Presenting the Thirty second edition for 2018 of the WEEKLY DEVOTIONS:
Keep on praying, this world is in great need of it. "Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
This edition is dedicated to: Be Doers and not merely Hearers of God's Word!!!
Father only you know the depth of the human heart and what love you have deposited in it. We ask you to continually bring us back to the truth of a pure and just heart that receives from You light and strength. Amen, Alleluia!!!!!!!
Learn from the past:
Just as Moses spoke to the people to keep and observe the statutes and ordinances given to them by God before entering the promised land; so we today by faith in Jesus Christ our Savior must keep the statutes and ordinances given to us by Jesus Christ and we too will enter the promised land, heaven, with Him and with God. Let us see what Moses said;
Obedience Commanded
Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
It is up to us to be doers of the Word and not merely hearers. Do good to those that are afflicted and in need. Love one another and be at each other's service.
Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.
So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls. And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself.
Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27
Then Jesus goes on to teach about Inner Purity; All these evil things come from within; they are what defile you not from what you eat but what you say and do and this makes you unacceptable to God.
One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to confront Jesus. They noticed that some of Jesus' disciples failed to follow the usual Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. Similarly, they eat nothing bought from the market unless they have immersed their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to--such as their ceremony of washing cups, pitchers, and kettles.) So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why don't your disciples follow our age-old customs? For they eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony."
Jesus replied, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said,
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings. For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "All of you listen," he said, "and try to understand. You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do!
For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Psalm 15
LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Conclusion:
It is in the Host that we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Taste and See that the Lord is Good!!!
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Oh Jesus, you give us the time necessary to separate from our lives what is good from what is not. Show us your Mercy.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved!!!
The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart
—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,
for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. Romans 10:8-10It is in the Host that we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 1:8
The Stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.
Jesus Christ died for you and me and we are now free from sin and death and can now enjoy and have an eternal relationship with the Father.
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!!!!!!! What are you waiting for??? Do it Now, Today!!!
Salvation is for everyone and it is free for Jesus Christ paid the price!!!!!!!
We are all His witnesses and messengers let us continue proclaiming His message of the Good News to the entire world!!!!!!!
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she replied, "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Build your life on Jesus Christ the Roc.
There is a roadblock called sin that hinders the path to God and His Word. Who can remove this roadblock??? Only One can do this, put your faith in the only One who died on the Cross for our sins and was resurrected, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Let us all rejoice in the Lord, for our Savior is born to the world. True Peace has descended from Heaven.
Lord, free us from our sins and make us whole. Hear our prayer, and prepare us to celebrate the incarnation of your Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. Amen, Alleluia!!!
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John14:6
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Let us all proclaim the Gospel to all our Brothers and Sisters in the entire world and be witnesses, ready to testify of our Faith in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior!!!!!!!
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20
Jesus Christ is Our Lord and Savior. Trust and have Faith in Him, today Amen, Alleluia!!!
Go and proclaim to the whole world the awesomeness and greatness of God!!!
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life!!!!!!!
Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
