Good morning, Divine Family of Faithful Believers:

What an amazing gift we have received, through Christ Jesus. We have been reconciled with God the Father. We can forever enjoy a life united with God, through the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus was the last and final sin offering for the world. All we have to do is to believe in him and we shall be saved. 

The deliberate and loving journey of Christ to the cross was filled with sacrifice, hurt, betrayal and pain. The good news is, we already know how the story ends. Sometimes, however, certain parts of the story are extracted and those extracted pieces take on a life of their own. 

One such example is Friday the 13th. What is the biblical origin? In an on-line article by History.com, according to biblical tradition, 13 guests attended the Last Supper, held on Maundy Thursday, including Jesus and his 12 apostles (one of whom, Judas, betrayed him). The next day, of course, was Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.

The seating arrangement at the Last Supper is believed to have given rise to a longstanding Christian superstition that having 13 guests at a table was a bad omen—specifically, that it was courting death.

Though Friday’s negative associations are weaker, some have suggested they also have roots in Christian tradition: Just as Jesus was crucified on a Friday, Friday was also said to be the day Eve gave Adam the fateful apple from the Tree of Knowledge, as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel. 

Now, I truly believe some of this is a stretch. The most important thing to remember is this…..IT DOESN’T MATTER AND HERE IS WHY!!!! 

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

^16-21 This means that our knowledge of men can no longer be based on their outward lives (indeed, even though we knew Christ as a man we do not know him like that any longer). For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone, everything has become fresh and new. All this is God’s doing, for he has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ; and he has made us agents of the reconciliation. God was in Christ personally reconciling the world to himself—not counting their sins against them—and has commissioned us with the message of reconciliation. We are now Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were appealing direct to you through us. As his personal representatives we say, “Make your peace with God.” For God caused Christ, who himself knew nothing of sin, actually to be sin for our sakes, so that in Christ we might be made good with the goodness of God.

THE END…

Family, put your fears to rest. The old is gone. Rejoice and serve the Lord with gladness.

In Christ, alone,

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Family:

What an amazing day this will be! You may ask me, how in the world do I know what kind of day it will be? Well, I am making a choice. No matter what comes my way, today, I choose joy.

There is an old children’s song that we used to sing in Sunday school. The song has these words, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart to stay.”

What has caused the joy? What created the joy? Is it money? Is it fame? Is it notoriety? No, the joy that is “down in my heart” is a joy that didn’t originate from me. It is a joy that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Even if I have a day that does not turn out perfectly, I can still have JOY, because I know that God will use a non-perfect situation for my growth and His glory. So it is a win-win situation!!

James 1:2-6 

New International Version (NIV)

Trials and Temptations

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Ok, so get your joy shoes on and get ready to do your joy-dance, as you listen to today’s worship video from For King & Country entitled “Joy.”

Go in peace, love, and joy while serving the Lord. 

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Family:

Peace, blessings, and love to you all. What a great day to be alive! One more day for God to be glorified through us. We are the living epistles of Christ. We are the living, breathing and moving billboards of God.

What is your billboard advertising about your relationship with Jesus Christ? What is your billboard conveying to those that have a close encounter with you?

I wish I could say that everyday my billboard shined bright with the love and light of Jesus. To be honest, each day takes prayer, grace and sometimes forgiveness. I’m not perfect and there are plenty people, that know me, who would agree. What I can say for sure is that Jesus is my King and I love him with whole heart. Daily, I will do my best to glorify Him.

Every day it is my heart’s desire to be pleasing to God. I know that we all fall short, but it is our duty to keep getting up and trying again.

Family, I pray your strength in the Lord. Continue to stay encouraged, as you fight the good fight of faith. Do all that you can to stand.

Mediate on Ephesians 6 today…

In Christ, alone,

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Family:

I greet you with love, joy, peace and happiness. Today is a brand new day. Father, I lift you up higher than any other.

Father, God, for you to be glorified in my life, I will do anything you need me to. I just want to be where you are. I desire your presence like I desire to breathe. You are my Life.

Some people don’t understand how I can serve and love you, even though I have never seen you with my eyes, but what people dont understand is that I see your glory EVERY DAY.

I see you, because I search for you…

Go in peace, family, while serving and praising the Lord.

In Christ alone.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Special note:Today’s artwork is by Beth Zimmerman

Good morning, Beloved Family:

Let the love of God rush over you and through you. Allow his grace, mercy, and neverending love to fill your heart, mind, and soul.

God loves you with a love that won’t change or fade. Run to meet him, on a daily basis. Revival will begin in your heart and soul, as you begin to feed on the Lord.

Matthew 11:28-30 

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Seek the Lord, family, with all your heart. Search for him as if he were a priceless jewel. Pursue Him as if he is your greatest love.

Serve the Lord with a pure heart. May the peace of the Lord be with you all.

In His amazing love,

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Family:

One of the amazing and most important joys of being a Christian is being able to share the amazing Good News of Jesus Christ.

Why is being a Christian such good news and why should we tell others? The good news is Jesus loved us so much. He would do anything to be able to spend an eternity with us, even if it meant giving of himself.

The Word of God says that while we were yet sinners, Jesus gave his life, as the ultimate sacrifice for us. Our sin offering to God had to be blameless, without spot or defects. It had to be the first born. What could possibly be offered to God that would satisfy our debt?

God knew that no such sacrifice existed so he became the sacrifice. The perfect Love of God became a seed implanted in the virgin Mary.  Emmanuel, God with us, was now on earth to fulfill his mission of love.

Jesus offered himself on the cross, died and was buried in a borrowed tomb. On the third, the love story was completed. Jesus rose Alive!!! Death had been defeated and we who believe that Jesus is the Son of God are allowed to dwell with him, not only in eternity, but right here right now.

That is the Good News. God loved us so much that he gave his ONLY begotten, NOT MADE, Son as a sacrifice for our sin.

Go in peace and thanksgiving, knowing that you have bought with a Precious Price. The old you has passed away. You have been made brand new in Jesus Christ.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Precious Family:

Peace, Blessings and Abundant Love to you, All. The love of God is so much deeper than we can ever imagine or fathom.

The love of God reaches us in places that feel so far away from His grasp. God’s love has no limits or boundaries. Cry out to God. I promise that He hears you.

Psalm 36:5-9 

New International Version (NIV)

Good morning, Family:

I dont know about you, but I am a sap for a good love story. It does my heart good to see that against all odds, love wins.

My favorite love story is not a fictional one at all. The character’s names have stayed the same and the events are true.

The word of God says this about my personal love story:

Romans 5:8

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

What is your love story? I would love to hear it. 

I love you with an amazing love. Go in peace, while serving the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ. 

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Family:

Its Thursday morning a few minutes before 7:00am. I’m sitting outside my physical therapist office waiting for it to open. My alarm was set for 4:15am this morning. I woke up at 3:30 but went back to sleep.

I knew I had things that I needed to do before my appointment. However, for the last few weeks, my schedule has been so full so I truly have cherished every hour of sleep.

It’s so funny, I actually got out of bed at 5:15. I just couldn’t push my body to get up. I’ve been asking the Lord to help me wake up in the mornings and he has done just that. The problem is that I haven’t been obedient to getting up.  I do confess that is my error and I truly ask God to forgive me and to help me have the discipline to get out of bed.

Why is getting up two hours early so important, you may ask? First, when I get up early, I’m not rushed. I can take my time and get ready without running around the house. Second, traffic in Atlanta is ridiculous, so any chance I have to get out on the road early is always a plus. Finally, when I’m not rushed, I have time to hear from God and respond. Being available to God is so important to me.

Lord, God, I am fully available to you. Use me and my life for your glory, as you see fit. I’m available to you.

Go in peace, while serving and praising the Lord. 

Rev. Marcia Davis

1 John 4:18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Good morning, Family:

When I was a little girl, my mom taught me how to pray. She said, “Marcia, if you are ever afraid, you can pray to Jesus. He loves you so much.” That is how my relationship with our Savior began. I learned that He was and still is my safe place.

1 John 4:7-11 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Knowing God Through Love

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

There is no place that the perfect love of God cannot reach. There is no situation that God will not run to for the one lost sheep.

Remember, you are a Child of God. You were created for a purpose. May God bless you all today. May you be reminded of how precious you are to Him.

Go in peace, while serving and praising the Lord. You were bought with a price and you are Perfect. 

Rev. Marcia F. Davis