Friends?

"I shall not call you servants anymore, because a servant does not know what his master is about. Instead, I call you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father." - John 15:15

In our religion, it seems that there are so many rules to follow that it all just seems like a big burden. Jesus understood that things can seem this way to us and that's why He pulled His apostles aside and told them straight up that He wasn't speaking to them as the Lord Almighty and they must obey each and every commandment, but that He considered all of them His friends. He didn't want to be a weight on their shoulders, He wanted to share the news of the Kingdom of Heaven with them, and He wants to share it with us as well.

I know that religion and God talk can be the last thing people want to hear about sometimes, but when we feel like this, we need a change of perspective. While we might run away from our bosses sometimes, we usually always welcome our friends, and their good news becomes our good news. Jesus is longing to share His good news with you. I remember when those "Jesus Is My Homeboy" shirts were popular and it seemed funny at the time, but it's actually very true. Jesus wants to be a friend, a companion, a guide for us when things get tough. Learn to look at Him in this way so that you can share in His Kingdom with Him.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for looking at me as a friend and not a servant beneath You. Help me to respond to Your call of friendship and bring others to You as well. In Your Name we pray, amen.

No Such Thing As Soul Mates

"In the beginning of creation God made them male and female, and because of this, man has to leave father and mother and be joined to this wife, and the two shall become one body. So they are no longer two but one body. Therefore let no one separate what God has joined." - Mark 10:6-9

I really hate it when people use the term "soul mate." To me, it means that two people match each other perfectly, never argue, and are always considerate and caring with each other. Unfortunately, this doesn't exist. Real love is about unconditional love that accepts the ugly as openly as it accepts the good. Soul mates don't exist because human beings have to put real effort into relationships, giving of ourselves completely in order to forget about self and attend to the needs of another. Many marriages fail because people become consumed with being happy and being understood by their partner, when Christ taught us that happiness comes from serving and understanding the other. Jesus is the perfect example of this type of love. He never asked if we loved Him in return, He never asked us to pay Him more attention, He never asked us to change anything or to do more for Him, instead, He gave up everything to the point of death, putting Himself last and the needs of His beloved first. Jesus showed His love with blood, sweat, and tears, not with I love you's and butterflies in His stomach. He was killed and He still loves us, He was betrayed and He still loves us. He gives and gives and gives and recieves very little back, but He still loves us and isn't going anywhere.

My parents have been married for 28 years. What I've learned from them is that a real relationship is a lot of work; it doesn't come easy at all. They didn't teach me this with words, but I've seen them as they sacrifice themselves for the other, going that extra mile after a long day, and forgiving and accepting the other through disagreements. Sometimes things don't get resolved, but they remain dedicated to the other. I believe that in order to do this, we must have Jesus in our lives to learn from Him about choosing forgiveness and mercy over what's in it for ourselves, and in this way, we can move from a selfish love to an unconditional, life-long love.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You showed us what it really means to love, to deny what we want in order to serve the one we love. Give me strength in order to see that the purest happiness is to see the one we love happy. Allow me to follow Your example always. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Something Borrowed

"But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer him the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you." - Matthew 5:39-42

Following God is nothing but easy! Someone close to me borrowed something that meant a lot to me, and they broke it. I never heard an apology and when I got upset over it being broken, I was told that I was over reacting. I turned into a whiny 6 year old and stormed around making sure everyone knew I was mad, but the more I demanded my justice, the more I felt that maybe I was over reacting.

Don't get me wrong, I am very upset about the situation and feel I should have gotten an apology, but I need to practice what I preach. I'm a new person in Christ and can't act as though I have no faith. Jesus says it very clearly, "do not oppose evil with evil." By sulking and complaining, I wasn't being reasonable because that wouldn't have fixed anything. I'm sure this person already feels badly and that's the reason they haven't been able to face me.… fighting with them will only make them feel worse, and although that's what I wanted, I realize it is evil. But even if they're not sorry, don't I believe in a fair God who will take care of me and make sure I am justified? I do, and as much as it makes me so mad I want to cry, I have to give it up to my God. He's my Lord and if this is what He asks of me, then I must obey and wait for His justice.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, I am sorry for not waiting on Your justice. The way I reacted was opposing evil with evil, and not handling things with love as You command. Please take control of my heart and my emotions because if it were up to me, I'd keep on being mad, but I want Your will to be done and not mine. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Taking Us By The Hand

"Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him and the boy stood up." - Mark 9:27

I've been going through a dry spell with God lately. I just keep feeling like I don't do enough for Him, I'm not good enough and don't deserve Him. I'm too much of a sinner. I told a friend of mine yesterday that when I feel like this, I usually try harder to pray more and more and end up getting angry with myself because I become distracted and lose interest in praying altogether. But this morning, I read this verse from the gospel according to Mark and it really spoke to me. I realized that I am trying to do too much - doing too much for God is good, but I was missing something very important… God. I was depending on myself rather than on God to do the work, as if I was so powerful and didn't need Him. Jesus lifted this boy up with His hands and that's the only way I can get out of this dry spell, by praying with patience and waiting for Jesus to pick me up. I can fuss about this all day, but until He picks me up, I'm not going anywhere.

The big idea here is that we really need to learn to become solely dependent on God and learn to get rid of our self-reliance. Every time God wills it, He gives us the grace to accomplish something new, and no matter how hard we try, unless Jesus gives us His hand, we just aren't capable of doing it on our own. As of today, I am at peace about myself because I'll just rely on Him instead of beating myself up about things, and I'll rely on Him to bring me forward when I'm ready.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, please give me Your hand. I am a small little thing before You, a horrible sinner that would fade away if You ever left me. I recognize that You are the Lord of my life and I count on Your Divine Providence for everything. In Your Name we pray, amen.

How To Make A Decision

"They prayed: 'You know, Lord, what is in the hearts of all. Show us, therefore, which of the two you have chosen.'" - Acts of the Apostles 1:24

Do you always include God in the decisions you make? Sometimes we don't and then get angry with God when things don't go our way. I've learned that in everything we do, even in getting on the road to go somewhere, we need to ask the assistance of God. We need to get off this high horse we placed ourselves on from which we think we know all things, especially what's best for us. Humility before God is knowing that we know nothing, but that He knows it all. We make so many decisions in our lives… where to go to school, where to work, who to marry, where to live… all of these decisions are very, very big deals and they have a tremendous impact on our lives. Which of us can say we know enough to actually make a good decision? Recognize that we all need God to guide us in doing what's right for not only ourselves, but for the people that are involved in our lives and are so much affected by what we do.

After Jesus ascended into Heaven, the apostles lived so powerfully in the Spirit because they practiced this principle. They let God guide every little thing they did. They acknowledged that only He knew what was in the hearts of all men and what was in their best interests. From today on, include God in all of your plans if you want to be successful. Pray before you make any decision, big or small, so He can show you the way. A big door won't open directly in front of you, but God will make you feel in your heart what is best for you.

Today's Prayer:
My God, I want You to have an active role in all that I do. I ask You to be my guide in all decisions I make, so that with You, I can walk on the right path. With You, I no longer need to fear mistakes or making the wrong decisions for myself and those around me. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Healing The Wounds

"I have loved you everlastingly, so I have kept for you my mercy. I will restore you again, and you shall be rebuilt." - Jeremiah 30:3-4

Around my junior year of college, I was on vacation in the Dominican Republic visiting my family. My parents were playing a video of my 5th birthday party and I seemed so happy. I actually remember some of it. The next day I was flying back to New York and my dad asked to speak to me privately before I left. He told me he was filled with sadness as he watched the video because he wasn't with me in any of the scenes. During that time my father wasn't a follower of Jesus and was more concerned with his own life and lifestyle than he was with his family. He told me he was sorry because he realized instantly that I grew up with an emptiness in my heart since he wasn't really there for me when I was little. I've had him always with me since he was called by Christ when I was about 11 years old, but until he said that to me that day, I never realized I had that pain and loneliness inside of me. As he spoke to me, so tenderly, asking for my forgiveness, I broke down in tears uncontrollably. It was like someone opened a faucet and my heart hurt so badly. I never knew I carried all of that so deeply inside since I was a little girl. We cried together and prayed together asking God to heal all those wounds, all the results of the sins people carry and pass on to someone else.

We all suffer from so many wounds. You have those you know about that are fresh, you have those older ones that have left scars, but you might even have those that you suffered so long ago that your mind has suppressed them. So many people even carry around the sorrows their mothers endured while they were in the womb and don't understand why they find themselves sad and lonely at times. This is why we need so much of Jesus, because He is the cure for all wounds, no matter the cause and no matter how deep. The Lord loves us and wants to see us healed. He has promised to not only heal, but to restore and rebuild us in His Word, and we need to seek that healing. And in His great mercy, He is even capable of taking us back to the beginning to undo those things that have scarred us so deeply. For King Hezekiah, God actually put back the hands of time to restore his life… so what can't your God, who loves you so much, do for you if you ask?

Today's Prayer:
My God, like a loving father, You pick us up when we're hurt and cure our wounds. I feel like a child in Your arms who is vulnerable and needs so much of You to make me better. Please see my pain and be my only joy and consolation. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Just Keep On Praying

"As for the Eleven disciples, they went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Jesus, they bowed before Him, although some doubted." - Matthew 28:16-17

While Jesus lived with the apostles, they doubted Him. When He was crucified, they lost all their hope. When He resurrected, they still doubted. Even after spending 40 days with them after His resurrection, they still doubted! It doesn't even matter that they saw Him with their own eyes! Dumb apostles, right? If they're dumb, so are we! It's the same thing with us. How many times hasn't God come through for us, on the big things and the small, yet the next time a problem rolls around… bam… we're down on the floor worried that God won't be there for us! But you know what… it's ok! Jesus knew them, He knew what was in their hearts and He didn't reprimand them for it and that's because although they had questions in their head, they were still there praying. You see, that's all that really matters, that we keep on praying, even if a billion questions are stuck in our head. Just keep on praying.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, You have to put up with so much from me! I doubt and turn my back on You, but You're always there to take me back. Please, never let me stay fallen down for too long. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Receive His Peace

"Peace be with you; I give you my peace. Not as the world gives peace do I give it to you." - John 14:28

Wake up in the morning, another day, same routine. Got to get to work. Driving to work… traffic, someone cuts you off. On the train, people shoving and you're standing because someone's got their feet on the only seat left. Get to work, deal with the boss and co-workers… always people trying to get over on you. After work, arguments with your family and friends. And what is the peace the world gives us? Get mad and get even? Show people you don't care about them? And then have a drink to wash it all away?

This isn't the peace of Christ. Jesus would wake up and deal with apostles that never got anything right. So many people calling on Him without ever giving Him a chance to take a break; everybody needed something from Him! Jewish leaders on top of Him, criticizing even the best of His work.

What is the peace of Christ? The peace of Christ means knowing your life has a bigger purpose and remaining in that mind set. He came to do His Father's work. No matter what people said or did to Him, He never let it get to Him because He belonged to the Father, who judged Him for what was in His heart and would reward Him for what was in His heart. You belong to the Father as well. God sees your actions. God understands, and in the midst of all of your routine, God is with you. God will lead you out to where you will find comfort and be restored. Hold on to the peace of Christ.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, sometimes the day zooms by me and leaves me worn out. I can't find comfort in the world and need Your peace more than anything. Please help me to trust in it. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Stains

"He guides me through the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake." - Psalm 23:3

For the past week this verse has been resonating with me. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is like a treasure. I know I've found that treasure inside of me, but it was dirty and I've been trying to polish and clean it. The reason this verse has been resonating with me is because sometimes I feel I'm really close to having it clean, and then God reveals even more dirt and grime, and all sorts of gunk stuck to it, the results of my selfishness and pride, and the hardest things to clean. The surface stains are easy, it's the deeper stains that are really tough to see and remove. It's painful.

Last Wednesday, God showed me something about myself that I didn't know I had in me. I guess I knew, but I didn't pay it any mind and I never thought it was bad until that night. Another deep stain to remove and even more reason to give thanks to God because, truly, the only good in me is Him. Everything else in me seeks my own comfort and my own reward.

We all have this treasure inside of us. The Lord leads us through paths of righteousness because I think that this treasure is a mirror that needs to reflect His image, His love, and His mercy… if only we can work on getting it spotless.

Today's Prayer:
Oh Lord, You are so good in showing me all the things inside of me that are soiled. I am so grateful that You, in Your mercy, have taken me to mold me into a reflection of Yourself, despite how slow and difficult the process is. I am so very far from perfect, but I can do all things in You who strengthen me. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Courage

"I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace, even though you have trouble in the world. Courage! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

What problems are you facing? What's the impossible situation that is dragging you down? A lot of times people wonder where God is and why He isn't helping, but when it comes down to it, oftentimes, it's our own faith that's lacking. It's not that God isn't helping, it's that our faith is weak. In one of his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul told the Christians that they shouldn't grieve as those who have no hope. I have hope. You have hope. If we truly believe in Christ, we all have hope! And what does that faith tell us? It should tell us that God takes care of us, therefore, exercise your faith! Listen to the words of Jesus in this verse, have courage! Have peace! If your faith tells you God will come through, He will! Maybe not now or tomorrow, but He will come through at the perfect time. By letting anxiety take hold of you, you are showing that you don't believe in God, you don't believe in His peace and you don't believe He'll come through for you. Our faith is what activates the hand of God so if you have little faith and are looking only at your obstacles, then the answers to your prayers will also be small.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I need so much of You. I'm not strong at all. My only strength is You. Help me keep my eyes on You so I can confide in You completely. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Handmaid of The Lord

"His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever He tells you.'" - John 2:5

Growing up Catholic, I prayed to the Virgin Mary as a little girl. I always understood her to be my mother too since she was Jesus' mother, and like a good mom, she brought me closer to her son. Now that I'm older, I see her as an amazing role model for my faith. Her words are seldom mentioned in the gospels, but whenever she did speak, the words backed up her exceptional obedience and confidence in the Lord. When the angel Gabriel saluted her and told her about God's plans for her, she said in complete obedience and trust, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said." This young woman, probably only 15 at the time, faced dishonor, bringing shame upon her family and fiancee, and death, yet her faith and humility before God was greater than everything else! Sometimes when I'm on the train and begin to pray, I get a bit embarrassed if someone sees me doing the sign of the cross… look at how far I am from her rock solid faith! And more importantly, Mary understood that all things God brings us is for our ultimate good, no matter how devastating, impossible, or burdensome they may seem to our limited human understanding. How many of us would say no to the angel because we're worried about how things are going to work out and what people will think of us? We hardly ever look beyond the inconvenience to ourselves and never accept in faith that what God asks of us or brings into our lives is actually to do something amazing for us. The Virgin Mary looked beyond herself and all the obstacles. She had tremendous faith and obedience to God at a young age, faith that literally bore fruit to the light of the word, Jesus Christ, our Savior!

Therefore, whether we're Catholic, or any other Christian denomination, let us take Mary as a role model for our faith, she who tells us as she told the servants at the wedding at Cana, "Do whatever He tells you."

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, only a woman of exceptional faith, virtue, love, and obedience could You call Your mother. Allow us to model our faith and acceptance of Your Word after hers. Help us to see that all You ask us to do is for our good. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Jesus Is Lifted Up

"And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all to myself." - John 12:32



When Jesus first said these words, He was referring to His death on the cross - when He was lifted up, crucified, He drew all people into His mercy by dying for us. If you're like me, there are people who you know and love that need to accept Jesus' mercy, but it's the last thing they'll ever pay attention to. Give them up to Jesus. During each sacrifice of the Mass, Jesus is lifted up again when the priest consecrates the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. At that moment when the body is raised into the air by the priest, offer the lives of those you love to Jesus, those you worry about and those who you know need God so much. It doesn't matter how lost they are, our God is so much bigger than their disbelief. When Jesus is lifted up, you have all the power of God right there before you.



Today's Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the ultimate sacrifice of dying on the cross for our sins. I ask that You keep Your promise of drawing all souls to You when You're lifted up above the earth and have mercy on those who need to believe in You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Space Between

"Christ Jesus is the same today as yesterday and forever." - Hebrews 13:8

When we're little, God is the old man with a long beard. We ask Him to protect us and give us sweet dreams. When we get a little older, we ask Him to watch out for us, to help us in school, with friends, and for other things we really want, like a new bike. As we get even older, though, we seem to leave our old friend and protector behind. A teacher once told me a story of a newly wed couple who would sit closely together in their truck as the husband drove home. Years passed and the distance between them in the truck got wider and wider until one day, the wife complained to her husband, "why don't we sit close together anymore?!" to which the husband replied, "honey, I've always been in the same place, you're the one that's moved away!"

In this story, God is the husband and we are the wife. God is the same with us today as He was when we were innocent, trusting children. He still sees us in the same way, why don't we? When we suffer and go through hardships and all sorts of problems and blame Him for it to the point where we don't even count on Him for anything, realize that it's that you forgot to trust in Him. You forgot to believe in Him like you did when You were younger. We often go around trying to create these worlds for ourselves without ever asking Him what He thinks and if these things are good for us. God hasn't gone anywhere, He's still waiting for you to come back and run everything by Him! Stop and take a look at your life and how close or far you've gotten from Him. Remember the total trust you had as a child that God would take care of you. Anyone that knows a child knows they speak the truth because they don't complicate themselves with all of the things we do. Therefore, go back to the way you were, and to the God who is still waiting for His child to get close so He could offer His protection.

Today's Prayer:
My God, as a child, You were my great protector and as I got older, I thought I didn't need You anymore. Oh, my God, allow me to return to You with the same innocence I had back then, and also with the same trust. Help me to see that You have been there all along while it was I who moved away from You. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Need Your Help

"The upright will ask Him: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you drink, or a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to see you?' The King will answer, 'Truly, I say to you: whenever you did this to one of the least, of these my brothers, you did it to me'" - Matthew 25:37-40

For a while now there's been a ministry I've wanted to start and I would like you to help me. Jesus calls us to be light and salt of the world - light which shines and let's people see our faith and salt that preserves the faith of His people. This blog, these messages are light because God speaks through this and builds our faith, but we're missing the salt. When Jesus asks me if I fed His people, gave drink to His people, clothed them, welcomed them, I can't say that I have, but I want to. That's where you come in… please join me to become salt. I would like to start a community of people that join together to identify needs and work together to provide for those needs. For example, if one of us knows someone who needs some money and doesn't have the resources, we join together to help. If one of us knows someone who is going on an interview and can't afford a formal outfit, we join together to help. Or even if we know someone who is older and just needs some company, we join together to help.

Even if you're someone who doesn't particularly like to go to church or pray often, for being a part of something like this, God will immensely bless you and give you much more than what you will be giving away.

Please pray about this and get back to me so we can build this for the sake of others. Jesus will be asking you…

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by Your grace You have given me so much. I am Your hands and Your feet, use me to do Your work for Your people. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Jesus Freak!

"Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?" Then I will tell them openly: I have never known you; away from me, you evil people!" - Matthew 7:21-23

Why is it that I am met with so much resistance when I want to pray with someone or talk about God? It seems to me that I would have more friends and people wanting to talk to me if I spoke about wild nights and getting wasted as opposed to the fact that God wants to be everything for us… He wants to make up for the friend that betrayed you, give you love for the partner that doesn't show you affection, be a crutch when you need support. Yet the people that don't want to hear about God now become expert knee-benders, church goers, and bible-holders when an accident leaves a loved one in a coma, when a serious illness hits, when someone goes to jail, or someone is about to lose their house because they can't pay their bills. Where are they when life is good? The fact is, that soon or in a couple of years, I, like each and every single one of you, am going to die, and on that day, I will have to face my God, and on that day, I WILL NOT care about who calls me a "Jesus freak" today, who avoids talking to me because I want to talk about the love of God, or who tries telling me that I should take things easy. The only thing I care about, that matters to me, is that when I die, Jesus will know who I am. Therefore, I am NOT compromising on my faith and I WILL continue to try to do the will of God, because as far as I am concerned, when I call out "Lord! Lord!" I'm getting through those doors and joining all the other Jesus freaks!

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, it is so hard to live with Your joy and do Your will when most of the people around me only seek their own needs and desires. Help us to remember that this life is short and in order to live it righteously we need to put ourselves aside and do as You have taught us. Give us the strength to persevere. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Don't Fall

"For only a few cents you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, every hair of your head has been counted. So do not be afraid: you are worth much more than many sparrows." - Matthew 10:29-30

I always had faith since I was a kid. I probably didn't pray very much and one hour of church on Sunday was a big deal for me, but I considered myself a person of faith anyway. When I turned 16, I experienced a special call from God, but with time, I went back to being lukewarm, not actively working on my relationship with God, putting other things first. About a year ago, something changed and I began to really feel like I needed Him more and more. One day, as I prayed kneeling down in my room, I felt the presence of God, of the Holy Spirit surround me and my eyes watered up with tears. I found myself crying, not out of sadness, but out of love… God was letting me feel His love for me, and it was something so amazing that I was scared I would fall again and go back to my old ways of hardly praying and being lazy with my faith. The thought of cooling off from God scared me and hurt me so much that instead of kneeling, I completely bowed down to the ground and asked Jesus over and over again to please not let me fall as my tears fell on the floor. When I lifted my head up again, I grabbed my bible and prayed to God to show me a passage that would tell me what to do, how to keep on following Him… and when I opened the bible to a random page, I got my answer… my finger landed on these two verses… for a few cents, two sparrows can be bought, but not one of them falls without my Father's consent… He's got every hair of my head counted…I shouldn't be afraid of falling because I am worth so much to Him.

And you are worth so much to Him as well. Don't let Spiritual laziness or life distractions keep you from knowing this incredible love of God and how much you mean to Him.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, I want to get to know You better but my life gets in the way. Sometimes I am too busy or I am just too weak. Help me to overcome these distractions and start giving You the room You deserve. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Get More Than Your Fill

"When they saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, 'Master, when did you come here?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, I say to you, you look for me, not because you have seen the signs, but because you ate bread and were satisfied. Work then, not for perishable food, but for the lasting food which gives eternal life. This is the food that the Son of Man gives to you, for the Father's seal has been put on him.'" - John 6:24-27

A lot of people look for Jesus. A lot of people go out of their way to try to find Him, but why is it that you and I are looking for Him? During this reading in John, Jesus had miraculously multiplied the loaves of bread for the hungry people. He then walked on water to cross to the other side. The crowds that were present when Jesus multiplied the loaves went out to look for Him again and when they found Him, Jesus gave them a warning that we need to consider in our own lives. Jesus performed miracles so that we could believe in the Son of God and in the rewards of eternal life. Unfortunately, some people went out searching for Jesus to get their fill of the bread He offered. How many of us look for God only for our own earthly survival? We look for Jesus fervently to get ourselves out of a bind, to help us find the money we need to pay off a bill, to help us through difficulties in a relationship… but once we've gotten our fill, once Jesus feeds us with what we needed, what do we do next? So many of these people left Jesus and wanted to come back only to eat again. Yes, God can take care of your needs on earth, and you should ask Him for help in everything, but never stop at just fast food. Let the Lord be your steady diet. As Jesus said, don't go to great lengths to find Him to obtain perishable things, things you will leave behind one day. Go through the effort of finding Jesus to find the source of life for your entire being, the one and only thing that I guarantee will fill you… God Himself.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You're my safety net when I need help, but help me grow so that my life becomes a prayer instead of picking You up and dropping You off when I need something. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Your Sin Remains

"Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'we see,' your sin remains.'" - John 9:41

From the time we learn to walk and talk, our parents teach us what is right and wrong. We're not supposed to lie, cheat, steal, hurt others, etc. It's really not as simple, though, as we get older, is it? Suddenly, those things that we learned we're not supposed to do, become things that aren't that big of a deal to do. Things we tell our friends about, but would never tell our parents. Because all of our friends do it, and the people we watch on tv, it becomes the norm and then it's not necessarily bad.

Well, wrong is wrong, no matter how many people commit the sin. Think about certain things in your life where you are committing a sin, but don't feel it's so bad, although you are very well aware it is a sin. I feel this is part of Jesus' message to the Pharisees. As teachers of the law, they had very clear definitions of what everything meant. They knew the law from A to Z, and yet, they were the worst sinners Jesus ever encountered! The Lord's mercy knows no end, but it will not get you off the hook for doing something you know for a fact you're not supposed to be doing! The Pharisees said they could see, meaning they understood and since they understood, they could not be forgiven. Those who do not know the law could never be held accountable for the sins they commit, since they do not see. In the same way, you, if you know what is wrong, and you do it anyway, your sin remains. This is the type of sin that ruins your relationship with God. It separates you from God's grace, making it hard for your soul to find its way back. That's why those deep in sin keep falling and have a tough time recovering. Never carry this type of burden around. It's a dead, needless weight and only leads to more sin and death.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I see but am actually blind to many sins I carry. Give me the strength to do away with what disappoints You, what my conscience tells me that is clearly wrong, but I find myself doing anyway. I know all things are possible with You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Mercy

"For God had given us the Law through Moses, but Truth and Loving-kindness came through Jesus Christ." - John 1:17

All of my life, I have followed the correct path. I hardly ever gave my parents any trouble. I was the teacher's pet and have always been called the goody goody by those who know me. Because of this, I painfully confess, I have often judged others because they weren't like me. I wouldn't admit it then, but now I realize I thought myself better. All this time I have been really good at following the law, doing what's right and staying away from bad. But my heart had been in being proud of myself for being right, while true goodness from the heart was lacking.

God has given us His law, but each of us knows the difference between right and wrong. What about mercy? Mercy is an undeserved gift from God. That is what Jesus brought to us with His life, death, and resurrection. True love and kindness have been given to us by Jesus. That means that because He loves us, not because we have been good, and even when we've been bad, Jesus forgives us without merit. He washes away sin. He washes away guilt. He washes away any pain we carry in the heart. It really doesn't matter what we've done in the past. God doesn't look at us like I would have in the past. If you weren't "good' like me, I would have thought less of you. But not God. The further you feel from Him, the more He wants to hold you, embrace you, keep you safe in His arms. He doesn't seek our righteousness but our mercy… that we love others in this way. That we see that we all come from the same Father. This way, no one can ever feel better than anyone else since all we have is because God has been loving and merciful, and has blessed us.

Please, don't make the same mistake I've made if you feel this speaks to you as well. Ask Jesus to bless you with His mercy. We are all flawed and have all sinned, yet the Lord loves us despite of all these things. Abandon yourself in His mercy and share it with others.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as imperfect as I am, with all my bad thoughts, deeds, and attitude, you still choose to love me and walk with me. I could never deserve you, but please change my heart. Humble me and make me pliable. Work through me and show me Your perfection. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Are You A Witness?

"The one who has seen here gives his witness so that you may believe: his witness is true and He knows that he speaks the truth." - John 19:35

You are a Christian today because Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead and His apostles became witnesses of this truth. Their belief and their work enabled for our faith to be passed down from generation to generation, and today, it rests in your hands. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives The Great Commission to His apostles: go out and make disciples of all nations. The apostles have done their jobs because here you are, a believer in Christ, but what will you do to bring Christ to others? Today, The Great Commission is given to you.

We are all witnesses of the truth of God and we must proclaim it to others! It's not about standing in the streets and yelling out that Jesus is your savior. It's not about sitting in the first pew at church each week. It's not about spending all day on your knees praying. It's about living out your faith in God! If God has done good things for you, do you live your life showing the joy you have? Do others see the goodness of God in you? Do they want that joy you have? Do they even know you believe? There's never a need to go around throwing Jesus' Name about, but if someone is having a problem, or is sad, offer to pray for them. If you happen to be praying and someone calls and asks you what you were doing, tell them you were praying. Smile at someone as they pass you by. Small things like these warm people's hearts and may plant a seed for them to pray to the God that has given you joy and peace. When you feel you want to do more, take a step forward and talk openly to people about your faith. Tell them the reason you hold on to God. Be a witness to the truth! Take a step each day to do the work of the apostles and make disciples of those that need God's love in their lives. There are opportunities to witness for Jesus waiting all around us! Take action!

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I believe in Your resurrection and desire to serve You by proclaiming Your life and truth to others. Give me the wisdom, joy, and words to speak so that I can bring the lost to You. In Your Name we pray. Amen.