Tag Archives: Encouragement

The World is Looking

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“God has not saved us to fit in.”
1 Peter 2:9 NIV

Being a Christian is not simply ascribing a word to our lives. It is an action, and deliberate. Being a Christian is a demonstrative way of life, and should be visible to the world for all to see.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:5-6‬ NIV

It only takes a moment to judge someone. The first determination is made from what you see and the second from what you hear. If our actions and deeds do no align, we are nothing more than hypocrites. Paul described the Pharisees as hypocrites. Hypocrisy is nothing new. It has been present from the beginning of man. It is one of Satan’s tools of destruction.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Matthew 23:27 ESV

Visual impact is indelibly etched in the mind. It is difficult to sway one’s opinion once made. Why? Your opinion is made in the context of one’s beliefs, our belief construct frames our personality which is defined by our actions, deeds, and conversations. Is your personality aligned with your Christian heritage/belief construct? How does the world see you? John speaking to Christians said if you do not practice righteousness you a child of the devil and not of God. Are you a child of God?

“By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
1 John 3:10 ESV

If God flows through us in the form of the Holy Spirit who is righteous. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and can only reflect righteousness. Then our actions, deeds, and conversations must reflect the righteousness of Christ and our Christian heritage.

We are not saved to be silent, but to spread the Word to Christians and non-Christians alike. At times we spread the Word through conversations about who we are as Christians, but most often we spread the Word through our actions, deeds, and general conversations with others. Our life, personality, and characteristics must reflect our Christian heritage which is based on love.

Our lives as Christians and followers of Christ is based on love. Love for our family, friends, neighbors as well as those we do not care for, e.g. profess to hate. If we do not love our brothers, according to 1 John 3:10, we are not God’s children. If we profess to be His, we must pick up our cross and leave our prejudices, stereotypes, and cultural bias behind.

Key: Our purpose is to let our conversations and actions be full of grace. 

Images – (Free) Google Images; BibleStudyTools.com; Unsplash – Jules Marchioni

Scriptures – BibleGateway.com, NIV, and ESV

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.

This is the Day, the Devil Must Flee

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God’s Promise – To give us wisdom, direction, and a way of escape

This morning I awoke and almost began my day without first thanking God for gifting me with the day. I quickly came to my senses, because without Him I am nothing.

So, I prayed, thanked Him for my continuous blessings, naming some of them, praised Him, and put the blood of Jesus over and around me and my family. I asked God to give me wisdom in all that I do today. I asked for help to incline my ear towards the words the Holy Spirit shares, to open my heart to other people’s needs and to be truthful about myself and my growth as a Christian, woman, wife, mother, and friend.

I verbally put on the Armor of God preparing and equipping myself to spread the Good News and defend myself against the onslaught of the evil one – through the Word, in all my interactions today. (Not my words but His words. It’s easy to cuss belittle, and denigrate, much more difficult to hold your tongue.) I prayed that I reside under the Lords’ wings and shadow throughout this day, and praised Him because He causes the devil to flee from my loved ones and me. I closed by prayer, Praise our Lord, Amen.

This is truly the day the Lord has made. We can begin the day stepping on the floor wrought with the issues of the day or step into the day wrapped in the power of God.

Image – Free Google Images

Scripture – Holy Bible, Bible.com

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.

 

Renewable Spirit

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God’s Promise – I will renew your spirit day by day.

What a blessing, the inward man is renewed daily. Our lives are temporal, but our spirit is eternal. Despite what lies before us, the internal hidden man of the heart, the new man is in a prosperous condition; our souls are in good health; the work of God is comfortably carried on in us; we have sweet and repeated experiences of the love of God; we are growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ; and, like the palm tree, the more weight is hung upon it, the more it thrives; and, like the children of Israel in Egypt, the more they were afflicted the more they grew.

Image – YouVersion, Bible.com

Resource – John Gill Bible Exposition, paraphrased, Biblestudytool.com

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.

God’s Promise – I Will Lead You

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God’s Promise – I will teach you and lead you along the path I have designed for you.

Take time each day and pray, holding a conversation with the Holy Spirit in you. Incline your ears to hear His quiet voice. It’s a voice we should learn intimately.

Images – YouVersion, Bible.com; Google Images

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.

Every Day is a Beautiful Day

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When we awake and begin to examine our day by the things around us, we lose the opportunity to begin our day as the Lord has planned. The scriptures remind us the Lord made this day,

This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NKJV

Every day is a perfect gift,

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

The Lord is our shepherd,

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows;  he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me.Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Psalm 23:1-4 NLT

The Lord is with us in times of uncertainty,

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
    you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
    and the power of your right-hand saves me. Psalm 138:7 NLT

The Lord is our rock, shield, and refuge,

My God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
    the one who saves me from violence.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies. 2 Samuel 22:3-4 NLT

The Lord gives us peace,

And the peace of God, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 NASB

A beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset, even if we wallow in misery and uncertainty, we should keep our eye on the Lord and look through His lens, and recite, ‘it’s a beautiful day.’

After all, God gave us this day, awakened us, and walks with us throughout the day!

How will your days begin?

Images – Google Images; LAB Photography
Scripture References – Biblegateway.com

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.

Thoughts as I work on Part 3, God’s Will -God’s Promises

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What does get rid of filth and evil mean? Filth and evil are those thoughts and practices that are not of God, and in most cases, the things that internally send an alert, a sense of uneasiness or a pang of guilt.

Don’t ignore them. From my experience, we live to regret them and often are placed in similar situations to revisit them in the form of a repeat challenge. This is the story of free-will.

It is the Holy Spirit in us that is convicting us of sin. John 16:8.

The Holy Spirit enters our lives when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The Spirit of God produces the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23, a topic of many of my Posts.

The Fruit of the Spirit should characterize the life of Christ in us.

Questions to ask yourself before taking action:

  • Do I follow my will or God’s will for my life?
  • Do I want to experience peace in my life?
  • Am I willing to give up the ’old man,’ controlled by my ego?
  • Will I yield to the flesh and carnal life, or to the Spirit of God?
  • Will I surrender my life, receive Christ in my life, pick up the Cross, and enter the Kingdom of God?

It’s more than a matter of perspective. It is a matter of choice (free-will). It is a matter of life or death.

God’s way will save your soul, and you will experience peace in your heart. Your way leads to a life of misery and eventual (eternal) death.

“By an act of faith, you must receive Christ. You must give him the total life, your intellect, your emotional life. Your will must be bent to His will…But as many as received Him, to them who gave the right to be children of God, those who believed in his name.” John 1:12. ~Billy Graham

Image – YouVersion, Bible.com

Quote – The Fruit of the Spirit, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, October 28, 2011

Scriptures – Holy Bible

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.