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‘I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.’ Mark 9:41
We are blessed when we bless God's children, we can rejoice when others do the simplest things to bless us in Jesus' name, because we receive the kindness and grace of others and God blesses that kindness with His overwhelming grace. Let's live to be a blessing! When we do, God is blessed. We are blessed. We bless others. When others are gracious to us, God has also promised to bless them. God pours His blessings out on all of us. In God's miraculous economy, the more we bless each other, the more blessings there are for everyone! In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day! “I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Psalm 42:11 KJV
God doesn’t intend that we abuse our bodies by giving in to excessive appetites or to slothful behavior. To the contrary, God has instructed us to protect our physical bodies to the greatest extent we can and to do otherwise is to disobey Him. God’s plan includes provisions for your spiritual, physical, and emotional health. But He expects you to do your fair share of the work. In a world that is chock full of tasty temptations, you may find it all to easy to make unhealthy choices. Your responsibility is to resist those unhealthy temptations by every means you can, including prayer. Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.’ Proverbs 20:1
King James Version: Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Proverbs 20:1 Rather than spending millions on ad campaigns which the alcohol industry does, God plainly states the truth: We are unwise to be in bondage to anything which makes us look foolish, which destructively incites our passions, and which open us up to temptation. In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day! For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.’
Isaiah 44:3 A wisp of breeze stirs swirls of dust over the barren land. When the downpour finally comes, the "thirsty land" swallows voluminous amounts of water as the rain runs off the wet surface and finds its way into the deep cracks of the drought. The ground swells, the grass comes back to life, and life is replenished. In a barren spiritual wasteland, God's Holy Spirit pours out His blessing, brings times of refreshment, and replenishes our thirsty hearts! In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day! But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ Acts 1:8
Sometimes the most profound truths are very simple. The power to reach the world for Christ involves God's might through the Holy Spirit; God's plan of beginning where we are and reaching out to the world, and our willingness to tell others what God has done for us in Jesus. In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day! This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him. John 5:14-15
Confidence before God. That's sort of an oxymoron if you meditate upon it. Yet through the presence of Jesus at the Father's right hand and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, we can have confidence and come boldly before the Creator of the universe and know that he not only hears us, but also cares for us. Wow, what an audience! Oh, and one final thing, he also ACTS on what we ask. Abba Father, for the grace of your listening ear we thank you more than words can say. Through the authority of Jesus our brother and by grace of your interceding Holy Spirit, we offer you our thanks and love this day. Amen. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24
Who are your closest friends? Good friends are hard to come by in a world of superficial acquaintances and shallow relationships. "Hanging with the crowd" can give us a false sense of belonging, but often leaves us wounded and alone in times of trouble. Open, honest, supportive, and loving relationships don't happen without investment. Ask the Lord to lead you to close friends in His family. Minister to and serve those around you as you listen to their requests, faithfully upholding them in prayer. Trust God will give you a "stick-through-thick-and-thin-friend." Development of Christian friends is an investment of effort and time, they are friends with whom we can share with always. In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day! In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. - Ephesians 1:7
Forgiveness! What a sweet and precious gift. What we were powerless to fix, make up or pay for, God did for us in Jesus. With him, each day is a fresh start and rebirth of Springtime. But my, such a terrible cost he paid to give it to us! Thank you, father, for your anguish and cost to forgive our sins by the blood of your Son. We refuse to take lightly the cost of our sin and will live for your glory in appreciation of your grace. In the name of Him who sacrificed all for our salvation we pray. Amen. “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 NKJV
God loves you. He loves you more than you can imagine; His affection is deeper than you can fathom. God made you in His own image and gave you salvation through the person of His Son. And as a result, you have an important decision to make. You must decide what to do about God’s love; you can return it…or not. When you accept the love that flows from the heart of God, you are transformed. When you embrace God’s love, you feel differently about yourself, your neighbors, your community, your church and your world. God’s heart is overflowing, accept His love; return His love; and share His love. God’s grace has been given to me. So here is what I say to every one of you. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Be reasonable when you think about yourself. Keep in mind the amount of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3
There are very few days that go exactly the way we ‘d like them to go. Thankfully, God is never going to put us in a situation without giving us the ability to be in it with joy. This scripture says that “God has allotted to each a measure of faith. “What are you doing with your faith? Are you putting your faith in yourself, in others, or in your circumstances? If so, that is not living in grace, that’s just living by your own strength. Living in your own strength won’t get the job done, but when you release your faith and trust God to do what you can’t do; you’re putting your faith in Him. God’s power will come through the channel of faith and will enable you to do things that will amaze you. You can have it today and it doesn’t cost you anything other than putting your faith in God. Faith in God enables us to do with ease what we could never do on our own. |
Pastor Derrick RichardsonPastor of Community Abundant Life Church Archives
November 2022
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Community Abundant Life Church
1701 NW 7th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 (405) 557-7822 Pastor Derrick Richardson |
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“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7
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