Philippians 1:3-11
3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart,"for all of you share in God’s grace" with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Good Morning Family,

This prayer embodies the best message that I could have for you this day.  When Christ comes to you and I, I am assured that we will by grace alone be rewarded. My only plea for you is that you continue to seek God daily.  Trusting that the Author and Finisher of our faith will receive  us is all that we need to know for encouragement to continue down this road.  This journey that we are own will have many twist and turns but, by faith we will complete it and arrive at our destination. May God keep you, may the Almighty face shine upon you. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love you as I love Christ!

- Rev. Lee

Psalms 84:8-12
Humbly serve the Lord always out weighs what you can do to serve the world. The world may give you lofty titles and and wealthy earnings but , service to the Lord gives you rewards that you cannot account for physically. God's love is far greater that anything that we know in the is earthly realm.  That is why our author exclaims that it is better to be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord. Even in this humble position you can do more to serve the Lord. Being a doorkeeper for God allows you to be the first person to show the love of God to the people that enter His house. This position also makes you the last person to touch he people as they exit. Let's us take this in for our daily approach. Be the doorkeeper in life, throughout your several stations daily. Because the love you share, the peace you can give , the concern for your brothers and sisters will inspire the lives of many to daily lead a Godly Life. It is my prayer today that you and I be doorkeepers for God so that many may see the love that we share the how awesome God is. May the Lord bless you, keep you, May the Lord countenance fall upon you, in Jesus Holy name I pray. Amen.

I love you as I love Christ!

-Rev. Lee

"I will bless the Lord! O my soul and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name. He has done great things!"  Thank god for waking me up this morning. Thank you for keeping all under my roof from hurt, harm, and danger. I praise you O'God for today opportunities to serve, worship, and magnify your name. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Psalms 3:8
Deliverance belongs to the Lord;
may your blessing be on your people!
Selah

Family we proclaim that God is our deliver. However we constantly enter into situations alone and think that we have what it takes to bring ourselves out. Today I am asking you to cease from taking control of you situations. Make the choice to have God as head of all things in your life. Ask God for His direction through your every action. When those that seek to do you harm come against you, call on the Lord. Ask for his deliverance so that you will be blessed. As the song writer says," Ask the Savior to help you. Comfort, strengthen, and keep you. He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through."

Father we pray for deliverance from all that is keeping us from your love this day. Lord we plea to you as the head of our lives to bring us out of sin, despair, grief, and sickness. Heal us this day. I your Son, Jesus the Christ name. Amen.

"I love you and may God bless you."

-Rev. Lee

Lord as we prepare for this day we thank you for this quiet moment before your Throne. In this time we praise you for all that you have done to allow us to see a new day. We make worshiping you our reason for living. In Jesus name. Amen.

Job 5:8-18
“As for me, I would seek God,
and to God I would commit my cause.
9 He does great things and unsearchable,
marvelous things without number.
10 He gives rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
11 he sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness;
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,
and grope at noonday as in the night.
15 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,
from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.
17 “How happy is the one whom God reproves;
therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he binds up;
he strikes, but his hands heal.

God is awesome in that all works are for the good of those that love the Lord. In today's scripture I discovered that God will do... The Lord provides refreshment and nourishment from the water rain and waters on the field. I can not say that about man or anything else. That leaves me to beg the question, who else should I place my faith in? I answer and say none other that God. As the Almighty provides and reproves, it all works for my benefit. I know that the love I receive will always be agape (unconditional).

Take discipline from the Lord and allow it to strengthen your faith! These trials that we face are not to harm us. They exist only to cause you and I to draw nearer to God so that we will trust God with all matters and those whom are lost can witness through our living testimony that God is real.

Almighty, I pray this morning for our refreshment, nourishment, spiritual strength, and encouragement during times of discipline. It is my hope that we all keep the faith we the outlook seems drear from the consequences of our own actions. Cause us Lord to run and cleave to you for direction and refreshment. In the name of Jesus. Amen.


I love you as I love Christ

-Rev. Lee

Proverbs 16:20New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

20 Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
    and happy are those who trust in the Lord.

Good Morning Family,
The word for today is attentive. After reading the above text, it hit me. How often have you wanted to achieve a goal by shortcut? There have been times when we have sought achievement and figured that we did not need to do the fundamental things that it would take prosper. Being attentive...paying attention to the details. Having  a watchful eye and focusing on the fundamentals may seem minor. However, the fundamentals are actually  major components to us prospering. For example, I once heard a story told of how an awesome point guard with plenty of raw talent by the name of, Magic Johnson became so great at handling the basketball. The short version of that story is; he would dribble the basketball to the store with one hand and on the way home he would in turn dribble back with the other hand. He was so attentive to hone this skill it helped to prosper him in the NBA.  I imagine that this is the essence of this proverb concerning being attentive. Most of  us will never have the raw talent that it takes to make it at whatever we desire to achieve.  But if we are attentive to what gifts we do have we will honor God. I for example have the task of wanting to lose weight. That means being attentive to my portions of food and following a work out plan. Moreover, if we are attentive to the fundamentals and the basics, it says in God's word that we will prosper. Yet the text does not end there. It goes on pass the break  and gives us the root! Trusting in the Lord while we are attentive to our  tasks will lead us to happiness that we desire.

Almighty, Creator, and Sustainer I pray for empowerment today. I lift up my family to you for your Spirit to fall fresh upon us as we daily work towards being attentive. May we find happiness in trusting in you for all our direction. This is my prayer in the Matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you as I love Christ

- Rev. Lee

Proverbs 16:3New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

3 Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.

Today and everyday forward commit your work to God as your purpose and watch how he will make your plans reality. This happens not because our desires are so great but because our desires are no longer of our own fleshly thought. When we  renew our minds all concern for self falls away.  Then by becoming selfless in our work we are able to focus on Kingdom building without distractions of our own gain.

This morning pray with me that God  will renew our minds and cause a desire to come over us to make our purpose the design of the Almighty. May we come to an understanding this day and going forward,  that our work  needs the blessing from the one God who established our presence.  In the name of Jesus, amen.

I love you as I love Christ

-Rev. Lee

Psalms 121 NRSV

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel  will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;  he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.

Good Morning family,
Today's scripture speaks volumes to us believers about how we are well cared for and loved. I imagine the Psalmist, while penning this was reflecting  on former  days and events that illustrated the help of God coming to keep him.  This God, the Maker of heaven and earth does not ever remove the hand of protection from our lives. Even though at times we feel or think as we face obstacles we are all alone. Remember because of  Grace and Mercy, Jehovah is always keeping the worst of life from us. Each of us like the Psalmist can give account of a time when the Lord has kept us from the worst the world has to offer.

Today as we go about our works we should reflect on all the areas in life how God is keeping us! I pray today to for you and I to live a life honoring our commitment to God in all we touch, say, and do. Be blessed brothers and sisters. May God keep you, may God's countenance rest upon you, in Jesus name, amen!

1 Peter 2:18-25
18 Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. 19 For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds  you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Brothers and sisters, strive to endure to daily as many oppress you unjustly so that God will be glorified.  I realize that it is difficult to let others mistreat you and not say or do anything. This is a hard battle at times especially for me. But when I read today's scripture I immediately was convicted! I am glad that God is  merciful and that by Grace I still have the opportunity to work on enduring while suffering.    I pray for your encouragement and mine as well.
Almighty God give  your children the ability to endure hardships and difficulties. Send your Holy Spirit to support them as face  injustices from their oppressors. After their time of trouble help heal their wounds and restore them. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

I love you as I love Christ.
-Rev. Lee

1 Peter 2:11-13 NRSV

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge."

Today's scripture talks about how we need not to lean unto our own desires, the physical things that drive us to compromise our sanctification when we come under attack from those that seek to harm us. These attacks occur  in the mundane areas of our daily walk. For example; at work, at the courthouse, in the grocery store parking lot, and elsewhere.   We need not lash out give those people a quick reminder of  'who we are or who they are talking too'. Neither do we need to let the physical urges that we have cause us to compromise us sexually, emotionally, or fiscally.

People around us make it difficult to do what is right! At least that is how many of us see the actions of others. Okay, I will own it, that is how I often feel.  Ownership of personal behavior is important for servitude to God.
I must constantly remind myself that I cannot allow others actions to govern my daily deeds. All I have is my name and that good name will go a long way. So when encountering an adverse  make it your aim to let your response be in service to God. That way when the Almighty comes to your name the only thing that can be said is, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
I pray for your encouragement today in the Lord. May you be strengthen to do what you are called to do honorably more so in the face of adversity. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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