Today is Bible verse Wednesday! I thought it would be great to take a verse each Wednesday, to read and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through His word…
Share your thoughts on this verse. Did you know that we are called to be the light of this world? When people see us, they see the spirit of God that dwell in us!
Matthew 5:14-16 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven
Hope everyone is having an amazing day, Love Sis Rashida
Have the kind of faith that can walk on water. Yes, a faith that believes that God can do what seems to be impossible!
Peter had a moment of great faith, the kind of faith that can walk on water, but allowed it to be shaken by the depths and turmoils of the raging waters.
The Bible says, that day before Peter walked on the waters, that the sea that their ship was on, was in the midst of a storm. Peter looks out into storm and sees Jesus walking on water towards their boat. (God always shows up right on time) Not knowing if it was Jesus, Peter said “Lord, if that is really you, command me to come out onto the water.”
Can you imagine being Peter and asking God, “Lord if that is really you out there standing in the midst of this seas. Command me to come out to you and walk on water? “ ( If you don’t already know the story of Peter, please see Mathews 14:24-32)
Jesus commands Peter to come out unto the water and Peter takes His first great steps of faith, but just those steps of faith did not last very long. Unfortunately, Peter allowed doubt to creep into his thoughts.
When Peter began to doubt God’s command, Peter began to sink. But oh how loving our God is, He stretched out His hand and pulled Peter back up, helping Peter even in the midst of his unbelief. Jesus then says” O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”( Mathew 14:31)
I can imagine Jesus’s caring response. I can imagine Jesus maybe saying to Peter, “do you not know how far your faith can take you, if only you just believe in me?” I see Jesus, gently reminding Peter, that all things are possible through Him, if we just believe! I can see Jesus reminding you and I today these very same things, to Just believe.
Today, whatever God has called you out unto the waters, Just believe! Let God’s love, His mercy and compassion be shown through those steps of faith. Have the kind of faith, that walks on water. Don’t allow doubt, unbelief and the cares of the world to drown out your faith! Have faith to walk on water!
Note these verses… Matthew 14:27-32 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Have water walking Faith, in Jesus! Have a blessed day, Love Sis Rashida
I am a mom to eight children, yes it’s not a typo, but eight beautiful blessings.
So, as you can already guess, I got some experience with training up my children to follow God’s way. In the Bible, there is a promise in the book of proverbs, that if we train up our children in the way they should go, when they are older, they will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Let me start with the books of Proverbs. Proverbs is a book of wisdom and wise teaching. It was written by King Solomon the wisest man to ever live. The Bible says, Solomon asked God for wisdom and God gave it to Him. The wisdom written in the book of Proverbs is from God, given to Solomon.
Note these verses: 1 Kings 3:7-9 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an [a]understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
Back to this verse, when you train your child on how to live right, make right choices, live for God, and seek out God, these are lessons that they will hold onto for the rest of their life. However, we have to do our part and install truth into our children. we have to train our children in Christ.
Will a child ever stray from truth, from on what you have taught them? Yes, some will, but what you have taught them will always be with them! Your children will have to make that choice just like you and I to go back to the training of righteous, that was taught to them! The training never leaves them!
Look at it like this…
When you were taught to ride a bike. It took a few lessons of stumbling and falling but you finally got it. After learning how to properly ride your bike as a child, you rode it daily. However, as you got older, you rode less and less of your bike, till one day you just put it completely aside.
Have you forgotten how to ride a bike twenty years later? Of course not, you still remember all the training you receive, all you have to do is get back on it and ride!
Just like our children, they will never forget the truth that we have taught them, and some just need to get back on that bike of truth and ride again!
Today keep the faith! Write this verse down, pray over your children, that what you have taught them will awaken in their spirit! That they will have a zeal and fire for righteousness again, that they will be that lost sheep that will return to God!
Keep the faith!
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Imagine that you have never ridden in an automobile in your life. In other words, your car, truck, SUV, minivan etc., is all a new concept to you!
Not only have you never driven in one. But you also have never seen one in your entire life span! You are now told, that this unique contraption, has the ability to take you from point A, to point B, in a fraction of the time. After a few practice trips, you’re ready to put your faith in this automobile to test. You have now learned to accelerate your faith!
Just like our faith in Jesus, it has to be put to work. It has to be tested, practiced, and relied upon to get you where God wants you to be. We have to put your faith in Jesus, to works!
If we never have faith to step on the accelerator, our vehicle will never leave its parking place. If we never put our faith to work, we will never reach the place God has for us. If we never read our bible, how can our faith grow? (See Romans 10:17)
God wants us to have faith in Him! He wants us to Press in! Trust Him to get us where we need to be. Not only that, God wants us to trust Him, in every area of our life. He wants are faith to accelerate!
Has God spoke to You lately?
Has Christ asked You to push forward in Faith in Him?
Has Christ asked You to trust Him at His word to accomplish what He has sent you to do?
Let`s see what God`s word says…
James 2:14-17 (AMP)
Faith and Works
14 What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.] 15 If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do? 17 So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].
Today, press your accelerator of Faith! Trust God to take you, to the place He has prepared for You. Put your faith to works!
Those were the words that Jesus, God Himself spoke to the woman with the issue of blood. That her faith, her belief in God, that He was able to do a miracle in her body would make her whole.
A little back story of this woman with such great faith…
She was a woman that the Bible says had a flow of blood for twelve years, she was what the Jewish people considered to be uncleaned. ( The unclean, sick was not permitted to touch anyone) Yet, she still had faith if she could just touch the hem of Christ’s clothes, she would be healed!
Let’s take a look at this verse…
Mark 5:34 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction
Will your faith make you whole today? Will you step out a little farther and just believe that God has your miracle, just like this woman with the issue of blood? Will you touch the Hem of a Christ’s garment in prayers? Will you just believe?
Today, If your struggling in believing just reach out to Jesus and ask Him to help your unbelief. God is able to help you step out deeper in faith. Just look at what Jesus said here to a father with a sick child.
Mark 9:23-25 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Heavenly Father I come to You in the name of Jesus. Lord, our faith in You has made us whole. Healings are taking place, restorations are taking place, needs are being met, peace is flowing! In Jesus name I pray Amen according to 1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us
The other day, I called on my fellow prayer warriors to join me in an urge prayer! Let’s just say, God kept to His word and heard those prayers. Does God always answers our prayers? I boldly say yes, He does answers prayers!
The Bible is so very clear that we can have a boldness and confidence in the God that we serve, that He ALWAYS hears our prayers! It may not always be the answer we want or in the timing we want, but He hears us! God is faithful to answer our prayers.
Look at this verse… 1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Knowing that God hears us should give us peace, even when things may seem uncertain! Because we serve a God that is always faithful to His word…
Today pray boldly and in confidence, knowing God always answers our prayers !
Proverbs 15:29 The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the “righteous”.
The Bible is so clear that the “ Just” ( You and I) shall live by Faith! And Faith only comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. Hearing that God died for our sins and putting faith in Jesus…
It is so important to read this word daily and allow our minds to be renewed in God’s word and our faith to be built up!
Matthew 4:4 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Today, take the time to renew your thinking in God’s word and aline your thoughts to His! I promise you, it will give you peace!
Christmas is a holiday that many Christians choose to celebrate the birth of Christ. Before anyone says, but Rashida, we don’t know what day Christ was born on! Yes, this is true, but as a Christian we set aside this one day to remember the day our Savior was born. For God created all things, seasons, and days! It all belongs to Him.
Let’s take a look at these verses in relations of choosing this day. Romans 14:6 5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
In the above verses we see whatever day you and I choose to set aside to honor God, let that day be between God and us. As the Bible says very clearly do everything unto God… So enjoy your Christmas Day, as you Honor our Lord and Savior, Jesus!
I remember it, like it was yesterday! My husband and I had just split up, and I was left with six kids to tend to by myself. I had no job, and no income whatsoever. However, I had my God!
That day my heart was very heavy and filled with so much worry. I made a decision to take those cares to God.
The only way we are going to overcome worry and fear is to place every care at the feet of Jesus. Worrying is never going to change the outcome of any situation but I promise you, God can change it!
That day as I cried out to God for help, I was given a job as a lifeguard at our apartment’s pool. Not only did the employer pay me, I was also given free rent as long as I worked there! (Hallelujah God always comes through!)
I seen God step in when I decided to cast every care over to Him. Instead of worries, God gave me His peace in a tough situation.
The Bible is so clear on what we are to do about all our worries as it reads here in these verses…
Philippians 4:6-7 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Today, take every care and cast it at the feet of Jesus and pick up His peace instead!
No where in the Bible does it mention that a tattoo is a sin. Naturally allot of us were taught this by well meaning Christians. However, on the contrary this is not the case!
Let’s take a look at this verse that is often misquoted .
Leviticus 19:28 28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.
As we read this we can clearly see that it is talking about cutting and tattoo marks for the dead! This was something that the pagans would do in their rituals and God did not want the Hebrews to practice the rituals of the pagans. God had set His people aside as His chosen people, they were not to serve other false gods! Everything we do and say should honor God.
Now let’s take a look at more of these verses…
Leviticus 19:26-28 26 ‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. 27 You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.
Again, we can see that the above verses were addressing, Pagan worship and not the worshiping of God Himself.
Nevertheless, if your thinking about getting a tattoo think of these reason on why it may not be the right choice for you.
Is the tattoo honoring God?
Remember the Bible tells us to do everything unto the Lord.
(Colossians 3:23-24 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.It is the Lord Christ you are serving.)
How will a tattoo affect my ministry of reaching people for Christ?
Paul said it so very well here. We have our freedom in Christ to live freely, but that freedom should not be taken lightly. If it is not helpful or benefiting the gospel, put wisdom first in what we do with our freedom. Remember the world is watching.
(1 Corinthians 6:12 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any)
Will it cause my brother or sister in Christ to stumble ?
Remember we are to walk and hold others in consideration of the freedom that we have .
(1 Corinthians 8:9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.)
Have I sought this out in prayers?
God will direct our path in whatever direction we are trying to go. Pray and seek God on his wisdom on tattoos that are appropriate.
(Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.)
And last remember your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body [a]and in your spirit, which are God’s.)
Graced With Beauty For Ashes 