GRACE OVER GRIND DEVOTIONAL The Key to Experiencing God’s Best in Business In the world of entrepreneurship, hustle and grind is a celebrated way of life. Some of the expressions you’ll commonly hear or read on t-shirts, mugs, and social media memes are “I’m on my grind”,“Rise and grind!” ,“Team No Sleep”, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”, “I hustle hard”, “Good things come to those who grind”...the list goes on. Well meaning Christians have modified the idea of hustle and grind to make it more Jesus- friendly which has led to phrases such as: Wake. Pray. Grind. Eat. Pray. Hustle. Hustle for Jesus. God. Goals. Grind. Grinding for God. The phrases are different and they sound more spiritual, but the prevailing mindset is the same. When you look up the definition of grind in the dictionary, it is defined as requiring much exertion and excessive hard work. Synonyms for grind include the words struggle, attempt, and strain. When you look up the definition of hustle, it is defined as making strenuous efforts to obtain especially money or business. This should not be your testimony and quite frankly it doesn’t have to be. The cost of a hustle and grind mindset (even if you pray first or say you’re doing it for Jesus) is simply too great for Kingdom entrepreneurs. There is a supernatural realm that too many Christian business owners are failing to tap into because they are too busy grinding, running fast and furious to accomplish as much as possible and as quickly as possible. Over the next few days, my hope is that you will accept the invitation from Abba, your heavenly Father, to transform the way you work so you can experience His best – the Ephesians 3:20 type of best which is more than you could ask or even imagine. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians 3:20 KJV #GODGOTSYOU #IMMORTALKINGZ #FOCUSONTHEAFTERLIFE FAITH UP LOVE ALL AROUND G.G.Y https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci1S_U_O1lA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Proverbs 19:21 KJV GOD GOTS YOU https://www.instagram.com/p/CiwOeQcO0KN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

DEVOTIONAL One reason Satan’s strongholds are so powerful is that they become entrenched. This happens when Satan can get you to buy into the lie that your situation is hopeless. His goal is to get you to believe that by nature you are a drug addict or a manipulator or a negative person, that you are controlled by fear or shame, that nothing will ever change, and so on. Once you give in to and adopt this line of thinking, these fortresses become difficult to remove. Your behavior deteriorates even more since all of us act according to who we believe we are. The only solution is to tear down these fortresses by “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Reprogram your mind and release yourself from captivity. This is how you unleash your full potential and free yourself up to then help other men rise to do the same. The solution is twofold but straightforward. First, identify Christ’s thoughts on a matter, and secondly, align your own thinking under the rule of His truth. Then the truth will set you free (John 8:32). In what areas of your life do you need to take your thoughts captive? Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 KJV #GodGotsYou #LoveLikeChrist #spiritualcontender #christlife4life FOCUS ON THE AFTERLIFE IN CHRIST JESUS NAME 🙏 ❤️ 🙌 (at Quail Hollow, Baytown, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcsyzoYOqqd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Willpower Won’t Solve Your Problem You have a war inside of you that will rage for your entire life between who you used to be and who you’ve become in Jesus Christ. Paul, the most decorated missionary in the history of Christianity and the author of most of the New Testament, battled with it. I hate to tell you this, but you’ll always have this battle. You’ll never outgrow it. You can’t read enough Scripture to make the temptations go away. You can’t hide from them. Until you get to Heaven, you’re stuck with an all-out battle between your two natures. I’ve been a believer for a long time, but my old nature is still there. My old nature wants me to be prideful, lustful, self-centered, deceptive, and just downright sinful sometimes. The question is, what are you going to do about it? Willpower won’t solve the problem. Just because you want to change and put everything into making that change doesn’t mean you’ll make the change. It may work for a bit, but you’ll get tired and stop the effort. In your spiritual walk, you want to choose to follow your new nature, meaning you choose not to follow your old nature. For instance, if you’re tempted with lust but you immediately remove yourself from the temptation, you’ll starve the old self. If, when you’re tempted with pride, you remember your dependence upon God, your old nature can’t last long. 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. Romans 7:22‭-‬23 KJV #HonorHisLaws #RighteousnessOverHappiness #GodGotYou #ImmortalKingz #scripturelife4life https://www.instagram.com/p/CXkSTkfg0FO/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Missing Ingredient In Your Battle Against Sin You can do everything right and still not defeat a sin. You can read the Bible every day. You can pray. You can have a group of friends around you who’ll speak the truth in love to you on a regular basis. And you can still be trapped in habitual sin. At the end of the day, you can’t depend upon yourself and what you can do to defeat sin. You need the Holy Spirit’s power. The Holy Spirit enables believers to do what they can’t do and fulfill God’s desire for our lives. You can have all the right equipment to defeat habitual sin in your life, but it won’t matter without the Holy Spirit. Imagine you were walking on the beach and saw a dead seagull that had died less than a minute earlier. If you pick it up, it won’t be much different than its live counterparts. It’ll still be warm. It’ll have the same muscles, bones, feathers, and wings. But if you toss it up in the sky, it’ll drop right back down to the ground. Why? The seagull has no life left. The life isn’t in the feathers, wings, or bones. It’s in the life God puts in it. Without a spirit, the bird won’t fly, even if it has all the right equipment. You can have all the right equipment to live a successful, victorious life, but without the Spirit’s empowering, you can’t live that kind of life. It’s like throwing a dead bird into the air. You can’t live the victorious life of Christ on your own. It’s impossible. Your best intentions and your too-easily-broken promises won’t enable you to live the Christian life. The Holy Spirit has to live through you. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 KJV #SpiritWalkers #GodGotsYou #ImmortalKingz #scripturelife4life https://www.instagram.com/p/CXObYPEAYy8/?utm_medium=tumblr

eXtreme Missions Their Plan Backfired Pastor Norbu Promila was pleased with the service as he preached to the tribal people in the mountains of Bhutan. Those gathered seemed especially attentive and open to the Good News. Then in the middle of the sermon, police rushed in through every door, stormed the stage, and forcibly grabbed Norbu. Pastor Promila was thrown in prison and tortured, and the authorities ordered him to forsake his call to preach the gospel. He received massive head trauma, and when authorities finally let him go, there was permanent injury to his body. He returned home, where his wife and children were shocked at his bruised and bloodied face. Ten days later, he died as a result of his wounds. Pastor Promila’s congregation in this militant Hindu kingdom refused to give up his mission. Shortly after his death, they met together and called for volunteers to continue Norbu’s work among the tribal people. Five hands went up, one of which belonged to his wife. She answered God’s call to missions while also caring for her five children. She ministered faithfully, and she and the other workers have seen many tribal people won to Christ. God provided for her needs and her children’s. Mrs. Promila held fast to the knowledge that one day she would see her husband again and be rewarded for her faithfulness to Christ. What we do for the Lord is not just a job—it’s a mission. A mission is never about an individual’s responsibilities. It is singly focused on Christ and His kingdom. Therefore, someone at the helm of God’s work in a particular area may leave, but the mission itself never dies. God’s work is never left undone; it goes on forever to its completion. Those who are willing to undergo persecution for their faith teach us about the meaning of mission. They recognize that there are only two things that last for eternity: God’s work and human souls. When we are willing to invest our lives in these things, we are involved in a mission with eternal significance. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6 KJV #LetGoNLetHim #Submitting #GodGotsYou https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGYkbZgnpV/?utm_medium=tumblr

Boundaries are established by God to keep his children on the track He has planned and purposed. Obeying God’s commands serves beneficial to believers as we aim to stay within the established boundaries marked out for optimal spiritual and physical development. When one deliberately steps outside of God’s established boundaries and loving covering, consequences are sure to follow. Don’t misunderstand God’s boundaries in your life as punishment or isolation. Boundaries are not negative but positive reassurances that God wants the best for us as it relates to position, protection, favor and blessings. Some believers at one time or another might have experienced someone or something intentionally seeking to distract and allure them to come up from underneath God’s loving covering and boundaries only to find disaster on the other side. God knows what you need before you ask him and he has purposed you to fulfill his divine will. God’s love protects you and looks out for your best interest despite your feelings, emotions and circumstance. God’s love is perfecting all that which concerns you. God has established loving boundaries for us to follow as it relates to: friendships, business agreements, conversations, marriage, associations, relationships, work, teaching, discipline, when someone does you wrong, your actions, your thoughts and so much more. We as believers are to spend time in God’s word and prayer as the Holy Spirit reveals deep truths to us regarding God’s covering and loving boundaries. The loving boundaries God has established in your life are not to limit or punish you but to bless and reward you. We are called to listen and obediently pay attention to God’s commands to love him and serve him with all of our heart, soul, choices, thoughts and our whole being. (Deuteronomy 11:13). There is blessing in obedience. When you obey God and respect his love for you, you are really showing and telling God that you love him. Don’t mistake God’s commandments, boundaries and covering as limitations in your life but receive them as his love for blessing and prospering you. God comes through in loving you. FOLLOW @GODGOTSYOU on FB 4 complete message 😇🙏 https://www.instagram.com/p/CVjod7xg5lw/?utm_medium=tumblr

DEFINING TIME We looked at the beginning of time, and we reasoned that if there is a beginning to time, there must be an end. The Apostle Peter presents to us that time will end when the day of the Lord appears. When Jesus returns to rule and reign forever time as we know it will end. He explains that everything we see around us and the world as we know it will dissolve and be destroyed by fire. He encourages us not to be so focused on the material things of this world because as time draws to a close, all will be destroyed. In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John talks about the new heaven and the new earth where there will be no night, and the Lord will be all the light we need. Wayne Jackson, in his article from Christiancourier.com, defines time this way, "Perhaps another way to explain it is to suggest that "time" is a historical parenthesis within eternity." The fact is time appears minuscule compared to eternity, and this comparison gives more weight to the teaching of Jesus when he said, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul" (Matthew 16:26 NIV). Every day people are working long hours to build a life of material possessions while forgetting the time we have on earth is as it suggests only for a short period. Psalm 90 is a recorded prayer of Moses where he identifies the approximate span of years given to man to be between 70 or 80 years. When we take the whole picture of eternity and you in context it could be summarized like this: Eternity = Forever Time = historical parenthesis within eternity (civilization approx. 6000 – 10,000 years) You = 70 – 80 years within time (a drop in the bucket) Selah – pause and think about it! With this new understanding you have gained on time, what will you do differently today with your time? Prayer: Help Me Lord to value my time. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQNeNMgKZ4/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Beginning Of Time Have you ever wondered when time began? What is this concept of time? Who created time? I never paid much attention to this topic until I was preparing a sermon series for church and God spoke to my heart about time. The answer is God created time, and it did not happen by some random big bang! The Bible opens up with the whole concept of time, in the book of Genesis it speaks of God coming onto the scene of total darkness, emptiness, and nothingness. It tells us of the Holy Spirit brooding over this murky scene, and then God spoke his first recorded words, "Let there be light; and there was light." (Genesis 1:5 NIV). After God spoke light into existence, he saw it was good, and God distinguished between light and darkness and this marked the beginning of time. From this understanding of the beginning of time, it will stand to reason, there must also be an end to time. I present to you today that time is a gift from God and we must learn to value the time we have been given. What are you spending your time on today and is it adding or taking away from your life? In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:1‭-‬5 KJV #LiveOutYourFaith #BORROWEDTIME #ImmortalKingz #GodGotsYou https://www.instagram.com/p/CUys0ZJhUY7/?utm_medium=tumblr

eXTREME MOVIE What is it About? Now everyone wanted to see the movie. They whispered about it in the market and even in the mosque. “What is it about?” “Is it really that bad, that people should get arrested for having it?” The movie in question was the JESUS film—a high-quality film that portrays the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It shows the plan of salvation on the big screen, bringing the story of Jesus to life. In Jacobabad, Pakistan, two men were arrested for distributing the film and other Christian materials. Both men were beaten, and local mullahs, Muslim religious leaders, urged that charges be filed against them and others who had been involved in distributing the materials. Then they went one step beyond, encouraging Muslims in the city to take action against all Christians. Soon, a local pastor’s possessions were stolen, and shots were fired near a Christian school. The town seemed on the verge of outright violence. However, things soon began to change. Instead of boycotting the movie, everyone in town wanted to see the “sinful” film. They wanted to know about all the fuss firsthand. Black-market copies began making the rounds, and eventually the JESUS film was even shown on local television. The city judge watched the movie, and he declared that it was not anti-Islam. Through the unintentional efforts of the mullahs, the gospel message reached an entire community. They planned to erase the JESUS film from their country. However, their campaign actually promoted the ministry. God does not turn evil into good by conventional methods. He blesses the efforts of His servants, but not in ways we might anticipate. Christians in restricted nations are learning this the hard way, but they rejoice to see the mystery of God at work in their nations. God makes a way for us even when it doesn’t make sense. There are times when everything seems to be going wrong. Are those the times when you trust God the most? He knows what He is doing even when you do not. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 KJV #DoerOfTheWord #LiveOutYourFaith #scripturelife4life https://www.instagram.com/p/CUcpaDRgiHE/?utm_medium=tumblr

Even as you strive to stop saying toxic words to others, you will still have to deal with toxic words being said to you. As a result, you must do what God's Word tells us to do when others speak toxic words to us: you must guard your heart against them. How will you guard your heart against toxic words? Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUKpuuJgvnC/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Deceiver When you eat out at a restaurant, you get a little piece of paper as proof you received your food and the restaurant received your money. What’s it called? A receipt. When you realize the waiter refilled your lemonade six times without telling you refills aren’t free, what’s that? Deceit. Receipt and deceit come from two important words in the Bible: receive and deceive. The second half of these words is the same. “-Cieve” means to grasp, or take. What makes these two words significantly different is how they begin: “re-” and “de-”. In words like receive, “re-” means, back to the original place. In words like deceive, “de-” means, down from, off, and away from. Put it all together and to receive is to grasp back, or to get something back. Makes sense, right? A receipt is proof you got something back. But to deceive, is to take something away from, or down from, where it was. A receipt puts everything in the open. Deceit pulls everything into the dark. Why focus on these two words? Because one of them describes our response to God, and the other describes the devil’s. Don’t miss this. We receive. The devil deceives. The devil has deceiver written all over him. God in His might cast Lucifer, the devil, down from Heaven when he tried to take away from God’s worship and glory. Then, Lucifer deceived one third of the angels and took them down from Heaven with him. Why? Because he hates God. He only desires to take away from God. But, God can’t be deceived. So, how exactly does the deceiver attack God? By trying to deceive God’s creations, including you. He questions God’s Word. “Did God really say that?” He denies God’s word. “Come on, the Bible doesn’t actually mean that.” And he twists God’s Word with lies. “God says He makes all things work together for good, right? Just try it once.” Everything the devil says sounds like a trick to get back what you think you deserve, but it’s actually a trap to take away what you’ve already been given. The devil wants so badly to keep you from seeing God’s love and God’s truth. "SEE COMPLETE SCRIPTURE @GODGOTSYOU OR B-dot CARTER ON FB GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN CHRIST JESUS NAME 🙏 ❤ 🙌 https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIGgEjgMy8/?utm_medium=tumblr

His Schemes “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring- those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 12:17 NIV So whether it’s Satan himself or one of his demons, we must understand we will be attacked by evil. The verse above says that his main target is those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. His enemy is us: Christians. So we must be aware of how he works to be prepared for the battle. We can learn as we read about his encounters with our forefathers in the Bible and we can also heed several warnings given about him in the New Testament. I want to focus on some major characteristics to help you recognize his work when you see it. Satan is a Liar “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 NIV Jesus spoke these strong words to Jews who were still claiming their heritage and link to Abraham. Yet, he knew that they had plans to kill him. He confronted them with the Truth: their plan was not from God or Abraham, but from the devil. He tells them that the devil is the Father of Lies. You can study scripture and see him lying to Adam and Eve in the very beginning, making them doubt what God told them. You can see him lying to Jesus when he was tempted in the desert. He tried to convince Jesus that he had something more to offer him than God. The Enemy lies to us, trying to make us doubt God and God’s goodness and provision. He will try to make us question our very identity in Christ. He also lies to us about our choices, trying to convince us that the Bible is not relevant and that there is really no such thing as sin. Jesus is the Truth, so Satan will do whatever he can do to persuade our lives away from the truth. (SEE COMPLETE VERSE @GODGOTSYOU ON FB) GOD BLESS &THANK YOU FOR READING https://www.instagram.com/p/CUC7W6JAzQ4/?utm_medium=tumblr

Separate Yourself. “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Leviticus‬ ‭11:44‬ ‭KJV‬‬ Turn away from the lusts and entanglements of the flesh. Turn away from the temptations of the world and follow not after their pattern. God has set you apart. He has preserved you for Himself. You belong to Him. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,” 1 Peter‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬. God will expose the things done in the dark. Follow God’s Way of doing things. Follow His Light. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Matthew‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬ Set the pattern for generations to follow. Establish the blueprint and let God use the gifts that He has planted in you to spark a light in the world. You are His craftsmanship. You are His workmanship. Let His Light shine through you, for you are His handiwork. Shine for His Glory. Surrender and present your gifts, talents, and abilities to Christ. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬ If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, or if you have fallen away from Him, simply say this prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, I repent of my sin. I turn to You. Father, I receive Your Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior. I believe that Jesus Christ died and rose just for me. I believe that His Blood washes me and cleanses me from all unrighteousness. Father, in You, I am set free. Father, through the Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ my past is history and my future is bright. Father, In You, I am made new. Father, in You, I am complete. Father, in You, I am made whole. Father, in You, I am restored. Father, I surrender every area of my life to You now and forever. In Jesus Name. Amen. @GodGotsYou https://www.instagram.com/p/CUAWidXgkJB/?utm_medium=tumblr

God loves you so much that He corrects, disciplines and forgives you when you’ve gone contrary to His will, word and way. Many individuals have misconstrued God’s discipline as mistreatment, but God’s discipline is a sign of his positive love operating in our lives. It is our sin and disobedience that result in negative consequences for our actions. When God disciplines his children, it shouldn’t be viewed as an unloving act of mistreatment but a reminder that God loves us so much that He willingly corrects to get us back on the targeted plan He has for our lives. The purpose of discipline is to reinforce obedience and for one to stay on God’s track and not the world’s track. God disciplines because He loves. The world and those who intentionally live against God’s commands do not love you. In fact, some will encourage you to go contrary to what God’s word specifically commands. Anyone or anything claiming to love you but does not encourage or hold you accountable in following God’s will, word and way does not know true love. Scripture reveals several accounts where God gave specific directions and people knowingly or unknowingly disobeyed Him and discipline was enforced as a means to get them on the right track. The consequences individuals experienced were not appealing but necessary for obedience, repentance and growth. When God disciplines it is out of love. When you are going down the wrong path about to make a decision that doesn’t line up with God’s word, Our Heavenly Father has the ability to correct; in His Word, parents, pastors, loved ones, circumstances and so much more. These enforcements are utilized to get us aligned with his plan. It is a blessing to know that God’s love will come in the very midst of our errors to serve as a warning of the danger zones ahead, if we don’t quickly repent and turn back to him. Prayer: LORD, thank you for your loving discipline active in my life right now. I know that I am blessed because you discipline and teach me to follow your commands. I ask for forgiveness in misinterpreting your discipline as negative mistreatment when it is a positive attribute in my life and walk with you. I praise your name. In Jesus' https://www.instagram.com/p/CT07jIeAUdu/?utm_medium=tumblr

To Know Jesus is to Know the Father What is it that keeps people trusting in Jesus, a first-century, Jewish peasant, for the deep meaning and purpose of their lives? Is it easier to believe all this stuff if you were taught it as a kid? Historically, and even currently, the answer is no. It's not indoctrination before critical thinking that keeps people trusting in Jesus. It’s the simple truth that Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14). When people open their hearts to recognize the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and to accept Jesus as their own Savior, they are forever changed. Contrary to common misperceptions, God is not an angry dictator to answer to. Neither is He a philosophy to be mastered or a zen-like state to reach through enlightenment. God is Father. And the only entrance requirement to enjoy a relationship with Him is through repentance and acceptance of the love and forgiveness He freely offers us. The simplicity of this resonates within every sort of person and every sort of culture, in every class, and on every continent throughout history. The shocking, expectation-defying, shame-bearing love of the Father is still gripping the hearts of men and women across the globe. Do you remember when Jesus first gripped your own heart? He taught His disciples that whoever has seen Him has seen the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father. Accepting that Jesus took on humanity, suffered, died, and was resurrected so that you could have a relationship with the Father is the only way to receive the Father’s love. You are His beloved child! The Father’s personal presence through the Holy Spirit is with you even now. Before you hurry on from this moment, ask Him to empower you to grow and know His love more deeply. Reflection: What steps do you take to grow into a relationship with people you love? How can you intentionally grow in your relationship with God as your Father? Check Gods Got You on fb to see full post or add me at B-dot Carter love you All GOD BLESS https://www.instagram.com/p/CTunyPSA2Ju/?utm_medium=tumblr

Grow up Not Outgrow Have you ever stopped to think about how much longer we stay in childhood compared to other mammals? Donkeys take their first steps minutes after birth, and blue whales, who have a similar lifespan to humans, which is about 80 years, start searching for a mate after only one year of life. Can you imagine your one-year-old scanning their OkCupid profile for a match? That seems ridiculous, right? Maybe our prolonged physical development reflects a spiritual principle. Knowing the Father’s love is certainly where our faith journey and our spiritual childhood begins, but knowing the Father’s love might also be where we need to stay… for much longer than we think. An 'awakening' to the reality of the Father’s love unfolds over time. Like water being poured on the hard, cracked places of our hearts, His love seeps in and softens us until we’re moldable again. To know the Father’s love is not a quick lesson, it’s a journey. It’s a progression toward maturity that only happens when we grow in our knowledge of His Word over time. Jesus alludes to this in His parable of the sower. As time passes, the planted seeds, which represent the Word of God, produce much fruit. In moments of crisis and in the struggles of daily life, in poverty and in plenty, in weakness and in strength, it is the Father’s love through His Word that sustains us. We grow up, but we never outgrow the love of the Father or outlive our spiritual childhood this side of eternity. Reflection: Like an oasis in the desert, our dehydrated hearts crave the Father’s love for survival and growth. What prevents you from repeatedly returning to God’s Word for reminders of the Father’s love? Is there a circumstance, relationship, or inward struggle that you need to bring to the Father today? Prayer: "Lord, I catch myself forgetting the fundamental truth of my acceptance as your child based on Jesus’ work on the cross. Please remind me today. Help me to believe that Your intentions toward me are good and Your ways are beyond my understanding. Give me a long-term vision to believe that You are softening my heart and molding me to look more like Jesus." https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkTdQrn0uT/?utm_medium=tumblr