Good morning, Beautiful Family:

Its Monday Morning!!!!

I hope all is well with your soul and you are  at peace.

I’m here drinking my coffee, as I prepare to begin writing today’s devotional.  I just keep seeing a light bulb and hearing the words, “You Light Up My Life.” 

If you are old enough, most people think of the popular song by Debbie Boone with the same title. However, when I say the “Light,” I’m speaking of the Light of Christ. We are called to be Lights, in this dark time and place. Now, more than ever, the world needs the Light that offers love, hope, and peace. 

Matthew 5:14-16 

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

1 John 1:5-7 

English Standard Version (ESV)

Walking in the Light

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Be blessed in all you do, today. See yourself as a Light, walking, all throughout the day. People wont know exactly what it is about you, but I’m sure someone will say, “I’m not sure what it is about you, but there is something different about you.” Allow God to shine in and through you today and every day. Use that opportunity to tell others where your “Light” comes from.

Walk in the Light, Family!!

Shine Bright in Jesus,

Rev. Marcia Davis

 

Good morning, Loved Ones:

If you didn’t already know, I’m an adult student at Ohio Christian University in Morrow Georgia.  Last night, in class, we were going over the devotional passage for class. 

The passage came from Hebrews 12:1-3. And it reads as such:

Hebrews 12:1-3 

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.

The Discipline of God

³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

We talked at length about what the passage meant to each of us. For me, I said the passage encourages us to get rid of anything that would slow us down, as we run this Christian race. 

I asked the class if they remember the scene from the movie Forrest Gump when young Forrest had braces on his legs. Forrest was trying to run with the braces and brackets on his legs, but it was very awkward for him. What happened next was amazing. Forrest began to run faster, and as he did, the hardware on his legs began to break apart and fall apart. He began running so fast and free that he began to run everywhere throughout the rest of the movie. 

We are encouraged to look to Christ. He has already finished the race and as our Wayshower, he has given us both instructions and an example of how to run. He went through every trial and snare, but he finished his race victoriously and is seated at the right hand of God, The Father, interceding on our behalf. 

Jesus is saying, “Follow Me,” I have already left you a road map of the race route. 

I encourage you, brothers and sisters, in Christ, to keep running unencumbered. Be encouraged by my favorite gospel song from the New Jersey Mass Choir entitled, “Follow Me.”

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. Run well and keep the faith!!

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Loved Ones:

Who is ready to bless the Lord with me?

This is the day the Lord has made.

I WILL, REJOICE, AND BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD IN IT!!!!

Where are my shouting shoes?

Psalm 103

The Message (MSG)

A David Psalm

103 ^1-2 O my soul, bless God.
    From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
    don’t forget a single blessing!

^3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
    He heals your diseases—every one.
    He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
    He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
    He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
    He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

^6-18 God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
    opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
    not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
    nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
    nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
    so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
    he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
    God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
    keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
    like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
    leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
    eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
    as they follow his Covenant ways
    and remember to do whatever he said.

^19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
    he rules over us all. He’s the King!
So bless God, you angels,
    ready and able to fly at his bidding,
    quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
    alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
    everything and everyone made byGod.

Have an Wonderful Wednesday, Everyone. 

Blessings to you, All.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good morning, Amazing and Beautiful Ones:

I’m so thankful for each of you and I continually pray for your strength in the Lord. Keep fighting the good fight of faith. Do everything in decency and in order. Let no words come from your lips that have not been filtered through the Precious Holy Spirit and Word of God. 

Today, I want to encourage you to seek God’s direction BEFORE you make a decision that you are unsure about. Counseling with God prior to making a decision brings forth several things. 

First, seeking the direction and counsel from God puts you in right alignment with God. It puts you in a place of submission and it gets you out of the way. 

Secondly, when you ask God to order your steps, you are showing God that your faith and trust, in Him, are strong. 

Third and finally, when we dont seek God first  it creates an even bigger mess. Why? Not only does God have to now take extra time to rescue us from US, but he must prepare the situation/season again. We then must walk in obedience into the direction he had prepared originally.

Hopefully we wont keep making the same mistakes over and over. That gets old really quick. The Sovereignty of God will not allow us to into a higher, more advanced, season if we are not prepared for or equipped to handle. 

I wonder how many seasons of blessing and destiny have been missed or delayed because we didnt wait on God’s timing or seek His face. 

Philippians 4:5-7 

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁵ Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

I encourage us, brothers and sisters, to do things in divine order. Seek the Lord, while He may be found. 

Isaiah 55:6-7 

King James Version (KJV)

⁶ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. I want God’s very best for us all. 

Pray the Lord’s Prayer today, and every day. 

Make saying the Prayer a habit. If you have to say it twenty times a day, do it. It will get you in the habit of praying and seeking God. The Lord’s Prayer gets OUR agenda out of the way and forces us to focus on God. 

Be Abundantly Blessed and Obedient, in Jesus name. Amen. 

Rev. Marcia Davis

Letting Go…

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 

The Message (MSG)

There’s a Right Time for Everything

3 There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

^2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

^9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.

¹⁴ I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear. 

¹⁵ Whatever was, is. Whatever will be, is. That’s how it always is with God.

Good morning, Loved Ones:

I pray you are staying strengthened in the Lord. I understand that some seasons of our lives may be better than others, but be encouraged and know that every season has a divine purpose.

Proverbs 16:9

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Good morning, Warriors:

Some of you may not be old enough to have seen the movie The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. There is one scene, from the movie, where Kevin’s character is out in woods and snow trying to catch a sniper. The sniper is wearing all white so he is blending in with the snowy landscape. In order for Kevin to find him, he drops to his knees, closes his eyes and becomes completely silent. He is doing this to heighten his hearing, since he cannot rely on what things look like. 

The same is true for us, saints. When life gets stressful and you are filled with anxiety and your chest feels like someone is standing on it, Release the Moment. Drop to your knees, go to your secret place, or sit quietly and just allow the Spirit of God to speak to your heart, while in the silence, to lead and comfort you. 

Every day, we have to walk out this Christian life. Some days are easier than others, but no matter what, we have to show up for duty. We were called to be Good News Sharers. Remember, we are NEVER alone. God promised to never leave us or forsake us. 

On the days when you dont quite “feel” like begin a Christian,  remember the words of Jesus and follow his example:

Luke 22:41-42 

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴¹ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love. Keep the faith, be of good courage and be strong. I’m standing right by your side. We are all in this together. Encourage one another, remember why you said, “Yes” to Jesus.

Rev. Marcia Davis

 

Good morning, Blessed and Highly Favored Ones:

I missed you!!!!  I’m always so glad to share with you, as God leads. 

Ok, first, yesterday at church was so amazing. I truly believe that one of the reasons that God led my husband and me to our current church is because of my pastor’s heart. My pastor is a true worshipper and his heart is so pure. He wants the people that come to the church to have a full experience of what it means to walk out this Christian journey. He goes above and beyond to give us the fullness of the Word, even down to the Greek and Hebrew. He doesn’t do it to make himself seem super pious, but he does it so that we can have a better grasp of the Word. He wants nothing to stand in the way of our growing and maturing in the faith. 

Yesterday, the worship during our service was so God-drenched. As we worshipped through song, you could feel the atmosphere becoming saturated with Holy Spirit. What was most amazing is while we were still singing and worshipping, Pastor Harris started speaking different scripture verses.  The more he spoke into atmosphere the more electric it became. You could literally feel the service shift into a deeper level of God. When we began singing again there was so much power in the room. 

I love the fact that when it was time for pastor to preach, most of the people were ready to listen because worship was so intense and there was a holy thickness in the room. The room was COMPLETELY SATURATED WITH GOD’S PRESENCE. 

When the atmosphere is set for God,  everything that happens afterwards is intensified, including the teaching of the Word. 

That is why we always have worship before the Word of God is opened. We are setting the atmosphere by praising and worshipping God for who He is and thanking Him for all he has done. 

I encourage you to start your morning by giving God worship and praise. While the music is still playing, read OUT LOUD the Word of God, while walking around your home, apartment, dorm room or even your classroom.

Get an intercessory group together and keep each other accountable to start the day in praise, worship and reading the word of God outloud. I believe, with all my heart, that you will begin to see things change in your life and the life of others. 

God bless you. I love you. I’m so thankful for you.

Rev. Marcia Davis

 

Oh how He Loves Us!!

Lamentations 3:22-24

New Century Version (NCV)

²² The Lord’s love never ends; his mercies never stop.²³ They are new every morning; Lord, your loyalty is great.²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is mine,  so I hope in him.”

Good morning, Loved Ones:

Ok today’s blog is a little lengthy, but it’s what was on my heart, so here we go….

Yesterday evening, I was thinking about my spiritual journey from birth all the way up to today.

I am so thankful and grateful for my eclectic religious background. It has allowed me to be spiriually well-rounded and as a result I am able to be very comfortable in any religious setting.

As a child, in Knoxville Tennessee, I was born into the Baptist Church from birth until about five years old. My father played the organ and piano and my mother and my aunt sang in the choir. We attended Wilder Baptist Church as well as New Salem Baptist Church.

In the Baptist church, I learned and enjoyed how to worship God through music and visible worship. I learned that I didn’t have to be ashamed to vocalize my joy. It’s also the place where I gave my life to God and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

Our family moved to Nashville Tennessee when I was six years old. I was then introduced to the Lutheran church (Christ Lutheran Church). It took some time to get use to the change in worship styles. I had never worshipped using a book before. It felt so structured. However, as I got older and completed my Confirmation, I truly began to love the simplicity and beauty of a service that taught me to respect, understand and worship God on a different level.

One of my favorite parts of Sunday service, in the Lutheran Church, was reciting the Apostles Creed. As I grew older my relationship with God grew. I took very seriously what I said I believed. At the age of 15 we moved to Atlanta Georgia we attended St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, where I grow even more.

As a young adult I left the Lutheran church and explored the Pentecostal faith. I grew in yet another level of God. I learned about being filled with the Holy Spirit, the gift of healing,   laying on of hands, intercession, fasting, prayer and how to present my outer body in my dress, speech and actions. I learned about my spiritual gifts and more than anything, I learned that I was worshipper. As the Spirit of God moves, I sing what I see in the Spirit. When I worship God, in song, I sing as if I am singing to Him. As I go deeper into worship, I’m allowed to see things in the Spirit. My songs are spiritual narratives of what I see in the heavenly realms.

Over the years, I have grown in Christ and have learned so much about the different houses of worship. One thing all of the churches, I have attended, have in common is that God dwelled in them all. I learned that there is no perfect church and there are no perfect people, but HALLELUJAH we all serve a perfect God.

Every church and house of worship, I have attended, or visited,  has been God ordained,  because they have made me the person I am today. I want to thank every pastor, minister, elder, prophet, evangelist, and lay person that has allowed God to use them for the Kingdom.

• Wilder Baptst Church, Knoxville, TN
• New Salem Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN
• Christ Lutheran Church, Nashville, TN
• St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Decatur GA
• Avondale First Baptist Church, Avondale Estates, GA
• Raffa Frontline Ministries
• River of Life Church, Lilburn GA
• New Mercies Christian, Lilburn GA
• Rise Church Atlanta, Atlanta GA
• Kairos Institute for Progressive Spiritual Study
• Berean Christian Church, Lithonia GA
• New Life Church, Decatur GA

I end today’s devotional with what I belive:

The Apostles Creed

Ecumenical Version

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy (Universal) church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Rev. Marcia Davis