Exalt (Luke 18:9-14)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “exalt.” JC used to know the best stories to tell at the right time. One of his favorite ways to get his point across was to use parables. These stories helped others examine their own lives by hearing about those of others. The fact that heard these stories did not always like the message because it would hit too close to home. But, I guess that is why these stories needed to be told:

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

~Luke 18:14

My question for you is: will you allow God to justify you in his sight? Too often we think that we needed to exalt ourselves and reminded the world how good we are. However, God would see it the other way around. When we are humble and follow his teachings through the word and relationships with others, we experience a connection with God that is unmatched. My prayer is that you continually humble yourself not only in the sight of God, but around others as well. You don't have to worry about letting everybody know how awesome you are. God already knows what an incredible creation you are; he made you!

Praying for you,

mo

Open (Luke 11:9-10)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “open.” Visited really cool that Jesus always seems to know what to say? I mean, the guy was like a one liner factory. But, I guess you kind of have to be that way when you have a ton of followers that expect you to have the right thing to say. And, Jesus always did have the right thing to say. In this instance he reminds his followers that it is important for them not only to ask for what they need, but also to ask for the right things:

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

~Luke 11:9-10

My question for you is: what are the things that you ask for, and would you consider them the things that God would expect you to ask? For us to continually draw nearer to God, we have to make sure that we are online with his thinking. God knows what you need. The funny thing is, a lot of the times we think we know what we need. When in fact, we know what we want. Am I confusing you yet? God wants to open a ton of doors for you, you just need to look for the right ones. My prayer is that you seek to have a heart like gods. He wants to give you your hearts’ desires. I only hope that you continue to choose a heart that is closer to God's. Each of you is fearfully and wonderfully made. Live accordingly.

Praying for you,

mo

Submit (James 4:7-10)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “submit.” I think that the Christian culture is one of the only places where this is considered a good word. We live in this crazy world where we are taught not to submit to anybody, but be our own person. Now, I'm not here to make a case either way but what I am saying is that submitting to God is something that is pertinent and required in our faith. James tells his hearers in this passage how important it is to submit to God so that life can be lived to the fullest. Submission is not a bad thing, but good when you know how to understand it and apply it to your life.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

~Jam. 4:7-10

My question for you is: how well do you do when it comes to submitting? I mean, think about it. Whether you are in the military, or any other place in life where you have some kind of boss, one of the tough parts of your job is submitting. How many of us have been in a situation where we thought something needed to go a certain way and then the boss came in and told us we are going to do it another way? Now, you may have been right or you may have been wrong. That was not really the issue. The issue was that you were called to submit. A lot of us have a problem with that. I know for a lot of my life I had a problem with submitting. It was not until I got myself a good mentor that I was able to navigate through these situations. God calls us to submit to his word and the way that he thinks that we should live life. Yeah, there are some things that are vague in the Bible and we can debate one way or the other. But when you have a good mentor, and others in your life who help you apply the word, then most things should really be right in front of you. My prayer is that you learn to submit to God's word and the plan that he has for your life.

Mo

Praise (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “praise.” I’ve got to say that this is one of my favorite words in the Christian language. Peter reminds his people of how special they are in God’s eyes. To be called as part of a royal priesthood is pretty incredible. The author reminds his readers of who is responsible for the good stuff in their lives.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

~1 Pet. 2:9-10

My question is: how does praise affect your life? God has set out to do some good stuff through you. The only thing we really need to do is be ready for that stuff, accept it, and then give him the praise and honor. Think of all of the good stuff in your life right now. I would encourage you to take a few moments and just give God praise for those things. Then, think of all the hard stuff in your life. Give him praise for working through it with you. God will continue to do amazing things in your life. Always remember that he has called you to be set apart. My prayer is that you accept his blessings and realize how special you are in God’s eyes.

Needs (Romans 12:10-13)

The morning all,

The word of the day is “needs”. During World War II Winston Churchill was up against some pretty intense odds. He knew that his people had the resolve to finish the job but they lacked the resources. At one point during the darkest days he put out a call to the world letting everyone know exactly what they needed. He was confident that if they had the resources then the war was certain to be won. The book of Romans talks about the needs of Christians. Paul was very explicit in his instruction concerning the way that we live with one another:

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

~Rom. 12:12-13

My question for you is: are you aware of your specific needs from the father? This may seem to be a silly question, but I think sometimes we do not ask the simple questions. My prayer is that you learn to understand your needs as a Christian. This will allow you to bless others as you live with them. You are called to take care of people who all are less fortunate, and in need. Who is it in your life today that you can bless? I pray that someone who is in need receives your help.

Praying for you,

Mo

Endure (Hebrews 12:3)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “endure.” Back in the day the disciples had to deal with a lot of scrutiny from people. Not everybody believed in the things that they did. Sounds a lot like today, doesn't it? But the cool thing is the author of Hebrews understood that God's people needed to endure all things for the sake of the gospel. This verse comes after the famous opening of Hebrews chapter 12 that is quoted in Scripture pieces all of the time. We are reminded:

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

~Heb. 12:3

My question for you is: what does it mean for you to endure in your faith? Think back to a time where you actually had to stand up for what you believed in. Those are the times where we strengthen our faith. Just as the author of Hebrews did, we must consider the opposition we will receive from those who do not believe in the goodness and deity of Christ. My prayer is that you pray for these people, those will yet to experience the overwhelmingly incredible compassion of the Savior. Do not grow weary or lose heart, but endure in all things.

Praying for you,

Mo

Liberty (Luke 4:18-19)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “liberty.” At this point in Jesus’ ministry he was a pretty popular guy. What is funny is that when he went back to his hometown is when he started to receive some scrutiny. Nevertheless, when Jesus read from the Old Testament scrolls in this instance he deliberately proclaimed the good stuff that God had in store, and left out the vengeance part. Jesus was proclaiming the kingdom and the liberty that comes with it. That particular reading should have encouraged all who heard the words that Jesus said.

“God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

~Luke 4:18-19

My question is: do you understand the intensity of God's goodness in your life? I hope they were encouraged by the words in this passage and realize that God has good things in store for you. It's when we least expect it that God reminds us of the liberty he gives through his only son. My prayer is that you continue to live in the freedom that God has given you through Christ. Now is the time to act on your faith and show God through your actions that you believe and trust in him.

Praying for you,

Mo

Arise (John 14:31)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “arise.” Jesus knew something about getting up early in the morning. With the father before anybody else was up. This was the kind of diligence that the son had to have to spend quality time with the one who mattered. Jesus was always completely obedient to God, knowing that every step and action he would take depended on his reliance on the One who sent him.

“Arise, let us go from here.”

~Jn. 14:31

Most of us know what it takes to get up early in the morning to get things done. Whether it's training for something, going to school, working, or just simply needing to get things done we are constantly on the go. My question for you is: are you ready to go where Jesus leads? My prayer is that as God works in your life that the spirit touches you in a way that you can respond favorably with the work God has for you.

Praying for you,

mo

Anticipate (2 Peter 3:11-13)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “anticipate.” Back in the day God's people had a huge emphasis on witnessing. The reason for this was the actually believed that Jesus Christ was going to come back possibly before they even died. I mean, think about it. All these books were written within a relatively short time of the Savior's death. So, with the letters that are being written to these churches, you could imagine that they wanted to be ready for the day of the coming of the Lord.

“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

~2 Pet. 3:12

My question is: when it comes to your faith, what do you anticipate? Within your relationship with God, you should have specific items on your agenda that you plan to accomplish. You need to wait on the Lord patiently, but at the same time with a proactive mindset. There are people in your life that need to see Christ. As you live as an example for them, the Lord will be faithful and just to take on his side of the bargain. My prayer is that you seek the Lord today with anticipation of the great things he will do concerning your faith in him and your witness to others.

Praying for you,

Mo

Thousand (2 Peter 3:8)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “thousand.” We see a ton of use in the New Testament of numbers to represent God and his timing. In this passage, Peter is letting the believers know that we need to understand that God works on a different schedule than his people. We see time against time, but God sees time against eternity. We can also take from this writing from Peter that we must work diligently with the time that God has given us, because we do not know when he is sending Jesus back to get us. We as Christians don't want to leave anyone out of the opportunity to have a relationship with Christ.

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

~2 Pet. 3:8

My question for you is: how do you spend the time that God has given you? As a believer in the Lord, it is your duty and responsibility to use your time wisely and invest it in things that matter. Your life is not your own, and whether God gives you one more day, or one more century, on this Earth you must take advantage of it. My prayer for you is that you would realize the transcendence of God and how far beyond our comprehension he is. Live today as if it were your last day, because we never know when that awesome day will come when we see our Lord face-to-face.

Praying for you,

mo

Meek (Matthew 5:5)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “meek.”  You might not think this to be a great one to speak wisdom on the front end.  But the cool thing is that God used this word in the Bible to describe his expectations for Christians. It is not that he wanted them to be wimps, but instead take a humble nature in relationship with the Father.  When JC was giving the Sermon on the Mount, he said some really profound statements that speak volumes, and still do today…

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

~Matt. 5:5

My question is: how is your spirit when it comes to relationship with God? I know that it is easy to get distracted and fall away from a consistent time because of all the madness in life.  But this is exactly why we need to slow down and get back to basics.  Just as the crowds sat and listened to JC, so must we take time to do the same and revisit our faith continually.  My prayer is that you learn to be humble in spirit and strive to preach the Gospel through your words and actions.  Someone out there needs to understand God’s love, and you might be the person to relay that message.  Have an open heart and be ready with expectation for the things JC will do through you.

Praying for you,

mo

Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “love.” As each of you probably knows, today is Valentine's Day. So I figured this word would be appropriate. One of the greatest things ever written about the subject comes from the Bible. The apostle Paul knew what it meant to live a life of passion. He challenges the church in Corinth to love one another. This is not an easy thing to do, as most of us have found out the hard way at least once in our lives. That's why the Bible is so cool; in just a few words we learn how we should be with one another.

“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

~1 Cor. 13:8

So I guess my question for you today is: where do you fall on the love scale? What I mean by this, is how you treat others when it comes to your daily life? Each of us have an obligation as Christians to love other people, not just the people we want to love. As we are sinners and unlovable - yet Christ loved us - so we must love others. My prayer for you today that you would look at each person you see with the eyes of JC. Look past any frustration, hurt, bad feelings, animosity, or anything else that you might feel for somebody, and remember that God sent his son because he loved you and me. And because of this, so we should love one another.

Praying for you,

Mo

Shout (Proverbs 1:20-33)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “shout.” One of my favorite books of the Bible to read his Proverbs. There is so much good stuff no matter where you look. When I was in high school, my mentor would tell me whenever I was in doubt of what to read, to just open up to any of the Proverbs and it would pretty much speak into my life. In fact, in the beginning of the book, the author sets up the rest of the entire book with a warning and encouragement of the information that was to follow.

“Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech…”

~Prov. 1:20-21

My question is: a matter how spiritual or unspiritual you think you are, what role does wisdom play in your life? Even if you totally didn't believe in God or had no idea there was a God, or whatever… anything you read in the book of Proverbs will cause you to try your best to live better than you already are. I guess I'm trying to say is that anyone, that means you and me, can and should really get something out of this book. My prayer is that you open it up and take a look at the potential that it has to speak into your life. That's why the very first chapter says that wisdom calls out… or another way to say it, shouts for you and I to listen. Will you?

Testify (John 8:12-30

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “testify.”  JC had to go through a bunch of scrutiny while on the earth.  He knew that he was justified because the Father sent him.  But he still had tons of critics, as he does today as well.  Being the light of the world was a pretty tall order, and he was always ready to love on people and change a life.  Even though he needed no justification from the praise of people, he lived and loved higher than the rule…

“Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.” ~Jn. 8:14

My question is: how do you believe JC is using your life as a testimony to the Savior’s love? I know that each of us has opportunitites to spread Christ’s love through our actions and care for others.  My prayer is that you use the Gosple to love above the rule.  Give God a chance to proclaim the Son through your life.  God will use use and give you the words when you need them. Trust in his plan to testify to others.

Empower (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “empower.” The apostle Paul knew what it meant to be both a person of power and a person of weakness. Can you imagine the life that this guy led? He starts out as a prominent figure of power in Jewish life, one which hates Christians. Then JC takes a hold of his heart and he makes a complete 180° turnaround. You can envision how he felt in this specific situation. He had some kind of thorn in his side, whether figuratively or literally. And the crazy thing is, even though Paul was way close to God, he still understood how weak he was.

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

~2 Cor. 12:9

My question is: when you think about weakness in your own life, what comes to mind? I know that for a lot of you right now you are experiencing physical or mental weakness of some kind because of all the hours you put in to work, family, and everything else in your life. This is a great reminder of our relationship with Christ. When you feel like you are so weak that you just want to lay down and escape from the world through a simple nap or a full on 36-hour sleep fest, I pray that you are reminded of your spiritual weakness. This is nothing to be ashamed of. The apostle Paul tells us here that when we are weak, Christ is amplified even more in our lives. So, take heart… This is going to be a great rest of the week!!!

Praying for you,

mo

Proclamation (Ezra 1:1)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “proclamation.” Back in the old days when someone wanted to make an important announcement this is how they did it.  The king of Persia wanted the peeps to know that what he was about say was pretty important. This rebuilding process was going to take a lot of time, effort, and dedication from all involved.

“…the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm…”

~Ezra 1:1

My question of you is: what does your life say about your relationship with JC… is it a proclamation of who the Lord is and what his decrees mean?  You have the privilege of representing the Savior each day that you live. I pray that as you move about today and the rest of this week that you would be a living proclamation of God’s divine plan.  Be encouraged that God has called you in his power to minister to others through your actions and abilities.  He is waiting for you to do good stuff for his name’s sake.

Praying for you,

mo

Strength (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “strength.” The Apostle Paul wrote this to the church of Thessalonica; he was very concerned for the stuff that they had to deal with women daily basis. We have to understand that these letters were written because the apostle was not able to be with them all the time. We have the luxury today of having a church that has the same strong leadership presence in the world that is not completely hostile to our cause. This was not the case for this particular church in Thessalonica. Paul knew they were on the brink of losing all they had been taught because of the negative influences of the world surrounding them.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.”

~2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

My question is: how is God strengthening your heart daily to become a more effective I know that sometimes in life you get tired, and all you want to do is get rid of all the madness. The difficult times are those that we need to trust in God the most. Even when we are weary, the Lord knows what we need. My prayer is that you find hope in what God has in store for you. I also pray that he will  comfort your heart and strengthen both your soul and your body as you serve them. We believe in you.

Praying for you,

Mo