As I think of Daniel, please don’t think I am comparing my trivial experiences as to Daniel’s, but are our emotions trivial?  Are our thoughts much different? Isn’t God a Spiritual God of our spiritual heart?  And, from where did Daniel’s help come from?

Psalm 121:2 King James Version (KJV)

² My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Continuing on,

I suppose maybe at some point in serving Jesus, you have / or will have experienced this?  Because it is written by a God who understands human hearts.  :)   If you have felt the heat of the day in your serving …. ? And, you feel passed over?  Break it down to raw honest truth, you literally see anyone / almost everyone but you get honor for the doing or saying same thing you have been saying for years?  Am I the only one?  Thoughts can begin:  What I am doing wrong?  What is wrong with me?  But friends, it is not (and never has been) about the I in unity, rather to grow in the deeper knowledge that it’s all about THE God in us!  God is showing us that He Is God!  And we can learn from our Master, Jesus!

Oh, goodness, when we receive this, we will never be the same!

I share honest, because God likes an honest heart.  And, this is not something we see a lot of in the church building on Sundays – You know, people saying things like I know this is of God, because the Lord has dealt with me in this area (admitting to jealously, …or whatever strife).  Don’t we tend to hide / (and if we are honest with our self and God, even want to lie against the truth?) from such embarrassment to admit to envy and selfish ambition?

What does this have to do with the Church?

Friends, If you are joining me today, this is form of Church that is for the Church … If God gives the increase that is.  I am just planting a seed by faith; or perhaps watering, but it is God who gives the increase.  I am here to confess my faults and to encourage you that Jesus is good to give us strength.  We are forgiven -It’s time to grow in Christ.  My ultimate prayer that the Lord has put on my heart to pray: “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest (Matthew 9:38 King James Version).”

   See James 5.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

And the prophecy of Isaiah Chapter 7,  we can read that it is Written:

⁵ Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

⁶ Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

⁷ And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

⁸ Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

⁹ And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

…  I don’t have it all figured out;

BUT GOD DOES…follow Jesus!

¹³ so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Can you hide “the glory in your heart” from God?

Can you serve if you don’t confess?

Friend, to God be the Glory Alone.   As we head into the Devotion (or continue on in the Daily Devotion to God’s Holy Word) :)  … I could also share with you Today, since I tend to always share a little bit more with you here at FGGAM than I do in any other public arena, that I was confessing recently to my husband, Robert, and to my spiritual mentor, Pastor Jesse L. Alston that I was feeling a little bit “oh woe’est’ me”  … (in raw truth:  Ridiculous Jealously)  That I had to call it what it was; and get rid of it; … and in telling my story to Pastor Alston, he shared with me that he had been working on a study of Matthew 19, The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.

³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

¹² Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

¹³ But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

Jesus does us no wrong!

Can I be honest, this is the one area that I really didn’t think I had an issue with.  Until, God let things happen in a way that I could see how much more I needed to grow in my praise to God.

Jesus promised us Rest, Peace and Joy.  If Peace is missing (pushed back) from your life, perhaps you are looking a bit too much to what people say / think about you (good or bad).   I hope this helps you grow stronger in your confidence in Christ in 2 things:

1.  It would never be enough!  And, always make you want more!   … If you would receive what you desire (praise from men) – It would never be enough and would always leave you to needing more praise from men to walk in Christ.  But when your heart is sure you have pleased God; and have served well by your faith in Christ, then this is where the true rest in Christ is discovered.  God’s reward is always enough.

Credit: My mom taught me this:

Credit: My mom taught me this:  Lord willing, I will always remember my mom encouraging me to let it go and leave it be:  When our heart is sure we have pleased God, that is enough.   This always gives me strength.  This to me is of God, because it gives me strength to my faith.

a friend is only a friend, if they are a friend in Christ.

2.   The Church is the Body of Believers.  Be careful of the friends you call friends, because a friend is only a friend, if they are a friend in Christ.  The Church is 2 or 3 gathered together in Jesus Name; praising God, and confessing one to the other our weaknesses as we together, in Christ, work together to listen and share and to allow room for each of us to grow in our relationship with Christ, through and by Christ; and in the power of the same Holy Spirit of God alive in each of us who have received the Christ in the Power of the Holy Spirit – through an by God’s Grace in Jesus Name.  See, It is nothing about us, but everything about Jesus.  So, …Getting confession(s) on the outside of us is the way to grow in Christ 1st in a personal relationship, but as a family of God together unified in Christ.  No one is one for himself, but all for the unity and purposes of God through Christ.  We need someone to talk to, that we trust in Christ,  to tell these hidden things to, so we can hear ourselves speak what we think and feel.  And know that God understands you!  That’s why he gave us his Spirit, so we can be of One Body in Christ to serve Him together.

Our right position with God is Thru and by Jesus ….  See?  Our right position with God is thru and by Grace.  None were worthy, but through and by Jesus.

Jesus prayed more than we count His prayers.

As we head in to Today’s Devotion to God’s Holy Word, I am convinced, we are to be found by God in a House of Prayer (see last video posted today).  Jesus prayed more than we count His prayers; and so must we.   It was by prayer first that Jesus served next.  He prayed longer to serve in less time.  See?

I am convinced, our mission to love people begins by prayer.  Then, along our way, when God sends us; or brings to us, we are prepared to serve others well in Christ.   But friends, if you think like I did, … that Matthew 19:30 was the one Scripture that I thought I had covered.  Today, I see that message to the Church in new lenses (in Christ); Let all glory go to Jesus.  I pray this is a blessing to you too.  I am not saying to share your confessions publicly, this is just to reach those who might need encouragement that it is okay to feel anyway you feel – It’s how we deal with what we feel … and know this, Jesus understands you.  And, Jesus loves you more than you can comprehend.

Jesus loves you more than you can comprehend.

2. Evidenced Faith