INDESTRUCTIBLE LOVE

When we think of water, we see it as an essential part of our daily lives; it is vital for all life on the earth. Where there is water there is sustainability but without it, there is a struggle to survive.  Science suggests that the same amount of water exists on earth today as it did from the time of earth’s conception. Water in various forms continues to go through cycles of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation; so no matter what happens, it is indestructible.  
Water is a tangible example of the divine power that God’s love holds for each one of us. Our physical bodies cannot survive without water and our spirits cannot survive without the love of God. Our spirits are loved and nurtured through the trinity of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit; just as water sustains us in its various forms of solid, liquid and gas. Consider this:
Water as solid:  Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2Timothy 2:19)
Water as liquid: And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ (Acts 22:16).  On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Water as gas: The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4)
It is amazing to serve a loving God! No matter how far we fall from grace, God’s love for us is everlasting.  He despises the sin in our lives, but His love is complete, perfect and indestructible. Accepting His sacrificial love assures us forgiveness of our sins; His love is just that powerful.  
So as we quench our physical thirst with water, we must quench our spiritual thirst with God’s everlasting love…it is in abundance! Drink it, bathe in it, sprinkle some on another; but do not waste a single drop!
Prayer: Father, we call upon you thanking You and praising You for all the love that You give to us. We pray that the spiritual thirst for Your love is quenched in all who call upon Your name for redemption. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

Read Romans 8:38-39 for further insight into the unlimited power of God's love. 

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE

This year has been especially trying for me because I have purposely sought to do things differently. In my attempt to transform my thoughts and actions I have come across resistance at every turn, and we are only 20 days into the year! Yet I remain determined in my efforts so that I can be of better service to others; because when we know better we are supposed to do better. It is my personal goal to be the change that I want to see in the world around me.
When we became a part of the Body of Christ, we turned ourselves over to a power great enough to forgive our sins and transform our lives. But many of us still identify with who we were before we came to Christ. The drunk, the thief, the liar, the adulterer, the gossip, even the murderer…all are identities that the world would not soon forget. And often we continue to let the world identify us by our past. It is a trick of the enemy to remind us of who we were and what we have done.

But thank God for Jesus! For we have been redeemed and forgiven of all our sins (see Colossians 1:13-14). We are born of God and evil cannot touch us (see 1 John 5:18). As a reborn child of God we are blessed with an anointing that redefines who we are. As we grow in our faith and knowledge of the word of God, we are equipped to have victory over our past. We are also free to move forward and embrace the calling that He has placed on our lives.

Each of us has been blessed with gifts of the spirit that serve a purpose in His kingdom. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts and not all are the same. Some of us have the gift of wisdom, some are called to heal, others have the gift of discernment, but whatever gift God has blessed us with, it is for the common good and at His discretion (see 1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

We are new creatures in Christ, despite whatever has happened in our lives yesterday! Whatever labels the world tries to stamp on us- know that in Christ we are more than conquerors! We must be confident that God will complete the good work that He started in us because we are His children; and nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for delivering us from the burdens of our past. We praise you for your forgiveness and the loving sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Help us to fully embrace who we are in Christ as we shed the layers of our worldly identities. Help us to accept change as a necessary part of growth and maturity. Be with us through every step of the journey. Renew our minds with the wisdom of your word so that we can fight against the enemy who seeks to destroy us. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may be a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read Romans 12 and Ephesians 4:11-32 as a guide to your new identity in the Body of Christ.

KNOW YOUR WORTH

The world has a million ways to define us as people and many of us get caught up in the labels. Whether we are man, woman, black, white, red, yellow, brown, rich, poor, gay, straight, republican, democrat, blind, crippled or crazy; we are all human and designed specifically by God for His purposes. What we need to do is to stop focusing on the limitations that society's labels confine us to and embrace what God says about us and let that be the definitive focus of our lives. 

Please reflect on the following scriptures to help you understand who you are and more importantly whose you are:  

Matthew 5:13-16

Matthew 10:29-31

John 3:16

John 15:11-16
2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Ephesians 2:8-10

Ephesians 4:22-24

1Peter 2:9

Romans 8:35-37

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for delivering us from the burdens of our past and how the world sees us. We praise you for your forgiveness and the loving sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Help us to fully embrace who we are in Christ as we shed the layers of our worldly identities. Renew our minds with the wisdom of your word so that we can fight against the enemy who seeks to destroy us. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may be a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read Matthew 6:25-34 for further reflection of His Love