Don't Be Deceived

 Here is this week's Bible Verse.

VERSE:                   1 Timothy 4:1-2

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

REFLECTION:

In today's world we are surrounded by so many different voices, and opinions that sometimes we don't always know what to believe and what not to believe. Each of us has a moral compass that has shaped who we are and what we believe and oftentimes that is challenged through what we watch, hear or read. 

In today's verse it says that in latter days some will depart from the faith. We see that happening today from people who claim to be Christian but have renounced their faith. Maybe you know someone who has walked away or renounced the faith. Those who are renouncing their faith are giving heed to those deceiving spirits. So how can we prevent ourselves from falling prey to those deceiving spirits?

Here are some things to help you stay focused and grounded in the Christian faith.

Plug in:

Make sure you are plugged in to a bible believing church. There are a lot of denominations and Christian churches out there so be sure to do your due diligence on what church you go to. Make sure they are preaching the gospel and they aren't telling you things that aren't in the bible. 

Read:

With that in mind make sure you have daily devotions and you are reading your bible every day. Make sure if you hear something at church, you should check its validity in the bible. Especially if it doesn't seem correct. 

Pray:

Make sure you have a daily prayer life and conversations with God. This way the Holy Spirit can nudge you and give you insight into the things you hear. God wants you to stay focused on Him so communicating with Him daily will give you the guidance you need.

Unplug:

If you are inundating yourself with social media, and all you read or hear are contrary voices, then unplug from worldly social media. Turn the TV off, listen to praise music, and read posts and blogs from reputable Christian sources.

Listen to the capital Spirit and avoid the lowercase spirit. Stay focused on Jesus; stay strong in your faith. 

PRAYER:

Father in heaven you are worthy of our praise. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit to help and guide us. Help us to remain strong in the faith and give us a discerning heart so we listen to the Holy Spirit. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Hope you enjoyed today's verse. 

Seek The Lord

 Here is this week's Bible Verse.

VERSE:                   Isaiah 55:6

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

REFLECTION:

When I was growing up in Minneapolis my friends and I had a call that we would do when we would go outside. This call could be heard by any of us if we were nearby. That way we could then connect with each other and play.

God wants to connect with each of us and He is always nearby. However, you don't need a special call and you don't need to be outside to connect with God. All it takes is a daily devotional and prayer life. If we want to seek God and call on Him, we need to open up our Bibles to what He has to say to us. We also need to have a steady prayer life. Included in that prayer life should be these three things.

Praise and Worship: Acknowledge that He is God and humble yourself to Him and praise and worship Him for who He is. Psalm 103:1 "Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!"

Repentance and Forgiveness: Repent of the sins that have been committed and ask Him for Forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Petitions: Bring your requests to God and he will grant them make sure they fit with his purpose and will for your life. Asking Him for a million dollars probably not going to happen. But asking for healing or the salvation of others may happen. Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Just like when I was a kid and I wanted to hang out with my friends I could walk around looking for them or use the call that we had and connect with them that way. Likewise, seek God, call on Him through prayer and the word and He will hang out with you forever.

PRAYER:

Father in heaven you are worthy of our praise. I seek to hang out with you. As I dig deeper into your Word please share with me new insights and your will for my life. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Next week look for another verse. Please subscribe and follow this blog. In the meantime I'd love to hear from you. Comment on this verse, let me know what your favorite verse is

Reading Daily

I've decided to resurrect my Bible Verse Blog. Each week, I will post a Bible verse, my reflections on it, and a short prayer. 

However don't rely solely on this as your bible knowledge and nutrients. You should be reading your bible daily, reflecting on what God is speaking to you through those verses and pray daily as it says in James 5:16 KJV "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"

Also take to heart what it says in Psalm 119:105 KJV "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." God will speak to you through his word, but He can't do that if the Bible is never opened. We need to have our path illuminated daily by reading God's Word and applying it to our daily life. 

Read, Pray, Enjoy!!