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

Good morning, Loved Ones:

While I was studying for this morning’s devotional, I read an article from the website Compelling Truth regarding doxologies. The article states, “The word “doxology” literally means a study of praise. However, dictionaries usually define the term as expressions of praise to God, often associated with a hymn sung during Christian worship.”

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The reason I was researching this topic is because all morning I have been singing the familiar doxology published in 1709, by Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken (1637–1711) (Christianity Today). 

I can’t tell you why I’m singing it, but my spirit just wanted to be in unison with the whole universe. The doxology invites everyone and everything above, below and on the earth to give All Praises to God. It invites every heavenly being to lift up praise.

I can just visualize all the angels, saints, elders and heavenly creatures making heaven rumble with praise and worship and the earth following, in round, with a chorus of our own. Can you hear it? I can hear it. 

Thank you, to the God – Three in One, for allowing us to come before you and worship you in all of your glory and majesty. We bow down in adoration and call you Holy. 

Lead us by your Spirit today. May every aspect of our lives be an act of worship unto You. Amen.

Yours, In Christ,

Rev. Marcia Davis

Worshipper

 

Good morning, Loved Ones:

Well, this weekend, I celebrated one more birthday. I turned 46 years old yesterday. I’ve never been ashamed of getting older.  If anything, I am more grateful every year that I am allowed to see another birthday. 

Today’s devotional is one of thankfulness, faithfulness and confidence in and to God. 

Lord, if it is your will, Do it Again.

Today’s devotional video is longer than usual. 

I have SO MUCH TO THANK FOR. This requires EXTENDED PRAISE. 

With a grateful heart, I will praise the Lord. 

Father, please allow me to be used mightily by you this year. May my life glorify who YOU are. May my life draw people closer to you. 

Thank you, Thank You, Thank You, LORD. 

Your Servant,

Rev. Marcia Davis 

 

Good morning, Blessed and Highly Favored Ones:

Do you know that dancing and laughter makes a person feel better?

Today my medical instruments will be my feet, my hands, my mouth and my heart. 

I invite you to join me today, as I get my Praise and Thanksgiving on. I’ve got so much to thank God for…

Psalm 150 

English Standard Version (ESV)

Let Everything Praise the Lord

150 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens!
² Praise him for his mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent greatness!

³ Praise him with trumpet sound;

 praise him with lute and harp!

Good morning, Redeemed Ones:

One of the most dangerous places to be is to be comfortable in our sin. There are some of us that have allowed sin to build a house. Sin has a comfortable bedroom with fluffy pillows. Sin has a state of the art kitchen and in the den it has all of the newest electronics so that it can relax and put its feet up.

Another thing that happens when we become comfortable in our sins. We invite and associate with people that are also comfortable in their sin. We invite our friends over so that their sin can feel at home as well.

Why is sin so comfortable? Sin is comfortable because we have made a place for it in our lives. Sin feels GREAT, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it. 

Why?

We are being deceived! 

This is what the bible says:

1 John 1:5-10 

Living Bible (TLB)

⁵ This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ So if we say we are his friends but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. ⁷ But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. ⁹ But if we confess our sins to him,  he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.* ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we are lying and calling God a liar, for he says we have sinned.

There is a way to change…

1. Confess

2. Ask for forgiveness 

3. Turn and run toward God

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love.

I want the very best of all that God has for you and for me. Jesus has the power to break the chains of sin in every area of our lives.

Trust God.  You can be free. Evict sin from your life. Jesus paid the ultimate price. Speak His Name.

In your darkest place, call out His name… JESUS!!!!!

Rev. Marcia Davis 

Good morning, Loved Ones:

If I could give each of you a big hug, I would be so happy, but here is the next best thing…

(((((HUGS))))

Now for the Good News this morning. Most of you already know this, but I want to share it with everybody. 

God Is FOREVER FAITHFUL!!! 

Lamentations 3:19-26 

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy

¹⁹ Remember [O Lord] my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness).

²⁰ My soul continually remembers themAnd is bowed down within me. 

²¹ But this I call to mind, Therefore I have hope. 

²²  It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, Because His [tender] compassions never fail. 

²³  They are new every morning; 

Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. 

²⁴  “The Lord is my portion and my inheritance,” says my soul; 

“Therefore I have hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.”

²⁵  The Lord is good to those who wait [confidently] for Him, To those who seek Him [on the authority of God’s word]. 

²⁶  It is good that one waits quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Good morning, Loved Ones:

Jesus was always known as a radical, in his time. More than anything, he wanted to be able to do three things. First, Jesus wanted to heal broken hearts so that people could be whole. Second, Jesus wanted to save and set free all who were captive to sin, which means all of us. Third, he wanted to show the church, and its members, what it truly meant to be a house of God. 

Question? Have you ever attended a church or been a member of a church where you  didn’t feel God’s presence? I know that is a strange question to ask, but it is an important question. 

Here is the reason that I ask. There are so many hurting and broken people in the world today. A world that is looking for love and hope and more than anything something or someone to save them from their pain and emptiness. 

Do you remember reading any passages in the New Testament where Jesus turned away from healing someone? NO!!

Do you remember a time where someone’s sin was so great that Jesus condemned them right there on the spot and did not address the person’s issues? NO!!

Soooooo….. if we are representatives of Christ and we build houses of worship in His name, why dont we have his heart? 

Loved Ones, there is a world out there that needs us to extend our arms instead of pointing our fingers. 

Revelation 3:20 

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.

I love you with an amazing and everlasting love.

Rev. Marcia Davis

Good mornings, Loved Ones:

I’m so grateful and blessed to be called a child of God, through my kinship with Christ. What an amazing thing happened when I walked to the altar, at the age of five, to publicly give my heart to God. As I have grown in age and in maturity in my Christian walk, I understand the words of this Psalm so much better. 

Psalm 16 

The Message (MSG)

A David Song

16 ^1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
    I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
    Without you, nothing makes sense.

³ And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!

⁴ Don’t just go shopping for a god.
    Gods are not for sale. 

I swear I’ll never treat god-names
    like brand-names. 

^5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
    And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
    And then you made me your heir!

^7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

^9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.

You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination! ¹¹ Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, 

I’m on the right way.

Good morning, Highly Favored Loved Ones:

Can you imagine any better news than to realize that God has assigned Goodness and Mercy to follow you wherever you go??!! That is exciting news for me. 

I’m not sure if you are like me, but I love a good smelling cologne or fragrance. When I hug my husband, at the front door each morning, one of my favorite things to do is to take a deep sniff of his cologne. I love how he smells. Because I know the scent of his cologne, I can tell exactly where he is in the house. 

It’s the same with Grace and Mercy. These two are attracted to the fragrance of God. Consequently, anyone who carries God’s scent will be chased down by this spiritual tag team. 

Psalm 23:6 

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.