Obey Your Parents - You Just Have To!

This might be a short one but it's very important so I'll post it up. It's so early in the morning and I'm up very wide-eyed right now. Why? Because my mom got me up. She wants me to get my devotions done (which I did a few minutes ago), get washed and dressed, get my breakfast and get to work. Early April I moved back home because of complications in the apartment I was living in and my home is not very organized. I realized when I came home, I had another chance to make it right since I didn't all this time but you know what? I still haven't followed through with it! It's so horrible, it makes me sick to my stomach. I realize now all the more that I have to get it right this time. I plan to move to North Carolina within a couple of months (that's the plan, anyway) and I have to make very sure that I don't leave anything undone. I have to do what I can when I'm here at home and if this is what it takes, then bring it on! I confess, I haven't been faithful to my mom as I should've been all along but I believe God is sending me a reminder this morning when I was basically "dragged" out of my bed today. Colossians 3:20 says: "Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord"(NASB). I have also read that your days will be long upon the earth which the Lord your God gives you (Exodus 20:12). Do I want to live long? Do I want to make sure nothing is left undone? Of course I do! I'll admit, I was pretty upset at first when my mom woke me up this morning but I've humbled myself before God just now and I'm going to do what I can while I'm still living here. May I never stray away from this Word I have learned even more so now then before. I've heard these verses over and over growing up but they're all the more clear to me now.

Dear Lord God, please forgive me for how I've been this past month. It's been very wrong of me to be this way. I should give graditude to those who have raised me in the ways of the Lord. I give it now wholeheartedly and completely. Father God, I realize now why You have me back here at home and I make a declaration to follow through with what I'm supposed to do. Thank You Jesus for having my mom wake me up this morning. Thank You Lord for her raising me and teaching me Your ways. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her and my dad. I love them both and I want to do all I can for them now. Guide me Lord in Your ways. Teach me all I need to know. My mom has put me in Your hands and that is where I intend to stay. Direct me in the way I should go. I will not depart from it. Furthermore, I praise You for the fact that it says in Your word that when I delight myself in You, You will give me the desires of my heart. I delight myself in You now as I do what my parents tell me. Thank You Jesus! I give Your precious name praise, honor and glory forevermore. In Jesus name I pray, amen!! (7:26 am)

"How Is Your Faith?" That Is The Question

Did you ever come to a realization in your life, a time where you wanted to make sure you were going in the right direction? Well, that happened to me this past Sunday. My assistant pastor Curtis Hickson had a message entitled "How Is Your Faith?" and it just drew me. As I listened to the message, I wrote down these questions in my notes: "What is the condition of my faith? How strong is my faith?" I was actually asking myself these questions as I listened and to be quite honest, I felt a little shaken. Here lately, I've been trying to find a job and a place to live down in North Carolina and the one thing that always comes to mind is how much I miss my boyfriend and how much I want to be with him. I realize now that that's not how I should be. I'm not supposed to feel sad or downhearted because I'm so far away from him. I should thank and praise God because He's got it all under control. I should praise the Lord that He's faithful and I need to keep the faith in order to get things together. In Mark 11:22, Jesus told His disciples to "have faith in God." What He meant was have the faith OF God. I heard that quite a while ago but this time around, it became so real to me.

My assistant pastor read from Hebrews 10 (the whole chapter) and he illustrated very well on how it all ties together. He spoke on how in Old Testament days, they would use the blood of bulls, goats and sheep as sacrifices to the Lord for their sins every year (Heb. 10:1-6). Later it was in prophecy that the Lamb of God (Jesus) would come and sacrifice Himself "once for all," (vs. 10:10). Through His precious sacrifice, we are sanctified and called the children of God! Praise the Lord! Because of this, "the just shall live by faith" (vs. 38). I am called the just! There is no reason to feel down in the dumps! I shouldn't complain and mope because I am in a certain place and I want to be somewhere else. Jesus didn't complain when He was whipped, beaten and crucified! He went through it all so I could live in faith knowing that He is on my side! If I go on every day remembering this principle, I'll have all the confidence and strength I need to make it. That's true for all of us, I'm sure. I am making a declaration: I won't be sad or aching because I'm not where I want to be - I'll just keep the faith and know that God will bring me to where He wants me to be in His time.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for this awesome Word You've brought before me. I confess, I've been wrong in how I've been thinking lately. I've forgotten to put You first before everything and everyone and I truly and honestly repent of it. Thank You so much Lord for Your forgiveness. I pray Father God that I'll keep an open mind and be strong in faith. Thank You Lord for my family and my friends. Bless them and keep them safe. Thank You so much for my dear boyfriend Travis as well as his family. Wrap Your loving arms around them and bless them, I pray. Thank You for Your angels surrounding and protecting them. I also pray for my relationship with Travis. May we keep on being strong in faith and in truth as we keep on reading and meditating on the Word. No matter how far apart we are, we're always close because You are the center of our joy. Thank You Jesus! I give Your name praise, honor and glory forevermore. In Jesus' name I pray, amen!! (12:28 am)