The Best Gift

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

My mom taught me to give at an early age. During the Christmas season, we’d purchase and wrap gifts for some of everybody at church, in the neighborhood, and even the mailman! This learned trait carried over to my wife, my kids and good friends. I always wonder what’s the best gift I can give to them to let them know I am thinking about them. Well, along with giving gifts, my mom also taught me to pray.

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Prayer is one of the best gifts you can give someone. You may not always know what a person needs, but God does. And you never know who you’re standing in the gap for or who’s in need of prayer. Every once in a while, remind your family and friends that you’re praying for them, lifting them up by name. When you pray, pray for God to give them spiritual wisdom and insight so that they may grow in His knowledge. Believe that God hears your prayer and will answer it. It’s the best gift you can give.

I pray for you

Heavenly Father, I lift my friend today in the name of Jesus that You give them spiritual wisdom and insight so that they may grow in Your knowledge. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You Need Everyone

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

Everyone plays a role in your life. No matter how small or insignificant, people can leave lasting impressions on your life. I still remember the toughest English teacher (Ms. D’Angelo) I had in high school, but I thank God for her while in college because her tough lessons prepared me. The bully that teased me for my pants being too short in elementary taught me a life lesson in fashion – I never flooded again!

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To get where God wants you to be in life, you need everyone. You need the hardnose boss at work to bring out your full potential. You need adversity to strengthen you and push you closer to relying on Jesus. And think about it… Jesus’s friends didn’t take Him to Calvary’s cross. His enemies did! His enemies helped Him fulfill His purpose. His enemies pushed Him closer to sitting at the right hand of the Father with all power in His hand. So, thank God for the ones praying for you and preying on you remembering the latter have no power unless God gives it. And when you realize you need everyone, it will become easier for you to thank God for everyone He allows into your blessed life.

Thank God for you!

Heavenly Father, I have faith that everyone You send into my life is to better me according to Your Will. I thank You for strengthening me and using others to get me to my blessed life in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let Them Hear It

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

How many times have you heard a conversation start with, “I heard that…” How many times have you believed or acted on what you’d heard? “I heard they were having a sale, buy one, get one!” You ran to the store! “I heard the Pistons just hired a really good coach!” You start believing the team has a chance to win now. “I heard it was going to rain today.” You immediately dress accordingly or change your entire plans. Whatever you hear can have a huge impact on how you behave or think.

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Let people around you hear about your strong faith and love for God’s people everywhere. By the way, you don’t have to agree with a person to love them. You can love them simply because God wants you to. Through your display of faith, people’s lives can change. They see what you’re going through. They know about the loss of your loved one. But let them hear your testimony of how Jesus brought you through, over and over again! Let them hear that you still love that person who betrayed you or how you’re faithfully waiting for your health restoration or financial breakthrough. And before you know it, people will start thanking God for you because they heard of your strong faith and love.

I am loved, so I love

Heavenly Father, I choose today to let everyone hear of my strong faith in Your Son, Jesus, and of my love for Your people everywhere. I am on full display for You to get the honor, praise, and glory! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Impulse Purchase

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

Have you ever made an impulse purchase? I bet you have! It’s when you make an unplanned decision to buy a product or good. You know, like that timeshare you purchased? What about the time you went grocery shopping when you were hungry? You know you purchased some things you didn’t plan on buying! Most of the time when you make impulse purchases you regret what you bought, don’t have a plan for it, and probably will never use it.

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God did not make an impulse purchase when He purchased you with the blood of Jesus. He had a plan for you from the very beginning. His plan includes purpose and promises and no regrets. Through the Holy Spirit, God guaranteed that He will give you an inheritance. An inheritance isn’t something you come by overnight. No! God planned it. He thought about you. And all He requires today is for you to praise and glorify Him. Will you join me in lifting the name of Jesus to glorify God and give Him all the praise?

I am purchased

Heavenly Father, thank You for purchasing me! I belong to You and I am guaranteed the inheritance that You promised me. I choose to praise You and glorify You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When You Believe

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

There are so many benefits that you can receive when you decide to believe. When you believe your favorite sports team is going to win, you cheer them on to victory enjoying every step of the way with friends, family and other crazy fans. When you believed in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, you looked forward to what you believed you’d receive from them even though you never met either one! You were just told what to expect and you believed it.

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When you believe the truth of Jesus Christ, you receive every blessing and promise that God promised you. It’s the Good News that saved you from sin and death. When you believe in Christ, God pulls you from the crowd and identifies you as His very own child. And because you believe, you also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who will remind you of God’s goodness, who you are in Christ, and every precious promise He promised you long ago. Today, choose to believe every truth you know about God and expect to receive it!

You belong to God

Heavenly Father, I choose to believe in Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for saving me and gifting me with Your Holy Spirit. I receive every blessing, promise, and truth of You through Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

All in the Family

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

Being the youngest son of three, I benefited from watching the mistakes my older brothers made around the house. I learned what I could get away with, do and say. And even though I was the youngest, I still received all the resources my older brothers did. I was loved, cared for, and provided with all I needed because I was in the family.

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You belong to a huge family because you are united with Christ. And even though the body of Christ is large, God still has all the love you need, care you need, and provision you need. You have an inheritance from God because He chose you in advance. We are family because He planned it this way. You don’t have to fight for first place. You don’t have to desire what’s not yours. God has already planned a special specific blessing for you and it’s going to work out according to His plan. And it’s all because you’re in the family!

You Have an Inheritance

Heavenly Father, I am united with the family of Christ and therefore I have an inheritance. Thank You for choosing me in advance. I have faith that You will make everything work out for my good according to Your plan. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

On the Right Side

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

God has great timing. Whenever He chooses to show up, He’s always right on time. Think about the last time you were about to throw your hands up and give in because you thought you’d done all you could in or about a situation. And right before you threw in the towel, God showed up and showed out. Let me reassure you today that it’s always part of God’s plan to show up at the right time.

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At the right time, God will bring everything together under the authority of Christ. The things that concern you, the questions you need answers to, are all happening because God needs others to seek His face. As a believer, you are on the right side of history. Don’t throw in your towel. Don’t give up on doing the right thing, staying faithful to His word, or being the light of the world. At the right time, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess the name Jesus. You only need to be strong and of good courage. The Lord is doing a great work in you.

This is your time

Heavenly Father, I know Your timing is perfect. I will not sway waiting for You or serving You. At the right time, You will bring everything together under the authority of Jesus, and I will be ready! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Good Plan

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

God has a good plan. And the Word of God reveals this wonderful plan to us through Jesus Christ. The good plan He has for you is no longer a mystery. Scripture tells us God reveals everything He wants us to know through the Holy Spirit. On top of that, Jesus also tells us in scripture that everything God has revealed to Him, He has told us because Jesus considers us His friend.

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God has a very good track record when it comes to things working out the way He planned. All He has to do is speak and what He calls will be. God is speaking His good plan over your life, not just for you, but to fulfill His Word. And you know His Word will not return to Him void. I don’t know about you, but THIS is exciting news! The God that created heaven and earth and everything in it has a plan for you and me! Who can be against you?

I am part of God’s plan

Heavenly Father, I know I am part of Your good plan. I am excited to see what You reveal in me through Your Son Jesus! Thank You for being mindful of me and the blessings You have stored for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wisdom and Understanding

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

People look all over in search of the truth. They read tons of books, travel the world, and have very interesting experiences in life, but often remain empty, and therefore the search continues. There is a void that can’t be filled. They find relationships are not fulfilling. No matter how hard they try, their lives aren’t satisfied. As the old saying goes, “They need Jesus!”

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Furthering your education is great! Embarking on new experiences and exploring all the beauty the world has to offer should be taken advantage of at every opportunity. But without God’s wisdom and understanding, there will always be a void in your life. Education is only useful when you have God’s guidance of using what you’ve learned through His wisdom and understanding. Appreciating the beautiful of the world, knowing He created it for your fulfillment, can only be fully experienced through God’s wisdom and understanding. Praise God for showering His kindness on you, along with all wisdom and understanding, and you will see the world differently through God’s lens.

I have wisdom and Understanding

Heavenly Father, thank You for showering me with Your kindness. I receive Your wisdom and understanding and now have a greater appreciation for the love and life You have given me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You Can Let Go

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

Mr. Clean released the Magic Eraser back in 2003. It’s a revolutionary sponge that takes a drop of water to clean up a wide variety of messes. I’ve used it several times to get smudges of the wall from moving furniture or stains in my carpet that other cleaners couldn’t easily remove. And when I look at the wall that once had an ugly blemish, I can’t even tell it was once there!

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You have an eraser that was around long before 2003. It’s called God’s kindness and grace. It easily cleans a variety of messes with a drop of blood from His Son, Jesus, and it’s gone forever! Because of Jesus, your ugly sin blemishes are gone. You don’t have to let what you did in the past hold you back. You can let go! It’s not there anymore. You have a freedom in Jesus no one can take from you. They can remind you of what you did, who you used to be, and what you’ve said, but let them hold on to that memory. You don’t need it anymore. You can let go of it! You’re free. Free to be who Christ says you are.

I am forgiven

Heavenly Father, thank You for purchasing my freedom with the blood of Your Son, Jesus. I receive your abundance of kindness and grace. I am forgiven. I am free from sin! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Because You Belong

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

Praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son, Jesus Christ. And it’s because we met this prerequisite, that we are the recipients of this wonderous gift – God’s glorious grace. What’s the prerequisite of receiving God’s glorious grace? Belonging to His dear Son, Jesus!

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When you become saved through Jesus Christ, you no longer belong to yourself. You belong to Christ. And because you belong, you are now given God’s grace. You have God’s spontaneous, unmerited gift of divine favor and divine influence operating through and over you at all times. You don’t deserve grace. You didn’t earn grace. But because you belong to Christ and God loves you, you have His glorious grace. You have His forgiveness, His love, His compassion, His peace, His riches, His comfort, His blessings and so much more all wrapped up in His grace. Ain’t God good?

I belong to God

Heavenly Father, I praise Your Holy name for the glorious grace You have poured out over me because I belong to Your dear Son, Jesus. I receive Your spontaneous, unmerited gift of divine favor and influence to operate through and over me at all times! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Great Pleasure

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

God made a decision concerning you a long time ago before you knew your earthly parents and before you took your first steps. Before you decided your career moves or bought your first home, God made this decision in advance. That decision was to adopt you and bring you into His own family through His Son, Jesus Christ.

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Your belonging to God’s family brings Him great pleasure. He wanted to do it! It’s not because of something you did. It’s because God loves you and wants to be connected with you. And all you have to do is receive your adoption. Don’t fight the plan God the Father has for you, but better yet, learn of it. He has set you up to be great and do great things. You’re royalty after all. The king of kings is your Father and you have direct access to Him. What more to say than, “Welcome to the family!”

I am adopted by God

Heavenly Father, thank You for deciding in advance to adopt me into Your family through Jesus Christ. I am complete in knowing this brings You pleasure. I accept my adoption and the plan You have for my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Loved and Chosen

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

When people plan to have children, they make a lot of preparations before their arrival. They may paint their room, pick a name that has purpose, move to a community with better schools and neighborhoods along with many other deeds. It’s because they have chosen to love this child even before birth, before the first day of school, graduation, first job or any contribution to the family. They already declare their child to be special.

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And just like a good parent, God prepared for you. He loved you and chose you even before He made the world. He named you Holy and without fault. He created the world with you in mind and for you to have dominion and never experience lack. You are His greatest creation! He picked you. He loves you. You are blessed. You have purpose. You are needed. You are holy and without fault in His eyes in Christ. Nothing is impossible for you because you were chosen by our Almighty God, and you have His love.  

I am loved and chosen

Heavenly Father, thank You for being mindful of me before You created the world. I know You love me and have chosen me. I am holy and without fault in Your eyes. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Blessings

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

Spiritual blessings are way more important than material blessings. Spiritual blessings are created in heavenly places and then sent out to the believer, through the Holy Spirit, according to the believer’s need, growth, and faith. They are readily available. And in order to receive God’s spiritual blessings, you have to be in the right spiritual location – united in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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When you are united with Christ the prayer list you have for yourself becomes shorter. Why? Because you realize you’re already blessed with every spiritual blessing. Now, your prayers are more outward focused. You pray for others to become united with Christ, you pray for your church or community. If you think you’re coming up short on spiritual blessings, check your spiritual location. God has you in mind and has prepared to release your blessing today. Stay united in Christ and receive it!

I have every spiritual blessing

Heavenly Father, I give You all the praise. I am united in Christ Jesus and have every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. I pray that everyone becomes united with You, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Introduce Yourself

(A spiritual walk through Ephesians Chapter 1 and 2)

The Apostle Paul begins writing to the church at Ephesus with a Holy greeting. He opens the chapter introducing himself to be chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. He then announces who he is writing this chapter to: “God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.” Paul then speaks the gifts of grace and peace over those he is connected to.

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Who do you introduce yourself as each day? This is an important question because it determines what you are expecting to receive and achieve. Paul introduced himself as “chosen,” and you too have been chosen by God. And like Paul, when you introduce yourself each day, that activates your God-given purpose and connects you with the source of grace and peace. When you receive grace and peace from Jesus Christ, then can speak it over those you’re connected to - family, friends, community, and even your situation. But it all starts with introducing yourself to the world knowing who you are in Christ.

Who does God say you are?

Heavenly Father, I am chosen by You. And because I am chosen by You, I receive Your grace and peace today. I will not accept who the world says I am. I will tell the world who You say I am! I am expecting great things in my life and in the lives of those I am connected to. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Resurrection

“‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.’”

— MARK 16:6 (NIV)

God has a strange way of taking you to the next level in your life. He allows you to experience pain and uncomfortable situations you’d rather do without. It’s not uncharacteristic for God to use people to get you where He wants you to be. And the people He chooses to use normally aren’t strangers. Oh, no! It’s people you see every day - your family, your friends, people you see every Sunday at church or people at work.  

God didn’t crucify Jesus. He allowed people to crucify Jesus. And God used the same people that once befriended Him to turn against Him, abandon Him, and hurl insults at Him. Without the crucifixion, Jesus couldn’t be resurrected with all power and fulfill His purpose. Likewise, you too will be crucified. And yes! It more than likely will be at the hands of those you grew up with, worship with, or work with. But don’t go off on them or post all your business on social media. This is the time where you trust God and accept His will to be done. Believe He is in control and realize no one has power unless God gives it. Your crucifixion lasts but a moment. But the reward in your resurrection lasts forever!

Rise in Christ

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Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy. I will continue to trust You during the hard times in my life and have faith You have huge plans for me. I am a joint heir with Your Son! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is my prayer

Good Friday

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”

— 1 PETER 2:24 (NKJV)

This past Sunday, I talked to my youth group about why this time of year is special for Christians. We started explaining with Palm Sunday, which led to The Last Supper, Good Friday and finally Resurrection Sunday. After answering questions of why some people call it Easter, but we call it Resurrection Sunday, one student asked, “Why is it called ‘Good Friday’? Sounds like a pretty bad Friday to me.” I had to laugh as I agreed with him that some pretty wicked and violent things happened that day, but God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and because we believe in Him, we will not perish, but have everlasting life.

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It was a Good Friday because He saw you and me beyond that old, rugged cross. It was a Good Friday because Jesus took our place on that tree and died for our sin. It was a Good Friday because through His death we now have eternal life. It was a Good Friday because He didn’t stay dead, but early Sunday morning, He got up from the grave with all power in His hand. That’s what makes it Good Friday. Because of His stripes that day, we were healed. Healed from sin, healed from damnation, healed from death. Jesus died so that we may live, and we’ll never know how much it cost to see our sin up on that cross.

Thank You, Jesus

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Heavenly Father, You knew no sin, but became sin for me that I may have eternal life. Thank You for dying for me. Thank You for not staying dead, but rising up just like You said You would. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is my prayer

Problem Solver

“ ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’”

— MATTHEW 11:28 (NIV)

Life’s problems can come at you fast *|FNAME|* and before you know it, you’re in problem solving mode. God bless us for doing the best we can with the hand we’re dealt, but we often end up digging a deeper hole than when we started. Deeper holes bring stress. Stress brings mental and physical exhaustion. Exhaustion brings… whew! The state of being tired of being tired!

Jesus is beckoning for you to come to Him when you face life’s problems. Instead of trying to be the problem solver *|FNAME|* , go to the problem solver. He’s ready to give you rest for your mind, body, and spirit. When you have Christ as your Savior, you don’t have to deal with problems the way the world does. You have the fortune of going before the thrown of grace and replacing your weariness and burdens with peace and rest. The next time life comes at you fast, slow down and remember you don’t have to fix everything all the time.

Get some rest

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Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to come to You when I’m weary and burdened. I claim Your rest over my mind, body, and spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is my prayer

Never Too Late

“Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’”

— GENESIS 17:17 (NIV)

As long as you’re still breathing, there’s destiny for you and hope for tomorrow. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how long you’ve been saved, or where you came from - God can use you.

Abraham thought he was too old to carry out what God purposed for him, but God kept His covenant with him. God is not limited by your resources or what you perceive as unqualified. He is capable of making something out of nothing. He can speak light into darkness. He can restore life where there was once death. Don’t ever think it’s too late to do what God has called you to do. Have faith knowing that God will reveal Himself through you in His time, not yours. While you’re waiting on the Lord, continue to serve Him and others. Before you know it, the blessing God birthed in you will be revealed for all to see.

Don’t give up on God

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Heavenly Father, I believe I will be all You have blessed me to be. I have faith You will keep your covenant with me. I will wait on You and serve Your people until Your glory is revealed in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is my prayer

I See What You're Saying

“Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.
”

— Colossians 3:2 (MSG)

You just applied to a job posting. You feel it’s a perfect fit for you. The benefits and pay are fine. The hours work great with your schedule. You got a callback and executed the best interview you’ve ever had, but you didn’t get the position. What’s your first reaction? Do you beat yourself up thinking you weren’t qualified or you don’t deserve good things in life, or do you pick yourself up and tell yourself that was good practice for the job God really has for you?

When you look at situations from Christ’s perspective, there’s no room for negative thinking! You can either focus on what’s in front of you, or focus on what God can do. Christ fed over 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread because He had faith in what His Heavenly Father could do. Have faith in what God can do for you as well. Look up from your situation and focus on the One who can bring you out of any situation. He can and He will.

Keep ya head up!

Father, I will not keep my eyes on the ground, but look to You in all my situations. It is in You I will find peace of mind and the many blessings you have stored for me. I will train myself to look at my life from your perspective. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

-          This is my prayer 

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