Devotion: Rest A While

When we are tired or worn out, most of us know what it means, “to rest a while.”  Most of us would define this “rest” as a period where we would take a break from our labors in order to relax and regain our strength.  We would use it as a time to refrain from all strenuous or stressful activities so that we could refresh or rejuvenate ourselves.

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made” (Genesis 2:2).

Following his six days of creation, God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because he rested from all the work of creating he had done.  When we think of God resting, we should not confuse this “rest” with being worn out where he could not do, make, or create one more thing.

Devotion: Be An Encourager

Are you an encourager?  Or are you a discourager?  Most people are discouragers and do not even know that they are.  Don’t get us wrong, there are some very negative, very disgruntled, and very unhappy people in the world.  Normally, the things that they say can identify them.  But, when was the last time you checked yourself to see what kind of things you say?

“And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:20-23).

Scripture tells us that it is what comes out of us that contaminates and makes us unclean.  From inside of us, within our hearts flow evil thoughts, fornication, sexual sins, thefts, murders, adultery, covetousness, greed, wickedness, evil actions, deceit, licentiousness, unrestrained immorality, envy, reviling, insults, pride, arrogance, reckless folly, and foolishness.  All these wicked things come out from within our heart to contaminate and make us unclean.

Devotion: Don’t Talk Too Much

Most people do not believe that we choose what happens to us.  Regardless of how things appear in the world, the truth of the matter is that the words we speak play an important role in what happens in our life.  The Bible tells us that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggests that with one’s mouth an individual can speak death into his or her life or the same individual can speak life into his or her life.  We know that the words that we speak are like seeds that are planted in the ground and it is from those seeds, we reap the blessings or the cursings from that which we have sown (Galatians 6:7-8).  This is why the words that we speak are so important; they really do control the things that happen to us.  It is like “the entire system of blessings and cursings” hinges upon the very words we speak.

“We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth.  And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.  So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do.  A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark.  And the tongue is a flame of fire.  It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body.  And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster.  Men have trained, or can train, every kind of animal or bird that lives and every kind of reptile and fish, but no human being can tame the tongue.  It is always ready to pour out its deadly poison” (James 3:3-8 TLB).

We have learned to control and tame all kinds of animals, including birds, reptiles, sea creatures, and all sorts of land animals, but we have yet learned to control and tame our tongue.  We have yet to learn that it, our tongue, is a source of great evil and deadly poisons.  With our tongue, we praise Father God and with the same tongue, we curse our fellow man who was created in image and after the likeness of God.  Yes, blessings and cursings come from the same tongue, out of the same mouth, but this is not the way things should be (James 3:9-10).

“But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.  For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced” (Matthew 12:36-37 AMP).  “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23 AMP).  “If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies” (I Peter 3:10 TLB).  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).  “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4 NIV).  “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips” (Ecclesiastes 10:12 NIV).  “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34 NIV).  “...the tongue of the wise is health” (Proverbs 12:18).

If on the “Day of Judgment,” we must give an account for every idle word that we speak, then just this fact should tell us just how important the words that we speak are.  The passage goes on to say how we will either be justified by or be condemned by the very words that we speak.  We are told to guard our tongue and keep our mouth shut so that we can stay out of trouble.  If we want a happy, good life, then we must learn to control our tongues, guard our lips, and not talk so much.  We must get rid of things like anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips (Colossians 3:8).  We must do all that we can do to bring about peace, harmony, and mutual edification of one another (Romans 14:19).  Our conversations should always “be full of grace and seasoned with salt” so that we are never at a lost for the proper words when we are called to answer.  Remember, that which comes out of our mouth tells the world where our heart really is and what is truly in it.  We need to watch our tongue and keep our mouths shut so that we stay out of trouble.  “The words you speak become the house you live in” (Hafiz).  With that being said, be careful with your words; they really do control the things that happen to you.

Here is today’s inspirational message.  We pray that it will be a blessing to you and we pray that you will share this message with others so that they may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Prayer Strengthens You

Prayer is always an interesting subject because of the many aspects associated with the process.  We know from previous discussions, prayer is nothing more than how we communicate with God.  We now know that prayer will also strengthen us.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.  If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.  His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 TLB).

Worrying causes stress and stress can causes all kinds of other issues, mainly issues that can affect our health.  Instead of worrying about things, we are told to pray about everything.  And when we pray, we will experience God’s peace, which will keep our thoughts and our heart quiet and at rest.

“Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:17-18).

We are told to pray without ceasing.  As we know, prayer is just a conversation between God and us, so basically God is telling us to “communicate with him without ceasing.”  God is telling us that we should not cease to be in constant contact with him, constantly having a conversation with him, which will allow us to experience his peace.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12 NIV)

Prayer should always be our first response to everything and never used as our last resort because we have become desperate and run out of options.  We should devote ourselves to prayer and to being in constant communication with God.  Prayer, that constant communication with God can actually strengthen your faith.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 TLB).

We should never underestimate the power of prayer, especially when we do it the way God wants us to do it.  Prayer can renew our strength.  Cease not to pray.  Cease not to constantly communicate with God.  Prayer, constant communication with God, will strengthen us.

We pray that this inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen./span>

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Why Pray?

Understanding the benefits of prayer will help us to understand why we should pray.  Most people, believers and non-believers alike, only pray in a time of need, when things are out of their control.  The problem is that prayer should be the first thing you, as a believer, do every morning and the last thing you, as a believer, do before you go to sleep.  This is not to say that these are the only times that you should pray because the scripture say that we should pray always, without ceasing.

“Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:17-18).

We are told to pray without ceasing, but did you notice what else we are to do when praying?  Scripture tells us that we should give “thanks in everything.”  According to this passage, prayer is not just something we do in our hour of need, but something that we should constantly do, constantly giving thanks to God in every situation, because “this is the will of God for us.”

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth (Luke 11:1-2).

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray as John taught his disciples to pray, the first thing Jesus did was to teach them to give honor and praise to God.  Jesus said, when we pray, we should say, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”  Jesus basically told them to revere the name of the Father and to honor him for his holiness.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4).

When we come before God, we are to enter into his gates with great thanksgiving and as we enter into his courts, we enter with praise.  Yes, when we come before God, we need to first thank God, we need to first praise God, we need to first worship God, and we need to first glorify God.  Then on top of all of that, we need to be thankful to God.  And last but not least, we need to bless his holy name.

“I will praise the Lord no matter what happens.  I will constantly speak of his glories and grace.  I will boast of all his kindness to me.  Let all who are discouraged take heart.  Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name” (Psalm 34:1-3 TLB).  “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3).

We know that this somewhat different from the way you have been taught to pray, but this is how Jesus told his disciple to pray and what he told them to do.  When we pray, we need to give praise to the Lord God.  When we pray, we need to speak of his glories and of his grace.  When we pray, we need to boast of his kindness.  When we pray, we need to give thanks and to bless his holy name.  When we pray, we need to exalt his holy name.  When we pray, we need to pray for these reasons.  Notice that we did not say that these were the only reasons we need to pray, but they do be the primary reasons.  Prayer is a process and there is more to come in the near future.

Here is one other thing that we found most interesting in all of this; the fact that the disciples had asked Jesus to teach them to pray as John the Baptist had taught his disciples to pray.  There is not much mentioned in scripture as to what or how John the Baptist taught his disciples about prayer, but we do know that John was the forerunner of Jesus Christ; that he prepared the way for Jesus; and that John and Jesus had many similarities between their ministries.  With that being said, we can conclude that he must have taught his disciples the same if not a very similar way to pray as Jesus did, saying, “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”

We pray that today’s inspirational message will give you a new perspective on “prayer and why we pray.”  We also pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: According To Your Faith

Let us continue with the “snapshot” of you and your faith.  Remember that this snapshot is not meant to be a picture of where you wanted to be with your faith but one that will reveal where you are and where your faith currently stands.  Once you determine where you are, you can determine the course that you need to take to get you where you want to be with your faith and then, then you will be able to determine when you reach your goal.  Previously, we covered “great faith” (Matthew 8:5-10); “little faith” (Matthew 14:22-31); “weak in faith” (Romans 4:17-19); “strong (strengthened) in faith,” (Romans 4:20-21); and “full of faith” (Acts 6:1-5).

FAITH UNFEIGNED (SINCERE FAITH) - Now the end (purpose) of the commandments is charity (love) out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of “faith unfeigned (sincere faith)” (I Timothy 1:5).

SHIPWRECKED FAITH - This charge (command) I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee (previously made concerning you), that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put (rejected) away concerning faith have made (suffered) shipwreck (I Timothy 1:18-19).

FAITH NOT WAVERING (CONSTANT) - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in “faith, nothing wavering (not doubting).”  For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord (James 1:5-7).

RICH FAITH - Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world “rich (to be rich in) in faith,” and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him (James 2:5)?

PERFECT FAITH (MATURE or GROWN-UP) - Seest thou how faith wrought (working) with his works, and by works was “faith made perfect (complete)” (James 2:22)?

OVERCOMING FAITH (WORLD) - For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that “overcometh the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4).

EXCEEDINGLY GROWING FAITH - We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet (fitting), because that your “faith groweth exceedingly,” and the charity (love) of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth (II Thessalonians 1:3).

We hope this snapshot has helped you to locate your picture of faith so that you can determine where you truly are with your faith.  From this, we hope that you will know what you need to do and where you need to go to maximize your faith.  If you were able to determine where you are, then you will be able to determine the course that you will need to take in order to get to where you desire to be with your faith.  Finally, we pray that you will exercise your faith so that you can reach your goal, for you have truly been given the measure of faith.  And above all, do not forget to feed your faith, it will need the nourishment in order to grow strong and healthy.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Faith comes by “hearing” (listening) and “hearing” (listening) by “the word of God.”  Please note that this does not state that faith comes by praying, it comes by hearing.  We know that prayer changes things but praying for more faith will not get you more faith.  You get all that you are going to get, that measure of faith (Romans 12:3), but what you do with what you are given is entirely up to you.  Your faith must grow in order for you to profit from having it.  Your faith must be developed.  To develop your faith, it must be fed, for nothing grows unless it is fed.  If you feed your faith you may grow up into Him (Ephesians 4:15), grow up in the fullness of your salvation (I Peter 2:2), grow in spiritual strength (grace) and become better acquainted with our Lord (II Peter 3:18).  However, be very careful of what you hear though.  You are surrounded by many things that get into your mind and your heart—things that try to influence you to limit your faith.  Everything in your Christian life depends on and is according to your faith.  Therefore, grow it, develop it, and exercise it; it’s up to you to do it.

Again we pray that our commentary along with the inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Be Slow To Speak

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing.  My brothers and sisters, this should not be.  Can both freshwater and saltwater flow from the same spring?  My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?  Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water (James 3:7-12 NIV).

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:4 NIV).  Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips (Ecclesiastes 10:12 NIV).  You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34 NIV).

An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.  Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.  Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.  Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!  No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.  The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth (Proverbs 12:17-22 NLT).

What are worthless and wicked people like?  They are constant liars, signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.  Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble.  But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.  There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family (Proverbs 6:12-19 NLT).

But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips (Colossians 3:8 NIV).  Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification (Romans 14:19 NIV).  Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up (Romans 15:2 NIV).  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:6 NIV).  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (I Thessalonians 5:11 NIV).

It is said that a tongue has no bones, yet it is strong enough to break a heart.  Therefore, we need to be extremely careful with our words.  We should not allow unwholesome talk to come forth out of our mouths because it tells the world just where our heart truly is and what is in it.  Instead, let only those things that are helpful for building others up according to their needs come from our mouths.  It is this kind of talk that benefits all who listen.  Keep in mind and never forget that it is always best to listen much, be slow the speak and even slower to anger.  Once angered, you cannot be good as God has demanded us to be nor can we achieve his righteousness.  So, let us get rid of all that is wrong in our lives, all filthiness and rampant wickedness, both inside and out.  Let us be grateful for the wonderful message and receive it with all meekness and humbleness because it is able to save our souls as it takes over hold in our hearts.

We forever pray that this inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength

Rejoice in the Lord.  The Lord is your strength and your defense.  I delight greatly in the Lord for my soul rejoices in him.  I will be joyful in God my Savior.  I will be happy in the God of my salvation.

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.  Let your moderation be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Exodus 15:2 NIV).

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations” (Isaiah 61:10-11 NIV).

“Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit; though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength; he will give me the speed of a deer and bring me safely over the mountains” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 TLB).

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).

We will rejoice in the Lord and we will not let our heart be troubled for he is our strength and our defense.  We will rejoice in the Lord and we will be joyful in God our Savior.

We always give thanks to God for the ability to share this inspirational message with you.  We constantly pray that you will be blessed as well as informed by this message and that you will be the better for having read it.  If you are blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God's Covenant of Words

Recently we talked about the most powerful system in the world, and we said that we had been given “the power” to control and “the authority” to command this very system.  We mentioned how important the words were that we spoke and how they do control the things that happen to us.  We found that we choose between life and death, blessing and cursing based on what we say because we discovered that “death and life rest in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).  We found where Jesus told the disciples that if they believed the things that they spoke would come to pass and not have any doubt in their hearts, that whatsoever they spoke would come to pass (Mark 11:23-24).  We even found where salvation required us to speak with our mouth and to believe with our heart (Romans 10:9-10).  We know that some of you are not convinced that there be a system that hinges on what we say, be it saying something good or saying something bad, much less that you have been given “the power” to control and “the authority” to command such a system.

“You brood of snakes.  How could evil men like you speak what is good and right?  For a man's heart determines his speech.  A good man's speech reveals the rich treasures within him.  An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it.  And I tell you this, that you must give account on Judgment Day for every idle word you speak.  Your words now reflect your fate then:  either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37 The Living Bible).

Jesus says that whatever is in our heart will come out through our mouth.  Both blessings and curses come out of the same mouth, but this all depends on what is in the heart.  Therefore, if the mouth “ain’t” speaking then there must be nothing in the heart.  Our tongue, our mouth, our words have the power to choose life or to choose death, to bring blessings or to bring curses into your life.  Did you know that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ and law of sin and death are subject to our mouth (Romans 8:2)?  This means that with our mouth, we can turn on either the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus or the law of sin and death.  Did you know that our mouth gives us authority “on earth, in heaven, and in hell?”  With our mouth, we can “command” the forces of heaven, we can “change” the situations of earth, and we can “bind” the forces of hell.

“Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).

According to this passage, we have the authority to bind and loose things on earth, which in turns will bind and loose things in heaven as well.  Nevertheless, we need to take hold of this authority to bind and loose things on earth and in heaven.  We have God’s spirit dwelling inside of us and the angels of God surrounding us.  They are there with us in the midst of all of our needs, in the midst of our wants, in the midst of our desires, and in the midst of our darkest problems.  However, God’s spirit cannot do anything, neither can the angels do anything until we open our mouth and “say” what we need to “say” to employ the forces of heaven.

“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.  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet” (Psalm 91:9-13).

“Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word” (Psalm 103:20).

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14)?

We see from these passages, God has ordered his angels to protect us wherever we may go.  They will protect us in all of our ways and keep us wherever we go.  These angels will steady us with their hands so that we will not dash our foot against any rocks.  They will hold us up in their hands to keep us from stumbling.  The angels will even protect us so that no evil will happen or come to us.  These same angels will protect us so that no disease or plague will come near our dwelling or house, which is our body.  These angels are there to protect us because God has given them charge over us to protect and to keep us in all our ways.  These mighty angels carry out his orders and do all of his commands because they are not only spirit-messengers but are also ministering spirits sent out to minister to those who have received salvation.  But so few know what is needed to enable these angels to come forth.  And so few know what to say that will get these angels to act.  Do you still think or believe that your words are not important?

We again give thanks to God for this avenue that he has given us to share his word through our inspirational messages.  We continually pray that God’s grace will be upon you and that these devotionals will be a blessing to you.  If you are blessed by them, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Professions Of Your Faith

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” (Hebrews 10:22-23).

Let us draw near to God himself with all sincerity, with all trueness of heart, and with unfaltering faith as we fully trust him to receive us because we have had our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience with the blood of Christ and our bodies washed, bathed with the pure water.  Therefore, let us hold fast “the profession of our faith,” keeping our hope strong and unshaken as we tell others that salvation is ours.  As we look forward to the salvation that God has promised to give to us, there should be no longer any room for doubt for he, who is faithful and true, has given us his word; a promise that he will do exactly what he says.

“For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation.  For the Scriptures tell us that no one who believes in Christ will ever be disappointed.  Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect: they all have the same Lord who generously gives his riches to all those who ask him for them.  Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9-13 TLB).

This is the profession of our faith, the confession of our hope, where if we confess with our mouth, which involves words that we speak, and believe in our heart, which is accepting as truth, those words that we speak, then we will be saved.  We think this part of the passage sums it up best – “and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation.”  It is with our mouth that we make “the confession of our faith,” telling others of our faith and with that confession, we obtain salvation.  Salvation is obtained just by the words we speak or in this case confess, well almost.  You must also believe in what you say.

Scripture tells us that no one who believes in Jesus Christ should have any reason to feel ashamed because everyone, without exception, who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.  Now that is an interesting thought.  But ponder this, if it be possible for you to be saved by a confession of your mouth (not to forgo the believing in the heart part), then do you think it would be possible for you to be condemn by a confession of your mouth as well, provided the belief in the heart is there?

“You have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth” (Proverbs 6:2 NIV).

Trapped by what you say, ensnared by the words the come out of your mouth.  And so many of you think that what you say is not important, having little to no consequences.  Therefore, be sure to hold fast “the profession of your faith” knowing that he, who is faithful and true, has given us his word; a promise that he will do exactly what he says.  Keep your hope strong and unshaken as you continually look forward to the salvation that God has promised to give to us.  We pray that this message will help you to see just how important it is to hold fast “the profession of your faith.”  If you are blessed by this devotion, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: What You Say Is What You Get

Words are so powerful, more powerful than many realize.  We so often say things without really given any thought to what we are actually saying and giving even less thought to the effect of those spoken words in our lives.  The Bible tells us “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggests that with one’s mouth, an individual can speak death into his or her life or the same individual can speak life into his or her life.

Many are not aware that God has built a system that works based on what a person says, which is an interesting thought in itself.  Scripture tells us, “that the worlds were framed by the word of God” (Hebrews 11:3) and “by the word of God the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6).  Basically, “he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9).  However, more interesting is the power that our spoken word or our tongue (James 3) has in this system that is activated by words.  Scripture tells us “you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth” (Proverbs 6:2 NIV).  In simpler terms, we have been trapped by what we say, by the words that we speak.  And you still think what you say is not important?  So, give care to the words that you speak, they do more than you think.  Amen.

We pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Allows What You Allow

As a child of God, you have a right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity, which was the plan of God from the beginning.  You have a divine inheritance to the best in life, deserving all the Father has to offer.  And while you may have the right to good health, wealth, and total life prosperity there be a thief, an adversary if you will, that is come to kill your good health, steal your wealth, and to destroy your total life prosperity (John 10:10).  He walks about like a roaring lion, seeking those that he may devour (I Peter 5:8).  The Bible tells us not to give place or opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:27).  Part of the reason for this is because he is seeking, looking to devour anyone who gives him that place or opportunity.  This means that he does not have the right to devour anyone unless they give him place or opportunity.  We really like the word “permission” a whole lot better.  Believe it or not, the devil wanders back and forth about the earth walking up and down it (Job 1:7) looking for those who give him “permission” to do what he does best, which is to kill, steel, and destroy.  And as crazy as this sounds, we actually do give the devil “permission” all the time and the sad part is that we do not even realize that we do this.  Please note that this permission comes from you and not from God.  God allows it because you allow it.

There be in existence a system that is completely activated by what an individual says and is “permission” based.  Now, we know some of you think we are out of touch with how things are, but before you judge, listen to our message.  It might just surprise you.  And as crazy as this sounds, we actually do give the devil permission to devour us without us ever knowing that we have done it.  The Bible tells us that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggests that with one’s mouth an individual can speak death into his or her life or the same individual can speak life into his or her life.  Here is one example of how you can speak life into your life.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

This passage in Romans is a perfect example of what we are talking about.  This passage says that if you confess with your mouth, which involves words that you speak, and believe in your heart, which is accepting as truth, the words that you speak, then you will be saved.  We think the last part of the passage sums it up best – “And with your mouth, you make the confession and obtain salvation.”  It sure looks like the words you speak controls what happens to you.  Salvation is obtained just by the words you speak or in this case confess, well almost.  You must also believe in what you say.  Life is in the power of your tongue.  Basically, your salvation is in the power of your tongue, in the confession of your mouth.

But surely there is not a whole system that hinges on what a person says, is there?  Now that is an interesting thought.  But ponder this, if it be possible for you to be saved by a confession of your mouth (not to forgo the believing in the heart part), then do you think it would be possible for you to be condemn by a confession of your mouth as well, provided the belief in the heart is there?  And if that be the case, then death and life are activated by the words one speaks.  Imagine an entire system that is “permission” based and is activated by the words that are spoken; whether that be something good or something bad; activated by the power of a person’s tongue.  However, we do caution you to use it, that being your tongue, wisely; it controls and allows more than you ever could have imagined.  Amen.

If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Blessings.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Choose!

Most people do not believe that we choose what happens to us.  Regardless of how things appear in the world, the truth of the matter is that we do choose what happens in our life.  But this is something that the devil does not want you to know.  You see, the devil wants to steal your divine inheritance and he wants to steal all of your rights (John 10:10).  He does not what you to prosper in this life at all.  He is out to devour you, so he tries to keep you blinded to the truth (II Corinthians 4:4) with deception and lies.  The Bible tells us that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), which suggests that with one’s mouth an individual can speak death into his or her life or the same individual can speak life into his or her life.

Did you know that the words that you speak will produce a crop much like that of the farmer who plants a field?  If you plant death, then death is what you will reap, in its full measure.  And if you plant life, then life will be what you reap, in its full measure.  If you plant sickness, then sickness will be what you will reap or if you plant health or healing, then health or healing will be what you will reap, all in their full measure.  The words that we speak are like seeds that are planted in the ground.  And from those seeds, we reap that for which we have sown.  This is why the words that we speak are so important; they really do control the things that happen to us.

We know some of you will find this notion of words controlling what happens to us hard to accept and unfortunately, we do not have enough room to fully cover the topic here but consider this.  If it be possible “for you to be saved by a confession of your mouth” (Romans 10:9-10) not to forgo the believing in the heart part, then do you think it be possible “for you to be condemn by a confession of your mouth as well,” provided the belief in the heart is there?  God has built a system that works based on what a person says, which is an interesting thought in itself.  However, more interesting is “the power that our tongue has” (James 3).  And if that be the case, then death and life are truly in the power of a person’s tongue.

“You have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth” (Proverbs 6:2 NIV).

Scripture tells us that we have been trapped by what we say.  And you still think what you say is not important.  Scripture tells us that we have been ensnared by the words that come out of our mouth.  There is more scriptural evidence that bear witness to a system that hinges on what you say, be it saying something good or be it saying something bad.  We pray that this message will help you to understand that you really do, “choose.”  Knowledge is power, misinformation leads destruction; always seek truth.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 8)

So, in the story of Job, we have four tragic events taking place on the same day, each included the lost of human life and each completely orchestrated by Satan himself.  We see Satan’s ability to control those who are apparently loyal to him and operate at his bidding.  We see that he used the Sebeans and the Chaldeans, both a band of nomadic marauders, for his purposes and to carry out his plan.

So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote (struck) Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown (Job 2:7).

He even struck Job with sore boils from the sole of his feet to the top of his head.

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 7)

So many people believe that God is the creator of most tragedies the happen in their life.  They do not realize that they have been deceived, tricked into blaming God for them instead of praising God, and asking for help with them.  And while the Old Testament scriptures have done more to support the image of a cruel, ruthless, and merciless deity, whose only purpose appears to be the chastisement of his creation by indiscriminately allowing bad things to happen to seemingly innocent men, women, and children, there is one infamous statement by Job that has done more to further this mentality.

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 6)

When we last left off, we had God asking Satan from where had he come and he replied, from going to and fro in the earth, walking up and down in it.  Because an all-knowing God who had no need to ask such a question since he would already know the answer, drew the conclusion that he asked the question for our benefit.  We surmised that there had to be something important in this answer that God wanted us to pay attention to or something God wanted us to know.  We know that Satan patrols the earth seeking souls (victims) to devour, which describes his activities on the earth and it informs us as to his character and the evil purpose for all his travel.  With all of this in mind, let us set the stage for our scenario.

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 5)

So, let us now discuss Satan and see what major role, if any, he plays in all of this.  We mentioned that you had to be very careful of Satan because he is a deceiver.  But did you know that Satan was originally created as Lucifer and was one of God’s highest angels?  While the scriptures do not reveal much detail about this entity, there is a lot of speculation pertaining to him and his existence.  It is believed that there was some type of revolt in heaven and he and one third of the angels were cast down to earth as punishment, but there are no indications as to when this revolt happened or when the fall occurred.  The Bible is somewhat vague about how he became known as Satan and his origins, but this lack of verifiable facts has not stopped the speculation about his existence or lack thereof.

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 4)

A system that you have been given the power to control and the authority to command.  A system that has been ordered not to do anything until something is said, an announcement is made, or some type of command is given.  A system where everything in this life hinges on the words that you speak, be they positive or be they negative.  How amazing is that notion.

Do you remember the two-part revelation from our earlier discussion?  The first part of the revelation showed that God had done his part by sending his word to us.  The second part showed how we have failed to do our part by returning God’s word to him.  It was God who said his word will not return to him void but it will accomplish all that he wants it to and it will do that for which he has sent it, but the problem has been and continues to be returning of God’s word to him.

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 3)

Wow!  You still need more evidence that there be a system that hinges on what you say, be it saying something good or be it saying something bad.  You still need more evidence that there be a system that you have been given the power to control and the authority to command.  You still need more evidence that there be a system that has been ordered not to do anything until something is said, an announcement is made, or some type of command is given.  You still need more evidence that everything in this life hinges on the words that you speak, be they positive or be they negative.

Well, we know that God spoke everything into existence.  He said, Let there be and it was so.  All of creation was done or created in like fashion.  It appears that the word of God has power.  God speaks and things happen.  God verifies this in the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah.  He compares his word to that of the rain and snow that come down from heaven.  Just as the rain and snow stay upon the ground to water the earth, so it is with God’s word.  It stays in the earth realm so that it can accomplish all that he wants it too and so that it can prosper everywhere he sends it.

Death and Life Rest In. . . (Part 2)

That right!  Words are so very important, more so than some people realized.  Words really do control the things that happen to us.  Truly, many people have died because they have said the wrong things.  God has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing and has told us to choose life, but few know how to make this choice.  We make the choice through the words that we speak, for death and life rest in the power of the tongue.  Yes, the words that we speak control a system that has been created to only respond when something is spoken.  And the beauty of all of this is that we have been given the power to control and the authority to command this very system.  Like the seeds of the farmer who sows them in the ground and reaps a harvest; we sow the words that we speak and reap ourselves a harvest, which brings about blessings or curses.  For what we sow, is what we will reap and when we reap, we reap in its full measure.

There are just a few more things we want to share with everyone; a few more things for us to bring everyone in remembrance of; and a few more things for us to tell everyone about.  Remember in the twelfth chapter of the gospel according to Matthew, we found that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (Matthew 12:34).  With that being said, we have a few questions we would like to pose for you to consider.  What will we find in your heart?  Will we find it full of the things of the world?  Or will we find it full of the things of God, like his word?  What will come out of your heart when you are in distress?  What will your mouth speak in your time of need?