Good morning, Friends of God:

A few days ago, I was watching a video on YouTube. The video was about weight loss. The young lady that made the video said something that quickened the spirit within me. She stated that she does not say that she, “Lost Weight.” Rather she says that she, “Released the weight.” She came to peace with the fact that something she was holding on to was not allowing her to be at her highest good. 

In the same way, there are many of us that need to lovingly release what may be weighing us down. The writer of Hebrews shares this with us:

Hebrews 12:1-2

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Race of Faith

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is what I plan on doing before the weekend is out. I am going to write down everything that I need to release from my life on small pieces of paper.  I’m going to tie the those notes to some balloons. Before I release the balloons, I will say a prayer thanking the “weights” for their time in my life. I will ask God to continue to help me work in unison with Him to proceed with my healing, restoration and divine wholeness. (Note: I just read that there are many laws against releasing balloons into the air, as they may cause harm to wildlife. I love animals too much to cause them any harm. I will find another ceremonial way to “Release.”)

May you also create a ceremony of release for whatever may be “weighing” you down. I stand in agreement and love with you. I believe so much in the completion of the good work God began in you. 

Be blessed and know that I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. 

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Friends of God:

This morning’s devotional is about the Altar of God. The altar has so many purposes in our relationship and fellowship with God.

If you are bringing a gift to God, the altar is your blessing place. If you are breaking bread, through Holy Communion, it is a place of remembrance. If you are going to the altar due to a sickness, it is a place of healing. If you are going to the altar to leave your problems, cares, sins and burdens it is a place of restoration and forgiveness. If you are at the altar just to love on God and say, “Thank You, I Love You,” then it is a place of worship. 

In the Old Testament, the altar was the place where God use to dwell in the temple. The altar of God was in the Holy of Holies. However, now the dwelling place of God is within us, if we invite Him/It to come into our heart.

Revelation 3:20

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

²⁰ Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.

What are you bringing to the Altar of God this morning? Bring it in faith, knowing that God has already made a place for you. There is plenty of room at the Altar. Come now…

I truly do Love you with an amazing and everlasting love. May your mind, body, soul and spirit be in perfect unison with God.

Please enjoy today’s devotional video. As with all the videos and photo images I share, with the daily devotionals, I have no ownership or rights to any of them. I use them strictly for the edification and building up of the body of Christ. Amen

Rev. Marcia Davis

James 1:2-5

New King James Version (NKJV)

Profiting from Trials

² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Be Encouraged….

No one said the Christian lifestyle was easy.
Some days my flesh wants one thing and my spirit wants another.

Some days I have a spiritual temper-tantrum because I want MY WAY.

However, I always remember the abundant peace that is waiting for me, when I surrender my will to God’s way.

Truthfully, some days I cry, but I count it ALL JOY. God has proven Himself/Itself to be faithful to my heart’s cry.

Usually when my flesh is struggling its because there is an area of my life that I have not placed on the “ALTER”.

Once I give up the struggle and take my hands off, GOD gives me more in return than what my heart longed for initially.

His way comes wrapped in perfect timing and perfect peace.

Be still and wait on the Lord…
He knows ALL ABOUT IT!!!
Be Encouraged. Dont Give Up.

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Friends of God:

I greet you this morning with joy, peace, goodwill and victory in Christ.

This morning, posture your heart, mind and body into a place of worship and submission. As you posture yourself, do so with a smile on your face and in your heart.

Each morning, tell the Lord, “Yes!!!”

If God puts something on your heart, saying “Yes” is simply coming into agreement with what has already been ordained. We are agreeing with God and believe, in faith, that  whatever we are going to face, a provision has already been made by God. Every “Yes” will not be easy, but it will bring great rewards in the Kingdom of God. 

Joshua 1:9

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Before you start your day, hold your head up, put your shoulders back and take a deep breath. YES, LORD, I WILL OBEY.

Here is a  list of others who have also said, “Yes”:

• Jesus
• Noah
• Moses
• Mary
• John the Baptist
• The Disciples
• Abraham
• Jonah
• The prophets
• Joshua
• You!!!

Be blessed today in all that you do. Remember to tell the Lord, “Yes.”

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. 

Rev. Marcia Davis

Psalm 118:24

New King James Version (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 6:12-13

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Honor God with Your Body

¹² Some of you say, “We can do anything we want to.” But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me. ¹³ You also say, “Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food.” But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies.

I know in this new year that many people make resolutions so that they can fit into a certain size outfit. 

This year, I am making a resolution to make my temple the best dwelling place for the Holy Spirit to use for years to come. 

I don’t want my misuse and abuse of my body to take any time away from how God may want to use my life for His glory. 

I will learn to eat, not just to take off a few pounds, but to make more time, in days, months and years, for God to use me.

Lord, let me life be a Living Sacrifice, pure and holy for you. Prepare me, to be a sanctuary for you. 

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Beautiful Friends of God:

Everyday, I wake up with the intention of pleasing God. I remember, when I first became truly intimate with God, that the one thing I never wanted to do was to break God’s heart. 

I first read about grieving the Holy Spirit when I began studying the bible.  

Ephesians 4:29-32

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

The Holy Spirit leads our lives in such a way that we have peace and clarity of mind, through our heeding His direction. We can also grieve the Holy Spirit when we do not obey the voice and direction of God. 

John 16:12-15

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love.

Rev. Marcia Davis

 

 

Good morning, Saints of our Most High God:

This morning, I encourage you to meditate on this passage this weekend. Use it to edify yourself and others in the faith. Stand firm in your faith, as these days are proving to be an all out attack on everything that is good and holy. 

Don’t forget your duty to pray for the body of Christ. The Power of your prayers can change so many things, both seen and unseen. Never allow your mind to be taken captive by the enemy. Be vigilant, the enemy is walking, in plain sight, mingling in with the body of Christ. Test the spirit by the Holy Spirit of God. God has set a standard and it shall not be moved.

1 Peter 5:1-11

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Helping Christian Leaders

5 Church leaders, I am writing to encourage you. I too am a leader, as well as a witness to Christ’s suffering, and I will share in his glory when it is shown to us.

² Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care. Do it willingly in order to please God, and not simply because you think you must. Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money. ³ Don’t be bossy to those people who are in your care, but set an example for them. ⁴ Then when Christ the Chief Shepherd returns, you will be given a crown that will never lose its glory.

⁵ All of you young people should obey your elders. In fact, everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say,

“God opposes proud people,
but he helps everyone
    who is humble.”

⁶ Be humble in the presence of God’s mighty power, and he will honor you when the time comes. ⁷ God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.

⁸ Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. ⁹ But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord’s followers are suffering just as you are. ¹⁰ But God shows undeserved kindness to everyone. That’s why he appointed Christ Jesus to choose you to share in his eternal glory. You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong, and firm. ¹¹ God will be in control forever! Amen.

Today’s worship video is performed Byron Cage. As you go throughout your day, sing this song entitled, “The Presence of the Lord is Here.” Watch the atmosphere change around you. Use your voice and FIGHT!!! There is POWER in your Praise!

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Ephesians 4

New International Version (NIV)

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Unity in Christ is essential in every aspect of our lives. In our friendships, family circles, business relationships and intimate relationships, our walk and lifestyle as followers of Jesus Christ and his teachings should be the nucleus of our makeup. 

The Word says to make, “Every Effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” To me that includes every aspect of life. 

This week, we recognized the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Dr. King would always say he emmulated his philosophy on violence from Ghandi and his spiritual philosophy from Jesus. 

I, in the same way, along with my Christian foundation, I take my actions of walking and talking from Thich Nhat Hanh, who is a Zen Master of a Buddhist monastic village in France. Plum Village began in 1982 as a small, rustic farmstead, and has today grown into Europe’s largest Buddhist monastery, with over 200 resident monks and nuns, living and practising in four hamlets spread out across the French countryside.

Dr. King nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize.  https://www.mindfulnessdc.org/mlkletter.html. 

Do all that you can to walk in peace and love every day. I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. 

Walk with us Lord…

 

 

When God starts a person on a new journey, a person never knows what may lay ahead. There will be good days and bad days. There will be mountains and hills to climb. There will also be days of victory and jubilation.

The main thing to hold on to, during the journey, is knowing that God is always there. One of my favorite books is written by Hannah Hurnard and is entitled, “Hinds Feet on High Places.” It is a beautiful description of the journey a character named Much Afraid. I would recommend this book to anyone facing nervousness or fear leading up to embarking on a new journey.

As Christians, we have experiential knowledge of God’s faithfulness in walking with us. It is that same faith that we must hold on to, as we begin each day in knowing that God is faithful to complete the work that he started in us before we were born.

Remember, you are not alone. As the classic gospel song lyrics says,

“We’ve come this far by faith,  leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Word, He’s never failed me yet.

Be blessed today and know that I love you with an amazing and everlasting love.

Rev. Marcia Davis