Whatever God Touches Flourishes

If you'd like to read a devotion of mine that was published in christiandevotions.us, please click on this link...
www.christiandevotions.us/viewblogentry/109 

I believe this devotion will minister to you greatly. Have an awesome day!

Blessings,

Tom Toya

A Brand New Day

The beauty of another day

Commences with light bursting on the horizon

Your mercies are new every morning

The sins of yesterday forgiven

All is new

We can set our sights high

Up where the stars dwell

We can make it our goal

To please Him

You created the heavens and the earth

Your handiwork like the strokes of a master painter

Fill the canvas of the sky

Lord teach us to number our days

Train us in Your ways

You are the Mighty One

Creator God

We are your people

Washed in the blood of the Lamb

We are your children

Ready to face a brand new day

A Word From the Lord

I gave this prophecy this morning at FaithBridge Church, West Chicago, IL.  To God be the glory!


There is a banner flying over our heads.  The banner over us is love.  It is love that causes the army of God to prevail.  You are winners, overcomers in His name.

I am your source of victory, your strength.  Lay aside the guilt, lay aside the burden, lay aside those besetting sins and come to Me.  Come to the cross and let Me be your victorious King.  Let me give you My victory.

Love Never Fails

Like a river let Your love flow

Through my heart Lord

Cause me to grow

Love is stronger than bitter hate

Love can grip a nation and make it shake

Love is pure and undefiled

Warms the heart

Makes a home thrive

Love lays pride low to the ground

Becomes a servant

With actions loud

The love of God can renovate a heart

Run to Him and never part

Call upon His merciful name

He who banishes guilt and shame

Faith Hope and Love endure

But the greatest is love

It is the cure

Faith Hope and Love will last

But the greatest of these will accomplish the task

When we are motivated by this heart

We find success, we hit the mark

Come let's set our sails

And propel to the direction of God's love

For love never fails

Chosen

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 
1 Peter 2:9

I can remember the reoccurring event. Two boys stand in a field; both pick a team for a scrap football game. I waited as boy after boy after boy was chosen. I wiped my sweating palms against my pants. My heart raced until I finally heard my name. Sometimes I was picked last, other times I landed higher up in the pecking order. It is not cool to be chosen last, and it is embarrassing.

But God chose us before the foundation of the world. He set His affection on us before we were born. He has called the entire world to receive His gift of salvation, but it is only those who respond to the call that become His chosen ones. God foreknew who would accept Him and who would reject Him.

We can rejoice in the knowledge that we are chosen by God. He didn't choose us because we had it all together. No, we can never earn His acceptance. We are accepted in the beloved because of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. He paid the price for us to be redeemed.

Those of us who have invited Jesus to be their Lord and Savior can bask in the truth that we are His chosen ones and we are members of His wonderful family. We are all equal before Him, and none of us have been chosen last. Let's rejoice in the fact that we are chosen by God the Father. What an awesome truth to behold. We each have been picked to be a key player on God's winning team!

Salvation - a Free Gift

Salvation is a free gift to those that choose to receive it. It is free to us but not to God. Jesus paid the ultimate price, when He hung upon the cross. His life became a ransom for our sins. He took upon Himself the sins of the world, and God the Father judged Him for our sin. After three days, He rose again from the dead. Jesus, who is 100% man and 100% God, won salvation for us who believe. In Romans 10, it says that all those that confess that Jesus is Lord, and all those who believe in their heart that He rose from the dead shall be saved. 

We cannot earn our way to heaven. In fact, we can never be good enough, because God's holiness demands perfection. But when we invite the Lord into our lives, He takes our sin and imparts to us His righteousness. This is the miracle of salvation – the greatest miracle of all. When we come to him, we must bow low. In humility we can surrender our lives to God the Father allowing Him to cleanse us from our every sin. Our salvation is not based on the denomination we may or may not be part of; it is only based on the position of our hearts before God. If you would like to become a follower of Jesus, please pray the prayer below....

Dear Heavenly Father,

I believe that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die and pay for my sin debt. I believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and I declare that He is my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiving me from all of my sin. Lord, I repent of all my sin and choose to follow You. Thank you that I have a home in heaven waiting for me.

Congratulations! You have made the most important decision of your life.

I would like to encourage you to:

Pray every day – its like talking to a Friend.

Daily read from the Bible – it is food for your soul.

Share your faith with others – let them hear the good news.

Go to church regularly – we need the fellowship of other believers, and we need to hear the word of God preached.

Reflections

The moon reflects the sun
Over the still water its picture is clear
But when the waves roll in, the moon is indistinguishable
When we walk in peace with our God,
We reflect our Savior
But when turmoil rules within our hearts,
We no longer bear Christ’s image to the world

When we allow truth and love to abide inside us,

Peace rules
And we shine the light of Jesus to those around us
May our hearts know the calm
Of being cradled by our Heavenly Father