Learning When to Let Go by Jacqueline D. Moore

I think God leaves me alone to let me find my own strength because no one else can give it to me. Sometimes it is very lonely. But I know the lonely times teach me the most. I must let go in order to let anything in.

Scripture:

So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’  “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.  If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.  Luke 13:7-9 New International Version (NIV)

This past year has been a year full of changes and reflection for me.  I had a life altering surgery in December of 2011 and with that surgery came a new set of rules and regulations.  I remained isolated during my recovery and even after my healing, I chose to remain isolated.  In the beginning, I didn’t know or understand why I chose this path but it would soon become evident. 

I would soon learn that in order to make certain changes in my life, I had to remove myself from certain situations in order not to fall victim to past habits.  I would also learn to be still and listen more intently for the word of God.  You see, when we are in constant motion, we may not be able to hear

Whatever it is he wants to say to us.  I would also learn to become more observant.  I would learn to be still, watch and observe and be still.  It is not necessary to voice every thought you think.

But one of the most important lessons I would learn is to listen to the still small voice inside of me that would help me to see things as they really are and not as I wished for them to be.  There were things in my life I had been holding onto that were not healthy for me or my well-being and it was those things, people and situations I would have to learn to let go.  I would learn that it takes more strength to let certain things go than to hold on to them.

Saints of God, sometimes we must learn and understand that wanting something or someone to bear fruit in our lives is not going to happen no matter how much we want it to be so.  We plant those things in our lives we hope will become a blessing but soon realize that no matter how much time, energy, or resources we invest in the crop, there will be no harvest.

We must learn that in order for good things to come to us, we must let go of the bad.

Be Blessed

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for the clarity and vision You have given me to see both the good and bad in my life.  Help me learn to accept those things I cannot change, let them go and to move forward in faith.  Heal the void in my life with your presence and to know that change can be painful but change is also necessary if we are to grow and move forward on this spiritual journey.  Thank You Father for fresh grace and mercy and for favor.  Thank you Lord, for Your Son, Jesus Christ.  It is in His name we pray.  Amen

Spiritual Glasses by Jacqueline D. Moore

Remember, try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. ~ Charlotte Bronte

Scripture:For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Saints, how many of you wear glasses or contacts? I do. If you are anything like me, I have from time to time lost or broken my glasses. When this happens, I have a hard time seeing things clearly.

Today I want to talk to you about putting on your spiritual glasses. You see, sometimes when we look at life we see things as they appear to be. We may see insurmountable mountains. We may see unconquerable circumstances. We may not see a way out of bondage.

Putting on your spiritual glasses is a way of looking at things through the eyes of Jesus. It is a way of allowing God to take over and make a way out of no way. It is a way of seeing things more clearly. Seeing things not in the natural, but in the super-natural.

Putting on your spiritual glasses allows you to let go and let God lead the way. Putting on your spiritual glasses blinds you to the things of this world and it opens up a whole new view for you to see. God’s way. God’s world. Gods plan for you.

Saints, today pick up those glasses, put them on and learn a whole new way of looking at things. Trust in the Lord and know that he will lead you down the right path.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Lord, I once was blind but now I see. We come today as the blind did in the days of old, asking Lord, that You would restore our sight. Help us Lord to find the path that You have chosen for us. Help us Lord, to develop greater faith. Help us Lord, to see the world through the eyes of Jesus. Father, we come surrendering our lives to You. Help us to learn to lean on You. Help us Lord to learn that it’s not always, about what we see but truly, about what You are teaching us. Teach us Lord to lean upon You and to depend upon You and not the things of this world. Father, we ask that You would keep all of Your saints safe and secure this day. Continue to be with our troops during the time of tribulation. Bless us Lord. Keep us Lord. Restore our sight once again. So that we may lift our eyes towards heaven and see Your divine vision for us. Father, we come praising and uplifting Your name once again. As we ask and pray this and all things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Fearlessness

Today, let us celebrate our fearlessness. We can start by loving ourselves. Believe it or not, it takes true courage to love who and what we are in a world that constantly reminds us that we are not good enough.

Love Yourself. Do you? Learn how. Because you're worthy.

Accept your imperfections. None of us are perfect, but perfectly imperfect we most assuredly are. It does make us uniquely-wonderful.

Be your own best friend. Can't nobody do you like you.

Show yourself compassion, understanding, and respect. This is the most courageous act of all.

We are regal. We are supreme. To designate ourselves as anything less than would be blasphemy.

~Be Unlimited~

When You Don't Fit In by Jacqueline D. Moore

Life's not about fitting in; it's about standing out.

Scripture:
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19 (New International Version)

Going along through life, I often find myself caught in places and/or situations where I just didn’t fit in. Sometimes it was the job I held or the friends I had made. Maybe it was the places I visited or the relationship I was in. Or maybe even the church I attended.

Eventually, I found that for whatever reason I no longer fit and found myself caught in the position of being uncomfortable. I often found it would become necessary for my well-being and comfort to move from a place of discomfort and find a better fitting position. This analogy holds true for our Christian walk.

We will become too big (symbolically speaking) and can longer move about as a result of developing an unhealthy lifestyle. Or maybe, we are starving to death, withering away from a lack of nourishment In either case, you no longer fit and for the betterment of your spiritual health, it will become necessary for you to move from this place of discomfort.

The word of God tells us to crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in our salvation. It tells us of the bread of God; For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

The word of God tells us whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Now that’s the kind of meal that I want!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Lord, we come before the throne of Grace this day hungering and thirsting after Your word. Let us feast this day on the bread of life and drink from the fountain that never runs dry. Thank You Father for providing all of my needs. Lord, that You for blessing me even when I am ungrateful. Thank You for keeping me, my family, friends and loved ones safe from all hurt, harm and danger. But most of all; thank You for Your son, Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.

Fight Well by Jacqueline D. Moore

Do not allow a chance to the enemy. Continue to fight until final victory ~ Luigi Longo

Scripture:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7 (New International Version)

A few years ago, I had a conversation with a friend who commented on the fact that he had not heard about the man who survived under a collapsed building in Haiti for twenty-eight days. We both marveled at this man’s resolve to stay alive. With nothing to eat or drink, trapped in darkness; day after day, I wonder what his thoughts may have been. You see, it takes a strong will and strong faith to live in total darkness with nothing to hold on to.

I’m almost sure that his mind and the enemy were playing tricks on him. Imagine nothing around you but death and debris. Nothing to hold onto but your faith; would you have been able to make it? Could you live on nothing to nourish your body but your faith?

In conjunction with his story, I also heard the story of the Georgian Bobsledder who was killed at the winter Olympics. What I found interesting about his story was that he went to the Olympics with no illusions on winning; he just wanted to follow his dream and live his country’s credo of “Fight Well.” Now both of these stories had very different outcomes, but I believe they convey the same message.

There will be times in our lives when we just want to give up. We don’t really believe that we can win this fight called life. There are days when there is nothing but darkness and despair all around us and there is no hope of us winning. What we learn from both of these situations is this; Fight well; help may be on the way. No, you may not have any illusions of winning but it has been ingrained in you to never give up and to fight the good fight of faith.

My heart aches for both of these men but I am full because of the joy that can also be found in their stories. Neither man gave up and both may have believed that they couldn’t win. However, what they both knew is that there is a power that is greater than us all; it is called the “Power of Faith!”

All faith asks us to do is “Fight Well.”

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Our Father which art in Heaven, though the world seems dark and desolate, I fear not because I know You are with me always. When the enemy seeks to destroy me, I will stand on my Faith. A faith that has been bought with a price, the precious blood of the Lamb. Father, I know that sometimes I become saddened by my situation and I fear that I cannot win. I forget that as long as you walk through the Valley of Darkness with me, I am never alone. Your rod and Your staff comfort me and give me the strength to walk on though I often know not where the road may lead. There is so much darkness and despair around us that sometimes we forget to look for the Light. Help us always to remember that when darkness falls, You can and will light our way if we just ask. Father God help us always to remember to guard our minds by putting on the helmet of salvation. The helmet that will protect our thoughts and our minds so that we can stay focused on You and the Word. Thank You Father, for the Word which is the same, today, yesterday and forever more. Thank You Lord for the Light of the world, Your Son Jesus Christ. It is in His name that we submit this prayer. Amen.

Choosing to do things Your Way by Jacqueline D. Moore

Remember, Sometimes He allows us to suffer the worst of it So that when the best shows up There's no mistaking it. ~ John Christopher

Scripture:This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17 (New International Version)
I often talk about making choices. I learned a long time ago that for every choice that we make, there are consequences. The consequences can be either good or bad. Too often when we make a choice based on our own selfish desires, the consequences are rarely ever good.

As the mother of two sons, I would like to believe that I have taught my sons the things they need to know in order to make the right choices. However, I also realize in spite of everything I have attempted to teach them, that they will make some wrong choices. They sometimes still choose to do things their way, no matter what.

Not long ago, my youngest son lost one of his privileges because of a bad choice that he made. He chose not to do his math homework, which resulted in him getting a bad grade. As his mother, it was up to me to show him that his choice was the wrong one. The same thing often happens to us in our adult lives as well. We choose to do something that we know is wrong, and as a result, we too must live with the consequences.

The word of God is life’s teaching tool that equips us so that we can make the right choices. However, it is still left up to us to actually do the right thing. As a parent, I try to direct my children to do what is best for them. Just as the word of God teaches us what is best for us.

Won’t you make the right choice today?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Lord, Sometimes we act as little children, refusing to grow up in our faith and pouting over things that we cannot understand. Lord, I want to grow in grace and grow in faith. Lord, I am sorry for not being a more mature Christian. I am sorry for not acknowledging how much You do for me. Lord, I just want to thank You. Because just like we forgive our children and get over their temper tantrums, You forgive me and overlook my faults. Thank Lord. Father, I ask that You continue to touch my brothers and sisters in Christ. Grant them the desires of their hearts. Bless them as only You can. Thank You Father, Bless You Father. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

The Year of the Open Door by Jacqueline D. Moore

Do the best you can where you are, and when that is accomplished, God will open a door for you, and a voice will call "Come up hither into a higher sphere.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Scripture:
for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Psalm 78:22-24 (New International Version)

Not long ago, I received an email from a very good friend in which the author spoke about 2013 being “The Year of the Open Door.” The premise of the message was that many great and wonderful things would come to pass for the body of Christ.

The author cited several scriptures that indicated that the year 2013 was a year of completion and blessings for those who have been faithful to the word of God. Now, I am not here to dispute the message that was given, but rather, I was reminded that each and every day can be a day of the “OPEN DOOR.”

So often we forget that even in the midst of our trials and tribulations, God can and will open a door. So often we fail to realize that even in the midst of our unbelief, he continues to bless, in spite of us. Too often we spend so much time standing in front of a closed door that we fail to see the new door He has created for us, the Open Door, waiting there for us to walk through.

Saints of God, yes 2013 is the year of the open door. That door has already been opened for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All we have to do is walk through it.

Be Blessed

May your journey in this year be blessed, and may the Lord, Your God, visit you and lead you upon the path that He has designed for you. Follow the path of life, and you will fulfill your God-given destiny.

Prayer:
Therefore I say unto You, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Lord, we come before You this day believing that You are the one and only true God. Lord, we thank You for remaining faithful to us. Father we give thanks to You alone for loving us and watching over us. Father, as we begin this year anew, help us always to put You first in all we do and say. Teach us Lord, how to remain faithful in spite of our circumstances. Help us Lord to remain prayerful and diligent in our service to You. Thank You Lord, for blessing us. Thank You Lord, for new grace and mercy. Thank You Lord, for the Blood. The Blood that washes away my sins. The blood that protects, heals, and sanctifies. Thank You Lord, for loving a sinner like me. May the prayers of my brothers and sisters be heard by You alone. May You touch the hearts and minds of all we have come before the throne of grace today. May we always give thanks to You first. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.