captivity and contamination where everything you touch is unclean. Come out of there and purify yourselves. Do not touch any forbidden thing. Keep yourselves holy and leave. Don’t look back!

On the way, do not touch the soiled, the polluted or the tainted. You that are carrying the sacred objects of worship to the Lord, leave and make yourselves pure. Do not infect yourselves with the plunder of the world. Remain pure on your journey, you that are bearing the weapons of Jehovah.  

Isaiah 52:11

                                                                                                                    

Only when we meet this basic condition of a total separation from the influence of this world and only when we surrender to His will - to be done in us, as it is in heaven - only then we will begin to experience the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit in us and through us that brings glory to God.

When the Grace of God unites with a surrendered life, rivers of living water will flow endlessly.

Oh Father, create in us an insatiable hunger 

for your presence so that we can be vessels 

You can use to touch the world today.
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Hillsong Worship

Singing

"I Surrender All"

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries.

Blog Writers

Sandy Billingham, Karen Bennett, 

 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward, 

Lynda Kinnard, Amie Spruiell, 

Debbie Rodriguez, Carol Steficek,

Jan Andersen and Corinne Mustafa

Monday Writing...3/18/19...Be Though My Vision"

Good morning

I know I am a day late in writing about the Irish holiday we have just celebrated. The truth is that I was not scheduled to post on the actual date. So here I am "a day late and a shamrock short." 

The top of the "morning after" to you all.

Blessings

Corinne

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Monday Writing...3/18/19  

St. Patrick, as he is known, was born in Scotland. His parents were Roman. "Patricus" used the shamrock as a visual...as a metaphor for the Trinity when he was introducing Christianity into Ireland. Saint Patrick (Latin: Patricius} [was a fifth-century Romano-Brittish Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland.

Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, and he is the person who brought Christianity to Ireland. Here is a prayer that is attributed to Pactricus. 

St. Patrick's Breastplate is a popular prayer attributed to one of Ireland’s most beloved patron saints.

According to tradition, St. Patrick wrote it in 433 A.D. for divine protection before successfully converting the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity. I heard this prayer on K Love this morning.

(The term breastplate refers to a piece of armor worn in battle.)

ST. PATRICK'S BREASTPLATE

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of cherubim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

In the prayers of patriarchs,

In the predictions of prophets,

In the preaching of apostles,

In the faith of confessors,

In the innocence of holy virgins,

In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today

Through The strength of heaven,

The light of the sun,

The radiance of the moon,

The splendor of fire,

The speed of lightning,

The swiftness of wind,

The depth of the sea,

The stability of the earth,

The firmness of rock.

I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me,

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me From snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.

I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils,

Against every cruel and merciless power

  that may oppose my body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;

Christ to shield me today

Against poison, against burning,

 Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

[Note ...people sometimes pray a shorter version of this prayer just with these 15 lines about Christ above. The conclusion follows below.]

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, 

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism, 

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today 

When St. Paul referred to putting on the “Armor of God” in his letter to the Ephesians (6:11) to fight sin and evil inclinations, he could have been thinking of prayers just like this one! We may not wear combat gear in our daily lives, but St. Patrick's Breastplate can function as divine armor for protection against spiritual adversity.

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Be Thou My Vision

an Irish hymn

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Ireland is an ancient land filled with geography

and ruins originating from before the fifth century

when Patricious brought Christianity to Ireland.

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers 

  and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries.

Blog Writers:

Jan Andersen, Sandy Billingham, Carol Steficek,   

 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, 

Bre Miller, Cathy Friberg, and  Corinne Mustafa
Elizabeth McElderry, Betty Espindola,  Lynda Kinnard
Amie Spruiell, and Debbie Rodriguez

Occasional Contributors:

Kathy Bireley, Terri Baker, Beverley Napier,
 Kelly Dobyns, Glenna Williamson,  

Amie Spruiell, and Lisabeth Lipp, 

TUESDAY WRITING FOR 1/8/10..."Thought Provoking and Motivational Quotes."

Thought Provoking and Motivational Quotes.  

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.  Charles Spurgeon

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. Charles Spurgeon

A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world. Charles Spurgeon

A vigorous temper is not altogether an evil. Men who are easy as an old shoe are generally of little worth. Charles Spurgeon 

Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us. Charles Spurgeon

By perseverance the snail reached the ark. Charles Spurgeon 

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. Charles Spurgeon

Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.Charles Spurgeon

No one is so miserable as the poor person who maintains the appearance of wealth. Charles Spurgeon

No one knows who is listening, say nothing you would not wish put in the newspapers. Charles Spurgeon

None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves. Charles Spurgeon

Of two evils, choose neither. Charles Spurgeon

Saving faith is an immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, resting upon Him alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of God's grace. Charles Spurgeon

Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite. Charles Spurgeon 
The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.Charles Spurgeon

The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction. Charles Spurgeon

Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of. Charles Spurgeon

A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone. Billy Graham

A real Christian is a person who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip. Billy Graham

Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. Billy Graham

Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. Billy Graham

God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, "I love you." Billy Graham

God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there. Billy Graham

I've read the last page of the Bible. It's all going to turn out all right. Billy Graham

If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.Billy Graham

Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness. Billy Graham

My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world. Billy Graham

Nothing can bring a real sense of security into the home except true love. Billy Graham

Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.Billy Graham

Only those who want everything done for them are bored. Billy Graham

Prayer is simply a two-way conversation between you and God. Billy Graham

Read the Bible. Work hard and honestly. And don't complain. Billy Graham

Suppose you could gain everything in the whole world, and lost your soul. Was it worth it? Billy Graham

Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. Billy Graham

The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Billy Graham

The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless. Billy Graham

The men who followed Him were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same. Billy Graham

The most eloquent prayer is the prayer through hands that heal and bless. Billy Graham

The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course. Billy Graham

There is nothing wrong with men possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess men. Billy Graham

We are not cisterns made for hoarding, we are channels made for sharing. Billy Graham

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost. Billy Graham

You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole. Billy Graham

Today's Devotional 

"ORDINARY PEOPLE" 

Written by
Carol Steficek

"These were commended for their faith, 

yet none of them received what had been promised.  

God had planned something better for us so that 

only together with us would they be made perfect." 

Hebrews 11:39, 40

Some of the most popular television shows are "idol" shows.  Contestants are trying to gain their moment of fame.  The vast majority of us are just ordinary people living ordinary lives doing ordinary daily tasks.  

The 11th chapter of Hebrews outlines many ordinary people of God who exhibited extraordinary faith -- the thing that really matter in life.  These people did not take pride in themselves.  They didn't seek to do their own will, but rather God's.  And they approached God by faith and lived their faith every day of their lives.  

The world has never and will never recognize people for being great because of their faith.  More likely, Christians will continue to be ridiculed for their faith and even persecuted for it.  But God has something looming ahead in the future that is well worth the price of standing firm in the faith.  The world is not worthy and won't ever recognize or realize the plan of God.  He has reserved eternity for ordinary people with extraordinary faith

In Great Expectation,

Sandy Billingham

Today's Devotional 

"He Delivers Us 

From All Of Our Troubles" 

by Sandy Billingham

We all have times in our life that we face problems and troubles. If you live in this life, there is really no way you can escape them. In fact, God says in His Word we shall have trials and tribulations. Some problems we face may seem insurmountable. We may think there is no answer and no way out and it will be forever. We can

even reach a place of hopelessness and despair if we choose to focus on our troubles. That is definitely not a good place where you want to camp out in your mind. It can lead to depression and other health issues.

One thing is for sure is that our focus needs to stay on the Lord. We cannot pretend the problem is not there and go about our daily life.  We have a Mighty God that will not abandon us during any situation of our life we are walking through. The Lord is the KEY!

He tells us in His Word...

  

"The righteous cry out, 

and the Lord hears

                           and delivers them 

                               out of all their troubles."

                                         Psalm 34:17

As we cry out to our God with our problems, we can be assured that He will hear us loud and clear. Not only does His Word say that He hears us, but He also will deliver us out of every single trouble! So, because His Word is true, we have great confidence that He will provide just what we need to get to the other side as He walks alongside us. 

God's promises in His Word shall come through for us with His wonderful provision. That is just the kind of God that we serve. That is how His Heavenly Kingdom works for His people. We can Praise God and thank Him even in our most difficult times because we know that our God will come through for us no matter how big our troubles may be!

Next time you are struggling with some major problems, look to the Rock, cry out to Him, then expect Him to move those mountains in your life!! He is our Powerful Deliverer and will always come through for You!!