DAILY DEVOTIONS – 2023 3RD QUARTER

SERIES SUMMER INSERTED DURING OUR LISTING / MOVING – MAY JUN JULY

The SUMMER SERIES WILL BE:

Loving You (originally published: Jan 28, 2021 to Feb 26, 2021)

30 days May 28, 2023 to Jun 26

The Fearlessness of Faith (originally published: Mar 13, 2021 to Apr 2, 2021)

21 days Jun 27, 2023 to July 17

Jesus Christ – The Mystery Uncovered (originally published: Nov 28, 2021 to Dec 29, 2021)

31 days July 18, 2023 to Aug 17

The Forgiveness Of God – Psalm 51 (originally published: Aug 13, 2021 to Aug 27, 2021)

15 days. Aug 18, 2023 to Sep 1

Have a JOYOUS SUMMER BASKING IN THE GLORY OF OUR AMAZING TRIUNE GOD

Sep 2, 2023 – 1 Peter 3:10 – let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile

”For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”

1 Peter 3:10

Hi Everyone!

God desires for His children to live amazing lives in Him. In order for that to happen, He equips us with everything we need to live a good life. Society has distorted the meaning of a ”good life”, suggesting it has something to do with material possessions and a bunch of the amenities the world offers, but that is not what ”good” is when it comes to the Word of God. If we want that good life, then we have to watch what comes out of our mouths, to make sure that the truth flows from our lips. We can speak great things into our lives and we can also speak evil into our lives, and that is something God makes us responsible for. When we wonder why our lives aren’t blessed, we may want to take inventory of our speech, to make sure that we aren’t speaking things that will nullify the blessings and the move of God. Today, we will look at 1 Peter 3:10, guarding our mouths in the Lord.

”For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”

The word ”love” means ”to have strong affection for in a social or moral sense”. The word ”life” speaks of the rich joy and fullness of our existence as believers. This implies that we place great value in the life that we have as believers. Those things we value we will guard. In John 10:10, Christ says, ‘‘The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” There would be no thief is our lives if we had nothing of value. No thief steals things that are worthless, so if the enemy is trying to rob us blind, then what does that say about our worth? Christ came that we will live abundant lives in Him. God never designed for our existence here on earth to be regular!

The word ”see” means ”to know, experience or witness”. The word ”good” means ”useful, beneficial, full of virtue”, and it also implies God’s intended purpose being fulfilled. God wants His children to experience great lives. In Psalm 23:6, the Bible says, ”Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” God doesn’t want our good lives to last a moment, but He desires for our good days to last for the rest of our lives. In Ephesians 1:3, the Bible says, ”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” If God blessed us with every spiritual blessing, then that is evidence that God desires His children to live good lives. God positions us with everything we need, but it is still up to us to receive what He has given.

The word ”refrain” means ”stop, desist, quit or cease”. The word ”evil” means ”depravity, wickedness, injuriousness, or worthlessness.” The word ”guile” means ”craftiness, deceitfulness, or subtility”. We have to watch what we say because in Proverbs 18:21, the Bible says, ”Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” We can speak life or death over our lives, but many people have no real clue of the power our speech has. In Mark 11:23, Christ says, ”For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” We have the ability to activate faith by the things we say, watching insurmountable obstacles be removed right before our eyes, so why would we waste our breath of words that produce darkness and wickedness? In James 1:26, the Bible says, ‘‘If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” The person who is Godly, desiring to live a good life is the person that watches what they say! We can’t speak life and death over the same circumstance and expect something to change in our favor. In James 3:8-10, the Bible says, ”But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” Our speech in itself is inclined to wickedness, but as believers, our nature changes, and we have the ability to speak blessings over our lives that will change things for the better. We can’t speak blessings and cursing out of the same mouth. That is not the recipe for a good life. In 1 Peter 2:1, the Bible says, ”Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings.” We have to do away with the things that will hinder our ability to live the way God intends us to live, and we can start by what we say!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 3, 2023 – 1 Corinthians 12:13 – by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body

”For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 12:13

Hi Everyone!

As believers, we are one body, the Church, and Christ is the head. We are all divinely connected to each other by the Holy Spirit, and it doesn’t matter what our past religious background is, whether we are in prison or free, what our nationality is, or anything else. Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ we all have the privilege of experiencing the Holy Spirit for ourselves. This is why God doesn’t like division, especially in the Church, because He called us to be one just as Christ was one with God. Churches today have taken denominationalism to places that have to displease God, because it has further divided the Church, which was created for us to move together as one. When we violate God’s natural design for His Church, there is a real problem. Today, we will look at 1 Corinthians 12:13, unity in the body of Christ.

”For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

The word ”baptized” means ”to immerse fully, or submerge into the belief, profession, and faith”. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which completely changes our lives as believers for the better. In Romans 6:4-5, the Bible says, ‘‘Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection”. Baptism is representative of our old man dying off and our new man being resurrected in Christ. We experience oneness in the dying of ourselves to sin, and we also experience oneness in the power of the Holy Spirit resurrecting us with Christ into the newness of life. In Romans 6:6, the Bible says, ”Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Being aware of what this baptism has provided, being one with the truth, we now have the power to serve God and not sin. The thing that hindered our unity has been destroyed. In Ephesians 4:3-6, the Bible says, ”Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Recognizing that we have been baptized into one body, we must shed any dead weight of individualism that works against God’s design for His Church.

It doesn’t matter if we were Jews or Gentiles. It never did! God chose Abraham, who was neither Jew or Gentile at first, and made him the father of the Jewish people. The word ”bond” means ”under subjection, a slave or involuntary servant.” When the letters to the Church at Corinth were written, there were slaves, and even their enslaved status didn’t hinder them from being baptized into the body of Christ. The word ”free” means ”unrestrained, able to go anywhere and do anything.” In Galatians 3:27-29, the Bible says, ”For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” There are no divisions when we are baptized in the Spirit, and if we are one, then there should be no divisions in the body. In 1 Corinthians 12:20, the Bible says, ”But now are they many members, yet but one body.” It doesn’t mean that because we are in one body that we are all going to be the same person or have the same roles. We will have different roles and that is by design, so we as a body can cover every part of ground.

The phrase ”made to drink” expresses feeding off the Spirit, or experiencing the Holy Spirit. In John 7:37-39, Christ says, ”In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” New Flash! Christ is glorified now, and as believers, we have received His Holy Spirit by faith. In Acts 2:38, the Bible says, ”Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” As believers, we will experience the Holy Spirit in a way that produces power in the Church. The reason the Church was so powerful back then was that they were one, moving in one Spirit. We must do the same!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 4, 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – ONCE – Slain to Receive #1 – the POWER Christ received

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive POWER, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #1

Hi Everyone!

The power of God dwelled in Christ, empowering Him to bring the provisions of heaven down to earth. Christ already came to earth with power, but when He died on the cross for the sins of the world, He received all power to do with it as He willed. What did He do with this power? He shared it with us, giving us the ability to work the works of God the same way Christ did, and even in greater ways. This was Christ’s mind for us who believe, to allow us to walk in the same power He did. Christ is seated at the right hand of God, which is the highest position in the kingdom of God, and from that position, He is the power of God, interceding on our behalf. What would you do if you had Christ’s power? Christ shared His power with the Church and now the Church has every opportunity to live in resurrection power. Today, we will look at part one of this seven part study of Revelation 5:12, the POWER Christ received.

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive POWER, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

The word ”worthy” means ”suitable enough to praise, or deserving”. The word ”Lamb” refers to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose blood cleansed any who believed in His name once and for all. The word ”slain” means ”slaughtered”. In Revelation 4:11, the Bible says, ”Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” This was declared in heaven by 24 elders, who laid down their crowns to declare the power of Christ. They attributed Christ as Creator of all things for His pleasure. Where does this sound familiar?

In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ”For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

Let’s dive into the Lord’s power. The word ”power” means ”miraculous force, authority, or might, spoken of omnipotent sovereignty as due to God.” In Philippians 2:9-11, the Bible says, ”Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus was highly exalted Christ and no other name on the earth is greater that Christ’s. We only bow and confess to those in power, and Christ has all power. In Matthew 28:18, the Bible says, ”And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Christ declared His power in and over the earth with this statement. Christ controls it all!

In Colossians 2:9-10, the Bible says, ”For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power”. Because Christ has the entire Spirit of God inside of Him, He is over any power that is on earth or in heaven.

In John 10:18, the Bible says, ”No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” Christ was given the power to lay down His life, because no one was in power to take it from Him. He wouldn’t have ever died on the cross had He not laid His life down as the offering for sin. They tried kill Christ so many times, but were unsuccessful because they didn’t have the power to take His life. He could only lose His life by giving it up!

In Acts 10:38, the Bible says, ”How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’‘ Christ walked with this power, and performed miracles, signs and wonders with the power He had, including rescuing people from the power of the enemy. Christ had this power on earth and it was attributed to God who had to be with Him. In John 17:1-2, the Bible says, ”These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” Christ received all power to pave the way for us to receive eternal life, and was slain, to not only have all power on earth, but in heaven as well!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 5, 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – TWICE – Slain to Receive #2 – the true riches of God

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and RICHES, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #2

Hi Everyone!

This world is driven by what some call ”The Almighty Dollar”. People have made money and material possessions their god, instead of worshipping God who is in heaven. People have somehow equated a person’s net worth to their worth as a person, and that shouldn’t be. All the money made in the world is still insufficient to pay for one’s admittance into the kingdom of God, and if a person tries to amass wealth without a relationship with God, and without salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, they will realize that they made the wrong investment with their lives. We must understand something simple. There is no such thing as a billionaire in heaven, because what we see as currency means nothing in the kingdom. Today, we will look at the second part of this seven part series Slain to Receive out of Revelation 5:12, the true riches of God.

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and RICHES, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ‘‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ”For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

The word ”riches” means ”abundance, valuable bestowment, wealth as in fullness.” Do we notice that these meanings say nothing of money, gold, stocks, etc.? In 1 Samuel 2:7-8, the Bible says, ”The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.” Our first problem is we have adopted our own standard of who is poor and who is rich, but it is only the Lord God who assesses what riches are. Remember in Matthew when they tried to trick Jesus by asking Him whether they should pay taxes to Caesar or not?

In Matthew 22:20-21, the Bible says of Christ, ”And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Christ expresses that there is a difference between what we deem to be money and what God deems to be money. In Proverbs 8:18-19, the Bible says, ”Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.” In this Proverb it is speaking about the value of wisdom, but it is also understood by scholars to be referring to Jesus Christ. So if there is no such thing as our version of money in the kingdom of God, and riches and honour are with Christ, then the riches Christ attained by dying on the cross for our sins is a wealth that is spiritual, given directly by the hand of God.

In Ephesians 3:8, the Bible says, ”Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”. Paul knew that Christ had riches that couldn’t be found on this earth. Our problem is that we try to find wealth from the outside, but God wants us to find our wealth from within. In Hebrews 11:26, the Bible says, ”Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Even Moses viewed the riches of Christ to be more valuable than anything the world had to offer. In Colossians 1:27, the Bible says, ”To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”. Christ in us is the unsearchable riches of God, His Holy Spirit dwelling richly in us. Christ exchanged this for one better: to sit at that Father’s right hand!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 6, 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – THRICE – Slain to Receive #3 – WISDOM

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and WISDOM, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #3

Hi Everyone!

Wisdom begins with a knowledge and fear of the Lord. We will never begin to know how to live a Godly life in Christ without knowing His Word and without faith in His finished work on the cross. What do we really know comparable to the wisdom of God, that has existed since the beginning of time, and has made all things known to God? When Christ rose from the dead, He returned to the full wisdom of God that far surpassed what He knew on earth. However it is God’s will that we live in the same wisdom that Christ did on earth. Christ makes these precious gifts available to us so we can know the things God desires of us. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can walk in the wisdom of God. Today we will look at Revelation 5:12, the third part of this series, ”Slain to Receive”, the amazing wisdom of Christ.

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and WISDOM, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

The word ”worthy” means ”suitable enough to praise, or deserving”. The word ”Lamb” refers to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose blood cleansed any who believe in His name once and for all. The word ”slain” means ”slaughtered”. In Revelation 4:11, the Bible says, ”Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” This was declared in Heaven by 24 elders, who laid down their crowns to declare the power of Christ. They attributed Christ as Creator of all things for His pleasure. Where does this sound familiar? In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ‘‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ”For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

The word ”wisdom” means ”infinite skill, insight, knowledge, and purity.” In Luke 2:40, the Bible says, ‘‘And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” When Christ was on the earth, He was God robed in flesh, but He had to grow into the wisdom God planted inside Him by the Holy Spirit. There is an order in the earth that even Christ partook in. God didn’t allow Christ to implement everything planted inside Him until the appointed time. In the meanwhile, Christ grew and matured in wisdom by the grace of God, the same grace that empowers us to fulfill the will of God at our appointed time. In Luke 2:51-52, the Bible says, ‘‘And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” When Jesus Christ was a child and he sat around with the teachers, in the Temple, listening to them and asking them questions, His wisdom confounded them all because of His youth. He was so busy engaging them in conversation that His parents already left and were gone for a day without noticing that he was gone! When Christ submitted to His parents, and went home with them, He grew even more in wisdom and increased in God’s favor. It is important for us to understand that Christ, God robed in flesh, had to grow into the wisdom He had that led to His three year ministry, so if Christ had to grow in wisdom, so do we.

In Proverbs 8:14, the Bible says, ”Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.” The wisdom Christ received after He was slain allowed Him to return to whom He was from the beginning. Because that same wisdom that was in Christ then, now lives in us, we have access to God’s Word in ways we can’t begin to fathom.

In Proverbs 2:1-2, the Bible says, ”My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding”. We can’t just have the wisdom of God and do nothing with it. We must apply the wisdom of God to our lives, just as Christ did.

In Colossians 1:9-10, the Bible says, ”For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We have the wisdom of God planted inside each of us, and this allows us to live lives that are pleasing to God, and to live worthy of the calling we have. It is because Christ was slain that we can have this wisdom!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 7, 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – QUARCE – Slain to Receive #4 – STRENGTH

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and WISDOM, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #4

Hi Everyone!

When we look at strength, we tend to gravitate towards physical ability first. We think about Samson, we think about David and Goliath, and we think about Israel taking down empires more vast than theirs. Strength is way more than just physical. Strength comes from God, and it equips us to stand in the midst of storms, race after our purpose, and carry the Word of God in our hearts and minds. When I had a gruelling season of loss, people told me that they’ve never seen a stronger person than me, but I tell them, ”It’s not my strength. It’s God’s.” I would have never made it had it not been for the Lord. When Christ rose from the dead, He rose stronger and mightier than He ever was on this earth, and as heirs of God, we now have this strength within us. Today, we will look at Revelation 5:12, the fourth part of the series ”Slain to Receive”, the immeasurable strength of Christ.

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and STRENGTH, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

The word ”worthy” means ”suitable enough to praise, or deserving”. The word ”Lamb” refers to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose blood cleanses any who believe in His name once and for all. The word ”slain” means ”slaughtered”. In Revelation 4:11, the Bible says, ‘‘Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” This was declared in heaven by 24 elders, who laid down their crowns to declare the power of Christ. They attributed Christ as Creator of all things for His pleasure. Where does this sound familiar? In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ”For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

The word ”strength” means ”forcefulness, potency, ability”. In Isaiah 26:4-5, the Bible says, ‘‘Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.” The strength that our risen Lord has is a strength that will last forever, that will have victory against anything or anyone that appears to have the advantage. The Lord’s strength is the reason why it should be easier for us to trust in Him, because He had already won the victory for us. When we try to operate in our own strength, that is the same thing as telling God, ”I don’t believe you can do it”. How can we ever expect to succeed in our faith thinking like that? In Psalm 28:7-8, the Bible says, ”The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.” Not only is everlasting strength in our Lord, but He IS our strength! He is our protection and that is another thing that should incite our trust in the Lord. Too many times, we search for other things to be our strength; weapons, money, relationships, but if the Lord isn’t our strength, we are very weak. In Psalm 27:1, the Bible says, ”The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Is the Lord the strength of our life? That may be the telltale sign of why we are walking in defeat instead of victory, because the wrong things and the wrong people are our strength instead of the Lord.

In Psalm 46:1-2, the Bible says, ”God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” When we are afraid, it is because we see the adversity instead of our Lord who protects us and fights for us. A very present help, means He is always available to help. In Ephesians 3:16, the Bible says, ”That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Not only is our Lord strength, but He always strengthens us to be able to live from victory against anything in our path. We don’t have to fight in our own strength, because the Lord places His strength inside of us, and allows us to get victory after victory. It is because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross that made this everlasting strength available to us!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

FUN FACTS – need to check out for SEVEN POSTS OF REV 5:12:

Anyone who plays DROD knows it’s:

Thrice
Quarce
Quince
Sence
Septence
Octence
Novence
Tonce

Edit: Just to clarify, these are – indeed – protologisms. In DROD, they’re used to indicate room coordinates (for comedic effect, instead of common notation), e.g. “Twice North, Septence West”.

Sorry for the confusion – I should’ve mentioned it’s not standard language.

Sep 8, 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – QUINCE – Slain To Receive #5 – HONOUR

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and HONOUR, and glory, and blessing.

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #5

Hi Everyone!

When our risen Saviour was slain for the sin of the world, His action honoured God. Jesus came to the world with the intention of laying His life down so that we may have access to salvation and eternal life. Because of this, Jesus Christ was given the highest name in heaven and earth, and at His name, what we experience from heaven comes alive! Christ Is the Author and Finisher of our faith, so if Christ is not the center of our belief, then nothing else matters! God ensured that Christ would hold this place of honour in heaven and in earth, and it is our job as believers to exalt the name of the Lord in our speech, actions, and by the way we live our lives. If Christ isn’t honoured, then our honour has gone to another, and that shouldn’t be. Today, we will continue our study of Revelation 5:12, the fifth part of our study ”Slain to Receive”, a Saviour worthy of honour.

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and HONOUR, and glory, and blessing.”

The word ”worthy” means ”suitable enough to praise, or deserving”. The word ”Lamb” refers to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose blood cleansed any who believe in His name once and for all. The word ”slain” means ”slaughtered”. In Revelation 4:11, the Bible says, ”Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” This was declared in heaven by 24 elders, who laid down their crowns to declare the power of Christ. They attributed Christ as Creator of all things for His pleasure. Where does this sound familiar? In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ‘‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

The word ”honour” means ”to esteem to the highest degree, or to bestow dignity upon”. In Hebrews 2:9-10, the Bible says, ”But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Here’s why Christ should receive all honour! Christ came to earth, took on flesh, left His deity behind, all to die for a bunch of people who didn’t deserve to have the chance at salvation or eternal life. Imagine a king taking the place of a servant, then dying to leave us an inheritance that gives us the same privileges as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Christ did this to bring us who believe into a harvest of salvation and righteousness, completely changing our nature in Him, and when His work was done on earth, He received His crown of honour. In Philippians 2:9-11, the Bible says, ”Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Christ ascended to the Father, God presented Him to the Church as being higher than anything on earth and in heaven. His name requires our worship and our confession that Jesus Christ is the supreme authority.

In 2 Peter 1:16-17, the Bible says, ”For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” It took mankind a while to catch up, but Christ was being honoured by God in heaven while He was still on earth, and there were eyewitnesses to the honour God showed Jesus Christ. In John 8:54, the Bible says, ”Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God.” Christ came to serve and was honoured by God because He reflected God’s vision for His life. In Revelation 19:1, the Bible says, ‘‘And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God.” Now, the heavenly host honours our Lord and Savior day and night! Are we?

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 9 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – SENCE – Slain To Receive #6 – GLORY

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and GLORY, and blessing.”

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #6

Hi Everyone!

When we think of glory, we can picture a light shining upon someone to exhibit them before others. When we give glory to God, we want others to know who our God is, that God is indeed responsible for the blessings that have come in our lives. Because of the love offering of Christ dying on the cross, shedding His blood for the sin of mankind, we glorify Him by acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior, and by sharing the revelations we receive with others, and by sharing the Word of God so that others can hear the good news and turn to Christ for salvation as well. We live in a society where people are trying to bring glory to themselves with every post, ever selfie, and every blog, but Jesus Christ deserves all of the glory. If we glorified the Lord the same way we try to glorify ourselves, then maybe there wouldn’t be so many people experiencing brokenness at the end of themselves. Today, we will look at Revelation 5:12, the sixth part of the series, Slain to Receive, who are we shining our light on?

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and GLORY, and blessing.”

The word ”worthy” means ”suitable enough to praise, or deserving”. The word ”Lamb” refers to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose blood cleansed any who believe in His name once and for all. The word ”slain” means ”slaughtered”. In Revelation 4:11, the Bible says, ”Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” This was declared in heaven by 24 elders, who laid down their crowns to declare the power of Christ. They attributed Christ as Creator of all things for His pleasure. Where does this sound familiar? In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ‘‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

The word ”glory” means ”praise or worship”. This is an intentional act of making Jesus Christ the center of attention, acknowledging that we belong to Him. In Colossians 1:16-17, the Bible says, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” When we understand that this world and the powers in it were created by Christ and for Him, and He still came to die so that we can be brought into a right relationship with God, it will become easier to glorify Jesus Christ by putting the attention on Him. In Matthew 16:27, the Bible says, ”For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.’‘ Christ was slain to receive glory, but He is returning in the glory of God. If God is putting glory upon Christ, then what is our excuse. Just in case someone thinks that I am being sacrilegious by saying God glorified Christ let’s look at John 17:1-2, which says, ‘‘These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” Jesus Christ was ready to receive God’s glory upon Him, and He already planned to use this glory to give more glory to God. What do we do with the glory we receive, vaunt ourselves up or give it back to God?

In 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, the Bible says, ‘‘But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” These gifts we received of God are because of Jesus Christ, so why wouldn’t Christ get our glory? In Jude 1:24-25, the Bible says, ”Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Because of the Lord shedding His blood on the cross for our sin, we can now appear faultless before God as children and not strangers. Christ was slain to receive glory because His death and resurrection gave us the power to stand before our God, cleansed and whole.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 10, 2023 – Revelation 5:12 – SEPTENCE – Slain To Receive #7 – BLESSING

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and BLESSING.”

Revelation 5:12 – Slain to Receive #7

Hi Everyone!

When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was slain, He was resurrected with all power. Everything was given to him, He was given all wisdom, all strength, all honour and all glory. This should compel our worship, this should open our hearts to love the Lord our God in a way we never have before. Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, we have access to live a life that allows us to see things that we never saw before, to experience the mighty hand of God change us in ways that we could never imagine, and to see God give us victory over impossible foes. In experiencing the mighty hand of God move, I want to run back to Him like that leper who was cleansed with the ten and give Him my thanks and love because only He could cleanse my spots. Today, we will look at Revelation 5:12, the seventh and last part of the series ”Slain to Receive”, a risen Savior deserving of blessing.

”Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and BLESSING.”

The word ”worthy” means ”suitable enough to praise, or deserving”. The word ”Lamb” refers to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose blood cleansed any who believe in His name once and for all. The word ”slain” means ”slaughtered”. In Revelation 4:11, the Bible says, ”Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” This was declared in heaven by 24 elders, who laid down their crowns to declare the power of Christ. They attributed Christ as Creator of all things for His pleasure. Where does this sound familiar? In Colossians 1:16, the Bible says, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”. Christ created this world and everything in it for Himself. In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, ‘‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’‘ God created us to fulfill His good pleasure, so Christ’s death was the catalyst for us to accomplish the purpose of God over our lives.

The word ”blessing” means ”adoration, thanksgiving, ascribing praise and benefit”. People associate blessing with what is received, but it is about what we give to the Lord. Jesus Christ paid a truly horrifying cost to give us the privilege to be called children of God. Christ even shared His inheritance with us! In Psalm 34:1-3, the Bible says, ”I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” If our Lord was slain to receive blessing, then why isn’t that flowing from our lips? When is the last time we prayed to God and exclusively loved on the Lord, thanking Him for what He has done for us? This Scripture suggests that we give our adoration, thanksgiving and praise to the Lord continuously, and our praise of the Lord should make others glad. In Psalm 28:6-7, the Bible says, ”Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” When we cry out to the Lord, He hears and responds and provides an answer, but does He hear our praise afterward? Is our praise of God a witness to the wondrous work of the Lord or are we silent, keeping the testimony to ourselves? In Matthew 21:9, the Bible says, ”And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.’‘ The same people who praised the Lord at His triumphant entry were some of the same people who forsook Him when He hung on the cross. Is our praise conditional?

In Luke 1:67-68, the Bible says, ”And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people”. Christ was blessed before He came into the world, and He is definitely blessed as He is seated in heaven. Our Lord redeemed us from the penalty of death and gave us access to salvation and eternal life. In 1 Timothy 6:15-16, the Bible says, ‘‘Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” We bless our Lord because He has never lost a battle, because He sacrificed Himself so we’d live forever, because He loves us so deeply.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 11, 2023 – Romans 8:6 – to be spiritually minded is life and peace

”For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Romans 8:6

Hi Everyone!

As believers, it is important that we set our minds on spiritual things. Having a new nature, where the old things that used to govern our lives have passed away, we now have the new thing that the Lord has promised us. We don’t have to answer to our former selves, nor do we have to live without a hope and future. Because of the salvation we have received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the ability to live our lives in power, in success, and we position ourselves to be prospered in the Lord to fulfill His calling for our lives. Living according to flesh will produce a death that we can’t come back from, and a set of consequences that can take a lifetime to undo unsuccessfully. To live according to the Word of God is to live our lives by the Spirit’s leading, which will bring us experiencing a state of bliss that we never dreamed of. Today, we will look at Romans 8:6, a carnal mind versus a spiritual mind.

”For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

The phrase ”carnally minded” implies sinfulness, proneness to sin, the flesh nature, the seat of appetites and desires of the flesh, sinful passions and affections whether physical or moral. It also implies having a mind set on the world and its amenities. In 1 John 2:16-17, the Bible says, ”For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” A carnally minded person is someone who pays very close attention to the things that they desire in this world, the things that are visually attractive, and they also pay attention to things that will bolster their ego. These things have an expiration date, and a brutal circumstance, which is death. In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, ”For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” A wage is something we earn for the work we put in.

The phrase ”carnally minded” also speaks of those who exercise sinfulness, those who practice sin. This is not the person who doesn’t desire the truth of God, but it is the person who serves sin. It is important that we don’t fit ourselves into categories we don’t belong in as believers. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, the Bible says, ”Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” To join ourselves to unbelievers suggests that we receive their doctrine, practice their deeds, and believe in what by believe in. It also suggests that there is nothing that makes us different in the eyes of people who view us. The word ”death” means ”physical death aggravated by eternal damnation.” In Romans 8:13, the Bible says, ”For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” This death is not pertaining to believers, but those who desire nothing of Christ and the Spirit of God. Those who want to live will put to death the sin nature in their lives by receiving the blood of Jesus Christ as the atonement for their sins.

The phrase ”spiritually minded” implies a life lived according to the Word of God, a life where Jesus Christ is Lord, and the Holy Spirit leads us into the purpose of God. It is a life that is blessed and leads us into oneness with God and eternal life when this life is over. In Colossians 3:1-3, the Bible says, ”If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Because we have a new life and nature, our minds should be focused on spiritual things things consistent with who we are in Christ.

The word ”life” means ”in a Christian sense of eternal life; the life of bliss and glory in the kingdom of God which awaits the true disciples of Christ after the resurrection”. The word ”peace” means ”prosperity, health, welfare, or every kind of good”. In Ephesians 2:5-6, the Bible says, ”Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. We as believers have the benefit of God’s grace that made salvation available by faith in Jesus Christ, and to also share in the power of the kingdom of God with Christ. In Galatians 6:8, the Bible says, ”For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Sowing is an intentional act. Wherever our mind is set, that is where we will plant seed, and it is also where we will reap our harvest.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 12, 2023 – 1 Samuel 7:3 – prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only

”And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 7:3

Hi Everyone!

We live in a world that is filled with wickedness. Crime is a problem that is affecting every corner of society, there is an opioid crisis that is becoming one of the leading causes of death, mass shootings are transpiring all over America, and racism abounds everywhere. In the news reels, we have a former President being sued, accused of rape, and this same President has also been indicted. We have teachers violating the trust of their students and parents by committing acts of sexual abuse, and people being shot and killed for ringing the wrong doorbell or pulling into the wrong driveway. We cannot expect our countries to be as good as they can be when the people are turning away from the Lord. We must repent and turn back to the Lord. Today, we will look at 1 Samuel 7:3, turning our back on the enemy to turn our face to the Lord.

The word ”return” means ”to turn back, to repent and it also means to go home”. To ”return unto the Lord” implies that people have walked away from the Lord to serve sin, essentially making sin their god. At this time in the Scripture, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who carried away the Ark of the Covenant. God punished the Philistines severely, because of this they returned the Ark back unto Israel. Samuel is reminding the body of God to repent and come back home to the Lord. The word ”hearts” suggests the center of our being, the seat of our desires, appetites, passions, and impulses. In Deuteronomy 30:2-3, the Bible says, ”And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.” Israel suffered a huge defeat at the hand of the Philistines because they turned their backs on the Lord. Israel had a detailed history of apostacy, oppression, repentance and deliverance, and this instance was no different. How many of us are the same way? In 1 Kings 8:48, the Bible says, ”And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name”. God doesn’t want part of our hearts, or part of anything of us. God wants it all, and deserves that, more than anything we could ever give Him. God desires so little of the people He gives so much to.

The phrase ”put away” means ”to cast down, to toss away, or discard”. The ”strange” means ”foreign or heathen”. Israel was worshipping the gods of heathen nations instead of worshipping God who they saw do wondrous works, delivering them from brutal enemies and positioning them to be a power in the land. In Genesis 35:2-3, the Bible says, ”Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.” ”Strange gods ” can be anything that isn’t God. Money and material possession can be a strange god. Drugs and alcohol can be a strange god. Premarital sex is a strange god. People can be a strange god. In our time, God wants us to toss away anything that we worship instead of God, because Exodus 20:3 says, ‘‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

The phrase ”prepare your hearts” means ”to establish, set, or make ready to stand before the Lord.” The word ”serve” means ”to worship, or attend to.” The word ”deliver” means ” to rescue, to save, expressing the power of one entity overcoming another.” In Deuteronomy 6:12-13, the Bible says, ”Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.” We have to remember the Lord, who delivered us from the spiritual and physical bondage we were under, and that should compel us to worship and serve Him with all our hearts. In Deuteronomy 10:20, the Bible says, ”Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.” When we cleave to the Lord, it means we join ourselves to the Lord, expressing oneness, and when our hearts are right before the Lord, He will save us from the power of the enemy!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 13, 2023 – Psalm 147:3 – He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds

”He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”

Psalm 147:3

Hi Everyone!

I suffered a broken heart from most of my childhood. Neither one of my parents raised me, but because they came around from time to time, I constantly experienced hope and optimism, but I also experienced disappointment and abandonment. I was bullied in school for being smart and I was ashamed to admit I went to Church as that would’ve made me a greater target. My adolescence was more of the same, and added to it was family drama, homelessness, and the street life. My adult life was marred by guns and gunshot wounds, chronic insomnia, a nervous breakdown, and imprisonment. For the majority of my life, pain and heartbreak were close acquaintances, until I received the healing from the Lord that would change my life forever. People are surprised when they hear my testimony, because praise be to God, I don’t look anything like what I have been through. I am completely healed by Jesus Christ’s stripes. Today, we will look at Psalm 147:3, heartbreak and healing.

”He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”

The word ”healeth” means ”to cure, repair, to mend by stitching, or to make whole”. In Isaiah 53:5, the Bible says, ‘‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Jesus Christ suffered excruciating pain, and experienced a horrific death in order for us to have the privilege of experiencing His healing. He suffered so we wouldn’t have to live a life of suffering, so we can experience the beauty of a new life in Him. Don’t think it is God’s will to see us suffer, to see us brokenhearted, or to see us without a hope and a future. In Luke 9:11, the Bible says, ”And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.” God doesn’t discriminate. His invitation is for all, whether we accept His invitation or not. He wants to see us healed and made whole, whether it being physical or spiritual. In Hebrews 4:15-16, the Bible says, ”For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Our Lord understands what we go through, and knows what heartbreak feels like, so He has given us the ability to come to Him for the help we need.

The word ”broken” means ”crushed, burst in pieces, or destroyed”. The word ”heart” refers to the center of one’s being, where feelings, will and intellect flow from. I know how it feels to be broken, and praise God, I know what it feels like to be healed. In Psalm 34:18-19, the Bible says, ”The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” When God sees us brokenhearted, He is a lot nearer than we may believe. Sometimes, when we are hurting, God seems so far away, but He is more than willing to hear us and He definitely is ready to respond to our tears. In Psalm 51:17, the Bible says, ‘‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” God responds to our broken hearts with healing, when we come to God humble in Spirit. God receives our hearts yearning for healing and He desires to transform us into something pleasing in His sight.

The word ”bindeth” means ”to wrap firmly, or to compress”. When a wound is compressed, it stops the bleeding and prevents further injury. We can’t heal until the bleeding stops! The word ”wounds” means ”griefs, or emotional pain and suffering.” In Isaiah 61:1, the Bible says, ”The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound”. Christ came to stop the bleeding, to pave the way for our healing. In Luke 4:21, the Bible says, ”And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Praise God that this, isn’t a promise that we have to wait on, but it is a promise that we have access to right now! In Ezekiel 34:16, the Bible says, ”I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.’‘ I was lost in the midst of my pain and suffering. I was deeply entrenched in sin with no way out. I was broken without repair. Jesus Christ came to heal my broken heart and I am none of these things anymore!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 14, 2023 – Romans 10:12 – the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him

”For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”

Romans 10:12

Hi Everyone!

God does not discriminate. His heart is overflowing with love towards us, even when we weren’t so lovable. His love carries no conditions as evidenced by Him sending Christ to the world to die for our sins. He did this while we were still sinners, He did this before we were even born to commit our first sin, and it didn’t matter if we were Jews or Gentiles. His call is to all who receive Him by faith. As people, we set standards, boundaries, and rules to receive people into our lives and homes, but God gave us entrance into His kingdom as heirs. As believers, we are seated in heavenly places with Christ, in a place of prominence and glory because of what God provided. It goes deeper than Jew and Gentile, but the call is also extended to the murderer, the adulterer, the thief, even the atheist. God’s love causes Him to call us all, but sadly, all won’t heed the call. Today, we will look at Romans 10:12, a call to all.

”For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”

The word ”difference” means ”variation or distinction”. We try to dole out qualifications required for God to call us, and some in the Church have spread the message, ”Clean yourself up, then come to Christ.” We see someone walk into the Church with a tight, short skirt and is given the rules about how to dress in Church without considering that the night before, God may have called her away from prostitution. It runs so much deeper than just Jew and Greek, because God calls us all. In Acts 15:8-9, the Bible says, ”And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” God knows our hearts and calls us into His kingdom. Imagine the faith a person must have had to answer God’s call, but enter ”His building” and be met with people who resist their entry because they don’t meet their qualifications. This shouldn’t be. In Romans 3:22-23, the Bible says, ”Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. God is not concerned with our standards and rules, but He is concerned with His standard. God is prepared to place His righteousness into all who believe by faith in Jesus Christ, and He isn’t some doorman checking on our outfits, or our past deeds. All have sinned, so no one has the right to stand before God, but God gives us the opportunity by faith, to stand before Him righteous. There is no difference to God. He loves us all!

The word ”Jew” speaks of the children of Abraham, the children of the promise, the people especially chosen by God to bear His name in the earth. The word ”Greek” speaks of the Gentiles, the non-Jews, the people who were outside of the promise. In Galatians 3:28-29, the Bible says, ”There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” God does not care about division, and in fact, He doesn’t want that in His kingdom. The Jews were people chosen by God, but God also called the Gentiles as well, and in Christ, we become Abraham’s seed, having the same standing as a Jew. God desires us all to be as one, so in oneness, how can there be divisions, racism, hierarchies or anything that breaks us into factions?

The word ”rich” means ”wealthy, or to increase with goods.” This speaks of the endless provision of God. The phrase ”call upon” means ”to invoke for aid, worship, testimony or decision”. When we call upon God, He responds by supplying us with an abundance of Himself, ensuring our success in Him. This is for everyone, not just Jews. In Romans 3:29-30, the Bible says, ”Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” God justifies us all by faith, and to ”justify us” suggests that we are rendered innocent. This means our backgrounds mean nothing. Our faith means everything. In 1 Timothy 2:5-6, the Bible says, ”For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” God’s promise is for all, because Christ gave Himself for us all. This is our testimony, that we are accepted by Him in love. In Ephesians 1:4, the Bible says, ”According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”. This means that we were always in God’s plan, even the Gentiles! We may see differences, but God sees us as the same and calls us all!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 15, 2023 – Deuteronomy 10:12 – what doth the LORD thy God require of thee

”And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”

Deuteronomy 10:12

Hi Everyone!

God requires so little of us compared to all He has provided. God even requires so little of us compared to who He is! God provided His Son Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice for sin, so we who believe can have access to living a Godly life in Him. God empowers us by His grace to live for Him, but do we use His grace to fulfill His purpose in us, or do we use grace as a license to take our feet off of the gas. I have heard people say, ”I am going to heaven anyway, what does it matter?” We should not think like this. God wants us to live amazing lives here on earth in Him, and that comes by obedience to His word. Today, we will look at Deuteronomy 10:12, an obedience the Lord requires of His children.

The word ”require” means ”to inquire, request or demand”. Our God is not demanding, but He has demands, with full expectation of us meeting those demands. In this context God is speaking to Israel, but this message clearly applies to us as well. In Micah 6:8, the Bible says, ”He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Isn’t it odd how the Lord requires so little of us and we feel like it is some astronomical feat, but He requires things that we are essentially supposed to be doing anyway. God wants our attitudes and our conduct to reflect who we truly are, because in Genesis 1:26, the Bible says, ”And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” God created us to bear His image and likeness on the earth, to show the world what the physical manifestation of God looks like in the earth through our conduct, but in order for us to do that, we must be willing to do what the Lord demands of us.

The word ”fear” means ”to have deep, moral and spiritual reverence for God, or Godly respect”. In Deuteronomy 6:13-14, the Bible says, ”Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.” God is our first option as believers or He is no option. God is clear that He doesn’t want us having any other god but Him, but most people don’t fully realize that anything we place above God becomes our god. We can’t reverence our God and at the same time follow after someone or something else.

The word ”walk” means ”to live according to, or to follow”. The word ”ways” means ”a road, course of life, or mode of action”. So we are to live according to the course of life and mode of action of our God. We are to think like God, live as God desires, and set our actions according to His commands. In Deuteronomy 5:32-33, the Bible says, ”Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.” We can’t pick and choose what rules we follow. God demands that we live in ALL the ways that God demands of us, not the ones that are convenient for us.

The word ”love” means ”to have affection for, or to friend”. The word ”serve” means ”to labor, toil or work in worship to God.” In Deuteronomy 6:5-7, the Bible says, ”And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” God doesn’t just want us to follow His Word, but He also wants us to teach His ways in our homes to our children, so they will follow the Word of the Lord as well. Love is built through knowledge, so how will our babies ever come to love a God that they don’t know? The ”heart” refers to the center of one’s being. In Deuteronomy 30:16, the Bible says, ‘‘In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.” The blessings of the Lord are attached to our love and obedience to His Word. He doesn’t ask for much, but will we give it?

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 16, 2023 – Matthew 18:11 – the Son of man is come to save that which was lost

”For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”

Matthew 18:11

Hi Everyone!

I remember who I used to be. I was a broken, angry, hurt youngster bent on destruction. Ironically, most of the time, I was good natured, and I did nice things for others, but I had a wickedness inside of me that caused major problems in my life. By the time I made it to prison, most people who knew me wrote me off, never thinking that I was going to change, never thinking I was going to rise from the filth that governed my life, but praise God, He had a totally different plan for me! Where the world condemned me, my Saviour loved me and redeemed me from the penalty of death. When the world abandoned me, my Saviour’s blood made me accepted as beloved by God. When I look back, I have no choice but to count the Word of God as truth, because Jesus Christ really came to save those who were lost. I was lost and had no ability within myself to find my way home, but God’s mercy provided the Way, Jesus Christ, to save someone as foul as me. Today, we will look at Matthew 18:11, Christ the Saviour, our tour guide home.

”For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”

The phrase ”Son of Man” refers to Jesus Christ, as He referred to Himself. Christ had every right to call Himself the Son of God, or ”God with us”, but He made Himself one of us. In Philippians 2:5-7, the Bible says, ”Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men”. When we are anything noteworthy, we want to tell the world, but Christ was everything and made Himself nothing. He is not only our Atoning Sacrifice for sin, but He was God robed in flesh. He was a servant, but in fact the person who should have been served. In Matthew 9:4-6, the Bible says, ”And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” In order for us to experience salvation, we must first realize that Christ has power to forgive sins, not just heal our bodies. Christ as the Son of Man has the power to forgive sins, because Christ as the Son of God has all power! In Matthew 28:18, the Bible says, ‘‘And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Do we understand that in order to believe that Christ has the power to save us, we must believe that He has ALL POWER?

The word ”save” means ”to deliver, protect, preserve or heal”. This salvation isn’t the rescue of our bodies, but the rescue of our souls. The word ”lost” means ”dead or destroyed spiritually”. In Romans 8:10-11, the Bible says, ”And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” We were in a spiritually dead state, which is way worse that being dead physically. A spiritually dead state means that we were headed to eternal damnation where there would be no more forgiveness for sin. In Ephesians 2:4-6, the Bible says, ”But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. God not only made the provision for salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, but He also gave us positions in His kingdom, to be established in Christ. To go from a lawless criminal to a child of God, having access to the kingdom of God, is something I am so grateful for.

In Luke 19:9-10, the Bible says, ”And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” When Zacchaeus met Christ, there compelled a change within him and he gave back all the proceeds he took as a tax collector, plus more! Christ honored his heart with salvation, and shows us that Zacchaeus is exactly the type of person He came to save. Think not?

In Luke 19:5, the Bible says, ”And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.” Zacchaeus was in a tree waiting for Christ to walk past and Christ called him by name and requested to abide in his house. Zacchaeus received Him and was saved! Christ sought me out when I was searching for the world and He saved me! There is no greater gift I would ever get on earth.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 17, 2023 – 1 Corinthians 4:5 – judge nothing before the time

”Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

1 Corinthians 4:5

Hi Everyone!

Who are we to judge? We as people can be extremely judgemental, putting ourselves in the place of God, determining who should be saved and who shouldn’t. We go even deeper, acting like we can actually discern someone’s heart and thoughts as we render our accusations of them. I have experienced this from people and I have sadly been the ones to cast judgements on others. They were wrong about me and I was wrong about the ones I cast judgements on. There is only one judge and that is Jesus Christ, and He knows us from the inside out. He knows our hearts, our thoughts, our motives and our intentions, and only He can fully expose the darkness that we walk in. If we spent more time sharing the light of the Lord, instead of saying ”Aha!” to someone’s darkness, we will be better off as believers. Today, we will look at 1 Corinthians 4:5, the True Light manifesting the darkness in us.

The word ”judge” means ”to distinguish in order to condemn, to form an adverse opinion, or to render an unfavourable judgement.” The word ”time” refers to a time that is a set, appointed, or proper. This is typical of the world we live in, discounting people before they have the chance to mature, before they have the chance to seek salvation, before they can become who God has called them to be. Our judgements have hindered more people from coming to the mercy seat of God than have ushered people into the presence of the Lord. In Matthew 7:1-2, Christ says, ”Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Our own judgements become the standard by which we are judged. Isn’t it odd when someone can pass judgement upon us, all the while doing the same thing they are judging us for? In Romans 2:3, the Bible says, ”And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” We have to answer to God for the judgements that we cast upon other people, but do we realize that?

In Romans 2:1-2, the Bible says, ”Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.” Most of our judgements have nothing to do with the truth, but they are the product of our opinions, based on only part of the truth. If people’s judgements of me were correct, then there is no way I would be where I am now, serving the Lord, happily married, helping as many people as possible find freedom.

The phrase ”bring to light” means ”to shine upon or make known”. The phrase ”hidden things of darkness” refers to the inner motives, thoughts, and attitudes that only God knows. The word ”darkness” refers to anything that is absent of moral and spiritual light; the sinfulness and consequent calamity. Who really knows that besides God, yet we are quick to look at someone and condemn them based upon our own sensibilities. In John 3:17, the Bible says, ”For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” If Christ didn’t come to the world to condemn people in it, then who are we to believe that we can step in for God and become something that even Christ wasn’t when He walked the earth? In Romans 14:4, the Bible says, ”Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” We are the servants of the Lord and He is our master. How can we step in and be master by judging others, and judging unfairly?

The phrase ”make manifest” means ”to make apparent or reveal”. The phrase ”counsels of the hearts” means ”secret thoughts or purposes of man”. In Romans 14:10, the Bible says, ”But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” When we act like we are God, we rob our brothers and sisters of being who they can become in the Lord. We essentially cut them off at the knees and proclaim that they will never grow higher than our expectations. That shouldn’t be!

In Romans 14:13, the Bible says, ”Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” We keep people from pursuing the Lord because of our judgements, because of our opinions, because of our nonsense. Christ will be our judge in the end. What will He say about us?

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 18, 2023 – Proverbs 24:16 – a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again

”For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

Proverbs 24:16

Hi Everyone!

As believers, we can expect to make some poor decisions, some possessing consequences that continue on long after the offence. People have placed an unfair expectation of perfection upon believers, like we should be above making mistakes, losing our cool, or disappointing God. I remember in 2011, I got into a fight in the maximum security prison I was housed in, and was placed in the hole for 6 months. I was defending an already injured person from an attack by another guy, and in that 3 minute fight, it cost me 6 months and five days in the hole. I also remember people celebrated my downfall, telling people, ”I knew he wasn’t a real Christian”, or ”I knew it was too good to be true. He’s a hypocrite like the rest of them.” All while people discounted who I was because of what I did, God was working on me, refining me, and I ended up helping even more people after my slip than before my slip. The person in the Lord who slips and falls will get up again, but the person who does not have the Lord may never get up at all. Today, we will look at Proverbs 24:16, a call to rise again in the Lord, despite what you may have done.

”For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

The word ”just” means ”righteous”. Who can be righteous in this very unrighteous world? In Romans 3:22, the Bible says, ”Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The righteousness of God is bestowed upon those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. It is not because of any right thing we have done because we have all fallen short, but it is because of what Christ did on the cross that allows the righteousness of God to be bestowed upon us. In Romans 4:6-7, the Bible says ”Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” David knew that righteousness is something that God places upon us outside of anything we have done. The fact that we have been forgiven and set free from the penalty of death is testimony that God’s righteousness is upon us. In Romans 5:19, the Bible says, ”For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” The obedience of Jesus Christ in dying on the cross for our sins made us who believe righteous, and we then spend the rest of our lives becoming more like our Lord. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, the Bible says, ”For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” It took the sinlessness of Jesus Christ to atone for our unrighteousness.

The word ”falleth” means ”cast down, to fail, to be overcome by wickedness”. This isn’t a permanent state for a believer, but it speaks towards things can can and will happen in our lives. In 2 Corinthians 4:8, the Bible says, ”We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed”. Notice how there is a ”but” to every state we can find ourselves in. Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, we will go through trouble but not be consumed by it. Even Paul went through trouble, and in Romans 7:22-23, the Bible says, ”For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Paul wanted to do the right thing, but another nature was trying to mount up victory against him. We are not exempt from this. The phrase ”riseth up again” means that we will be strengthened, that when the smoke clears, we will stand, and it means that we will be established in Him despite what we have gone through.

The word ”wicked” speaks of unbelievers, people who did not received the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ. The word ”fall” means ”to totter, waver, stumble, faint, or be ruined due to weakness”. The word ”mischief” means ”wickedness, evil, trouble, calamity, or misery.” The ones who won’t receive Jesus Christ as Lord as Savior have a brutal end coming their way. In Amos 8:14, the Bible says, ‘‘They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.” We don’t want to be those counted for destruction, those without hope or a promising future. Those who are saved don’t have to worry about this state, they ability to make a wonderful come back. David fell, Saul fell, and Peter fell, but praise God they rose again. So will we!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 19, 2023 – Psalm 116:7 – return unto thy rest, O my soul

”Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.”

Psalm 116:7

Hi Everyone!

As believers, we will face adversity that comes in many forms. Sometimes, that adversity is warfare, other times it is hardships, and all come capabe of making us mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually unstable. Then adversity comes, which can rob us of our sleep, strip us of our peace, and take our minds off of our rest in the Lord. These things can happen if we let them it, if we don’t keep our minds and heart trained on the Lord, if we focus on the adversity and not on the breakthrough. God desires His children to have rest, to have peace on all sides, so our minds, hearts, eyes, and ears an have an unobstructed view of the kingdom of God, so we can see how great our God truly is. In adversity, it is so hard to see how awesome our God really is, but if we do, it will put adversity in its rightful place; as an event and not as an outcome. Today, we will look at Psalm 116:7, a return to a rest of a bountiful God.

”Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.”

The word ”return” implies reestablishment, a restoration process taking place that will make us better than ever. The word ”rest” means ”a settled spot, or home”. Notice that this verse said ”thy rest”? This is a place of refuge in the Lord, a place He has designated especially for His children. This implies a place of true peace, one that can only be found in the Lord. In Jeremiah 15:19, the Bible says, ”Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.” A return to the Lord implies repentance, that we trade in our ways, thoughts, and actions for the Lord’s, and we bring ourselves back into a oneness and fellowship with God. We can’t return to the rest of the Lord without returning to the Lord. Imagine being afflicted, and then trying to find refuge in a serial killer’s home. That is what we do when we return to the world for it’s peace and rest, instead of the Lord’s. In Isaiah 26:3, the Bible says, ”Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” It takes great trust to return to the Lord’s rest, but we will receive a peace that can’t be described, a peace that will give us the rest we are looking for.

In Jeremiah 6:16, the Bible says, ‘‘Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” God gives us the ability and the access to rest in Him. Do we ever ask God for the way to peace, for the pathway to rest, or do we choose to forge our own pathway? Do we inquire in the Word of the Lord for His peace and rest, or do we try to outthink the adversity that climbs into our space? If we seek the Lord for His rest, and seek after His ways, He will respond with the help we need. In Matthew 11:28-30, Christ says, ”Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” God is calling us to bring our burdens to Him, to bring our exhaustion, our fears, our anger, and our struggles to Him. God doesn’t want us carrying these burdens. He loves us so much and He wants us to walk in His rest, to live in His perfect peace, so we can experience Him without walls, obstacles and hindrances. He doesn’t want us bearing these burdens alone. In 1 Peter 5:7, the Bible says, ”Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” We must understand that the Lord loves us, and just like any great parent, who doesn’t want their kids bogged down with stress. He wants us to walk in victory, not live in defeat.

The phrase ”dealt bountifully” means ”to treat well, to benefit greatly, or to reward”. In Psalm 13:5-6, the Bible says, ”But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” Trust is key in entering the Lord’s rest, because we will never have rest without trusting in the Lord. Our rejoicing should come from who we are in the Lord and who He is to us. The Lord’s goodness will compel praise from us, another thing that keeps us in the rest of the Lord. In Psalm 119:15-17, the Bible says, ‘‘I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.’‘ What do we focus our attention on, especially when we are under affliction? Where is our mind fixed when we experience warfare? We must set our minds on the Lord and rest in Him.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 20, 2023 – 1 Corinthians 10:33 – not seeking mine own profit

”Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

1 Corinthians 10:33

Hi Everyone!

When we serve the Lord and serve others, are our hearts in the right place? Do we seek to help people to make our own selves appear to be something bigger than we are? Do we serve people for our own benefits or advancement, or are our motives focused upon the salvation and abundant lives of others? God takes care of His own, and He especially looks after those who serve Him and others, but when our goal is to benefit ourselves, we can never please the Lord. God desires that our hearts and intentions for ministry and service be pure, solely focused on ushering people into the presence of God, so they may receive what we have as believers. We should want to see others rise in the faith, to experience the power of the Holy Spirit moving and working in their lives, not for our own benefit but for the benefit of others. Today, we will look at 1 Corinthians 10:33, serving the Lord from a pure heart of great intention.

”Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

The word ”please” means ”to seek to gratify or to accommodate oneself to.” This means that we make ourselves available to others, to help them with the things they need to experience the kingdom of God. In Romans 12:1, the Bible says, ”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Making ourselves a living sacrifice means that we position ourselves to be at the service of God and others. Being a living sacrifice means that our own needs are secondary to what we can do for others, knowing that God is going to sustain us. Christ taught us that great people in the kingdom are those who serve, not those who are served. In Matthew 20:26-28, Christ says, ”But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Christ is our great example, He did not come to earth to be served. He used everything in Him to be of service to all who came to Him. He desires us to see that service is the greatest life we can live on earth, not living a life that only benefits us. In Romans 15:1-2, the Bible says, ‘‘We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” God desires us to be strong for the weak, to give people every opportunity to turn their lives over to the Lord. We can’t do this if we are self-centred, only focusing on how our service can somehow work in our own favor.

The word ”seeking” means ”to desire, require, or endeavour.” The word ”profit” means ”advantage or benefit”. Paul was exemplifying the example of Christ, teaching the church in Corinth to do the same thing. Romans 12:10, the Bible says, ‘‘Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Love has to be the driving force behind our service, because if it is, we will always remain people driven, instead of being driven by our own ambitions. If love is not our driving force, then we are going to be driven by what we desire and not what God desires. In 1 Corinthians 9:19, the Bible says, ”For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” We received salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, and in salvation, there is great freedom. Instead of using that freedom to live our own lives, we should live our lives to ensure that others receive the same gift we have. We should live our lives to gain souls for the kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, the Bible says, ‘‘To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” In order for us to become weak to the weak, it means that we don’t become so high and mighty in our new position that we become unapproachable and unable to relate to others in their state. It means that we try to understand them right where they are.

The word ”saved” means ”to deliver, rescue, preserve, or protect from eternal death, sin, punishment and the miserable consequents of sin.” In Romans 11:13-14, the Bible says, ”For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.” Paul was a Pharisee Jew, trained under the strictest sect, and he had forsaken all of that to understand and identify with the Gentiles, all for the purpose of their salvation. We must be willing to die to self so others can live in salvation. Will we forsake our benefits for the benefits of others?

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 21, 2023 – Matthew 25:13 – ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh

”Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

Matthew 25:13

Hi Everyone!

I remember when my Tee-Tee and Uncle Jay would leave the house to go somewhere. They never told us what time they were coming back, so it nullified any thought of throwing a party, or having company over. Not knowing when they were coming back made us more inclined to fly straight, knowing that at any time they could show up, and we were typically on our best behavior, because no one wanted to get caught doing something wrong. Well, the same rules apply to our faith, because the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back for His Church, and what will He find once He gets here? Will He find the same worldliness that He provided atonement for by His death on the cross, or will He find a Church serving Him fully, operating in His power, expecting His arrival. What if today was the day Jesus came back? What would He see in our lives? Today, we will look at Matthew 25:13, an earnest expectancy of Jesus Christ’s second coming.

”Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

The word ”watch” means ”to keep awake, be vigilant, or be alert”. This word suggests that we remain on guard, waiting on our Master’s arrival. This word also suggests that our Master is indeed coming back for His Church. I remember when we were removed from my Momma’s house and placed with my Tee-Tee and Uncle Jay. We had a picture window and I used to sit on the couch in the living room, musing over how it would feel if Momma or Dad walked up to the house to come to get us. Sadly, that day never came, but fortunately for me, I have a Savior that is preparing a place for me, and will come back for me. In Matthew 24:42-44, Christ says, ”Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” In this world as believers, we have to watch for two things. One, we have to always be on guard for the Lord’s arrival, because no one knows when Christ is coming back. Two, we have to be on guard because there is an enemy in Satan who doesn’t want us ready for the Lord’s arrival. In 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible says, ”Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. How do we remain sober and vigilant? By remaining in the Word of God, living according to the Word of the Lord, and being led by the Holy Spirit.

The word ”cometh” means ”to appear or arrive”. Just because we don’t know the day nor hour, doesn’t mean He is not coming. We should live our lives like He is coming today. In Luke 12:45-46, Christ says, ”But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” If we mismanage our lives by acting a plum fool, thinking the Lord isn’t coming, He has news for us! He will come when we least expect it. I listen to so many people tell me they aren’t ready to receive the Lord as Savior, that they have more life left to live, but what if today was the last day and Christ came today for His Church. The people who won’t receive the Lord before He comes back will be headed for eternal destruction. In Luke 21:36, Christ says, ”Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Those who receive Christ as Lord and Saviour have been delivered from the penalty of death to come, and His blood shed for us deems us worthy to escape the wrath to come. In 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, the Bible says, ‘‘Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” Our strength is in the Lord and by standing upon His Word. Living according to the Word of God allows us to walk in Him and live in love, all of which pleases our God.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6, the Bible says, ”Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” We have to always remember who we are in the Lord, that we cannot operate in this earth like everyone else, without a hope, future, or Christ coming back for us. In Revelation 16:15, the Bible says, ”Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” As believers, we are to live in the Lord as if He can come back today. How do we want Christ to see us when He does?

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 22, 2023 – Matthew 25:15 – to every man according to his several ability

”And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

Matthew 25:15

Hi Everyone!

When God created us, He gave us what we needed to become exactly what He created us to be. God also equipped us with a choice, to steward well what He has given and multiply it for the kingdom of God. This means that what God has given us is for his glory, not for our own. What do we do with the things God has implanted within us? Do we use what God has given to help someone else maximize their God-given potential on earth? Do we invest time, effort, and energy into showing people the way of the Lord? Or do we walk around with an incorrect perception of God, choosing to bury what God has given instead of investing it in the kingdom? Because God is the one who created us with the means to perform His good purpose in us He is going to have an expectation that we will produce a return on His investment. Today, we will look at Matthew 25:15, a Godly investment requiring a great return.

”And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

The word ”gave” means ”to bestow of commit”. The word ”talents” refers to a measure of weight, typically relating to either gold or silver. This passage in the Bible symbolizes the extremely valuable opportunities God gives us to do something amazing with what He has given that many of us squander away. In 2 Peter 1:2-4, the Bible says, ”Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” God just doesn’t give us grace, but God multiplies His grace towards us, that grace being His divine empowerment to bridge the gap between where we are and where we need to be. God gives us everything we need to live a Godly life, and He also gives us everything we need to fulfill the purpose His has set. God wants us to not only understand how the kingdom of God works, but God also wants us to partake in the kingdom of God, and live according to His divine nature. The parable of the talents definitely is speaking about money, but is that all it is speaking about? If we get lost in the money, we will miss the most valuable currency in what God has given: His grace!

According to the measure of weight, a talent of gold usually refers to 100 pounds, and a talent of gold is worth $5,760,000 in today’s prices. A talent of silver is worth $384,000. If a person received FIVE talents, they essentially received a little less than $29 million in gold, or $2 million in silver. This is no light amount of money. This part is very important. The word ”ability” means ”miraculous power or force, or strength.” This is the same word that is used when a miracle is performed, because the same power is at work. God doesn’t give us something so incredibly valuable without knowing that we can be trusted with what He has given. This verse also says that after the Master gave the provision to His servants, He left immediately. This signifies that His servants had been trained extensively on kingdom business, and should be able to manage His affairs as if He is still there. In Romans 12:6-8, the Bible says, ”Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” It is by the grace of God that we receive the gifts of God, and it is also by that same grace that we are empowered to perform the gifts we have been given. No matter what we have been given, God expects us to multiply what He has given us.

In Ephesians 4:11-12, the Bible says, ‘‘And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”. It is much deeper than money, but the principle of it is the same, because we have been given something of enormous valuable to increase its value in the earth. For those who believe this passage is dealing exclusively about money, let’s look at the first few words of Matthew 25:14, which says, ”For the kingdom of heaven is as a….” In the kingdom of God, there is no such thing as money, and gold is the equivalent of concrete in heaven. God desires that we take what He has given us and steward it well, multiplying what He has given before He comes back!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 23, 2023 – Romans 8:2 – Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death

”For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:2

Hi Everyone!

When we received salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, the state of our eternity was changed forever. We went from being condemned to a life of eternal death and misery, absent from the presence of the Lord, to being saved, destined for eternal life and redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ. Do we really understand this to be a gift, or have we become entitled in the midst of our newness that we have become blinded to what we truly have. I know my past, and there is some pretty horrible stuff there, and it is really humbling to think that someone died so I wouldn’t have to experience death. We have freedom in a way that far surpasses any physical state, because as believers, we are no longer in bondage to sin and death. It is not because of anything we have done, but it is because of everything Christ has done. Today, we will be looking at Romans 8:2, the perfect law of freedom.

”For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

The word ”law” means ”a rule, norm or standard of judging or acting”. A law gives us the ability to know how we should behave, and should create a standard of obedience in those who receive the law as truth. The phrase ”Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” refers to the Christian sense of eternal life; the life of bliss and glory in the kingdom of God which awaits the true disciples of Christ after the resurrection.” This is synonymous with the gospel, which is the law of faith, given by the grace of God. In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Bible says, ”For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” To understand the law of faith, we have to understand that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that His shed blood could give us redemption and freedom from the penalty of sin and death. There was nothing we could do to buy ourselves back, nothing we could do to make things right with God. In John 8:36, Christ says, ‘‘If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” We cannot declare ourselves free, nor can we become good enough for salvation. Only Christ can make us free, and His atoning sacrifice ensure all who believe on His name have access to this freedom.

The phrase ”made me free” means to liberate from the power and punishment of sin, the result of redemption, also liberation from a state of calamity and death. In Romans 6:18, the Bible says, ”Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” We weren’t freed to just experience freedom but we were freed to serve righteousness. We were freed to live Godly lives, to serve God in every capacity that He has called us. In Romans 6:22, the Bible says, ”But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” We were also freed so that our body of work on this earth could point to Christ, establishing who we are in Christ. Freedom in the hands of someone who doesn’t reverence where the freedom has come from and what cost was paid almost ensures an imminent disaster. In Galatians 2:19-20, the Bible says, ”For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” In order to receive life, we must die to the old way of doing things. Instead of being hard-pressed to keep the Mosaic Law which was impossible for man to keep, God gave us Jesus Christ in His ever-abounding love, who shed His blood so that we who believe would die to the Law altogether. This doesn’t give us a license to sin, but rather an opportunity to serve the Lord in love and in freedom.

The word ”sin” speaks of offences against God, or aberrations from a prescribed law or duty. The word ”death” means ”destruction, perdition, and misery implying both physical death, and exclusion from the presence of God. In Romans 7:23-25, the Bible says, ”But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” If we had the Law as the standard by which we must carry out our lives, we would be in a world of hurt, because in the Mosaic Law, there was a picture of sin and death that didn’t include the grace of God. The Law showed us how far we were from the presence of God, but thanks be to God that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus gave us a place in the kingdom we wouldn’t have had otherwise!

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 24, 2023 – 2 Corinthians 12:15 – I love You

”And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

2 Corinthians 12:15

Hi Everyone!

How are our hearts towards service? I can admit, my heart hasn’t always be right when it has come to me serving the Lord and serving people. Sometimes, life gets heavy and the absolute last thing you want to do is encourage someone else in the Lord, but you are still called upon and expected to push your storms to the side to rescue someone from theirs. I can also admit, that sometimes, when I have time constraints, my first thought isn’t always joy when I work with someone. In those moments, I have to check myself and realize who I am really doing this for God and people, and what someone will experience as a result of what God will do in those moments. We want to serve in love, receiving those God sends our way in love, so they can experience a little of God from their time with us. Someone’s forever is at stake, and if we don’t have the right attitude in love, we may miss a crucial moment for the Lord. Today, we will look at 2 Corinthians 12:15, serving fully in love under all circumstances, even when the person we serve isn’t easy to love.

”And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

A little back story. Paul went to Corinth to preach the Word of God. The Church came alive there and they received him well at first. When he left, he received a report that the Church was mixing paganism in with doctrine, and they were behaving in ungodly ways. There were false apostles rising up, and they were on a mission to turn the Church against Paul, so they painted him as a fraud. Paul was hurt that more people didn’t defend him in the Church, so his letters to the Church at Corinth were to get the believers there back on track, to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and defend himself as an apostle. Imagine serving people who not only turn their backs on you, but turn against you as well. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

The word ”gladly” means ”with great pleasure”. The word ”spend” means ”to expend or incur cost”. They can have a monetary meaning, but in context with this chapter, it is speaking of what Paul has experienced as a believer. The word ”spent” means ”to exhaust. Paul is expressing that he is willing to give everything he is for the Gospel. In Romans 12:1, the Bible says, ”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” God desires us to become living sacrifices, to give ourselves wholly for others, to offer up what the Lord has given to help someone else. Our hearts and minds have to be right in order for our service to be pleasing to God and effectual for the Gospel.

In Philippians 2:17, the Bible says, ‘‘Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” It should bring us joy to be at service to God and to others, and this comes from our hearts. In 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, the Bible says, ”To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” Service calls for us to exercise empathy and place ourselves in others’ shoes, so we can meet their needs right where they stand. We should never place a requirement upon someone to meet our standard before we decide to help. In Hebrews 4:15, the Bible says, ”For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Christ gladly came to this world to experience this world as we do, but experienced it in triumph, so we can have access to victory as well. We must do the same and operate in that same manner of love.

In 2 Corinthians 1:6, the Bible says, ”And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” When we serve the Lord, it is for the benefit of others receiving the Word of God and it is for the glory of God. Everything we go through can be used to help someone else, because who better to help someone in this world than someone who has been there?

The word ”love” here is spoken even towards people who position themselves as enemies, showing them goodwill and favour despite their poor treatment. In Matthew 5:44-45, Christ says, ‘‘But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.’‘ Just as Paul had to overlook offence to serve God and people, we must do the same. This is the evidence that we are the children of God, and when we serve from this vantage point, it points more of a light towards the Gospel. Let our love be overwhelming for the Church and for those who need a representation of the Gospel in this world.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 25, 2023 – 2 Samuel 12:13 – The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die

”And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”

2 Samuel 12:13

Hi Everyone!

We all have committed sin against God. No one is exempt, but some people feel like their ”little sins” they commit are nothing like the major sins judgement is cast against. Even David, who was identified as a man after God’s own heart, had a sin record that needed the forgiveness and restoration of God to reconcile. I had my own Nathan/David moment concerning my sin when my cousin was murdered and I began to plot revenge. When I saw my sin for the first time, when I saw myself for the first time, when I saw what I had become for the first time, I knew I needed forgiveness and I knew I needed God to rescue me from my sin. I was the worst of the worst, and God has completely transformed my life for His glory. How do we approach our sin? Do we deny it? Ignore it? Make excuses for it? We should acknowledge, confess, and forsake our sins, because we serve a loving God who is willing to forgive all our sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. Today, we will look at 2 Samuel 12:13, confessing and forsaking our sin.

”And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”

David’s sin was calculated and took time to develop. A little back story. David was the king of all of Israel and at a time when kings went off to war, David stayed home. He spots Bathsheba bathing on a roof and sends for her. She’s married to Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s trusted soldiers, one of David’s mighty men, but that didn’t matter to David, who sleeps with Bathsheba, impregnating her in the process. To cover this sin up, he sends for Uriah and encourages him to go home and lay with his wife, but he refuses, not wanting to enjoy the comforts of home while his soldiers are in a battle. David’s plan of trickery failed, so he sends Uriah the Hittite back to war with his own death orders in his hand! Uriah is killed in battle, David takes Bathsheba, marries her and they have the child together. Nathan confronts David about his sin by making up a scenario about a rich man taking a poor man’s only sheep to kill and dress for a traveler and when David demands that the rich man should die, Nathan pulls the rug out from under David and exposes him as that same man. David then realizes his sin, and repents, which is where we leave off.

The word ”sinned” means ”to miss the mark, to trespass, causing one to bear the blame for their offence.” In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, ”For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We all have sinned, so no one can turn their nose up to others. David committed a sin against Uriah, but his sin was really against God. In Psalm 51:4, the Bible says, ”Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” We have no defence when we sin, we commit sin against God. Our actions speak very clearly for us. In Psalm 32:5, the Bible says, ”I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” When our sin is exposed, our best bet is to acknowledge, confess and seek God’s forgiveness. Sadly, this wasn’t David’s only time sinning. He took a census of people in his kingdom, which was an act of arrogance, one that was about ego. In 2 Samuel 24:10, the Bible says, ”And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.” David knew he messed up, and instead of making it worse, he confessed it and God forgave him.

The word ”put away” implies forgiveness and restoration, but it doesn’t mean that there are no real consequences we experience from our sin. David and Bathsheba’s child died as the result of their sin, and when David took the census, he was given three different punishments to choose from, and the one David chose cost 70,000 men their lives! In Proverb 28:13, the Bible says, ”He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” God was still merciful in the Old Testament, despite the picture people in and out of Church paint of Him. In 1 John 1:9, the Bible says, ”If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Our God is rich in mercy toward us, and He wants to cleanse us from the sin that can take us out of fellowship with Him. It doesn’t matter what we have done, or how bad we have become. When we come before the Lord contrite in heart, as we confess our sin before the Lord, God will forgive us and make us as good as new. Praise God for His forgiveness.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 26, 2023 – Ephesians 3:12 – access with confidence by the faith of him

”In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

Ephesians 3:12

Hi Everyone!

As believers, it can be difficult to fathom the standing we now have with God. We are not sinners anymore, we are the saints of the living God. We are children of God by receiving salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, adopted into the family of God, and as the Church, we are the bride of Christ. Having this standing with God gives us an access to the kingdom provision of God that allows us to spread the Word of God, help others in need, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper. We are able to operate in supernatural power because of who we are in the Lord, and God has made His Word available to us in such a way where we can understand Scripture exactly how God intends us to. God gives us this ability and access so we would walk in faith in Him, so we would be assured about His truth, so we can show someone else how real our God is. Our faith in Christ unlocks the door to the kingdom of God, where our lives as we know them will be changed forever. Today, we will look at Ephesians 3:12, confidence in our access to God.

”In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

When a verse starts with ”in whom”, it expresses a continuation of a previous thought. In order to receive this verse into our spirits, we must know who the ”in whom” is pertaining to. In Ephesians 3:11, the Bible says, ”According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The ”in whom” is Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Let’s look at a couple of verses to get us to understand where we stand in the Lord. In John 3:16-17, the Bible says, ‘‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Our faith in Jesus Christ, not only provides salvation, but it also provides everlasting life. We also are delivered from the condemnation we would have suffered if we had remained in our sin. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, the Bible says, ”For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Our righteousness only comes in Christ. Consider this: God looking at Christ in us, and then treating us the way He would treat Christ. Think not?

In Romans 8:15-17, the Bible says, ”For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Being in Christ also gives us rights as children of God and we share in the inheritance with Christ. The Holy Spirit in us is given because of our standing with God, and He is always telling us who we really are in Him. If I am at my home, do I need to walk on egg shells like none of this belongs to me?

The word ”boldness” means ”all outspokenness, frankness, or assurance”. If we exercise boldness, we display that we have every right to what we are aiming for. The word ”access” means ”admission”. When we were saved, we were granted admission into the kingdom of God, not as guests, but as children. Children of the kingdom have access to the King of Kings. In Hebrews 4:15-16, the Bible says, ”For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” You want to know the cool part of having this admission into the kingdom of God as children? We have a Saviour who has been exactly where we have been and has seen what we have seen. So to have a Saviour who has not sinned like we have, but still gives us the same access as if we haven’t sinned. This shows us that our access is about God’s love, about faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, and about His design for us to be one in Him.

The word ”confidence” means ”reliance or trust”. The word ”faith” means ”belief, firm persuasion, and moral conviction in the truth of God and the constancy of the Word of God.” In 1 John 3:21-22, the Bible says, ”Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” Being children of God also gives us access to do the things that please our God, to walk in His Word and walk in His power. It also positions us to be heard by God and receive the things we ask for. Do we come to God like a beggar, or do we come to God as a child, accepted, beloved and adopted to receive the kingdom of God?

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 27, 2023 – Galatians 1:4 – Who gave himself for our sins

”Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.”

Galatians 1:4

Hi Everyone!

Do we remember where we came from? Do we realize that before we were saved, we had a standing appointment with destruction both physically and spiritually? Many people’s lives may not have been as tumultuous as mine, and the process leading to salvation may not be as extreme as mine, but we have all had our own crosses to bear, and we all have had to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Christ gave Himself for the liar and the murderer, for the thief and the adulterer, for the drug dealer and the corrupt police, and for all sinners broken irreparably by their deeds. God’s call is for us all, and the blood of Jesus Christ is available to all who believe on Him by faith in His name. It doesn’t matter where we have come from or what we have done. God’s love covers our sin, if we allow Him to. The blood of Jesus Christ makes us one in Him. Today, we will look at Galatians 1:4, a loving Savior led by the will of God.

”Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.”

The word ”gave” means ”to bestow upon, or commit to”. The word ”sins” means ”offences against God”. Christ did not give us salvation wrapped in a gift. He gave Himself as the gift, suffering a brutal torturous death to satisfy the debt of sin we have that would otherwise give us the penalty of death. In Matthew 20:27-28, Christ says, ”And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Christ could have come and reigned on the earth as King, but He came with the will of God in mind, as a servant, giving Himself to pay a cost we were incapable of paying. He also taught us that greatness isn’t in title or prestige, but it is in service to others. In Romans 4:24-25, the Bible says, ”But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Our sins were placed upon Christ when we shed His blood on the cross, dying for our sin, and all we have to do is receive Him as both Lord and Savior and in receiving the gift of salvation, to believe that He is who He says He is, that this happened, and believe that God raised Him from the dead,. When we are justified, we are declared innocent or free. Imagine someone like me, convicted and guilty of murder, being declared innocent because someone died for me. What can I ever give that will pay that back? We must understand that it is also because of the love of God that He allowed Christ to completely satisfy the debts we have incurred by our sin, because He covered us for everything that is a complete offence to Him.

The word ”deliver” means ”to rescue, to tear out, to release, or pluck out”. Imagine standing in front of a firing squad, ready to take your life, but just before they fire, someone screams, ”Wait! I’ll take their place.” In Galatians 2:20, the Bible says, ”I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Part of our deliverance is not only salvation, but also in being identified as being crucified with Christ, dying to our old selves and being raised up in glory just like Him. Our deliverance means the Holy Spirit lives in us, giving us kingdom power. In Titus 2:13-14, the Bible says, ”Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Our salvation should make us desirous to live lives that please our God and it should give us the desire to serve others.

The phrase ”evil world” implies a world system of wickedness that is ruled by Satan. In Romans 12:2, the Bible says, ”And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” As believers delivered from the penalty of death by faith in Jesus Christ, we are to conform to God’s system, and leave the world behind. This is the will of God. The word ”will” means ”determination, purpose, decree, or desire”. In Romans 8:32, the Bible says, ”He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” God has a beautiful life in store for us, an amazing harvest for all who believe in the name of Jesus Christ. Christ came to do the will of God by giving His life to save us from our sin, and God made the conditions so easy for us to receive a gift that cost Christ everything.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 28, 2023 – Galatians 5:14 – thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

”For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Galatians 5:14

Hi Everyone!

As believers, we complicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ by making things so difficult. We place rules upon the faith that put a greater distance between us and God, and we hold on to trying to keep the Law as if we are capable of doing so. If we could keep the Law, we wouldn’t have needed Jesus Christ to shed His blood, dying on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sin. Christ not only came to fulfill the Law, but He came to simplify the Law, giving us something palatable, something we are able to do. God doesn’t want His children to fail at pleasing Him. Imagine if we as believers have trouble comprehending the ”simplicity” of the Gospel, just think about how the world views the Gospel! We have the duty as believers to show the greatest aspect of the Gospel and the Law, making it palatable for them: Love! When we love, we show how deep the Gospel runs through us, and then on to others. Today, we will look at Galatians 5:14, loving our neighbors as ourselves.

”For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

The word ”law” refers to the Mosaic Law, but it also refers to the entirety of the Gospel as well. If we had to look at over 600 laws with the understanding that we have to follow every one of them, imagine the anxiety attacks! That is similar to walking across a tiled floor for a mile and not stepping on any cracks. It is not if we fall short, but it is when we fall short. In Romans 8:3-4, the Bible says, ”For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The law was weakened because it was powerless to produce righteousness. It could only produce a standard of righteousness for us to follow, but it also revealed that we needed something more. The word ”fulfilled” means ”to accomplish, complete, or satisfy.” Christ came to fulfill the law, but He brought the law to a simplicity that gave us something we could actually do.

In Matthew 7:12, Christ says, ”Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.’‘ Treat others how we ourselves want to be treated, which appears to be a universal statement, but in it lies the power to fulfill the law. In Matthew 22:37-40, the Bible says, ‘‘Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Everything the Mosaic Law provided was summed up by Christ, because if we walk in real love, we will treat our God the way we would want to be treated, and we would treat our neighbors the same way. Which one would we rather have, over 600 laws to follow, or two, both commandments of love.

The word ”love” means ”to regard with favor, goodwill, or benevolence; to do good to”. God’s love poured inside of us gives us the ability to love others in the manner God commands. In 2 Peter 1:3, the Bible says, ‘‘According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.’‘ God doesn’t want us to fail, nor fall flat on our faces. He equips us with everything we need to follow His commands, so when He makes the command, He entrusts us to use what He has given us to perform His Word. The word ”neighbor” means ”fellow man, Christian, or friend”. In James 2:8-9, the Bible says, ‘‘If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” We can’t pick and choose who to obey God’s command with. We must love everyone, even people who don’t project themselves as likable! Remember, God has equipped us with the love to do so, and if we need a little more help, we need to understand that we haven’t been too likable at times to mankind and to God!

In Romans 13:8-10, the Bible says, ”Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.’‘ When we love, we hold our neighbor’s best interests at heart, and we desire for them to excel in the Lord. This kind of love pleases God and fulfills the law.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 29, 2023 – Romans 6:16 – to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey

”Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Romans 6:16

Hi Everyone!

Every day, we have to make choices. Some choices are routine, and as mundane as choosing the right outfit to wear, or where to go out to eat. Other choices can be weighty and difficult, such as whether to keep an unhealthy friendship going, to leave drugs alone completely, or to bring a peaceful resolution to a conflict that could lead to a fight. In my prison environment, our success is predicated upon the good choices we make, but I also teach my brothers in here that we can make these same good choices once released from prison. There is a heart behind every choice we make, a standard that we adhere to in order to make the choices we make. The standard is the root, and the choice is the fruit that reveals what standard is at work in us. As believers, we can either serve sin or serve the Lord, and whatever choice we make determines what and who we are serving. Today, we will look at Romans 6:16, a willing servant of righteousness.

”Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

This is a powerful question that is asked by Paul to the Church in Rome. Do we really understand that we become enslaved to whatever nature we choose? The word ”know” expresses more than just head knowledge, but it also expresses a oneness with what is known so a person can essentially become what they know. God never designed His Word to be heard only. In James 1:22-24, the Bible says, ”But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” Our identities are infused into the nature we choose, causing us to become what we believe. If we follow the Word of God, we will always remember who we are, but if we don’t, we will lose sight of who God has declared us to be. Knowing is both receiving the knowledge and applying its truth.

The word ”yield” means ”to stand beside, to be at hand for, or to aid”. Do we see that this Scripture says, ”to whom ye yield yourselves”? There are no grey areas to this. Either we are standing beside the Lord, or we are standing beside the enemy. Either we are at hand for the Lord, or we are at hand for the enemy. This is a choice we make. The word ”servants” means ”slave in a sense of subjection or subservience”. The word ”obey” meaning ”attentive hearing, compliance, or submission”. When we yield ourselves to the Lord, we make ourselves available to hear the Word of God, and place ourselves under subjection and submission to the Word of God. In Matthew 6:24, Christ says, ‘‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Because we can’t serve two masters, we have to make a choice of which master we will serve. In Joshua 24:15, the Bible says, ”And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’‘ It is not always an easy decision to choose to serve the Lord, especially when everyone around us is serving sin, but God never said it would be easy.

The word ”sin” refers to offences or trespasses we commit against God. The word ”death” refers to the ejection from the kingdom of God, including the idea of a physical death as aggravated by eternal condemnation. In Romans 6:21-23, the Bible says, ”What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our actions produces fruit and that fruit shows us who we are subject to. The word ”obedience” carries the same meaning of a slave a sense of subjugation, subjection or subservience. The word ”righteousness” implies justification before God, where the believer’s heart is right before God, enabling them to exercise Godliness in their lives. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, the Bible says, ‘‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” When we realize who we belong to, there is no doubt in our minds Who we should submit ourselves to. The Lord Jesus Christ bought us back from the penalty of death with His blood, so He deserves our obedience.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

Sep 30, 2023 – Ephesians 2:13 – ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ

”But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:13

Hi Everyone!

God created mankind to be close to Him in love and fellowship. Because we were created to fellowship with the Lord, we were also created with a void if we don’t pursue the Lord. Mankind was given a choice on whether or not we would serve Him, and some of us have chosen to go our own way living a life not designed by our Creator. In the world, people are far off from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, most completely unaware that they need Christ. They are filling that void with drugs, sex, crime, money, philosophy, and homosexuality, never fulfilling the voids within them. It is only by the blood of Jesus Christ that the void is filled, and we are brought into a oneness with God. Everything we need is in Christ, but the world continues to look for its quick fixes, taking them further and further away from the Gospel. The person who is near the Lord understands the privilege of being this close. Today, we will look at Ephesians 2:13, drawing close to the Lord.

”But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

When a Scripture begins with ”but” it connects a previous Scripture. To understand the context of this Scripture we must go back. In Ephesians 2:11-12, the Bible says, ”Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world”. We can work with this now, because these two verses explain who were ”far off”, meaning ”the Gentiles who were apart from God”, referring to those who live according to the world, not the Word. In 1 Peter 2:10, the Bible says, ‘‘Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” This verse shows that no matter how far off we may have been, there is still hope in that changing for us. I remember being in the world, living according to the course of the enemy, thinking that there was no right I could do to erase the wrong I had done, but the blood is capable of cleansing the most filthy of people. In 1 John 1:7, the Bible says, ‘‘But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” In order for us to be cleansed from our sin, we must receive His blood upon us, and what the blood does is continue to cleanse us.

In Galatians 3:27-29, the Bible says, ”For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” This gift is available to those who are far off; the religious outcasts, the black sheep, the worldly, and the sinner. Salvation changes our state from lost and condemned, to loved and redeemed, and in Christ, it doesn’t matter where you have been, what you have done, or what your background was. The blood of Jesus Christ makes us children of God and heirs of the promise. I know and experience this firsthand, because I didn’t stand a chance at being in the Lord without the blood of Jesus Christ. The atoning sacrifice is available to anyone who trusts in Christ alone for salvation by faith in what His blood shed on the cross has done for all who believe. The beauty about this is that it was made available to all before we could begin to form the thoughts to sin, so imagine the love of God to make the blood of Christ available to us, knowing full well we were going to live lives that would put us at a distance from God.

The word ”nigh” implies a squeeze closer to God when we embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This embrace of the Gospel also will give us knowledge on how to worship our God for who He is. In Acts 2:39, the Bible says, ”For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.’‘ The promise goes as far as where the ”worst of the worst” is, and the beautiful thing is that God is calling. When I was in the world, God was still calling me! If we still believe that we have to ”clean ourselves up first” before we receive the Gospel and good of Jesus Christ, we are kidding ourselves. In Ephesians 2:17-18, the Bible says, ”And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” The same Word is going out to those who are far off and those who are close, and that Gospel is to bring us into fellowship and oneness with God, where we all can access Him as children, not strangers.

God Bless!

Marshall & Jessica

RED GRANITE - DAILY DEVOTIONS

These Daily Devotions are a Red Thread Poets daily offering initiated and written by Marshall Jones as a devotional study of God's Word as a 'verse of the day'. Marshall's Bio and a sample of his poems can be seen on this website, also a link to his published book of poems, A Raven's Meal. The Daily Devotions are dated as seen each day on the Red Thread Poets Facebook page.

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