Gina - 2 Peter 1:5-9 & Rev. 2:4,5

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9 NIV)

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Revelation 2:4, 5 NIV)

When someone asks the question "How are you doing in your spiritual walk?" we answer with something like.. " I'm doing pretty good" or "I'm memorizing verses" or "not too good right now". Today I am understanding that the question is wrong!!! The question should be "How is your love for God and others? Is it growing? Is it deeper, more real than the day before?". Ahhh yes because this LOVE is the true evidence of one walking with Him and growing in goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, Godliness, mutual affections and love. I don't want to kick around what's right or wrong according to me or to you, trying to decide and dictate what is acceptable in this society and what's not. Yuck!! I just want Jesus! I want to fall in love with Him and be real! Learn from His word and grow in my love for HIM and OTHERS.  I want Him to LIVE in me and use me up while I'm here to build His kingdom. I don't want him to "remove his lampstand" from me.

I want to go back and STAY with my first love, remembering how far I've fallen.
Praise His name.

Livia - Isaiah 10:20-25

In that day the remnant of Israel,
the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty God. Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
the destruction decreed upon the whole land. Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:
"My people who live in Zion,
do not be afraid of the Assyrians,
who beat you with a rod
and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. Very soon my anger against you will end
and my wrath will be directed to their destruction." (Isaiah 10:20-25 NIV)

Livia knows that God is faithful so even though he was angry - he says that his anger will be directed toward destruction.

Let's make sure we are not causing destruction but rather building up!!

Amen!

Livia - Romans 8:17-21

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:17-21 NIV)

Livia read Pastor Ben's devotion today. Attitude is everything. To determine, judge and decide how we will handle our struggles now. A bad attitude does not help - enjoy life and then people will enjoy being around you.

Tim - Galatians 3

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." (Galatians 3:1-6 NIV)

You foolish Wessels! Are you saved by what you do or by believing? There is nothing we can do to be "good" to earn our salvation. We are saved by Jesus's work on the cross. That's it! Never be proud of your good works but rather boast in the cross alone. He loves us and we love him. Let it be Don't add to it!

Gina - Hebrews 10:19-23

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23 NIV)

You can be in proximity of someone but not close to them. I want to be near to my God. I want to draw close to Him with a sincere heart , know Him , Love Him, learn him, be like Him. My heart takes courage today and says I will hold on to the faith unswervingly.

Kadin -Exodus 10-12

"Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped. (Exodus 12:24-27 NIV)

God protects us the same way today. Through Jesus - our sins are gone and we are not slaves anymore. We will remind and tell each other of the great things he has done for us.

The Passover represents Jesus' blood.

Good thoughts k-diddy!!!

Livia - Psalm 139

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. (Psalm 139:17, 18 NKJV)

He is jealous for us and his affections are great for us. Livia turned into a worship coordinator this morning for her devotion! 2 interview videos ( mom and kadin) and a song called "How He Loves" .

He created us !! We are precious to Him and He sent His son to die for us !! What a great reminder this morning. We are loved. "yah he loves us oh how he loves us, oh how he loves!!!! If grace is an ocean we are all sinking!"