The Power Of God -Psalm 114
My Mission
My mission involves reflecting God’s love in every area of my life. To be an ambassador and light that embodies Jesus’s character and shine His light so that others can see through my good works that glorify Him.
My mission is through my actions, by letting my life be a testimony so it draws people to God through my kindness and unwavering faith.
Who God Says You Are
God says you are loved, chosen, forgiven, and a child of God. You are valued and have a unique purpose, created in His image and called to be part of His family.
Understanding who God says you are is essential for your self-worth and identity. The Bible provides numerous affirmations about your identity in Christ Jesus.
Your identity is not defined by your past mistakes, or what others say about you. Instead, it is rooted in God’s love and truth. Recognizing these truths can transform your perspective and help you live confidently.
To embrace your identity in God, consider reflecting on the above affirmations daily. This practice can help you internalize who you are in Christ and strengthen your faith.
Living A Long Life
Daily writing prompt
What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?
To live a long life I believe you have to find purpose by motivating positive behaviors, reducing stress, and improving your wellbeing. We have to have a deeper sense of meaning, direction, and significance. If we have a why to live, we can bear almost any how.
The Day of Separation: Sheep and Goats
Sheep are gentle, quiet, and easily led. Goats are pushy, self-sufficient, and headstrong.
I think if we look at the world around us, we can see a stark contrast between the sheep and the goats.
Matthew 25:31-46 is a parable spoken by Jesus, describing the final judgment at the end of time.
When Jesus comes in His glory, accompanied by all His angels, He will sit on His throne. Before Him will be all the nations of earth, every person who has ever lived.
Just as a shepherd in the hills of Judea separates his flock at night, placing the woolly, docile sheet on his right and the stubborn, aggressive goats on his left. So will Jesus the King of the universe divide humanity into two groups.
We will be judged based on how we treat the marginalized and vulnerable. It’s the difference between the Kingdom of God and the empires of the world.
This means that our faith should make a difference in how we treat others. It’s not just about believing in Jesus. It’s about living like Him. It’s about seeing everyone as valuable, no matter who they are or where they come from. It’s about standing up for those who are mistreated or ignored. It’s about being light in a dark world.
Jesus And The Lion Of Judah
Often, when we think of Jesus, one of the images that come to mind is the lamb. When John the Baptist was about two baptized, Jesus, he declared Him the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). When we think of a lamb, we think of tenderness, gentleness, and even submissiveness.
Well, Jesus was all these things, there is another description of Jesus in scripture that is the complete opposite of Him as a lamb. There are 4 reasons we should know Jesus as the Lion of Judah.
There are 2 places in the Bible the lion and Judah are Judah are tired together. One is Revelation 5:5,
“Then one of the elders said to me, Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
There is a significance of the tribe of Judah. Judah was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. I’ll try to make it simple, the descendants of these sons formed the 12 tribes of Israel. A reference to the tribe of Judah is a reference to the human or natural lineage of Jesus. That genealogy is in Matthew 1.
Jesus is a descendent of Judah, which also included David, Solomon, and eventually making its way all the way down to Joseph, Jesus‘s earthly father (Jesus’s stepfather)
The other mention of the lion of Judah is in Genesis 49. Where Jacob called his son together and tells them what will happen to each of them in the days to come. Clearly, Jacob is speaking with prophetic language. When he gets to his son Judah, here is what he proclaims.
“Judah, your brothers will praise you, your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lions cub, Judah, you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouched and lies down, like a lioness -who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, not the ruler’s staff from, between his feet, until he to whom belongs shall come and the obedient of nations shall be His. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch, he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.His eyes will be darker than wine, a his teeth whiter than milk” – Genesis 49: 8-12
When you consider these verses, then the reference of the lion of the tribe of Judah points to the conquering, victorious King, that would descend from Judah’s lineage. We know that this lion was pointing to only one person, Jesus Himself,  God in human form, who is the lion of the tribe of Judah. This truth is important because it fulfills the promise and prophecy of God‘s Word. It also gives us hope and confidence in this one who will ultimately be our deliverer.
The proclamation made by Jacob in Genesis 49, our prophetic truths that will come to light. From these verses, we can uncover four reasons to know God as a Lion of Judah.
- “Your brothers will praise you -you acknowledge the Lion of Judah’s Lordship.”
“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of the Father” -Philippians 2:11
Regardless of what people think or feel about Jesus, one thing we know for sure is He is Lord. Because He is Lord, everyone will eventually praise Him as Lord. it doesn’t matter if a person believes that now, but at some point, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess this to be true. When you recognize this now, you will willingly bow and acknowledge Him as Lord of all, and most importantly Lord of your life.
2. “Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies – you acknowledge for Lion of Judas victory.”
“Then the end will come, when He hands over His kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He had put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He had put everything under His feet” -1 Corinthians 15:24-26
Alternately Jesus will destroy our enemies, even Satan who knows he is on borrow time because his defeat is imminent. Satan is the greatest enemy we face as humans in the reality of sin and death. our sin interrupted our relationship with God and our death meant for eternal separation and punishment for our sins. Jesus conquered both of these enemies for us at the cross. Jesus as the Lion has given us victory over sin and has removed the penalty of death and replaced it with promise and hope of eternal life. We can celebrate that we are no longer the penalty of sin.
3. “The scepter will not depart from Judah -you acknowledge the Lions eternal rule.
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of Hid Messiah. He will reign forever and ever” -Revelation 11:15
The good part about being on the Lord’s side is that we will win in the end, regardless of how how challenging life gets, and regardless of the struggles or persecution, we make experience in this life.
It is so important to recognize that as long as we are on Jesus’s side, we will win in the end. Because He will rule for our eternity, and we can be part of His kingdom. then we will get to experience the benefits of His kingdom for all eternity.
So no matter how bad it may feel or get, it is only for a little while, our lion is coming soon and He will reign forever.
4. “He will wash His garments in Wine, His robe in the blood of grapes -you acknowledge His shed blood for the forgiveness of your sins.”
“Knowing that you were redeemed not with corruptible things, with silver and gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Messiah” -1 Peter 1:18-19
As important as it to know, Jesus as the Lion, that wouldn’t have mattered much unless he became the lamb. He would still be God. He would still rain forever. He was still ultimately trying over His enemies. However, we would still be lost. What makes Jesus all more impressive is that His road to conquering -His road to being the Lion came through suffering. He didn’t redeem us by keeping Hid status as a Lion. He redeemed us by becoming humble as a Lamb. That precious blood He spilled purchased our salvation, for gave our sins, and allowed us to triumph.
I am thankful that He is the Lion who fights for us and will come to our rescue. I am also thankful that He became like a lamb to win back our salvation. It was His suffering as a lamb that paid the way for Him to be the true “Lion of the tribe of Judah.
Doing Things Differently
It’s January 1st of another year and I’m sure many of us have made resolutions. Maybe exercising more, saving money, or learning new skills, and those are all good ones.
But the thing I want to do differently this year is build up my relationship with God by living more in the Spirit. Remembering that every time I feel frustrated to stop and ask God, instead of running off and doing my own thing, which more times than not leads me to greater frustration.
Things Only Available From God
Only God can provide true peace, unconditional love, and eternal salvation. These are gifts that cannot be found through worldly means, other gods or any relationships.
There are unique gifts that are available to us from God like Spiritual fulfillment.
- Peace: A deep sense of tranquility that surpasses our understanding.
- Joy: A lasting joy that comes from faith, not circumstances.
- Hope: Assurance in God’s promises, that provide strength during tough times.
He gives us guidance and wisdom.
- Direction: Clarity in decision making through prayer and scripture.
- Understanding: Insight into life’s challenges and God’s purpose for us as individuals.
- Discernment: The ability to distinguish between right and wrong.
He gives us strength and support.
- Courage: The bravery to face our fears and challenges.
- Comfort: A sense of relief during times of grief or distress, knowing that God is in control.
- Empowerment: The strength to overcome obstacles and to pursue our calling.
He offers us Transformation and a chance to be renewed.
- Forgiveness: The ability to let go of past mistakes and begin again.
- Restoration: The healing of relationships and personal growth.
- Purpose: A sense of mission and meaning in life.
He gives us a chance to be part of a community and connection.
- Fellowship: Relationships with others who share our faith.
- Love: Unconditional love that fosters a deep connection with others.
- Support: A network of encouragement during our ups and downs.
These gifts highlight the unique ways in which God can enrich our lives that provide not just material blessings but profound spiritual and emotional support.
John 15:7-11 Jesus tells us that “if you remain in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.”
By doing this we draw strength from Him as a branch draws from the vine. And by meditating on obeying, and allowing scripture we can shape our thoughts, character, and actions.
There is a promise that comes when we choose to follow Jesus. When this deep connection exists, your prayers become God’s desires, not your own selfish wants, so ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Freeway Billboards
If I had a freeway billboard, it would say, “If life hasn’t been good try Jesus.”
Jesus offers hope, peace, and a new way through faith, providing strength, purpose, and a promise of better things.
The Path Towards God
The path of God is the right mindset, attitude, choices, and actions we take that put us in line with God, and on the road to heaven. Moving towards Him, and not away from Him.
It’s also the path that brings us closer to ourselves. It brings us home to who we really always were meant to be.
This path to God is sometimes misunderstood by people. Some don’t understand that the path towards God causes division and arguments. It can cause us to push away from people who don’t yet know and believe in God.
I feel like I came to God’s path by accident sometimes. I came to the realization that everything I had tried in the past had failed. So, why not try the only thing I hadn’t -God. Doing so took me on an incredible journey I hadn’t thought possible. It took me on a four-year journey of learning who I really was.
As people we often cultivate and nurture destructive thoughts and become our own enemy. Thoughts of loneliness, fear, anxiety, worry, and immortality are more often the companions of our minds than we want to admit.
We have to embrace a new identity, characterized by trusting, obeying, loving, and imitating our heavenly Father. This leads to living a deep sense of belonging, security, and purpose, even while we struggle with sin. It involves a humble trust combined with righteous action, to do what’s right, that few are willing to give in to.
It involves knowing that we are loved, accepted, and realizing we have the standing of a legitimate child, not a slave, but adopted into God‘s family through faith in Jesus.
It’s having a deep confidence that God sees, cares for, and sustains you, even when you don’t have all the answers.
It’s striving to do God’s will, by reflecting His character and doing what is right and loving others. Even if we fall short.
It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to work within you, to transform your nature to wanting to please God by replacing the old sinful ways.
It’s following Jesus’s example of selfless love and sacrifice and leaving a mark on the world.
It’s living with hope, not fear, knowing your sins are forgiven and they you have an external inheritance and advocate in Jesus.
There are a few examples of how I put this into practice in your life.
- Receive Jesus: Welcome Him into your life and believe in His name.
- Pray: Talk to God as a Father and friend. Spill your innermost secrets to Him. He already knows them, but you need to get everything out in the open.
- Love others: Demonstrate life to other like-minded believers and act righteously.
- Follow Jesus’s example: Walk in life and self-sacrifice.
- Embrace humility: Develop a child-like trust, not immaturity but reliance on God.
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” In John 14:6.
There is much more to it than that. There were many more things I needed to learn about the way, and I’ve learned and still keep learning. These lessons come in bits and pieces through the course of my life. It’s a learning process and will continue until the end of my life.
It’s a deep spiritual quest for divine connection, seen across faith, and is a transformative process that involves prayer, and scripture in action.
Thinking About The Future Or Past
Daily writing prompt
Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
I am more inclined to think about the present. The past is the past it no longer matters. If you’ve repented to God every mistake you’ve ever made has been forgiven. And as Matthew 6:34 says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I focus on the present day blessings and challenges and trust God for my future needs.
Taming Your Emotions
Emotions can be like wild horses. Beautiful. Powerful. Yet, if they are to be useful in everyday life, emotions like horses must be tamed.
But can emotions truly be tamed?
Emotions can seem like they have a mind of their own, less like horses, and more like loud ocean waves, our emotions seem unwilling to yield to even our passionate commands.
Sometimes we feel at the mercy of these dangerous whitecaps, whether they be anger, despair, loneliness, or envy. And waves of positive emotions come from, time to time too like gladness, surprise, and awe. But do we really have to take the bad with the good?
Growing up I never learned to handle my emotions. I was too busy being in a state of fear. I was stuck in emotional dysregulation, avoiding difficult feelings, or experiencing heightened anxiety. It has taken me close to 30 years to learn how to regulate.
There is a way to experience relief from our emotions that seem to drown us.
The Bible teaches self-control as a key “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians, which enables us to master emotions, desires, and actions, not through personal might but by God’s power. Teaching us to guard our hearts, renewing our minds, and seeking God’s wisdom, along with responding to situations with patience and understanding instead of reacting.
But self-control does mean stoicism. Jesus Himself gave us examples of deep emotion in scripture. At Lazarus’s tomb in John 11:35 when, “Jesus wept.” and in the garden of Gethsemane in Luke 22:44, “Being in agony He prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.” We see that Jesus experiences deep sorrow and anguish. The catch is He doesn’t allow His sorrow to lead Him into sin. He submits to God’s will and puts us before Himself in each trying circumstance, even in the midst of powerful feelings.
That’s the kind of self-control we should aim for in our emotions. For help, we can rely on the Holy Spirit for lasting change. Even with this in mind, there are tangible ways we can fight for self-control on a daily basis.
Jesus tells us in John 14:1, “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me.” Life’s troubles can grow around us so much so that we can’t see the forest for the trees. Jesus calls His disciples in such a time to “believe in God. It’s a discipline of the mind to remember His goodness. Keep some Bible verses handy that encourage you in this belief, ior better yet -memorize them.
Don’t underestimate God’s willingness to hear your prayers, and answer them. James writes in James 5:13, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray…” We are loved by a kind God. He will help us in our times of emotional need.
So often our minds become consumed with the negative: what we don’t have, or why life is going wrong. Paul reminds us that in addition to calling out to God in prayer when we are consumed with negative emotion, we should focus on what is good. In Philippians 4:4-9 he tells us that, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.”
Next time your mind becomes filled with negative thoughts, think or write down all you can think of that falls into the above verse categories. And turn from your negativity to remember how God has blessed your life.
Another coping mechanism is to become familiar with red flags or triggers and interview early.
Learn the early warning signs of an emotional spiral for you. If you struggle with anger, irritation might be a red flag. Don’t let initial emotions snowball into what will eventually feel like an avalanche.
From Pity to Praise 