Living sacrifice. Brandon Lake

 https://youtu.be/KqS-bxXz1co

Romans 121-5.. 1  Corinthians 15:31... Galatians 2:20-21

 Set us a blaze oh Lord.  We should offer nothing less than what you ask of us.

Every morning I wake up to new life. But then again, I die daily. Isn't that what these scriptures mean?

 Some of us who follow Christ and call ourselves christians, have gone through all the steps of saying the right words, being baptized, but yet have not surrendered everything. Letting Him have full charge of our life. But we only want to give Him bits and pieces. Can you imagine if He only gave us bits and pieces of Himself?  

The word tells us, a living sacrifice. That's what surrender is. We can call ourselves christians, be baptized, but we can't call him Lord, if He is not Lord over every area of our life. This is what reading the word of God daily does. It cuts like a knife the truth into our soul.  It's supposed to hurt. It kills the flesh. Everything we want to do and think is right.  It's got to hurt to give up our will and surrender to His will, and be changed.

 So if you really want to live, you have to wake up and die daily. There's no other way. I pray that these scriptures help us to see what God is calling all of his followers to do.  We are supposed to be Holy, set apart.  We can't let the secular point of view change the truth of what we know.  We can't even let other christians change our point of view.  We have got to get into the word of God, and that in itself change us.   We are not our own. We have been bought with a price. Thank you Jesus.

Help us Holy Spirit to truly live.  Help us to freely lay down our everything.  That is our true act of worship. 

Kim D

Hallways River Valley Worship

 https://youtu.be/Yse2M75IQjQ

 This song will forever remind me of my Aunt Marie, and the precious time that I had with her the other night in the hospital. She is close to her going home to be with the Lord.  Isn't that something when you know the Lord. No fear of death. Just eyes focused on your new destination Jesus promised.

 We had such great conversation together. We read some Bible verses together. Then she recited some psalms by heart. One of her favorites is Psalm 51. I kid you not. She recited it to me word-for-word. 

 Then she said to me, "Kim,  I have to tell you something." I said, "go ahead Aunt Marie."  She said, " It was the strangest thing. There were 2 people in the "Hallway" and they were saying Jesus over and over again and praying. Some of the prayers they were saying I knew and joined in."  I said,  "what did they look like."  She said, "angels." I told her how beautiful that was to have experienced that. She said to me that she is in such peace.  I knew then it must be getting close.  But only God knows the day in the hour.

So I asked her if she wanted to go home to my moms if they release her from the hospital. My mom is her sister, and they are like 2 pees in a pod. They've lived together now for quite some time.  She said, "I want to go be with Jesus." I said, "Aunt Marie, do you understand what I'm saying? Do you want to go home first with mom and then from there go be with Jesus?"  Then I had to laugh at myself thinking, like we could really arrange that order.  When it's His to take you, it's time. She said, "all I know is I want to go be with Jesus.  I am in such peace." 

 I've lost loved ones that are in relationship with Jesus Christ, and every one of them have been in this peace, that it's almost like their halfway there.

 That's why I love this song so much. Because this life is truly just a hallway to our eternity. Some lyrics: "When I’ve forgotten, this is not the destination. Remind my soul to start recalling.

This is just a hallway on my way home."

 He's prepared for her, and all of us,  the place that He has promised for those who believe. John 14:3. 

 She is 96. She has had beautiful, quality, full of life years. What more could we ask for? 

God has been so good. So faithful.  Like I always say. The only sting to death are for those of us who are left here missing the heck out of our loved ones.

 The most beautiful thing when you are a believer,  is that forever is now, and it just keeps flowing.

 All glory to you Lord God. Thank you for taking such good care of our dear sweet Aunt.  I know your hands are upon my mom.  Strengthening her, and preparing her for her sisters departure.  You will be her peace and strength.

Kim D ..mvdevotional.blogspot.com

Knowing You. Stephany Gritzenger

 https://youtu.be/l_wC29WxfEY

Mark 16:12 " Afterward Jesus appeared in a DIFFERENT FORM  to 2 of them while they were walking in the country."

 I love when you read the word of God and it speaks even clearer.  Every time you read it something different is magnified. The way you see Jesus, and the way I see Jesus may be totally different. There is a big difference between knowing Jesus and knowing about Him.  This is something I am truly experiencing with other christians who have totally different opinions than what the word of God says.

Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same thing. Many people who have never seen Jesus have received and share in God’s grace. But once you have seen Him, you can never be the same. Other things will not have the appeal they did before.

Spiritual development. It's a choice to continue to either be milk fed, or go after the meat. That's the problem today. Too many christians still being milk fed and not knowing what the truth really is in the Word.  You could make up in your mind what you want it to be. But what God says about a matter is truth. You can't change it. I mean you can if you want to, but you will not grow spiritually.  God's purpose once we were saved was to grow. Then to take the word and make disciples. Not tickle people's ears just to make them feel good. 

Philippines chapter 2.12 "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

 I pray that we are Christ followers and not just fans. Choose to grow.

 For your glory Lord always

Kim D

Hosanna.. Hillsong

 https://youtu.be/hnMevXQutyE

Being it Palm Sunday I started reading John chapter 12 again . I got to verse 10 where the chief priest made plans to kill Lazarus as well as Jesus. Because of what Jesus had done,  raising Lazarus from the dead, more and more people were putting their faith in Jesus.  I really never noticed that before. They wanted to kill Lazarus too, WOW!  Talk about jealousy and control!  Sin  just piling up over control.  They wanted Lazarus dead simply because he was a living witness to Jesus's power.  Unreal!  Then the beautiful next versus..13 Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel! ..  On Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus Triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus came to disarm death. Lazarus is proof of that.  Jesus didn't come to kill, but to die.  Jesus had to die before his kingdom could come.  Palm Sunday is good news. Because Jesus has come to disarm and dethrone empires.  Death is defeated.  Praise God, and thank you Jesus.

 May you forever be glorified through our lives.

Kim D

Mercy. Ben Fuller

 https://youtu.be/M0YaFRDsaEc

Read her story... Its ours too.

Joshua 2:1-14.  Rehab was a prostitute.  Can you imagine having a reputation like hers. Sleeping with man after man. Yet she is remembered in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11 verse 31. She is In the hall of fame with all the rest.

 Don't ever think you are too far gone that God's hand can't reach you. His blood covers ALL sin. God can turn anything around. Give Him your past. He is so much bigger than anything we have ever done.

 When you read the story about her, you realize that it was her faith that changed her whole life around. She realized who God was.  A lot of us know God, but we don't want to deal with Him.  We don't want to enter into a relationship with Him.  She was willing to put everything aside. All her fears and her past, and place her trust in God.

   If we want to be delivered from sin, past present and future. It is only through faith in the precious blood of our savior Jesus Christ. By faith, touch the hem of his garment and be saved. 

 The cross was meant for you and me to be free by the mercy and kindness of God.  I know that I am living proof of what the mercy of God can do.

 Thank you Jesus. For your glory always.

Kim D..mvdevotional.blogspot.com

Kim Walker Smith. Brave Surrender

 https://youtu.be/1GugAOSlMuA

Genesis 12:1-4, The Lord had said to Abram, "leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.".  And this was when he was 75 years old. Can you imagine?

 Letting go, starting a new, can bring on all kinds of emotions.  There are times in all of our lives where God will say,  "Go, then I'll show, and eventually you will know." 

 I could only hope that mine is never as drastic as Abrahams.  Leaving friendships, relationships, family members, wow!

 But knowing God, He is always leading us to a better future whether we understand it at the time or not.  We can always trust His faithfulness. Plus the fact that He knows us better than we know ourselves. He will supply all we need to do what He asks of us.  2 Corinthians 12: 9 " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect and weakness."......

Maybe it's just that you're holding too tightly to this world and all of its things. These things, that God is trying to fill that space with Himself.  Maybe it's letting go of that wayward teenager. I know I was one.  But the prayers that we pray for our children and grandchildrand, we can bet that they are being heard and answered in His time. Sometimes we have to learn things the hard way.  Maybe it's letting go of hurt and forgiving someone.  Whatever it is trust God.

May God give us the strength to let go of the past. To let go of whatever He is asking of us, so we can move forward in blind obediance with courage.

 For your glory Lord

Kim D

Psalm 23.. Shane and Shane

 https://youtu.be/Mo3HgtT_OiE

 I've been around long enough to lose loved ones who are very dear to me. I always wonder what is going on in their mind. But knowing that the loved ones that I have lost are believers. I truly believe they fight a battle of being torn between 2 worlds. Philippines 1 versus 23 and 24, Even Paul was torn between the 2. We go from what is known , and leaving our loved ones. To the place that we know is true, and written in God's word, that will be for all eternity, John 14:3.  Jesus promised us that in his word. We will go to a place that He has prepared for us. Not preparing, prepared. It's already done and waiting.  With no more pain, no more sickness, no more tears. HEALED!!!!

  But I am sure that it still isn't easy to go. I remember my husband's last tear was hecause he said he would miss us until we meet again. I remember my dad when we went to visit him in hospice care. He told us to go home. He departed that night with Jesus.

The only tears that are cried, are the ones here after they go.  The sting of death is to those of us left here missing our loved ones so greatly. But because of the truth that we know. It makes it just a little bit easier.  We know that we will see them again.

Psalm 23.. We will all travel this Valley of the shadow of death.  When I read this beautiful Psalm, I can only think when it comes time to depart from here, being torn between the 2 worlds. He takes us, and tries to help us lie down and relax in these green pastures.  Showing us all the beauty that awaits us and that our loved ones are not far behind. Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8.  A-day is like a 1000 years in Gods sight. We need to have that perspective. 

  So if you lost a loved one, or you are losing  a loved one, I pray you find comfort in this Psalm and this song. 

 Lord Jesus, I thank you for everything that my eyes have beheld, as you took our loved ones from here to You.  I saw nothing but peace come over them. Then in time it comes over us. Thank You for being so gracious and faithful.

Kim D