Author: mary

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Verse of the Day

1 Peter 1:5

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation

1 Peter 1:5

New Beginnings, New Life

God‘s salvation comes from his mercy. He raised Jesus Christ from the dead so that he might give us life as well. We did not deserve his mercy or salvation, but yet he’s so freely gave it. In fact, it doesn’t cost us anything, but it cost him everything. Have you ever known someone to give without any expectation in return? Maybe they spent a lot of money to get you something really nice. The gift God gave when he sent his son to earth to die on the cross there’s more than anything we could ever imagine. It was not a decision that was taken lately. He purchased us with the blood of his son, the perfect sacrifice.

Have you made the decision to follow him today? Have you accepted his gift of salvation? Do you live as though you have been given something you could never repay? Take some time today to really thank him for the gift of his son and evaluate your life and if you are living as though you are thankful for that great gift.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear God,
Thank you for all of your salvation. Thank you for life mercy. I can never repay you. I know that your love goes beyond all of my wildest expectations. Amen.

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: God did What the Law Could Not Do

There was no way for the law to take away sin. It was simply a list of rules to live by to avoid sinning, but it could not take away sin and its power. Why would God give a list of rules instead of sending Jesus from the very beginning?

Man has struggled with sin since the beginning of time. Over and over again man chooses sin and its pleasures instead of God and His perfection. Perhaps, the law was given to expose the depth of sin and the need for something more. In the Old Testament, the people would bring animals to the temple and to the priest, and then the priest would sacrifice those animals on behalf of the people and their sins. This provided a way for sinful men to stand before a holy God. The law gave man parameters and limits. The law could not take away sins. It could not cleanse man. Even the sacrifices only provided the holiness man needed for a short time.

God did what the law could not do. He took away the sins of man. He gave man a way to stand before a Holy God permanently. He sent the ultimate sacrifice to die on the cross; Jesus was that sacrifice! He gave us a way to live by the Spirit (in accordance with the law). He FULFILLED the law!

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Verse of the Day

Galatians 6:1

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

Galatians 6:1

Restore What is Broken

Have you ever had a friend struggle with sin? You watched from the outside and wished that there was a way you could help him/her? Well this verse gives us advice for helping someone like that and also a warning. Go to your friend and gently and humbly help that person back on the right path. How can you do this? Well, first, pray for your friend. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to approach your friend with gentleness and humility. The more we invest in a relationship, the better chance we will have confronting others when they are living in sin. When you have the opportunity, make sure you speak with gentleness so your friend understands that you care about them as much as the Lord does.

This verse also issues a warning: do not fall into the same temptation as your friend. When you are trying to speak with your friend, make sure you are standing on a firm foundation. Your relationship with God should be solid so you won’t be tempted toward the same things that they are. God’s presence will be with you as you confront your friend.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
I pray for my friends who are entangled in sin. Give me opportunities to speak to them and help them seek you. Amen

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Love takes away the fear

When you really get to know God’s love for you, it removes fear from your life. When you see how much God cares about you and wants to take care of you, you begin to realize that you have nothing to fear.

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. – 1 John 4:18 (Message)

When you begin to get an understanding of God’s love for you, you realize you have no reason to fear. If you struggle with fear in your life, then spend some time reading your Bible. Begin to focus on God’s love for you, and you’ll realize that you have nothing to fear. God has taken care of everything you need.

If fear is something that you really struggle with, take some time to get open and honest before God. Realize that you can go to Him with your fears. Also, spend time reading your Bible. The more of God’s word you get into your heart, the more you realize there is nothing for you to fear. God has provided everything you need!

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Verse of the Day

Romans 6: 6-7

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Romans 6: 6-7

Free From Sin

When Jesus died on the cross, He crucified every one of our sins. He crucified our past sins that try to cling so tightly to us. He crucified our current struggles. He crucified our future sins. Our sinful lives and our old selves died with Christ, so it lost its power over us. We are no longer slaves to sin. It has no power or authority over us. When Christ died on the cross, we died with Him and gained freedom from the sin in our lives.

So do you live as though you are free from sin? Or do you live like you are still a slave to it? Sin will creep up on you least expect it. You just live in the blessing of the cross because Christ crucified your sins once and for all.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You have crucified my sins so that I might not live in slavery any longer, but in your freedom. Thank you for freeing me from my sins and strongholds. Amen

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Love is Healthy

If you’ve ever worked out you know that exercise isn’t fun. It’s really hard and it’s a lot of work. However, exercise is something that helps keep you healthy. Sometimes, you’ve got to do things that aren’t fun and don’t feel good to get the results you want in your life. We know this is true when it comes to exercise and eating right. However, part of the reason God tells us to love others is because it’s healthy for us.

God knows that if we harbor a grudge, it has the potential to make us bitter. He knows that if we aren’t kind, we can become ungrateful. He knows that if we envy others we can become discontented with life. God knows us well, He knows the things that are good for us. When He tells us to love, He’s not doing it to make our lives harder. Rather God tells us to love because He knows it helps keep us healthy in our hearts. If we love, we don’t become bitter, we don’t become discontented with what we have. When we love we keep ourselves from becoming ungrateful, hateful and any other habits that are bad for our hearts. God tells us to love because He knows that love is the best way. He knows that it will help us in the long run.

Love is a complex thing, but it’s an area that is worth examining in your life. Are there areas where you’ve let seeds of discontent, anger, envy and other things grow? If so, take the necessary steps to begin the habit of love in your life. Ask God’s help for where to begin and what to do. Begin today to develop the healthy habit of love and see what God can do through you!

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Verse of the Day

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Live for Him

What is it that controls you? Are you controlled by your actions, your thoughts, your words? Are you controlled by your sin? Or are you controlled by your beliefs? This verse says that love controls us. When we live our lives through love, for love l, and with love, our decisions and actions will come out of all of that love. In our old lives, we were not controlled by love, but by our sinful natures. The new life is controlled by God and his love. He is the source that we are connected to.

Christ died so that we might find our new life in Him. If you know Him, follow Him, and love Him, then you will no longer live in your sinful nature, but in your new life. You will live for Christ and your new life in Him. He was raised in new life so that we might be raised with Him.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your new life. Help me remember every day that you gave up your life out of your love for me and so that I might live for you. Amen

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: You want to enjoy life

If you don’t want to be stressed out all the time, wondering where the money is going to come from to pay for your rent, then it would be good to set up some financial goals. Your goals don’t have to be complicated. Simply determine to save and spend less than you make. An easy way to do this is to take out some money in cash for fun. Once your fun money is spent, then you know you can’t spend any more until your next pay period. This might seem like it’s keeping you from having fun, but in reality the opposite is true.

If you want to really enjoy life, and not be stressed out about money, then choose to spend less than you make so you have money left over in case of an emergency. Goals like these will help you stay on track financially and leave you with some room to have some fun too.

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Verse of the Day

1 Thessalonians 4:14

For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

1 Thessalonians 4:14

Raised to Life

The greatest hope we have as Christians is that when the physical life is over, our spiritual life will not be over. When we close our eyes in this life, we will awaken in the next. Heaven and eternal life with Jesus is our promise for believing and following Him. The other part of that promos is that anyone we know and love that believes and follows Him will also rise in Him.

How incredible to think that God is preparing a place for us to spend eternity with Him! This should give us great hope. It makes living this life completely different. It gives hope in this life and should give you a new purpose. Live as though this isn’t your home. You are simply walking through this life to enter the next. However, it makes living this life so important. God wants you to bring as many people with you as you can! You need to share the good news so others will share eternity with you!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for preparing a place for me to live with you forever. You are so good and give me hope every day knowing that there is more to this life. Amen

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: No regrets.

When you get to be old and you’re looking back over your life, what financial decisions will you remember most? The coat that you had to have? Or that backpack that everyone at school was talking about? Or will it be the time you gave money to help missionaries touch lives for Jesus?

If you want to live a life without regrets, one step toward that is to make sound financial decisions. If you set aside money for saving and giving, you’ll find that you’ll be able to do the things that you want to. Choose to set financial goals so that you can live your life with no financial regrets.