...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.   -Psalm 30:5

We all cry sometimes (if we are honest) We all have moments in our lives that seem dark and stormy, but like the faithful sunrise, morning comes and the Joy of The Lord strengthens and picks us up, sometimes to the point that we even forget what we were weeping about. God is always faithful and His Joy is our strength. When the storms come, don't fret just hold on and look to the horizon cause joy is coming in the morning!

Today's Challenge: Don't be tricked into looking at the stormy circumstances, don't dwell on the things that cause you to weep. Put your trust in God and Hang in there! Joy isn't a feeling it's a choice! Choose The Joy of the Lord wherever you are today! Ya Heard!


*****************************
Shacah - Arise

Shachah :: "Arise (Stand Up)" :: Music Video (Cross Movement Records) from Cross Movement Records on Vimeo.
Shachah presents their Music Video for "Arise (Stand Up)" from the album ON THE MOVE (Cross Movement Records). In Stores Now. www.shachah.com | www.crossmovementrecords.com

   I read the testimony of a scientist once, he was at the top of his field and had made many discoveries.  He admitted that he was on a quest to use science as a means to prove that God didn't exist, but a funny thing happened along the way.  The more and more evidence he gathered the more and more proof he had that this world was far to complex to not have a creator...and it was a wrap when he discovered that the Bible's account of Creation was scientifically sound.  These days he is a passionate Christian, sharing the gospel and using science as a means to prove that God not only exists, but that His accounts of how things came to be are not just true but that they can be proven scientifically.

  You gotta love it!  The same information, skills and ability that was once used incorrectly, has been flipped upside down and is now used correctly and the truth is clearly seen.




Upside Down from Pace Hartfield on Vimeo.




Today's Challenge: A two part challenge for you today; First, I want you to let today's devo serve as a reminder that there is hope for even thee most hardcore atheist, so I challenge you to not write people off even when they seem to be resistant to your words...pray for them and keep letting them see your Godly Lifestyle because you never know when things will flip upside down for them. Secondly I realize that most of the followers of this blog are "believers", but have you come to the point where you believe and trust God completely? If not what information is it that you are viewing incorrectly? What is in your life that needs to be flipped upside down so that you can see the Truth and begin Living the Life He has called you to live?

-Peace

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,   Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
                     -Ephesians 5:15-16

There are a lot of things going on these days, most of them designed to distract us and to put it bluntly, if allowed many of these things will allow us to entertain ourselves to death!  It's time we wake up and smell the "spiritual coffee" that's brewing.  God has given us much...and to whom much is given, much is required.  Don't be mindless and most of all don't let your life be a waste.

Today's Challenge:  Don't Waste Your Life!  Make the decision to not take your life for granted.  When it's your time to leave this earth make sure that you have been poured completely out...hold nothing back...use every gift talent and ability that God has blessed you with to bring Him Glory and Be a Blessing to as many people as you can.  Life is precious fam...Don't waste It!!!!


Lecrae - Don't Waste Your Life

The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.

As the quote above suggest, it is through reading understanding and obeying The Word of God that we grow and develop as followers of Christ.  This is not something we should occasionally do, it should be the foundation and fabric of our lives.  Unfortunately that is something that we most often fail to do as a Body of Believers.  For the most part we settle for one or two spirituals feedings (if that many) a week, while primarily remaining consumed with all of the cares and distractions of our daily lives, we live the fast food kind of lives and our spiritual lives often follow a similar path...we want it all and we want it now!

This mentality has an effect on our spiritual development.  We don't have time to read, study and pray so we settle instead for the spiritual version of "The Cliff Notes."  Just gives us the highlights.  For the most part we leave the reading, praying and studying to our Pastors, Leaders & Teachers and we settle for dining off the fruits of their labors.  It's funny how we have it backward, we invest most of our time and energy on things that drain us, while neglecting the very thing that will sustain, protect and guide us.  That should not be so.

Today's Challenge:  Check yourself before you wreck yourself!  If you aren't spending time reading The Word, developing an understanding and obeying it...then you really are a wreck waiting to happen.  Make the time to get in The Word, grow in your understanding of it, then obey it, and if you are feeling like you can't afford to add something else to your already busy schedule...my friend you can't afford not to!!!!

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. -Romans 8: 31-39

N-O-T-H-I-N-G, absolutely nothing has the power to keep us away from the Love of The Father! The sooner we grasp that the better off we will all be! Too many times the enemy uses people, things and situations in an attempt to get us to shift our focus of God's Love for us. He tries to convince us to clean ourselves up before we come to God, or better yet He tries to use the hurtful words and behavior of others to wound and discourage us into quitting. I want to remind you today that GOD LOVES YOU! He went all out and paid a great ransom to redeem & restore you! Don't let anyone or anything try to convince you otherwise.

Real Talk, there will probably be people who will talk about you for choosing to follow God...Let em talk! There will be people who will try to discourage you from going forward with God...let them do them and you keep moving! Keep your focus on Jesus Christ and The Love of God! Remember that God is faithful and just and He will never leave or forsake you. So wherever you are right now make the decision to get up and stand up. Be all that God has called you to be...and do it without apology! When you see people trying to stop ya...don't trip, just tell them "You can Do Dat...but Imma Do It Christlike! Ya heard!

Today's Challenge: Focus on The Love of God today! Look around and begin to appreciate all that he has done for you, and keep doing it until that Love overwhelms you and begins to influence every word thought and deed! Let that Love fill you up until you begin to see people the same way God sees them as valuable, worth dying for and worth redeeming!

-One

Kre8tor - You Can Do Dat!

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

Can you picture that?  Being in the presence of one so pure, awesome and majestic that all you can do is bow down and cry "Holy Holy Holy!"  In my minds eye I can see the elders as they bow down to give reverence and everytime they stand up and look upon Him they are overcome by the sight of His Glory and are forced to bow down yet again and again!

  Nothing takes the place of Worship, and worship is more than a type of song you sing or an ugly face you make at church!  It is a condition & position of the heart.  When you take the time to see God for who and what He truly is...worship will be the natural response!

Today's Challenge!  Take every opportunity you can to silence all other voices and spend some time in Worship!  Show your God some Love, He deserves it!

   Amalek came and fought Israel at Rephidim. Moses ordered Joshua: "Select some men for us and go out and fight Amalek. Tomorrow I will take my stand on top of the hill holding God's staff."
  Joshua did what Moses ordered in order to fight Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. But Moses' hands got tired. So they got a stone and set it under him. He sat on it and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and its army in battle.  -Exodus 17:8-13

I'm wondering if you caught that. Whenever Moses had his hands raised the people of God were winning, when he lowered his hands the people would begin losing. We tend to underestimate the power that comes from Holy hands raised in submission to an All Powerful God. Raising your hands is like saying "I trust you Lord!" The raised hands can be a sign of submission like "Lord I give up have your way!" Raising  your hands can even be comparable to an infant who can't speak, but seems to know that his outstretched hands will soon find Him safe in the arms of his loving parent!

Today's Challenge:  Make raising your hands toward God a regular practice!   Even when things look bad, learn to trust Him and raise those hands in Praise & Submission!  Pretty soon you will begin to see that just like Moses & the Israelites, when your hands are raised...You Win!

So if you are a Servant of The Most High...Get Yo Hands Up!!  (now push the play button!)

Music Playlist at MixPod.com