Memorial Day

Verse of the Day: John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

As we celebrate the blessing of our freedom this Memorial Day, let’s pause to reflect on the true significance of this holiday. It’s a time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and died in active military service. With reverence let’s extend our heartfelt prayers to their families, as well as to our leaders and the nation they served. While we enjoy our freedom, let us never lose sight of the cost paid by those who selflessly laid down their lives and gave all they had. Despite what is happening around us, we should remain steadfast in our gratitude, recognizing that despite challenges, we reside in one of the world’s greatest nations.

Give God the Glory!

Verse of the Day:  Psalm 63:3           

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.           

Our worst day with God is better than our best day without Him. Our life, health, job, riches, friends and family and everything else are meaningless without the love of God. Everything here on earth is temporary but God’s love for us is forever and nothing can ever separate us from His love. We have so much to be grateful for and when we begin to glorify God for all He has done for us and count our blessings we see that His love is better than life itself.

Your Inner Circle

Verse of the Day:   Proverbs 13:20   

he who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.  

Choose wisely the people with whom you surround yourself, especially, your inner circle.  Whether we like it or not, we are influenced by those closest to us. Simply put, a learned behavior is a skill or action that is developed by watching or being told what to do. If you are regularly surrounded, counseled or given advice by people who don’t know the Lord you will be subjected to the things of the world and when you surround yourself with fools, you’ll be inclined to do foolish things. The people you associate with have an impact on your life, your success and your relationship with God. There is a saying that goes like this, “Tell me with whom you associate with and I will tell you who you are.”  Be determined to surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you, who inspire you and most importantly, who love the Lord.

Life is Not About Possessions

Luke 12:15

Verse of the Day:   Luke 12:15          

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”        

Christmas is exactly 25 days away and although it’s nice to be able to give gifts to our loved ones as a token of our love, it’s also a good time to remind ourselves that life is not about possessions. People are consumed with materialism always trying to buy the newest car, the biggest house or the next big thing but they are never satisfied. Covetousness is a sin we need constantly to be warned against; for happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. (Matthew Henry) Possessions cannot bring you true happiness, your riches are found in Jesus Christ and only He can truly satisfy your soul. Life is not about the material possessions you have, it’s about having loving relationships with the Lord, your family and friends. It’s about helping others and making a difference in a fallen world.

The Lifter of My Head

Verse of the Day:  Psalm 3:3 

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.           

Thanksgiving Day is over and not everyone has or was able to spend time with family and friends. This has been an extremely difficult year for many people and for some, the holidays can be a lonely and sad time. I sometimes feel it too. I miss loved ones that have gone to be with the Lord and those who can’t be near me. But we are not alone, God is with us in every moment of every day. If we focus on the Lord, His goodness and our blessings He will get us through it. He will give us comfort, peace and joy when we draw near to Him.

10 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 4: Thankful for the Love of Family and Friends

2 Thessalonians 1:3

Verse of the Day:  2 Thessalonians 1:3        

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.   

I am thankful for the love of family and friends.  I’m grateful to have such wonderful people as part of my journey. Each person God has put in my life adds something unique and special to it and I love and appreciate them all. I’m thankful for the love we share between us, for the experiences we go through together and for the memories that will be in my heart forever. I’m thankful that in my time of need I have family and friends I can count on. As I thank God for them, I pray that He would continue to bless and protect them always.

Pray for Others

Ephesians 6 18 CEV

Verse of the Day:  Ephesians 6:18 CEV

Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.

I cannot emphasize how important it is to pray for one another. In an age where everything is put on social media we may think we know what’s going on in each other’s lives but almost everyone we know keeps the things that hurt them the most hidden from their friends and family. People may push us away or refuse to hear God’s message and we may not know exactly what their needs are but God does. We can pray for overall healing, protection, salvation and for God’s will to be done in the lives of our friends and family. If God puts someone in your thoughts make sure you pray for them, you never know what they may be going through.

Live at Peace

Romans 12 18 2

 

Verse of the Day:  Romans 12:18

If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people.

The Bible tells us that we should try our best to live at peace with all people. This includes our family, friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ, the people we work with and as much as possible we should try to make peace with our enemies. We should stand up for what is right, pray for peace and do whatever we can to promote it by living godly lives that honor the Lord. We cannot control what other people do, but we certainly can seek to control our own actions and responses. It may not always be easy, but it will be worth it to try to live peacefully with others, especially those who are difficult to deal with. Do not be vengeful, overcome evil and do your part to live at peace.

Memorial Day

John 15 13

Verse of the Day:  John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

As we celebrate and enjoy our freedom this Memorial Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday as we remember those who died in active military service.  Let’s honor and pay respect to these heroes by praying for their families, our leaders and our country. No matter what is happening around us and the current condition of our country remember, we still live in one of the best nations in the world. Enjoy your freedom but don’t forget the price others have paid for it when they laid down their life and gave all.

Bad Influences

Proverbs 22 24-25

Verse of the Day: Proverbs 22:24-25

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

It’s clear that our friendships can have an influence on us, either for good or bad. It’s important to choose the people who are close to us wisely. Choose godly friends that will be a positive influence in your life instead of people who can’t control their anger with whom you may eventually find yourself in a bad situation.  A bad temper is contagious.