daily prayer

Good morning! How are we faithing this fine day? Here's something, if I go to church and you don't, am I more of a Christian than you? If I give to the poor, work in the community voluntarily, am I a better Christian than anyone else? If I pray 3 hours a day, am I a holier Christian? Do the things I do or say outwardly earn a place in heaven? Of course not! Where some miss the point to all this Christianity lifestyle is not to make us better than anyone else but to move us to the creator and the result of our savior relationship becomes our behavior and attitudes improve. Those nice things we say and should come from a loving heart and not out of obligation. Those things are a result of God's love for us and our realization that he does indeed love us as we are. He told us to come to him and then forgiveness comes, not "do this deed or that deed and maybe I'll accept you". It saddens me when I see people working so hard to earn approval from others who hold no power over their eternal life. To hear people say they need to "gain God's approval" before he will accept them is a lie of satan that takes ones eyes off Jesus and into bondage to a covenant that no longer exists. Is going to church important? Of course it is. Is praying necessary? Of course it is. It is a way for the relationship with Jesus to grow. Is voluntary work good? Well duh, sure it is! Do all those things out of love for what Jesus did for you. Learn from the Word a mindset that loves the sinner but hates the sin and then those things become natural and not an obligation that has no peace in itself. Think about this.

Luke 18:9-14
And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. "The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' "But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
NAS

Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
NAS

remember Lorie Jay...remember our Pastors that they garner wisdom...

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for always loving regardless of how we goof up. Thank you for making a way for us all to come to the father. Oh Lord Jesus we praise your holy name and ask for wisdom and peace in all circumstances. Make our mind sharp that we see the ploys of the enemy and have courage to resist. Protect our troops and inspire and bless our leaders, in Jesus name, amen