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HE Chose

June 11, 2010 By Faith_Mom 2 Comments

I have always been amazed…even bewildered by the fact God CHOSE me…unworthy, wretched, loud, sinful…ME!

He chose me and you. He chose US to be HIS children. He knew all of our flaws and failures before we ever committed them. Yet He still chose. He knew we would forsake Him, leave Him, deny Him, reject Him, ignore Him and blame Him….yet HE Chose!

Even as He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him and was His kind intent. - Ephesians 1:4-5 (amplified)

HE Chose.

What an act of LOVE! Think about when we, as sinful people, adopt a child. In many cases we are saving that child from a terrible life. We are accepting what another rejected. Daddy God did the same for US. He saved us from the pit of Hell. He HAND picked YOU and me….yes HAND picked. He saw you and thought you were the most beautiful, precious thing He had ever seen. He fell in love with you before He even created you!

Life can be so draining, sad and just flat out hard. However, when we take the time to read His Word, and find out the TRUTH, we see that we are loved…REALLY loved by the Creator of ALL things. We find out that the King of Kings hand picked me and YOU to be HIS very own. We find out that we are loved more than we could ever fathom. We find out that we are loved and accepted far beyond what we have the capability of giving another. We find out that Daddy God…the Mighty One Himself, looks upon us each night as we sleep with a love beyond compare. He CHOSE YOU!

As if this information is not enough…

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Are you shouting for joy yet???

Let’s pray…er praise…

Daddy God, THANK YOU! Thank You for choosing me! Thank You for picking me out and seeing something in me that makes You happy. Thank You for wanting to use me for Your glory. I pray that You help me to be a light to those around me and convey this WONDERFUL news…that YOU choose us and love us before we even enter this crazy world! I love YOU, Daddy! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!

Your Homework:

Start praising and thanking your Daddy God more. When life is overwhelming, stop, take a breath and remember HE CHOSE you, loves you and will NEVER stop!

Read all of Ephesians chapter one.

Memorize: Even as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. For He foreordained us to be adopted as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him and was His kind intent. - Ephesians 1:4-5 (amplified)

In His Love and Service,

Lara ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Daily Devotional, Featured, Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , ,

Narrow is the Path…Few Find It

December 9, 2009 By Faith_Mom 1 Comment

Something to chew on…

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.

But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.

You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.

A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits. ~ Matthew 7:13-20

This is a very interesting statement that Jesus made. The word gate comes from the Greek word pules and means; a door, gate, large door or entrance of a large city. To be distinguished from (thura), a common door.

This tells me that there are two places these gates take us…Heaven and hell.

The scary part of this is the “few” part. There are MANY people who “claim” to be Christians, yet their lives do not show it. We should be certain that we are on the right path. Our flesh will always try to lead us back to the easier (broad) path. Our Daddy in Heaven did not leave us to figure this out on our own. Jesus clearly tells us in these Scriptures HOW to know if someone is walking down the right path.

Knowing that it is by their fruit that we will be able to discern makes it quite much easier to know WHO we should be listening to and allowing to speak into our lives.

Questions to Consider:

It is VITAL to your spiritual health to pay close attention to WHOM you let speak into your life. You cannot just listen to every person that claims to be a Christian…or who feeds your fleshly tendencies.

Do they walk in the Spirit or Flesh? A person who is walking in the spirit will be growing. A person who is walking in the spirit will be very uncomfortable listening to music or watching things that glorify sin and the flesh.

They will be convicted when they say or do something that was an act of their flesh. God corrects those that are His…just like a good parent should.

Does there talk line up with the Word? This requires YOU to read the Word. You can not take another persons word for it…no matter WHAT position they hold.

Anyone can quote Scriptures and throw out a believable interpretation. The devil himself used God’s own Word against Jesus when he tried to tempt him!

We need to be VERY careful…VERY alert…and Pray about everything!

Do they walk the walk? They should be living the Christian life in public AND in private. This will be hard to know unless you are close to this person.

Another thing you should ALWAYS do is PRAY! Ask Daddy. Wait. He WILL reveal His Truth to you. It may not always be easy to hear…and you may have to walk away from a friendship or place, but you will be OK. God will help you through it and you will grow from the experience.

Consider this

It is NOT easy to walk the narrow road. It can be lonely and scary. However, no matter how hard it is, we know that pearly gates, streets of gold, and a loving God lay at the end of the narrow road.

We know that when we fail, we can get up, dust off, and get right back on that road with the help of our Daddy God. We must be WILLING and ALWAYS alert!

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~ 1Peter 5:8

Am I saying we should not love those that are in error? Absolutely NOT! However, we can NOT allow them to influence US. We need to be a light to THEM…and you should pray for them. You should NOT become involved with them to the point where they begin to cause you confusion or to slip.

The Broad Road

This road leads to sin, sadness, separation from God, and ultimately hell. A horrible and extremely wicked and unhappy place. Unfortunately, when we are on the broad path we don’t see it that way. It’s easy and fun. It’s all about the flesh and self.

Even Christian’s can be lead astray onto the broad path. If you see yourself making compromises, sinning in a particular area frequently, and adapting yourself to this world and it’s ways, you way want to step back, do a spiritual inventory, confess to the Lord, turn from the sin, and find your way back to the narrow path. On it you will make harder choices, but your ending will be MUCH better!

How do we get ourselves on the narrow path?

If you are saved, it’s about choices. Who do you serve? Who do you want to represent? Who do you really love? Once you decide that Jesus is the ONLY path you want to take, turn from your sin (2 Chronicles 7:14), repent (1 John 1:9), and get back on track.

Life on the narrow path takes guts and courage. You may not “think” you have what it takes, but you do. I know you do. I know, because, God doesn’t make junk and He doesn’t make mistakes!

If you are un-saved (have never really accepted Jesus) or you have backslidden and want to rededicate your life to Jesus, then say the following prayer;

Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only Son Jesus Christ shed His precious and innocent blood on the cross and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in Romans 10:9, that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that He raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as my Savior and Lord of my life. With all my heart, I believe that You raised Jesus from the dead. Right now, I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to Your Word, right now I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus for dying for me and loving me. I ask that you help me to transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to You alone, and not to myself.

Thank you, In Jesus Name, Amen.

For those who are already saved, make sure that your life is being lived for the One Who gave His Life for you! Walk the narrow road and STAY on it!

Let’s Pray,

Daddy God, Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for choosing me to be Your very Own. Thank You for showing me in Your Word how I can live a life that shines for You. Thank You for teaching me in Your Word how to KNOW the Truth and what to look for. Help me to walk the narrow road and live my life to please You and not my flesh, woman, or man. Help me to be a shining example of Your great love and mercy. And, Lord, when I begin to stray from the narrow path, please pull me back and remind me that I belong with You. Thank You! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Your Homework:

Do some spiritual inventory.

- Who are you listening to or hanging around? Should you be?
- Who influences you?
- Do you walk in the flesh or spirit?
- Are you reading the Word on a regular basis?
- Do you pray daily?
- Do you watch or listen to things you KNOW deep down do not please the Lord? This is a SERIOUS thing…Faith comes by hearing…think about the flip side of that.
- Pray and ask God to reveal to you where you are lacking, what friendships you need to let go of, and to guide you towards HIS path for you.

Be Blessed on the Narrow Path!

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: ,

An Honest Wife – part two

September 10, 2009 By Faith_Mom 3 Comments

<– Click Here for Part One

Your assignment for part one of “An Honest Wife,” was to examine yourself. I hope everyone took the time to think about how honest they really are. Also, I hope you read Ephesians 4:22-25…it is a very important part of our study.

Now, onto part two…

A common reason that many of us lie is SELF protection. We like to make the excuse that we are saving someone else from hurt…but really we are being selfish and just want to protect ourselves from embarrassment…or making someone mad.

Let me share another fictional example, so we can have a clearer vision of what I am trying to explain.

Lynette

Lynette has a friend named Sandra. One afternoon Lynette and Sandra went shopping together. While they were trying on some outfits, Sandra asked Lynette how a particular dress looked on her.

Lynette thinks, “YUCK!”

Lynette says, “That looks really nice on you.”

Why did Lynette lie?

No, it was not to protect Sandra. Lynette was protecting herself. She didn’t want to be honest. She did not want to make herself look bad. She did not want to seem “un Christian.”

The Word says in Ephesians 4:15 - Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, that is Christ.

Why is it that we just can’t be honest?

I believe that we can be truthful, and do it in love.

Lynette ”thought” yuck. She does not have to “say” yuck to be honest. That is brutal honesty. Brutal honesty is not what God wants from His children. This Scripture clearly tells us to be lovingly honest. Lynette could have said, “Actually, I really do not think that dress flatters you at all. Why don’t you try on the red one you had earlier?” Now, that would have been an HONEST answer without being hurtful.

Then, if Sandra got offended it is her issue. We cannot lie to please people. Our concern needs to be with pleasing the Lord and obeying His Word.

We lie about big things, small things, for no reason at all, to protect ourselves, to get our own way, to get out of things, we lie to our friends, family, children, ourselves, and our husbands…We just lie…lie…lie…

So, is it ever OK to lie?

The answer to this question depends on who you want to listen to…

Jesus tells us in John 8:44 - You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

And in John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life…

When we lie, we are in agreement with the devil. Yep, that’s right we are partying with the father of lies himself.

When we tell the truth…in love, we are in agreement with Jesus, the Truth.

Now, reflect on this question…

Who do you want to be in agreement with?

Let’s pray,

Daddy God, thank You for Your Word of Truth. I ask that You remove all lies from my mouth. Fill my mouth only with Your Truth. Help me to only speak the truth in love. Help me to shut my mouth rather than lie. Help me to be honest in all situations…even the most uncomfortable ones. Forgive me for lies that I have told to my husband and to others. Forgive me, Lord. I am truly sorry for standing in agreement with the father of lies. I renounce him and his ways in Jesus Name! I now stand in full agreement with the Truth. I ask that you give me strength to shine in honesty for You as a wife and Mother. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Your Homework:

Pray and ask God to reveal to you where you are weak and more likely to tell a lie. Confess. Repent. Turn from it and be a truth teller. Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of believing it is ever OK to lie. Just tell the truth and you will be obedient to your Daddy God, rather than in agreement with the father of lies.

Read and study the following Scriptures this week.

  • Proverbs 6:16-21 (look where a lying tongue comes between)
  • Philippians 4:8
  • Psalm 58:3
  • And…if you did not do last week’s reading assignment, it’s never too late ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Christian Wives, Life as a Woman, Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , , , , ,

An Honest Wife – part one

September 9, 2009 By Faith_Mom 3 Comments

Honesty in marriage is a topic that is not widely covered, yet it is a foundational part of a healthy marriage. I would like you to ask yourself the following questions…

  • Am I an honest woman?
  • Do I always tell the truth?
  • Is it ever OK to lie?

Most of us will probably answer yes to the first and last question. It is interesting to me that we consider ourselves honest people…yet we lie. Oh, yes, we do lie.

Let me give you a few examples of how we lie…

Note: These are not actual people…just examples

Michelle

Michelle is married to Bryan. Michelle and Bryan are on a tight budget. They are trying desperately to get out of debt. They have many arguments about finances. Most of them are about Michelle’s spending habits. Michelle loves to spend money. Especially when her and Bryan fight.

One evening they got into a rather heated argument about her spending. She went to bed quite angry and hurt. Bryan wasn’t very nice with his words. He spoke to her in anger.  The next morning, Michelle decided that she needed a new dress to make her feel better. She found a pretty pale yellow one on sale. She bought it. When she got home she hid it in the back of her closet…

A few weeks later, Michelle and Bryan had a business dinner to attend. She decided to wear the yellow dress. Bryan didn’t recognize the dress. He asked her where she got it. Michelle said that she didn’t remember. She’s had it for years. Then she puts it out of her mind and finishes getting ready…

Katherine

Katherine is married to Joe. Joe recently got a promotion at work, and is working long hours. He is burnt out at the end of the day. So, he asks Katherine to handle the finances until his schedule gets better.

Katherine is all excited and thinks this is a wonderful idea. She was never happy with the small allowance that Joe gave her each week. So, she decided to redo the budget to suit her materialistic needs.

She spent and charged and spent and charged some more. It got so bad that she was unable to make all her payments on time.

Unfortunately, she chose NOT to go to Joe with this. She continued to keep him in the dark. After all, she wasn’t actually “lying.” He never “asked” her about the money. She felt confident that keeping this from him was best for their marriage.

All seemed to be going well, until…the electricity was turned off. When Joe came home from work, she STILL did not take responsibility. She lied. She told him there was an outage. ACK! What a mess Katherine has gotten herself in!

Margie

Margie is married to Tom. Margie has a friend named Leann. Leann can be extremely irritating. Margie does not like spending time with her…but she knows it’s the good “Christian” thing to do. So, she accepts an invitation for a couple’s night out on Friday evening. Her and Tom almost never go out…

On Wednesday, Margie runs into Lisa. She hasn’t seen Lisa in ages…They spend a bit of time catching up, and then Lisa suggests that Margie and Tom come over for dinner on Friday night. Margie just loves Lisa. She would much rather spend her time with Lisa than Leann. She accepts.

Margie spends the rest of the afternoon trying to come up with a good “excuse” for canceling with Leann. Finally, she decides to tell her that Tom has to work late. She hangs up and Leann leaves her mind. Friday comes and she has a wonderful evening with Lisa. She never even feels guilty. She simply justifies her lies and moves on.

Most of us may be familiar with at least one…if not all of these scenarios…and many others I am certain. If not, we DO have other issues, like pride and denial, that cannot be covered in this lesson! LOL!

Unfortunately, the Church does not always stand for truth. We have become desensitized. We look just like the world in many respects. We forget that we are aliens. We forget that we are supposed to stand for Truth. We forget that when we lie, we are submitting to the father of lies, the devil.

Click Here for Part Two

Let’s pray,

Daddy God, show me where I have been dishonest with my husband, others, and myself. Help me to be the honest wife and woman that you desire me to be. Help me to recognize when I am being less than truthful. Help me to really examine my attitude towards lying this week. I want to please You, Lord. Show me where I am lacking in Truth. Show me where I am deceiving myself. Thank You. Thank you for Your Love. Thank You for Your Truth. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Your Homework:

Is it ever OK to lie?

Your assignment for this lesson, is to examine yourself. Think about how truthful you are. Think about how often you lie. Even those ones considered “little white lies.” A lie is a lie. I want you to do a self-check up.

Also, read Ephesians 4:22-25…then, next week, we will answer that question.

After you have spent a day or so doing the above, go on and read part two of this study.

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Christian Wives, Life as a Woman, Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , , , , ,

Overlooking Offenses is for YOUR Benefit

July 2, 2009 By Faith_Mom 5 Comments

Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense. - Proverbs 19:11

We have visited the topic of anger MANY times here at Moms of Faith. However, this part of anger is a little different. This is a vengeful type anger. An unforgiving anger. An anger that requires someone to pay. This type of anger is sin.

Let’s break our base Scripture down and dig into the meat of God’s Word…

“Good sense makes a man restrain his anger,”

In the original Hebrew “good sense” actually comes from sekel and means wisdom. So when we restrain our anger we are manifesting wisdom in our lives.

Let’s look closely into what exactly “overlook” and “restrain” mean…

I looked them both up in the dictionary and found the following:

Overlook is to fail to notice or consider. To excuse or pardon.

In the thesaurus I found; ignore, disregard, excuse, forgive and shrug off.

Restrain is to hold back from action. To limit or hamper the activity, growth or effect of — to bind back.

In the thesaurus I found; keep under control, gag, muzzle, prevent, stop, shackle, and handicap.

This is very enlightening to me. Think about all that we have done. Think about the sin that we all commit every day. Yet, our loving and merciful God puts mercy into practice every day. He chooses to see the Blood of Jesus and chooses to pardon our mistakes. We serve a Holy God and I am certain that this world offends His holiness every moment of every day…yet…He holds back His anger on mankind.

What exactly IS offense?

An offense is a violation or breaking of social or moral rule; transgression; sin. It is something that offends or displeases.

When I looked up offense in the thesaurus I found words like; insult, disrespect, rudeness, harm, abuse, embarrass, and humiliate.

I find this profound. Think about how many people in your life have insulted you, been rude to you, abused and humiliated you. Seriously, if we thought about it, we would find that someone does something just about every day that displeases us and opens the door for offense to be taken, and bitterness to plant itself in our hearts.

Now, flip it around and think about how you and I fail EVERY day in some area or another. We sin EVERY day. We need to repent for something EVERY day.

What does God choose to do?

He sent His Beloved Son to take our place and suffer for all of our decay so that He can look BEYOND our transgressions.

Who do we think we are to judge another man for His sin when WE sin. Who are we to hold onto an offense when we have been pardoned?

Let’s see just how serious God is on the subject of offense and mercy…

For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you use to deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. - Matthew 7:2.

Matthew 18:23-35:

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants.

When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [about $10,000,000],

And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.

So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.

And his master’s heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him cancelling the debt.

But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe!

So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you all !

But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt.

When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master.

Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that great debt of yours because you begged me to.

And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you?

And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed.

So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses.

If that didn’t convict you, this will…

There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. – James 2:13

WOW!

In closing, let’s finish by looking at our base Scripture…

“and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.”

Hmmm…I think above three references explain this one. It is for OUR benefit to overlook an offense!

Let’s be careful what we allow ourselves to hold onto. Let’s make sure we are always prayerfully considering all angles, forgiving, showing abundant mercy,  and allowing God to speak to us and use His Word as our compass.

Let’s Pray;

Daddy God, help me to forgive others when I am wronged. Help me to show mercy and not judge. Teach me to love like YOU love. Convict me when I am acting in a manner that displeases You. I want to live a life that shines for You and shows the world Your loving kindness, mercy and compassion. I do not want to misrepresent you by acting out in my flesh and letting offense and unforgiveness rule me. I love You Lord. You are Worthy of all glory, honor and praise. You are an awesome God. Mighty and filled with compassion. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Your Homework

Memorize: There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. - James 2:13

Dig Deeper:

I want to really encourage you to look up and study the following Scriptures…even the ones we already discussed. They are all meant to help get this lesson into your spirit and help you to grow in the areas of mercy and overlooking offenses.

Scriptures:

  • Proverbs 19:11
  • Micah 6:8
  • Matthew 18 (whole chapter)
  • Matthew 6:15; 7:2
  • Luke 6:32, 37
  • Romans 2:1
  • Colossians 3:13
  • James 2:13
  • 1 John 4:20

For Further Study

We have also done some devotionals in the past that tie in perfectly with this topic. You may want to bookmark them and come back to do further studying.

God bless you!!

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Do you diligently Seek Him?

May 13, 2009 By Faith_Mom Leave a Comment

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder to them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

We know that we cannot please God without faith. We can’t even be a Christian without faith. Besides Christ of course, faith is the foundation Christianity. You cannot even become a Christian without believing in something you have never actually seen. You become a Christian by faith.

I really want to focus on the second part of this Scripture today.

…He is a rewarder to them that diligently seek Him.

Diligently and seek come from the same Greek word, ekzeteo (ek-zay-teh’-o) and mean; investigate, crave. To seek diligently or earnestly after, namely God, with a sincere and earnest desire to obtain His favor.

I also looked up a couple words in the Webster’s Dictionary…

Diligently – constant and earnest effort and application; attentive and persistent in doing something.

Earnest - serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous.

We forget that God is a REWARDER. When we dive into the Word and seek His Face consistently and with zeal, He will reward us. He is our Daddy in Heaven, and like any parent (although He is the BEST), He wants to reward His children.

Our motive cannot be to get “stuff” from God. Otherwise, we aren’t really seeking Him, we treating Him more like a genie in a bottle. And God does not participate in those types of games.

I thought it would be interesting to look at the flip side of the Greek word ekzeteo. There are three words I found in my Greek dictionary that are its antonyms.

ameleo - to neglect.

oligoreo - to regard or esteem lightly

paratheoreo – to overlook.

You see, we will ALWAYS reap what we sow. If we sow His Word into our hearts, we will reap; joy, peace, wisdom, comfort, life, prosperity, healing, happiness, and a love that we can find NO where else. However, if we neglect our Beloved and overlook His place in our lives, we will be sowing a selfish seed to the flesh. And we will reap; sadness, loneliness, incompleteness, death, sickness, and poverty. We will NEVER be truly filled until we put HIM FIRST in our hearts, minds, and lives!

I encourage you to make time for your God. Make Him THE priority in your life. When you do…when you REALLY do, you will NEVER be the same. And you will be GLAD that you’re not.

Let’s Pray,

Daddy God, thank You for Your Truth. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for giving me so many reasons to love You. Thank You for wanting to know me and wanting me to seek You. Thank You for creating me with a purpose. I love You, Lord. I want nothing more than to know You better and be all that You created me to be. Help me to know You better. Thank You. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , ,

The Two Most Important Commandments – Love

April 23, 2009 By Faith_Mom 1 Comment

Love is mentioned well over 350 times in the Bible. I’m sure God must be trying to tell us something. We will start our study with Matthew 22:37-38; And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the most important and first commandment.

I am sure that we have all heard this verse many times in our Christian lives. But, do we really get it? How do we love God? Why should we love God? Let’s explore How to love God today, and tomorrow we’ll get into why.

How Do We Love Him?

It is very simply stated by Jesus in John 14:15, If you really love me, you will keep (obey) my commands. As simple as it sounds….it seems to be a very difficult task….or is it? Well, yes and no. If we study the Word, get it into our hearts and minds; it is easier to submit to the Holy Spirit…

However, when we fill our minds with the world, i.e.,

Soap Operas - which encourage adultery, lust, impurity, fornication, lies, deceit, and many other sinful desires. I struggled with these for years. I didn’t just watch one…not even just one channel. I would watch one channel and tape another. I was watching six different daytime dramas and several evening ones. I eventually cut back and convinced myself that was good enough. But, no, God wanted me to lay them all down. My mind had become so absorbed with this unrealistic, ungodly world. I didn’t want to let go. Of course I eventually did…not without a fight though. The enemy was on full attack mode when I decided to submit to the Lord (obey His commands). I kid you not my TV would just turn on at the precise moment, my VCR would start taping when I didn’t set it to, and the grocery store checkout…It was ugly. I didn’t give up…and now I am FREE!

Entertainment Magazines - which are filled with gossip, wrong information, slander, hurtful situations in human lives, and really none of our business anyway. These were another stronghold in my life. My favorite was In Touch…or like my husband used to call it, “in touch with the devil.” LOL. Let me tell you, I loved these things. I had to know who was cheating on whom, and what this one said about that one….I’m sure there are some of you who know exactly what I am talking about.

Guess what? God wanted these put down too. My flesh fought hard. Honestly, I still have to catch myself. Those grocery store checkout lines are filled with them…I try hard not to even look at them. I am happy to say that I no longer buy them…or even touch them.

Secular music – which is mostly provocative lyrics, self, and worldly principals.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that every non-Christian song is sinful. I’m saying be careful what goes in. It will come out. The Bible says in Galatians 6:7 that we reap what we sow. If we sow junk into our minds we will reap junk. If your searching through the stations looking for a good song to listen to…make sure it is good for your spirit not your flesh.

These examples are ones many Christian women face. You may be thinking I have gone too far…I don’t know what I’m talking about. Yes, I do. I know because the Word tells me so.

In I John 2:15 it says, Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. if anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life or stability of earthly things – these do not come from the Father, but are from the world itself. And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides forever.

Why Should We Love Him?

I’m sure this would seem like an obvious answer. Yet, I think it is important that we really understand the depth of the answer. Why do we or why should we love God? Well, there are more answers to this question then could be answered in a lifetime. But, I will give the best answer I can…

- HE IS INCOMPARABLE. THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM: II Samuel 7:22 says; Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You… No other religion has a God like ours. HE IS!

- HIS WAYS ARE PERFECT. HE IS PERFECT: Psalm 18:30 says; As for God, His way is perfect!

- HE IS OUR ROCK AND SHIELD: Psalm 18:30-31 says; …He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God? It says it right there…if we will take refuge…He will shield us. How many of us actually take refuge in Him?

- HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS: This is covered in Genesis 1. Isaiah 40:12, 22 & 26 as well as countless other verses. What other God created the Universe?

- HE IS EVERLASTING: Habakkuk 3:6 says; He stood and measured the earth; He looked and shook the nations, and the eternal mountains were scattered and the perpetual hills bowed low. His ways are everlasting and His goings are of old.

- HE IS JUST, TRUE, MIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN: Revelation 15:3 says; …Mighty and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God the Omnipotent! Just and true are Your ways, O Sovereign of the ages. Sing that for a while and you’ll feel His presence all around you.

- HE IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG: When I am weak I know I can count on Him to be my Strength. Exodus 15:2 says; The Lord is my Strength and my Song….Keep reading that chapter alone for many reasons to love Him.

- HE LOVED US FIRST: I John 4:19 says; We love Him, because He first loved us.

- HE IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL-POWERFUL): Jeremiah 32:17 says; Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard for you.

- HE IS OMNIPRESENT (EVER-PRESENT): Read Psalm 139:7-12. He is always here…He is always there. You are never alone. What other “god” can say that?

- HE IS OMNISCIENCE (ALL-KNOWING): I John 3:20 says; …For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows and understands everything, nothing is hidden from Him.

These aren’t even the tip of the iceberg…There is not enough time or words to tell all the reasons to love our God. He is The Great I Am, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, Jehovah-jireh (my Provider), Jehovah-nissi (He reigns in victory), Jehovah-shalom (my Peace), God Almighty, Heavenly Father, Abba (Father), Holy, Loving, Kind, Gentle, Patient, Worthy, Good, Gracious…..Do you see what I mean? I really could go on forever.

There is however, another area of “Why” that I would like to talk about…

HIS GOODNESS

Oh, yes, the Lord is Good. I can think of countless situations in my life where His goodness, (manifested in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness) brought me out of very dark places. You should take some time to meditate every day on the goodness He has shown to you in your life.

No time? Yes, there is. In the shower, driving here and there, as you lay in bed, blow drying your hair, putting make up on, cooking dinner, washing dishes, get up earlier, go to bed later, and right now. We say, “we don’t have time.” Yes, we do. We should always find time to think about the goodness of God and praise His Holy Name!

The Bible has many Scriptures on the Goodness of God. I have listed a few of my favorites.

Titus 3:4-6 …when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared, He saved us, not because of any righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy…

Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You. Goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!

Acts 14:17 Yet He did not neglect to leave some witness of Himself, for He did you good and showed you kindness and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with nourishment and happiness.

Psalm 145:7-9 They shall pour forth like a fountain the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works, the entirety of His creation.

Psalm 86:5 For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive our trespasses, letting them go completely and forever; and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You.

And let’s not forget the Israelites in the Book of Exodus. They wandered around the desert for forty years…griping, complaining, unthankful, and unfaithful. Yet, our loving and merciful God still fed them every day, kept them safe, and even prevented their shoes from aging!

God is GOOD! We should never forget His goodness. If we would just reflect on His goodness in our lives and the Scriptures…we would have a whole lot more peace.

At the beginning of this study, I gave you our foundation Scripture Matthew 22:37-38. In it Jesus was telling a lawyer about two commandments. The first was what we have been discussing.

I would like to end this study with the second commandment that Jesus gave in Matthew 22:39; And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as you do yourself.

I don’t know about you…but…that is a very hard thing to do. It is not impossible though. We have to choose to Love.

Other Christians can be very difficult to love…for a variety of reasons that I am sure you are aware of. Yet in the book of John, Jesus tells us why it is important to love each other. John 13:34-35 says; I give you a new commandment; that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another [If you keep on showing love among yourselves].

Jesus doesn’t just mean our brothers and sisters in the Lord…He means our enemies too. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus said, …Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. But wait…He goes even further in Luke 6:27-28; But I say to you who are listening now to me: Make it a practice to love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred. Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God’s favor upon those who abuse you and misuse you.

WHEW…those are some pretty strong words. This is no easy task. Let’s go deeper…

WHAT IS LOVE?

I’m sure you’ve heard it and/or read it…

I Corinthians 13:4-8 - Love endures long and is patient and kind; love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy, it is not boastful and does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited; it is not rude and does not act unbecomingly. Love (GOD’S LOVE IN US) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails…

There really isn’t anything more I can add. God has explained “what” love is thoroughly. The next question would be…how?

HOW DO WE LOVE?

In part one of this study we learned that the Scriptures tell us that if we love God…we will keep His commandments. Well, this is one of His commandments. Obviously, we don’t just snap our fingers and suddenly have the kind of love described in I Corinthians. It comes gradually over time as we study and learn His Word (His ways). The Word says that God is Love in I John 4:16. So, if we pour enough of God into our lives and spirits…we will automatically love more like He loves. It is what naturally happens as we submit our lives to Him and His will. We grow the “fruit” of love.

We cannot beat ourselves up when we fail. The enemy would love that. We must press on. Make it a point to read I Corinthians 13 as often as you can. Get it in you. And PRAY!

Note: All Scripture was taken from the Amplified Translation.

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved

About the Author: Lara Velez is a Homeschooling Mother of two, and wife to her best friend. She is a published author, successful web designer, website owner and ministry leader. You can find her here at Moms of Faith and also Thou Shalt Clean and her personal blog, LaraVelez.com.





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , , ,

Thank You

April 23, 2009 By Faith_Mom Leave a Comment

How often do you use those words?

Thank You is a powerful pair of words you can give away.

When someone does something nice for you, goes the extra mile, or just looks like they can use some appreciation, say THANK YOU! It will not only brighten their day, but it will give you a joy boost as well.

How often do you say “thank you” to God?

Many times we get so caught up in day to day life and the cares of this world, that we forget to say those two little words, Thank YOU. We should be thanking God throughout every day of our lives. He deserves it.

Being thankFUL is the action behind the words “thank you.” You can “say” thank you until your blue in the face…BUT…if you are not truly thankful it is worthless. You are just going through the motions.

Thankfulness is a matter of the heart. We must get our minds and hearts on God. We must allow the Holy Spirit to help us. We must always try to see what we can be thankful for in EVERY situation. Once we have mastered this, we will not only bubble over with thankfulness, but we will have a joy that no demon in hell could ever take away!

Scriptures to help you on your road to thankfulness:

  • Psalm 100
  • 1 Corinthians 15:57
  • 2 Corinthians 2:14
  • Psalm 116:17

I also recommend looking through more of the Psalms and in your concordance for thankfulness. Get the Word in you and thankfulness will begin to flow out of you.

Let’s Pray,

Daddy God, thank You for the birds and the flowers. Thank You for the beauty all around me. Thank You for the sun and the moon and the stars. Thank You for creating me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You that I have eyes, ears, and taste. Thank You that I can smell cookies baking in the oven. Thank You for the foods that I eat. Thank You for a roof over my head and clothes on my back. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You for the gift of my children. Thank You for my beloved husband. Thank You for all that You are and all that You do. Thank You for being You. Thank You for being Truth. Thank You for being Love. Thank You for your Compassion and Mercy in my life. Thank You, thank You, THANK YOU! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Thank You ALL for your faithfulness!

In His Love and Service,

Lara ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , ,

Prodigal Son, part 2

April 21, 2009 By Faith_Mom Leave a Comment

<– click here for part one

Luke 15:17-32

Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and, even food to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!

I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; just make me like one of your hired servants.

The key here is that he recognized that he had sinned and came to a place of repentance.

There are many times in our lives where we will fall away in one way or another…even if it is relatively minor. The most important thing we can do when we come to our senses is to REPENT!

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness for him; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him fervently.

And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!

First he repented in his heart. Now, he takes it a step further, and goes to his father and asks for forgiveness.

We need to take our sins and mistakes to the throne and ASK God to cleanse us. And when we have wronged or hurt another, we need to ASK for their forgiveness.

The key here is the ACTION of repentance.

But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.

And bring out that fattened calf and kill it; and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry,

Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry.

His Daddy was HAPPY to have him back home. The fact that he messed up was NOT what he was thinking about. His beloved son had returned! He wanted to throw a party and celebrate!

It’s the same for us. When we go to our Daddy God with a repentant heart, He is quick to forgive. And when we have fallen away, and find our way back to Him…He throws a party in Heaven, and ALL the angels rejoice!

But his older son was in the field; and as he returned and came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

And having called one of the servant boys to him, he began to ask what this meant.

And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed that fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and well.

But the elder brother was angry with deep-seated wrath and resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him,

But he answered his father, Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me so much as a little kid, that I might revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends;

But when this son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you have killed for him that fattened calf!

And the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

But it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!

There will always be those that are judgmental. Those who think they are not quite as bad a sinner as you. Those who are filled with jealousy and pride.

You must shrug them off, and KNOW that Daddy loves you. And He does NOT play favorites!

Let’s Pray,

Daddy God, thank You so much for Your love and forgiveness. Thank You for making a way for me to be able to come boldly before You. I love You, Lord. I love You, and I want nothing more than to be with You and know You. Thank You for loving me FIRST! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,

Lara ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , ,

Prodigal Son, part 1

April 21, 2009 By Faith_Mom Leave a Comment

And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;

And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls to me. And he divided the estate between them.

And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose living.

And when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.

So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.

And he would gladly have fed on and filled his belly with the carob pods that the hogs were eating, but they could not satisfy his hunger and nobody gave him anything better. - Luke 15:11-16

Have you ever been a prodigal daughter? Have you ever backslidden? Have you ever fallen?

I have. And it is not a very pleasant place to be. I really don’t know how it happens…or why we would want to leave the comforts of home to live in the chaos of the world. Yet, many of us have.

I am here to tell you that if you have fallen Daddy WILL take you back! Daddy loves you, and is ALWAYS faithful to forgive a repentant heart.

One of the hardest parts of falling is picking yourself back up. You are scared, humiliated, and unsure of your legs. You want to crawl in a hole and disappear. At least that’s what the enemy wants you to feel and do…

GOOD NEWS:

You don’t have to!!! You NEVER have to feel unsure or scared! God ALWAYS loves you! He loves you good, bad, and EVERYTHING in between.

HE LOVES YOU!!!

Perhaps you have not fallen…but you feel that you are about to….

Let me help you out…

RUN TO DADDY!!!!

Don’t fall! Don’t let the enemy convince you to. I promise you that the only thing you will find there is pain. RUN TO DADDY!!!

Ok…maybe you are reading this and are thinking, “This devotional is not for me. I would never turn away from God.”

Well, good for you…BUT…be careful…you may already have.

Let’s pray,

Daddy God, I just want to come and sit in Your Lap. I need You to hold me and keep me close. Help me to never leave You, help me to run back when I need to, and help me to recognize the enemy when he whispers discontent in my ear. I love You, Daddy. And I KNOW that Daddy knows best. I know that this world has NOTHING to offer me other than pain. Help me to never forget that! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,

Lara ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved





A CALL TO HOLINESS--> I would like to let you all know about a NEW Bible Study here at Moms of Faith. It will be available at the beginning of October 2010. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE! In this seven week study we will cover topics like; What is holiness?, Who is called to it?, 4 Characteristics of Holy Living, Hindrances to Holiness and more! Click Here for more info and pricing.


Weightloss ebook <-- Note: I wrote an ebook filled with a TON of great info and advice on weightloss. It is actually how I was able to lose the weight I did and keep it off! I plan to use the SAME concepts again to get off the final pounds. If you would like a copy, I am offering it for ONLY $10, let me know (I will email you back in invoice). OR you can Click Here for the table of contents and more info about it.

If you would like to join the "Get Fit Challenge" we currently have going on here, it is free and as simple as reading a post each week and commenting on your status! Click Here to see all posts on this topic.


Filed Under: Themed Devotionals Tagged With: , ,
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