Wanted

"God chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and without sin in His presence. From eternity He destined us in love to be His adopted sons through Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 1:4-5

There are many people that carry the pain of not being wanted or loved by their parents. Many children are born as "mistakes" and many are abandoned when they're young. A lot of people also grow with the feeling that they're just not good enough and won't amount to anything. My own father was told by his father that he would never be anything special in life. These children grow up feeling neglected and seldom know what real love is or how to express and accept it as adults.

If you carry this pain in your heart, the feeling that you weren't loved enough by a parent or were neglected when you needed them, you must remember one thing, although your parents provided the natural way for you to come into the world, it was God that took His time to think about you, design your life, and plan for you way before the world was even created. God chose you before the creation of the world. You are no accident and although neglect from your parents hurts, you are loved and taken care of by your Father in Heaven. Your life might seem small at times and insignificant, but God Almighty has bigger plans for you. You are special, you are loved and you need to pick up your head and carry on with life knowing that God, your Father, planned for you, created you and will do great things for you, no matter who else doesn't love you or appreciate you.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, it's so hard for me to accept and believe Your love at times, but I know You did in fact choose me. Help me to accept this love and begin to change my heart to let go of the pain I hold inside. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Who You Know Isn't Always Everything

"As Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to him, 'Blessed is the one who bore you and nursed you!' Jesus replied, 'Surely blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it as well.'" - Luke 11:27-28

Whether it's the hottest club in LA or NYC, or the most competitive job in a Fortune 500 company, who you know can be everything. Who you know can get you through the door. But when it comes to God, this won't get you very far. The woman in the crowd who saw Jesus said that blessed is His mother for having bore Him and nursed Him, but Jesus wouldn't have corrected her without reason. A lot of people can look at me, and know that I'm the daughter of a deacon and automatically think I'm in with God, but that's not the case. A lot of people also think that they can get by with God by having their family pray for them. Yes, intercession does work, but that doesn't guarantee you anything. You have to know the big guy at the door directly or you're not getting in. With God, you need to know Him and speak to Him directly, and live your life according to what those conversations tell you. Jesus said to the woman that blessed are those who hear the Word of God AND keep it. Through my dad, I hear the Word of God and through your family and friends who pray for you, you hear the Word of God, but are you putting it into practice? It's not just hearing it or thinking that you're good to go by association. Jesus said hearing AND keeping. You need to do both. No one else is going to save you on your behalf. Your relationship with God is personal and only between the two you, so it is your responsibility to not only hear the Word if you want peace and salvation, but to keep it as well.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, forgive me for the times I've told others to pray for me, wrongly believing it was enough, instead of going to you directly. Help me to always hear and practice Your Word. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Truth Hurts

"Do not think that I have come to establish peace on earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father and daughter against her mother; a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Each one will have as enemies those of one's own family." - Matthew 10:34-36

This really does not sound like something Jesus would say, but it is. It goes along with what I said yesterday about the difference between believers and those that live in the world. Jesus came to bring a sword and division within our families because if we respond to His call to righteousness, then it is our job to do what's right and set an example for those around us. But many times, those within our own families do not believe and mock us. Or, you see those in your family commit sins and they don't want to hear you correct them. I was listening to a Christian radio station yesterday and a man called up to say he was converting to Christianity but his wife refused to convert and said she would divorce him if he converted.

These are the divisions that sprout up when we choose to follow Christ but we have to continue to imitate Him no matter what. Jesus wasn't popular with a lot of people because He always told the truth to those He loved. He spoke out against hate, against prostitution, against storing riches, against all the sins people were commiting even though they didn't want to hear it, and that's what He needs us to do within our own families. Remember, you are the light and salt of the earth and need to shine. Unfortunately, the truth hurts, but if you pray and stay firm in Him, He will guide you to do what's right, starting within your own family.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, I know You call me to tell others within my own family what they need to hear. It's not always easy Lord, but please help me to be the light You need me to be and turn those closest to me back to You. In Your Name we pray, Amen.