Amain (Psalm 31.1-13)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “amain.”  The Bible talks about God's power quite a bit.  Strength has always been, and continues to be something coveted by most people in life.  Whether it is influence, physical strength, or power to get things done, people want to be seen and understood as strong in various capacities.  Today's passage shows that true strength encourage comes from those who put their faith in God.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” ~Ps. 31:24

My question is: where do you rate in areas of strength and courage?  Are you seen as the kind of person who waits on the Lord for his answers to tough questions?  It is important that we as Christians exemplify the nature of such strength and courage.  If we want others to put their trust in God, we must resolve to hold onto God's promises with amain strength, unwavering in our understanding that God comes to the rescue of those whom he loves. My prayer is that you are that kind of person in the lives of others, giving them a reason to make Jesus center of their lives.

Praying for you,

MO

Beamish (Psalm 52.1-10)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is "beamish.”  The psalmist captures emotion and understanding with just a few words in today's passage.  I read this and immediately want to be that kind of person.  My God is loving, and wants the best for his children.  Living in the house of God is sometimes the best that we can hope for in the trials and tribulations of life.

“But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.” ~Ps. 52:8

My question is: what kind of person are you on a daily basis?  Can people look to you for a smile and an optimistic outlook on life?  Remember, we all have struggles, but it's the way that we face those challenges in life that help us to witness to others.  By no means do I believe that you must be happy every single moment of your life.  However, I do think that it's important for others to realize that no matter what your circumstances, you are always turning your countenance as one of beamish trust when following Jesus.  My prayer is that you turn your attention on him today and allow him to give you a positive outlook on life.

Praying for you,

MO

Brogue (John 13.34-35)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “brogue.”  I would like to give a shout out to all my Irish brothers and sisters out there.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!  My favorite part about working for Uncle Sam on a day like today is that I know that wearing the uniform makes certain that I will not get pinched :-) Today’s passage is a reminder that we are all part of one family, no matter what our ethnic heritage.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” ~Jn. 13:35

My question is: when people think about you, how do they know you best.  When we think of different ethnic groups, cultures, or people in general, we can always pretty much identify them by the way that they look, act, and sound.  For us as Christians, people should know us by the fact that we love both one another, and people that are not in the family of God.  So, on St. Patrick's Day we talk with a certain brogue to sound more like our Irish brethren.  This should be a reminder that each day we need to approach others with our spiritual accent, which is love.

Praying for you,

MO

Spondulicks (Matthew 27.1-5)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “spondulicks.”  One of the most famous people in the Bible is Judas Iscariot.  He sold Jesus to those who wanted him dead for a measly handful of money.  And now and again, when it gets close to Easter and I begin to read these last days of Jesus a bit more, I am reminded that I am not to much better than Judas much of the time.  I have fallen short and have sin in my life that should disqualify me from sitting with Jesus one day in Heaven.

“Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." ~Matt 27:3-4

My question is: what are the things in your life that you need to get rid of to follow Jesus with a whole heart?  The other day when it was Ash Wednesday I saw a bunch of peeps around town with ash on their foreheads.  It made me remember that I have stuff in my life that I put in front of my relationship with God, and that I need to make changes daily, in hopes that I will be a better witness for my Lord.  No spondulicks or any other mount of money is going to get in the way of my love for God. I pray that you leave behind all that hinders you from living completely for Jesus.

Praying for you,

MO

Magniloquent (Proverbs 10.1-32)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “magniloquent.”  Life is filled with people that have an opinion they believe is right, for whatever the situation. Have you ever noticed how some people have an answer for everything? No matter what is going on, they have the solution. Well, Jesus warned us in the Bible that when it comes to our faith, it is important to remember that we need to listen to the counsel of wise individuals. Moving in the right direction is something we must focus on all of the time, and doing so means taking correct advice.

“The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.” ~Pr. 10:31-32

My question is: who are the righteous people in in your life giving you the advice that is acceptable to God?  My prayer is that you take some time to sift through the way you connect with others and give them influence in your daily actions.  Give God the authority to put peeps in your path that can help you to be better.  Seek out those whose speech is gentle in nature, not those who are loud and magniloquent with there mouths.  God will be gracious to put the correct people in your life.  You just need to be ready to accept their encouragement.

Praying for you,

MO

Chronometer (Mark 4.35-41)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “chronometer.”  Today’s story is one of the first that I remember grasping pretty well.  I was a young Christian and learning about the stories and parables of Jesus.  When I came across this story I was pretty fascinated.  I actually thought to myself, could the story even be true?  As I continued on with my relationship with Jesus, I realized that there is pretty much nothing that he would not be able to handle.  In today’s story proves just that.

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” ~Mark 4:39

My question is: where do you put your faith when you face difficult challenges and situations?  I’m the kind of person that likes to take things on myself and not ask for any assistance.  But, as we learned in today’s story, sometimes there is stuff that is out of your control.  At which point, all you can really do is look to Jesus.  Just like the people in the boat, who could not rely on the regular technology of the day – the chronometer – so must we put other things aside and realize that our true strength and answers come from Jesus.

Praying for you,

Mo

Eyesome (Psalm 19.1-14)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “eyesome.”  What I’ve always liked about the book of Psalms is that you can open it up and read a random passage or verse, and it always seems to speak to some part of your life.  Over the years I have looked to this book for God’s decrees and expectations of me.  Today’s passage is a reminder that everything we do can be seen by others, and it is up to us as to how they view our relationship with the Lord.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” ~Ps 19:14

My question is: what are the thoughts and actions in your life?  Because we are not perfect people, it can be difficult at times to feel like we are following God wholeheartedly.  My prayer is that you look to God is the one who can redeem you and make you a better person each day.  Allow others to see your heart as eyesome and something they would want for there own lives, and make sure that you are a witness and example for those who know you.

Praying for you,

Mo