Devotions For The DAILY GRIND

09/06/2024

Neuroscience now is able to prove that only 1 percent of our thoughts are conscious thoughts..

The other 99% is a series short thoughts like subliminal messaging that we aren't even aware of... sounds like the devil's playground to me... meanwhile we can't even ever be sure what our own thoughts are about..

‭Jeremiah 17:9 NASB1995‬
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

To those who don't understand subliminal messaging ... during the 60s and 70s there were single frame shots of popcorn ... hotdogs... and pops at movies and drive on theaters... the next intermission ...there would be a run on exactly those foods... at the concessions... it went further... s*xual images in the ice of glasses of liquor being advertised in magazines... needless to say it was all quite manipulative!

So what does the Bible say about how we can control our minds...and guard against this kind of manipulation or how not to fall into temptation???...

Well... the meme below gives a pretty good indication... don't let the door open!!! ... to temptation... ever...

Here are several verses to consider about the mechanics of avoiding sin and temptation...

‭2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB1995‬
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ...

Taking every thought captive is one way..
Examining it and seeing if it is what lines up with other instructions given in same source...aka the Bible..

‭Proverbs 4:23 NASB1995‬
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life..

In this case diligence means...
1) constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.
2) Law.
the degree of care and caution required by the circumstances of a person.
3) Obsolete.
care; caution.

So you can see if we are putting in the effort and work required to take every thought captive and the constant ...persistent exertion to watch over our hearts... temptation and it's friends... the lust of the eyes.... the lust of the flesh... and the boastful pride of of life... which may I add from Eve's experience is wanting to believe something that is clearly wrong ... like being like God... the boastful pride of life is always a self-deception...

Below are 2 excellent articles... both well worth reading...

FYIZ
Blessings
J💖Y

https://www.impactus.org/articles/how-to-guard-your-heart-from-s*xual-sin/ #:~:text=Proverbs%204%3A23%20says%20we,in%20positive%20or%20negative%20ways.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140730142814-138545228-7-ways-to-guard-your-heart

31/05/2024

This is an excellent 3 day devotional on bible.com...

DAY 3

The most effective and powerful antidote for anxiety is thanksgiving and praise. When we feel it coming on or even begin to think about the possibility of it coming on we want to nip it in the bud. We want to
immediately stop and "BOW." Here are three things to help us find the calm when we are encountering the overwhelming waves of anxiety.

BOW as an acronym =

BOW before Him. Bring all of your cares to Him! Lay them at His feet, Humble yourself before Him. Honor Him as God. He knows all. He can handle it all. Bring Him your
heartache, your children, your spouse, your finances, your day, your future, your life - all of your concerns. He knows what is best and He works all things according to His wise and loving will. Cast all of your cares upon Him believing that He cares for you. He is able. You are not. He is God. You are not!

OFFLOAD your angst. Humbly hold each thought up to the Word of God. Take your worry, your anxiety, your fear, your unbelief, your anger - all of the sin that is weighing down your little water craft - and confess them to the Lord. Throw each and every one overboard, and let them fall to the bottom of the sea of His grace

WORSHIP the Lord. Fix your eyes upon Him. Take your eyes off of yourself and off of your circumstances and set them securely upon your Lord. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and come into His courts with praise Thank Him from the bottom of your heart following the example of the psalmists. Humbly acknowledge that you can't see all things, but He can. Worship Him in the spirit of holiness, praising and thanking God because He knows what is best. He is all powerful. He is in control. He knows what He is doing. No one can stay His hand. And He has you in the palm of that mighty hand.

Take a moment to practice taking these truths to heart. Turn to Psalm 96 in your Bible and bow before God, If you are not able to bow literally, humbly bow before Him in your heart. He is God. He loves you with a love that knows no bounds. He is good, and He is working on your behalf even as you pray. BOW before Him now...

25/05/2024

Do you often wonder what verse is at the very centre of the Bible?...

Did you wonder if it has something important to say ? ...like... perhaps does it somehow summarize everything the Bible teaches us?...

Or if it is an important reminder?... A warning?... or an important instruction on how to walk thru this world?

It is all of those things!!... isn't that just like our God??

So what is this verse...???
The verse that is at the very centre of God's Word to us...

It is Ps. 118:8

‭Psalms 118:8 NASB1995‬
[8] It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in man.

https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.118.8.NASB1995
A warning ...
An instruction... yet also...
The central theme of the Bible...

Blessings
J💖Y

It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man.

13/05/2024

Joy Colclough Devotions for the Daily Grind

January 27, 2018

Joy Colclough originally shared this with End Times Prophecy (Discussion):

We often forget to look back and see how far God has brought us...

This world definitely attempts to force us into a mold... And will only grow worse as persecution for our faith grows...

When I look back at who I once was.... And the direction I was heading... I marvel at God's hand of mercy...

But never forget we can be saved,... as fire insurance... and not experience much in the way of spiritual growth. Yes, our personal trials do bring about change through the refiner's fire... But it is the renewing of our minds... By the washing of the water of the Word that really has the deepest impact.

We are told this in Ephesians 5:26 that sanctification takes place by the washing of the water of the Word.

So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water of the Word.....

SANCTIFY... Meaning... holy, set apart, free from sin, purified to make conducive to or productive for spiritual blessing.

There is an old computer acronym that says GIGO... garbage in equals garbage out... This is very much true of our spiritual lives... If we feed our minds with garbage... It's then what is stored up in our minds and our hearts.... that comes out of our mouths.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:18...that the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and those defile the man..

But if we renew our minds by reading God's Word.. It can actually straighten out our thinking... And bc our thinking is renewed.. Our lives are renewed bc or hearts (and minds) are the wellspring of the soul. (paraphrase Proverbs 4:23). That is... if our hearts and mind are carefully guarded we will be filled with life...

One has to just look around at the cost of unguarded minds.. depression, anxiety, addiction and a sense of worthlessness... that prevails in our society. Bc ppl do not close their hearts, minds, eyes, and ears to the useless thought patterns of this world. Their understanding is actually darkened. (Ephesians. 4:18).

Their minds aren't being renewed and so thought patterns cause decay... Eventually that leads to physical as well as mental decay. There is no end of evidence of the effect of anxiety stress and depression on the body.
..being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God bc of
the ignorance that is in them, bc of the hardness in their hearts. (Ephesians. 4:18 NASB)

We should be spurred on to studying God's Word.... This is our source of renewal.. To make us spiritually and mentally whole..

I know that I am glad that I am not the person I once was... Bc of salvation... PTL... But also bc I took seriously the promise of renewing my mind... I now have something better than momentary happiness... Peace of mind, knowing I am on the path to being who God created me to be.

Thank God for His Word... Both the Bible and the Living Word... His Son...Jesus Christ.

Blessings
J💖Y

09/05/2024

This is good...

In the Hands of a Fiercely Tender God - 4 Days of Hope and Encouragement for the Sufferer: Day 2 • Devotional

http://bible.com/r/8j7

09/10/2023

Truth...

09/10/2023

Restriction of freedom of speech explained... TRUTH!!

02/10/2023

Thanksgiving Expressed... this is the title of Isaiah 12...

These 2 verses are a list of what a life of thanksgiving is all about... what it should look like:

1) give thanks to the Lord
2) call on His name
3) make known His deeds among the peoples... (not just you own)
4) make them remember His name is exalted
5) praise the name of the Lord in song ... for His works
6) let this be known in all the earth

This is very convicting to me... how about you?

Praise and thanksgiving are more than just for Sunday service

Blessings
J🩷Y

30/09/2023

October prayer guide...

30/09/2023

No other words needed...

19/09/2023

This is an interesting verse.... another comparison between modern language translations vs a direct translation

Let's take a look...

If we take a modern language Bible and see what it says... Often modern language translations simplify for us to get the just of the verse but are weak in showing the depth of meaning...

People who do what is right have many problems, but the Lord will solve them all.
NCV

I find that rather weak..." Problems" gives the illusion of minor annoyances...

Afflictions is a much weightier word... Denoting hardships...

It is translated from the Greek.. "Kakoo"... To suffer ill, to be maltreated, tormented.. "Kakos
suffering.... torment... Evil....

The English definition is this..

AFFLICTION... A state of grief, loss, distress or misery... A cause of mental or bodily pain, as in sickness, loss, calamity, or persecution.

You can see now why "problem" is a weak word... That isn't what is being spoken of here...

I've spoken before about the Word... "righteous"... Being from the Middle English rightwise...Knowledge as to what is right...Just... From the Greek word... "dikaiosune.

This is a Holy Spirit gift bestowed on believers... Without the Spirit it is impossible to know what is right or how to be just....

DELIVER... In this case means to set free or liberate, release or save, disburden....

So what is this verse saying....

Many are the griefs, losses, distresses, and miseries, calamities, persecution and mental anguish, of those who are just and wise as to what is right, but the Lord releases them, saves them, disburdens them, liberates them and sets them free... Out of them all...

That's not weak at all....

Wow!

So we can see... God clearly is in the business of of delivering us from any kind distress we find ourselves.....(I specifically left out physical healing bc that is a different topic.)...

That he promises to deliver us... Disburdens us.... I love that... It's a mental picture of God removing all the heaviness that weighs us down... Things that stop us from having the joy of the Lord... (Which is the outcome of having been delivered from every affliction)... That make living in the here and now burdensome... He will take them away... But remember... In order for Him to take it... We must be willing to release it... That is our part.... To be willing.

Are you?

PTL.

Blessings
J🩷Y

14/09/2023

God is so merciful...

13/09/2023

Let's have a look at this verse and see what we can glean....
We see 2 words that end in "form"...

Do not CONFORM to the pattern of this world... the prefix CON is from Latin which means WITH...

The other is TRANSFORM... the prefix TRANS is also Latin... which means ACROSS...

When Jesus in Matt.7:13-14... spoke of the wide path that leads to death... this is what he was talking about... CONFORMING ...along with this world... and it leads to destruction

By contrast the narrow path is being formed across to God's way that is ...TRANSFORMING ... across to the narrow way that leads to life...

How do we do that?... By the renewing of our minds... how does that happen??...

Ephesians 5:25-26 tells us ... by the washing of the water by the Word... literally a brain wash... good stuff in...garbage out!!

Next it gets interesting...

NASB1995 says...

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 NASB1995

Good and acceptable are rather weak words to descibe the will of God... do you not think?

GOOD... dictionary definition says... we will look at the definition that applies to quality... bc this is how the word is applied here...

Good = Satisfactory in quality quantity or degree...rather weak is it not?

ACCEPTABLE... definition here is also puzzling

Definition as applied here..

Acceptable =
1) capable or worthy of being accepted
2) meeting only minimum requirements...barely adequate???
3) capable of being endured ..tolerable... bearable

Not how i would describe the will of the Almighty...

But it very much describes our walk with God...

A lot of times we endure ...and eventually accept our circumstances as being His will for us...

Only in hindsight... which is 20/20... can we look back and see that His will is PERFECT!!

Blessings
J💖Y

10/09/2023

John Elderidge... in his Wild at Heart daily devotional... explains why God doesn't destroy Satan and force us to obey Him... one of the chief objections non Christians have to the evil in the world being God's fault... and Satan uses this to blind ppl... to whose really behind all the evil greed and corruption in this world...

Satan!.. not for his own sake but to hurt the heart of God... an operation spoiled sport... when you know your going to the lake of fire anyway... take as many ppl with you as you can.... and have a scorched earth policy!

"Being unable to defeat God through raw power, Satan’s legions decide to wound God as deeply as possible by stealing the love of his Beloved through seduction. And having “seduced them to his party,” to ravish them body and soul; and having ravished them, to mock them even as they are hurled to the depths of hell with God himself unable to save them because of their rejection of him. This is Satan’s motivation and goal for every man, woman, and child into whom God ever breathed the breath of life. Like a roaring lion, he “hungers” for us.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8–9)

God could have given up on the love affair with mankind. He could have resorted to power and demanded our loyalty, or given us a kind of spiritual lobotomy that would take away our choice to love him. Even now, he could easily obliterate our Enemy and demand the allegiance of our hearts, but the love affair that began in the laughter of the Trinity would be over, at least for us. And Satan’s accusation that the kingdom of God is established only through raw power would be vindicated."

09/09/2023

Truth...

09/09/2023

So many ppl today are forgetting evolution is a THEORY... one that keeps needing modification... the lastest is ...the telescope that is out there to show us the renments of the big bang ...in far space... it showed nothing of the sort!!...rather the whole universe is all the same age... there goes the big bang theory!!.. oh... but wait ...they are developing a "fudge factor" to account for this🤦‍♀️!!...

We creationists can just rest in the knowledge we have... no modifications necessary!

This THEORY causes ppl to believe that there is nothing beyond this life... which in turn leads to believing they need to cram everything into this life... including doing things harmful to their lives... being entirely self centred... disregarding the worth of others ( bc life means nothing)...

Genesis tells the story of CREATION ! ... one that never needs to fit new "data"... of a God ...the GOD... who created us to love and be loved...( not the fake s*x is love is love)... but selfless, giving love... that was the SON being sacrificed as a sin offering... ie PROPITIATION...a payment for our sins... would you die for someone elses sins? JESUS did!

Life is eternal... if we all lived like each one of us is precious unique and loved by the one and only true GOD... we would know but we know ... that no partying your brains out or focusing on fun in this life is needed... bc the best is yet to come!

Blessings
J🩷Y

02/09/2023

The Gospel of Mark... written by a man who was under the tutelage of Barnabas ...Paul... and Peter...

The Gospel of Mark was written by John Mark whose life was shaped by three men....

26/08/2023

This is a promise from God that tells us that no matter what we go thru... it is for our ultimate good... why?
When things are so hard...would we want to believe this??....
1) Well it could be that you need pruning... to w**d out something in your character... that needs to change... and we as humans tend to hold on to wood hay and stubble... and place too much value on it
2) It could be that God wants you to see that He can be trusted... after all...trust has a track record...
3) it could be others need to see you walk with God ...thru the dark valley and out the other side... as a witness to His work in the lives of His ppl
4) it could be that it is for the sake of others.. to allow them to come alongside ...to bless you ...to pray for you ... to extend you grace and mercy...

Always remember... there is no water on the mountain.... only in the valley...

Food for thought🤔
J💖Y

26/08/2023

From prophecy n€ws watch...

25/08/2023

Massive wins ... still more work ...pls sign petition

Massive Win Against SOGI 123 in Saskatchewan and progress in Manitoba!!

25/08/2023

God's Covenants...

The Bible’s main way of talking about God’s relationship to humanity is the image of a partnership. This video on covenants traces the way God entered into a...

24/08/2023

Why churches are faultering...

22/08/2023

What is love? ... it is to imitate Christ... to comfort... teach ... correct... (Yes Christian churches... we need to correct others... as the Spirit leads... not making up rules about proximity... if it is of the Spirit... then God has chosen that person... to speak into the offender's life then you need to relax)... encourage... admonish... show grace and mercy... it is about the Spirit's leading...

As i have said in other posts.. there are 4 kinds of love ... storge... eros... phileo... agape
Family... romantic ... brotherly... unconditional love ... as in the love of God... the kind of love that sacrificed His own son as a sin offering... to die an excruciating ( literally of the cross) death...

We are to demonstrate that kind of love.. that is sacrificial... when a friend calls in a crisis... you may not want to go... but if the Holy Spirit is prompting... you go... bc YOU will ultimately be blessed... but you will also be fulfilling the call to be 'Jesus with skin on'... this is the kind of love ...the world is looking for in all the wrong places... so listen for God's call to be 'Jesus with skin on'...

St. TERESA OF Avila... 2 of her quotes are below... please avail yourself of them to see a surrendered life... and what true love means...

https://youtu.be/w7ymxW3rndk

20/08/2023

We are at 1 minute to midnight...

Do you want eternal life or eternal death???

It's all about what you worship... you can choose to worship... The Amighty and therefore have a glorious life forever with Him... thru His Son Jesus... or you serve yourself ... which is ultimately serving Satan.. thru works/rule based religions... or you serve other gods of s*xual gratification in ways contrary to God's way... or money... or partying/ hedonism... these too are serving Satan...why? bc God tells us we are either for Him or against Him... there is no fence sitting folks... Time to choose!!

He who is not with Me is against Me... (Jesus) Matt.12:30a

Choose you this day whom you will serve... as for me and my house... we will serve the Lord Josh. 24:15

16/08/2023

Suffering has a purpose... it helps us develop empathy.... we can look at others who are suffering and say..." I've been there".

In most societies around the world suffering is viewed as part of life... in the Western world it is to be avoided at all costs...

We are seeing what lack of suffering is doing in our society... molly-coddled... over the top ...selfish and self-righteous ppl who are sure they know the way the world should work... concerning themselves only with themselves... my rights ...my feelings ... what I'm entitled to... I can do whatever I want...

May 14, 1948... the day Israel became a nation in a single day... a prophecy...this signalled the last generation... 70-75 yrs...

“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. Is.66:8

It's 5 minutes to midnight folks... this is another signal the end is near...

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 2 Tim. 3:1-2

God designed suffering to give us humanity...
Which is certainly better than what we are seeing now...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3‭-‬4 NASB1995

02/07/2023

Prophetic ...yes... but the statement goes deeper... why a Lamb?... bc lambs were used in sacrifice...for atonement... "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" Hebrews 9:22... why blood?... bc its a matter of taking responsibility and understanding the seriousness of sin ... the one who brought the lamb put their hand on the lamb's head while the priest slit its throat ( not cruel compared to pagan sacrifices bc death was instantaneous... with pagans the more the animal suffered the better the sacrifice)... the sinner could not help but recognize and take responsibility for the lamb's death... that it died for their sins
In this world where ppl want to do whatever they pkease with impunity... the consepts may seem unfathomable... but God warns apart from accepting the sacrifice of the Lamb of God ...you will perish.

26/06/2023

There are 2 kinds of sorrow

The Godly sorrow is regret at the things one has done...

The worldly sorrow...is a sorry for oneself... that this is happening to them... not sorry that one did something to end up in this circumstance... nor do they see it as a consequence of behaviour / choices... this is why it leads to death..ie spiritual death...

Without taking responsibility for one's roll in one's own circumstances..ie seeing oneself always the victim... there will be zero growth/ maturing... this causes spiritual regression and death...

22/05/2023

Inner peace... is what Jesus is talking about here... the absence of anxiety ... we who follow Christ know it... the kind no pill...no drink... no government social safety net... no gender identity can provide... the kind of peace knowing things are not falling apart but falling into place...

As the Ruler of all ...discounts all possible futures... except for the one that prepares the world for His rule for all eternity...

We all have choices within that... but choices have consequences ... and perhaps your anxiety has something to do with that??!!??

Point to ponder... being your own god... you will find that you make a very poor god... who provides no security... this also goes to lifestyles we worship... things... and relationships ...

To repent means literally to rethink... perhaps it is time to reconsider?

Blessings
J💖Y

08/05/2023

Proverbs 23:6 says..." as he thinks within himself so he is"

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius(121-180 AD) said " We become what we think about..."

Watch your thoughts...because...

"Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your character, and your character determines your destiny"

This isn't Biblical ... but if you study your Bible... its a Biblical principle... in fact the above warning is a sort of opposite affect of the following verses...

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ROM. 5:3-5...

By not wallowing in self pity... we dont allow ourselves to take a bad spiral downwards into a self- fulfilling prophecy of our own making... God is right yet again... our trials can make us or break us depending how we think about ourselves ...our trials... and our circumstances...

Therefore...

Watch how you think...guard your heart with ALL (100%) diligence... vigilance...however you want to say it ..it means to put our best effort and be on guard...

The world is full of bad attitudes and slippery deceptions...

Unless it comes from God... then we need to be extremely discerning...

Blessings
J💖Y

24/04/2023

We should never be ashamed of sharing/ standing up for THE TRUTH...

Truth is absolute...

And truth is a person...

Jesus told us..." I Am...the Way and the Truth and the Life" John 14:6

I Am.. meaning He was God ...

The one and only source of real truth...

And the Life the source of life itself...

Bc He is the Creator God...

And able to provide meaning to this life...

And the sole source of Eternal Life... we have no hope of that other than Christ

Amen...