Holy Week: Jesus Did It For You!

Think on this...

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Matthew 27:29-50


Jesus did that for you!

It's Holy Week: Obedient Unto Death

Today, let's look at what happened when the men came to arrest Jesus.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place:

for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,

cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him,

went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he.

And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye?

And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he:

 if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake,

Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it,

and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear.

The servant's name was Malchus.

Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath:

the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

And led him away...

John 18:1-13a

Jesus remained obedient in what the Lord had ordained for Him to do. Just moments before this passage happened, Jesus had been praying asking God if it was really His will for Jesus to die. When Jesus knew that there was no other way, He chose to be obedient to the Lord's will.

He went forward and asked the crowd who they were looking for. Jesus did not try to hide or be deceitful. He boldly went forward in the path God had laid out for Him. Even when Peter tried to fight back, Jesus chose to willingly give Himself up in order to obey the Father.

What has God asked you to do that you are struggling with? Remembering Jesus' great sacrifice, is what God asking you really too much for you? Jesus was obedient to lay down His life, and He was blessed to be exalted higher than all. What blessings are you holding back because of your disobedience?

Check It Out!

Hey Everyone!

My blog entry for EmpowerMoments was posted today.

I talked about Peninnah and taming the tongue.

Don't know who she is? What to find out more?

Click here to read the post!

Wednesday's Word: Do You Love Him?

Today's Word looks at some of the last teachings of Jesus before He went to the cross.

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me,

so that the world will know that I love the Father.

John 14:23-30a (NLT)

 

A couple of questions after reading this:

 

- From Jesus' words, do you really love Him?

- Are you following the teaching of the Holy Spirit?

- Have you embraced your gift of true peace?

 

Let these words ring in your spirit as you go about your day today. Think about your walk with Christ and whether it reflects what He has spoken in this passage.

Holy Week: Servanthood

In continuation of our reflection of the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, let's look at a moment from His Passover meal with the disciples:

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

John 13:3-17

Here, we learn that accepting Jesus as our Lord and Teacher, we are to follow the example that He set for us. Jesus was willing to perform the lowliest act of servanthood for His disciples. He got on His hands and knees, picked up their dirty feet, and washed them.

If our God can do such a thing for us, how much more should we be willing to serve those around us? Meditate on this word as you go about your day today. Ask the Lord to create in you a servant's heart. Be willing to serve those around you allowing Christ's example to be your guide.

It's Holy Week!

Yesterday was the beginning of Holy Week in the body of Christ. We are now remembering week leading up to Christ's death on the cross. It is a time for us to remember His great sacrifice. It's a time to remember the great love that purchased our salvation.

So, this week, I want to focus on God's Word concerning Christ's sacrifice. Today, let's look at Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem:

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;

see, your king is coming,

seated on a donkey’s colt.” 

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,

went out to meet him.

John 12:12-18

I am always amazed at how from Jesus' birth to His death, His life consistently fulfilled the prophecies in the scriptures. Even a verse speaking of the Messiah arriving on a colt - not a noble steed - came to pass. Here, Jesus is greeted by the people as a king. He is praised and exalted as the king of Israel.   I also find it interesting that those who witnessed Lazarus' resurrection were the ones passing the word that Jesus was in town. Imagine them saying, "The one who can even overcome death is coming into town!"   Not many days later, Jesus would show what overcoming death really looked like.

Thanksgiving Friday!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Rejoice in The Lord always, and again I say rejoice!

Today I'm thankful for the word of the Lord. I'm away at a conference being blessed immensely. God is teaching us about the mind, and I'm soaking it up! I love learning new things about God. Thank you, Father, for revelation!

I'm also thankful for God's healing power. I'm standing believing God for healing for one of my friends. He is still healing people today! Thank you, Lord, for health and wholeness!

What has God blessed you in this week? What's your current testimony? Give The Lord a praise!

Throwback Thursday: Dying Daily

Here's an old post from the first year I started blogging. Enjoy!

Ever been on one of those great spiritual streaks? You know, when your life is so blessed, you're happy, loving on God, feeling His power work through you... The times where you get breakthroughs with every prayer, new insights with every scripture you read... You heart is full of love for your fellow man and nothing fazes you because you are God's child.


You know what always seems to happen to me with those times in my life? Some event, some person, or some situation always finds a way to trip that hairline trigger I have. Suddenly I find myself on the opposite side of committing some kind of sin, a sin I thought I had dealt with, conquered, and buried. Even worse, sometimes it's a new one that I didn't even know was an issue for me.

It doesn't have to be big, but just the fact that I was able to fall back into that sinful nature always sends a blow to my heart. The blessed high that was just enveloping my every moment is quickly lost, replaced by shame, regret, and sadness.

I have to go back to the altar and ask for forgiveness. Praise God that His mercy never runs out!

It's easy to forget that we are all works in progress... especially when we have a period of good behavior. The Bible says to not think more highly of ourselves than we should. The same chapter speaks on presenting ourselves daily as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12) We should willfully give ourselves up to the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit to purge away all the impurities of sin whether we think it's there or not. Trust me, God will find a way to send anything hidden bubbling up to the surface.

Today's Verse: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Wednesday's Word: Be At Peace

Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?

You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and

 live in peace with each other.

Mark 9:50 (NLT)

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak.

 Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil,

but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

1 Thessalonians 5:14, 15

Jesus told us that we are the salt of the earth. We are the ones who are supposed to make an impact on the world around us. Our atmospheres should be flavored with the seasoning of the love of Jesus Christ.

In reflecting Jesus' love, we are admonished by Him to live in peace. Paul reiterates this teaching when he tells the church to be patient and to always do good to everyone. It is this Godly peace and unity that glorifies the Father and causes others to be drawn into God's Kingdom.

We cannot live at peace bickering and fighting.  Peace is not found in holding grudges and bitterness towards someone else. We cannot show forth goodness to the world when we are stirring up strife among ourselves.

So, we have to work at living in peace with one another. We have to strive to be patient. We have to rein in our emotions and put forth the effort to do good in the face of evil.

We have to live like Christ.

Are you living at peace? Is there someone that you need to forgive? Do you need to go and apologize to someone else? Today, let's make the effort to live in peace.

Going Through The Storm

Sometimes you can see a storm coming. You look at what is coming down the line, and you see the obstacles in your path. You feel the winds change. You see the dark clouds start to gather. And often we know we have to walk through the storm to get to the other side. We can't avoid it. We can't escape it.

Going through the storm strong requires full reliance on the Lord. We have to put away fear and trust that God has our best interests in mind.

When facing His greatest challenge, Jesus knew He had to walk through it. Even though He prayed for the Father to take the situation away, Jesus knew that He could only reach His ultimate goal by going through. (Luke 22:42)

So, Jesus prayed. He put His full being into communicating with the Lord. As He prayed, He received strength from heaven. (Luke 22:43) And when He got up, He was able to face His greatest challenge head-on. And He went on to win.

What storm clouds are gathering in your life? What obstacle is standing waiting up ahead for you?

Don't give in to fear. Don't look at the problem. Look to the Lord who is your help!

Continue in prayer. Communicate with the One who holds this entire world in His hands. Allow heaven to strengthen you in what you're about to face. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! (Philippians 4:13) And that means you can make it through the storm.

Verse of the Day: But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:32, 33

Praise in the Middle of It

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! It's a new week, a new day, and a new opportunity for us to show the glory of God to those around us! Let's take advantage of this week and utilize every day to it's full potential. God has granted us life, so let's make the most of it!

Today I am reminded of Paul and Silas. These men took every opportunity to glorify the Lord! The did not even let being imprisoned stop the praise that came forth from their beings. When they were beaten and locked away in chains, they did not despair. They were not despondent. They lifted up joyful praises to the Lord! And the praises they offered were so sincere and so full of love that they caused heaven to break loose not only their chains, but everyone in that jail's chains! On top of that, the praises of these two men were so impactful, they caused the jailer and his whole household to come to know Jesus! (Acts 16:22-40)

What kind of praises are you lifting up in the midst of your situation? Don't allow circumstances to shut you up! Open up your mouth and glorify your Father in heaven. Your praise could be the key to breaking you out of your chains! Your praise can loose somebody else's chains! Your testimony in the midst of the storm could be the one thing that brings another soul into the kingdom of God!

No matter what you are facing, where you are, or what you are doing - God is still worthy of praise!

Verse of the Day: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. Acts 16:25, 26

Thanksgiving Friday

Today, I'm just thankful to be here. Ever have one of those days? Or, weeks, for that matter? So much has been going on and so many things have been in upheaval, that I'm just glad to be here.

I'm thankful for the Lord's keeping power.

I'm blessed to have His grace and mercy.

I'm privileged to know His love.

And that is what I'm thankful for today.

What are you thankful to the Lord for on today? You know what to do.

Verse of the Day: I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised... Psalm 18:1-3a

Throwback Thursday: Pull Up Some Joy!

Since I've been talking about joy this week, I decided to post an entry I did on joy a while back. EnJOY!

With all of the chaos that’s going on in the world today, it may be a bit hard to find some joy. It’s so easy to focus on everything that seems to be going wrong: the job you can’t find, the money you don’t have, the inspiration that you’ve lost… How can one find joy in the midst of so much despair?


I love the scripture that where it talks about David encouraging himself in the Lord. (I Samuel 30:6) Often encouragement comes down to us deliberately choosing to look past the problem and see the God that is always there. No matter what we go through, God is always orchestrating things for our good. We just get so caught up in the process that we tend to disregard the positives sometimes.

Don’t let this happen to you. Whenever you feel despair knocking at your door, block it out by remembering the goodness of the Lord. Remember how He helped you overcome obstacles in times past. Remember where He sent unexpected blessings in your time of need. Think of how He sent His mercy when you knew you deserved punishment. Take heart in how he rescued you from destruction.

God is so good! And He is the same God today that He was when He walked you through all of those other valleys of darkness. Don’t lose hope! Reach deep inside and pull up some joy! The joy of the Lord will give you the strength to make it through! (Nehemiah 8:10)

Verse of the Day: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9

Power of Joy

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

...neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10b

Too many of us are walking around with "dry bones". We have no joy. We are full of sorrows. We are weak in our hearts. And our spirits are broken down.

Yet the word of God tells us that it in joy that we become strong in our spirits. So, how do we get joy?

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you,

that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 15:9-11

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:3, 4

When you abide in the love of God by keeping His commands, His joy stays with you. Meditating on the promises of God can only bring more joy! Seeing all that God has for you, knowing how much He loves and cares about you, will only increase the amount of joy in your life.

Joy also shows up when you fellowship with other saints who are also strong in the Lord. Hearing their testimonies of the goodness of the Lord, learning from their walk with the Father, and having them pray for and encourage you will keep your joy levels on FULL!

So, today, determine to strengthen yourself in the joy of the Lord. Let the joy of the Lord minister health and well-being to your spirit and mind. You don't have to be weary, run down or sorrowful, in any situation, your joy can be FULL!

Need Some Help?

Ever struggled trying to open a jar? As hard as you can, you try to twist off the cap, but to no avail. So you ask someone else for help. They take hold of the jar, twist of the cap, and hand it back to you in no time.

Or have you ever been looking for something and couldn't find it? You look everywhere you can think of making more of a mess then there was before searching for your lost item. Finally, when you're at your wits' end, you ask for help. That person comes in, and in a few moments locates your lost item that was sitting right in plain sight.

So often we go through life like this. We try in our own strength to "open" things that seem sealed off to us. We search high and low for what we know belongs to us but can't find it anywhere. Yet we have Someone we can ask for help. We have Someone with the strength to open those closed places. We have Someone who knows exactly where our lost treasure is.

Yet, are we asking for His help? Are you asking the Lord to assist you in your efforts to succeed? Or, are you so busy trying to do things in your own strength?

Don't waste any more time or energy trying to do something on your own. Don't strain yourself or wear yourself out trying to make things happen. You serve a God who has the ability, knowledge, and authority to fulfill your needs.

Just save yourself the trouble, and ask the Lord for help.

Verse of the Day: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Hard Times

Life does not always make sense. Life is definitely not always fair.

I find myself in a period right now where there seems to be more going wrong than right. I have more questions than answers. And, I'm just trying to stand in faith and not question my way into doubt and unbelief.

The Lord has told us that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. Since He's the One keeping this world spinning, I have to trust that what He allows is what's best for all of us in the end. Even when it doesn't make sense... Even when I still have questions...

Right now you may be in a situation where you don't understand what's going on. You may feel that life is dealing you a really rotten hand. You may think that you can't possibly take any more, but the hits keep coming.

So, today, I wanted to remind all of us of the kind of God that we serve.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:

his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Psalm 91:3-10

This passage was written either by David or Moses. Both men faced hard times. One led people from the hands of slave owners into the wilderness. The other was given a promise of greatness but then was forced into a life on the run, a life where he was being hunted like an animal. No matter which one wrote these words, the meaning still rings true: our God will take care of us.

In the long run, we will look back and see the sovereign hand of God orchestrating our lives to the fruition of His great purpose for us. Yes, right now we may be hurting, confused, or concerned. But we have no reason to fear. We have no reason to lose our hope. God is working all things together for our good.

Let's not forget that God still has the last say, and He has our ultimate good in mind.

Thanksgiving Friday!

This week I'm praising God that I'm through with my class! I don't know why I decided I'd be fine taking a class while working and coaching this semester, but I'm happy I'm through. And I got a good grade. I'm thankful that I only have three more to go, and I'll have that graduate degree. Praise God!

I'm also thankful for a successful basketball season. Our boys pulled off a remarkable season, and I am on my way downstate with my cheerleaders to cheer them on. Hopefully they will do well this year. Either way, I get a nice little weekend get away! Praise God!

Today, I'm also thankful for help. We were short-staffed in our office this week, and we realized how much we really appreciate our co-worker. Her absence was truly felt. She does so much for our little group. - Hmmm. Thought for the day: Would your absence be felt if you were missing from your group? Are you being a great help to those around you? If you are, you are a real blessing to your team! - Thank you, Lord, for help!

I'm also thankful for the warming temps that are melting our snow. It was good while it was here, but it's time for the snow to go.

What are you thankful for this week? Make sure you send up some praises!

Verse of the Day: I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

Wednesday's Word: Meditating on the Word

Only be thou strong and very courageous,

that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law,

which Moses my servant commanded thee:

turn not from it to the right hand or to the left,

that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;

but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,

 that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:

 for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Have not I commanded thee?

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:

for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:7-9



It's easy to sin. Lies roll off the tongue.. greed and envy are never hard to embrace... anger and hatred seem like second nature...

Following after God takes strength and courage. Ignoring our fleshly desires takes discipline and strong will (in addition to the power of the Holy Spirit). When following the Lord, we have to take cares to not turn "to the right hand or to the left". That means we can't take shortcuts. There is no "just this one time" or "little white lies" or "God knows my heart" with the Lord. Only when we follow His will to the letter will we live a prosperous life.

To get results we have to meditate on His words. That means we have to read, study, research, memorize, think about, and talk about the Word of God. We have to know His Word inside and out to insure that we are living in a way that pleases Him.

There's a whole 'nother nugget in there about being strong and courageous in there, but I'll touch on that tomorrow. Today, however, spend some time to meditate on the Word of God.

The Wind of the Spirit

I love feeling a warm breeze on my face. The wind buffeting me and whistling through my ears is pleasant for me. I especially love the wind blowing when the seasons are in transition. The air is full of the scents of the coming changes. The wind fascinates me because you can't see it. You can see what it carries, you can see it's effects, but you can't literally see the wind.

When the Holy Spirit first appeared on earth after Jesus' resurrection, He filled the air with the sound of a mighty, rushing wind. (Acts 2:2) The Lord was signalling the changes that were afoot. He was sending His people a Comforter and Guide. After the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they went out and turned the world upside down!

The Holy Spirit serves in opening men up to the truth of Jesus Christ. He helps to lead believers in the right direction. He gives them gifts to live lives that honor the distinction of being the children of God.

In the same way you can't see the wind, you can't see the Holy Spirit. However, you can see the effects of the Holy Spirit. You can hear His voice, you can follow His directions, you can find comfort in His presence.

Have you received the Holy Spirit? Has He filled your being with His presence? God sent the Holy Spirit to help you in your Christian walk after Jesus finished His work. Are you enjoying the benefits of this gift?

You can find direction, comfort, and much more with the help of the Holy Spirit. Today, allow Him to fulfill His purpose in your life. Listen for His voice, follow His directions, turn to Him for comfort, utilize His gifts... You may not be able to see Him, but His work produces miracles!

Verse of the Day: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:2-4

Thanksgiving Friday!

Another week, more blessings, more reasons to give God praise!

This week I'm thankful for new opportunities. I'm blessed to be partnering with the EmpowerMoments blog, and my first blog post went up on this past Wednesday. If you haven't read "Achieving Greatness" take a moment and go get inspired! Thanks, Lord, for opening up new doors!

I'm also thankful for God's peace. There has been a lot of chaos going on around me this week, but I'm praising God that there was no chaos within me! The Holy Spirit has kept me calm through many things this week, and I am grateful for the Lord's keeping power.

What are you thankful for this week? How has God blessed you? Make sure you give Him praise!

Verse of the Day: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3