Read the Living Word of God.............

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (Proverbs 4:20)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

www.bibletourwithjoline.com/dailydevotions.asp
www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com
www.bibletouravecjoline.blogspot.com

"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits .Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." I recently read this somewhere and I thought it was so interesting because I believe that very few Christians have been taught how important it is to pay close attention to what they think about. There is a reason why the Bible urges to meditate on God's word. Did you know that you are what you are right now because of what you think about in your heart and what you meditate on? Consequently, the things that you allow your heart to dwell on today are building what you will be for tomorrow and the day after that.

Meditation is a function of the mind and the heart. It is what we think about in our hearts. Whether we realize it or not, we all spend a great amount of our time in some form of meditation. My concern is what we meditate on may or may not be worthwhile. In fact, what we habitually think about is frequently unhealthy for our growth as Christians and often it is sinful. So, technically, you are living the life you imagine (meditate on/ thought that you could have). Imagine that! LIVING A LIFE OF DEFEAT, DESTRUCTION OR A VICTORIOUS, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE IS UP TO YOU. I believe that we can (and must) train ourselves to have a pure thought life. If we do this, we will start to see changes in our attitude and behavior. Our hearts will start to become pure and we will enjoy the pleasure of the Lord.

Your mind and your heart are both like clay being shaped and formed with each passing thought every day. So pay attention to what you think, the television shows and movies you allow yourself to view. Pay attention to what you read and the people interact with. It is very important to surround yourself with believers. Do not let anyone contaminate your heart with the seeds of unbelief (in God and His Power) and defeat. Run away from negative thinkers. The Bible isn't something that you should just read once in your life, but something that you need to read, re-read, meditate on, speak out, listen to, read it all over again and study as long as you live.

The truths in the Bible become clearer and alive as you read them again, and they work their way into your spirit and heart where they give life and hope, and where they build faith. When you stay in the Word of God, you will know what God's will for your life is and you become familiar with His promises and you will become stronger at resisting the devil. If you meditate on the word of God, you'll already know what to do when you are tested on your faith. The fact is if you don't have enough faith in God's word you won't be able to please Him enough to get all of His promises, rewards and blessings. All you have to do is start believing that you can meditate on the promises from the Bible and that it will be most beneficial to improving your life. If you want the best for you and your family, then you will meditate on the promises from the Bible.

"If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you." John 15:7

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

Meditate on the word of God and be blessed!

Praise the Lord!

Key to Answered Prayers.................

"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7: 7-11

www.bibletourwithjoline.com

www.bibletouravecjoline.blogspot.com

www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com

Everything Jesus told us would happen actually come true: from His death to His resurrection, and to His glorious ascension to heaven. Jesus spoke exactly what His Father told him to say and we know it was always the truth.  As a matter of fact, Jesus is the truth (John 14:6).  While living among us, He said what He meant and meant what He said. If it wasn’t okay to go to God with our needs then Jesus wouldn’t have told us to do so. The bigger question is: What should we pray about? Most people go to God with the big issues. Some people do not pray until a negative prognosis or when they are drowning in difficulties. The truth is that God cares about every area of our lives. He wants to e part of everything we do. He wants to know about that broken toe nail as well as the tumor. He loves to hear from you. Nothing is too big or too small. You are not a burden. He loves you that much. Y can tell me anything. He wants to know about your needs because he wants to meet them. He wants you well. He wants you happy. Listen, Jesus said in John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” It is really that simple.

Friends, the reason why some people don’t ask is because they don’t believe that God has the ability to give or the needs are too great. Truthfully, nothing is greater than God. He has the power and the will to meet all of your needs. All He requires is for you to trust him. Once you stop holding on to everything and release them all to God capable hand and trust that He will do what He promised, only then will He works in your favor. Asks is the primary step in getting your needs met and trust is the condition to experience the power of God in all its fullness, and treat other well is what seals it all together. God wants us to treat others well. To treat others well if you want your prayers answered is the one part most people seem to miss. Listen, when it comes to His children, God loves us all. It is important to Him that we treat each other with love and respect because we were all made in His image and Jesus died for all of the children of God. In God’ eye all the children are equal, from the beggar at the corner of the street to the kings and the rulers of this world.  Listen, talk to God about everything. Trust Him and treat each other well and experience the fruits of answered prayers.

Father how grateful I am for the clarity of your word today! Thank you for being a Father I can come to with all my concerns.  Thank you for loving me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Praise the Lord! 

Answered Prayers................

"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7: 7-11

www.bibletourwithjoline.com

www.bibletouravecjoline.blogspot.com

www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com

Everything Jesus told us would happen actually come true: from His death to His resurrection, and to His glorious ascension to heaven. Jesus spoke exactly what His Father told him to say and we know it was always the truth.  As a matter of fact, Jesus is the truth (John 14:6).  While living among us, He said what He meant and meant what He said. If it wasn’t okay to go to God with our needs then Jesus wouldn’t have told us to do so. The bigger question is: What should we pray about? Most people go to God with the big issues. Some people do not pray until a negative prognosis or when they are drowning in difficulties. The truth is that God cares about every area of our lives. He wants to e part of everything we do. He wants to know about that broken toe nail as well as the tumor. He loves to hear from you. Nothing is too big or too small. You are not a burden. He loves you that much. Y can tell me anything. He wants to know about your needs because he wants to meet them. He wants you well. He wants you happy. Listen, Jesus said in John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” It is really that simple.

Friends, the reason why some people don’t ask is because they don’t believe that God has the ability to give or the needs are too great. Truthfully, nothing is greater than God. He has the power and the will to meet all of your needs. All He requires is for you to trust him. Once you stop holding on to everything and release them all to God capable hand and trust that He will do what He promised, only then will He works in your favor. Asks is the primary step in getting your needs met and trust is the condition to experience the power of God in all its fullness, and treat other well is what seals it all together. God wants us to treat others well. To treat others well if you want your prayers answered is the one part most people seem to miss. Listen, when it comes to His children, God loves us all. It is important to Him that we treat each other with love and respect because we were all made in His image and Jesus died for all of the children of God. In God’ eye all the children are equal, from the beggar at the corner of the street to the kings and the rulers of this world.  Listen, talk to God about everything. Trust Him and treat each other well and experience the fruits of answered prayers.

Father how grateful I am for the clarity of your word today! Thank you for being a Father I can come to with all my concerns.  Thank you for loving me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Praise the Lord! 

Psalm 139

Psalm 139

1 You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Footnotes: