The Anchor - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) March 7, 2023

An anchor is an integral part of a ship's journey from one port to another. The large metallic arrowhead shoots straight down until it strikes the seabed. At that point, the anchor will hold and the ship will not move. The vessel will bob with the tide or even get tossed around in more violent waters but the ship will remain in position because the anchor keeps it firmly in place.

God wants His people to drop their anchors into Him. He is the firm foundation that they need so they don't float away with the storms of life or crash into other ships, remaining in place no matter how rough the seas get.

It is best to set the anchor early in life. Why? That way when the tempest comes (and it will come for everyone), you are ready and will ride it out with God Almighty keeping you steady.

The person who doesn't know God when the storm arrives is tossed about and unsettled in life. They run all over seeking solutions, not knowing that the Lord has the remedy they need.

Many of us came to God that way. Facing trouble and in need of help, He saved us. Can you imagine, however, if you'd known Him prior to that life-changing challenge? How much time wouldn't have been wasted? Or how much stress would have been avoided?

The truth is we can never tell. What we do know is that God opened His arms to us when we were a mess. We didn't need to clean up to get the help we needed from Him.

That said, if you are yet to face a storm that required God's miraculous help in your life, then this message is a clarion call to set your anchor in Him today. You might have figured out how to navigate the trials of life without Him but there's a storm coming and you'll need your anchor to strike true ground so that when the wind whirls and the sea gets rough, God will keep you firmly in place. Others will flail, crash to bits and capsize, but God will keep you upright. You might stumble but with Him, you won't fall (Psalm 37:23-24).

Set your anchor in God early, before life's bad weather sets upon you. Start by seeking God in His word. The blessings for this are endless (Psalm 119:2; Lamentations 3:25). Be sure to fellowship with others (Hebrews 10:25). Learn to fast according to the Bible and not the world (Isaiah 58). Pray regularly and not just for yourself but for others as well (1 Timothy 2:1). Make His kingdom a priority (Matthew 6:33) and apply the Royal Law a little bit each day (Mark 12:30-31). God Himself will help you grow and because you are taking the aforementioned steps, your instinct will be to look to Him and not the world when trouble comes knocking.

See you at Noon EST for fellowship! God bless you!

Careful what you say about yourself - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) March 3, 2023

By now, we each understand how crucial it is to be careful about the ways in which we communicate about God and our fellow human beings. It is imperative not to slander or blaspheme the Lord and regarding people, applying the Royal Law will place a guard on our lips and thoughts, so we don't speak about them in a way that is contrary to God's word.

Did you know you need to be cautious how you talk about yourself as well? It is very common for individuals to make disparaging comments about themselves. These are comments that belittle and undervalue one's self. Some make such self-deprecating comments out of a desire to appear modest. For many others, they speak this way because they genuinely do not understand that they're a big deal in God's eyes.

Whatever the reason, as God's child you need to have a healthy amount of Godfidence. Please note that this confidence doesn't stem from how good-looking, intelligent, or wealthy you are. It has nothing to do with ego and it is definitely not pride. Instead, your confidence must come from knowing you were created by God in His image and that He loves you.

And that makes you a big deal to the Lord. So much so, He sent His only son - Jesus Christ - to die for you. The devil knows this and it can't get over the fact that we receive constant forgiveness and grace from God. It, on the other hand, was kicked out of heaven for one sinful act. Plus, if you weren't a big deal, satan wouldn't work so hard to trick you and make you believe you're not as important to God as you really are. The devil does this because if it can make you see yourself as less then you aren't as much of a threat to its desires to harm you and everything around you.

The Lord taught me this lesson when I once, in prayer, said, "I am nothing." He immediately corrected me and said," You're not nothing." In an instant, scripture flooded through my mind, reminding me just how much God loves and values me. Specifically, Isaiah 43:4 - Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. And that is but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how God truly feels about you and I!

Never again did I make that mistake in my speech or thinking. And neither should you. The devil understands how crucial each and every person is. It knows that our souls are worth so much to God and it fights tirelessly to make us feel less than we should.

But God has said, "You are mine." (Isaiah 43:1). He has said He knew you before you entered your mother's womb and came to live here on earth (Jeremiah 1:5). You therefore matter more than you could ever imagine. Each of us does. And we need to never forget it. We can't allow the enemy to use the media, our thoughts or the words of others to make us think we are less. We are the children of God. The ones He redeemed for Himself. Each time the devil's lie comes into your mind to steal, kill and destroy, fling your wordstones and make it flee (James 4:7). Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, instructs Psalm 107:2. Say out loud, I am the redeemed of the Lord! Through Christ, I am the righteousness of God. I am His beloved. To God, I am His favorite and I wouldn't have it any other way!

God bless you and IJMN, may He remind you of how much He loves and values you in a mighty way, IJN, Amen.

See you at Noon EST for fellowship!

For more, please read:

1. Thank Him for Wanting You

2. Get Scrappy

3. The Royal Law

4. The Royal Law: Gossips & Slanderers

5. The Royal Law: Liars & False Witnesses

6. The Royal Law: You Reap What You Sow

7. How Do You Love?

8. Idle Words Block Blessings

Don't Slander or Blaspheme God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) February 28, 2023

We've previously considered how much God hates liars and those who give false testimony about other people. God detests when we lie and say untrue things about others. However, have you ever thought about how you communicate about God? Are there ideas you have about Him or statements you've made about Him that aren't true?

These questions become important when we consider the following scripture:

Hosea 7:13 - Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely.

Here, God speaks of those who have turned from Him and His desire to save them from the consequences of their choice. Unfortunately, the fact that such people speak falsely about Him has prevented Him from helping them. And this is why it is crucial to be aware of the things we communicate about the Lord - that we don't speak or even think about Him falsely, whereby those thoughts and words act as a barrier to receiving the help we need from Him. There are many ways that we humans speak falsely about God. However, the origin of those expressions stem from satan for it is a liar for whom lies are its native language (John 8:44). The devil is an expert in whispering seemingly intelligent ideas that serve to erode a person's understanding of God's true character. For instance, they may eventually not believe that God can help them in times of trouble. As a result, the person runs from pillar to post trying to solve their own problems, forgetting that God is the master problem solver. Once that seed is planted - that God is incapable, for example - many start to speak in a way that makes God and His promises appear untrue. People communicate those ideas in their conversations with friends in person. People also publish statements fueled by such ideas in social media discussions. They even blaspheme, expressing their disregard for God, by inserting God's name into their foul language, which violates Exodus 22:28 - “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. Nevertheless, we must praise the Lord, for His mercy extends to all who have spoken falsely about Him. This is because Jesus said so in Mark 3:28 - Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. As such, once we take steps to confess and repent for speaking falsely about the Lord, we can freely receive God's promised forgiveness and begin the process of becoming people who no longer sin that way. Have you spoken of God falsely? Have you put His power, kindness or love in question when speaking of Him? How about in your thoughts about Him? None of us is perfect, and undoubtedly, at some point in time, we've made such an error. Even if it was simply blaspheming His name by the choice of coarse language we uttered along the way.

Regardless of this sin, we each need His help and the way to gain that is to repent. So, why don't we seek God's forgiveness on this issue? Heavenly Father, I confess I have said and/or thought things about You that question Your character and thus present You in a false light. Please forgive me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy, which allow me to not only recognize the error of my ways but also repent and receive Your forgiveness. From today, I seek and request Your grace to not repeat this error. All glory belongs to You, IJMN, Amen. God bless you and see you at fellowship at Noon EST today.