Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! Keep building those gratitude lists!
Good Morning Forgiven, Thankful, Children of God! What a joy those three titles bring to us as we step into and operate from our true identity in Christ! I wrote a blog earlier and accidently deleted it right before hitting the send button. Fridays are typically my day off since I work Sundays. I was frustrated and decided to take a nap. Naps are lovely and mine are filled with prayer and praise often. They refocus and refresh. We try to follow the example of Jesus who napped, prayed and reloaded from the Father before moving into His daily routine refreshed and informed. May we do that also and operate more fully from our true identity, not for others expectations but for our Fathers and just as we are in Christ. Amen!
I'm not going to recount my whole blog. I never can when this happens because I invite God to write it as I move from my quiet time with Him. What I remember is the encouragement from something I read, maybe a devo that included the Eph. 2:10 passage I often use to remind us of our true identities and purposes. We are God's Masterpieces made new in Christ t do all He planned for us from long ago. PTL and Amen! It sure encourages me when others speak into what God has been leading me to say and do! So start today with centering your spirit and mind by praising and praying through the song linked below. Then ask God to open his Word to you and meditate on Eph. 2:1-10. What's He saying to you? Who needs to hear that? Who might you process that with or invite along today? Then pray through the Connections blog and worship before you step into this day. You are unique and you matter. Ask God to lead you to your custom purposes today and this weekend. I'm praying for you and now heading to my day off refreshed and ready. Shalom! (I found the Eph. passage in ODB and added that too--God is speaking! Be still and know. Then prepare and go!)
Amazing Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwjTT2bqKk0
Eph. 2:1-10 Made Alive with Christ
2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
ODB:
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At first, I ignored the card fluttering to the ground. The father and his little girl who dropped it were just twenty feet away, and I was late for work. Surely they would have realized it, I told myself. But they kept walking. My conscience got the better of me, and I went over to pick it up. It was a prepaid bus ride pass. When I gave it to them, their effusive thanks left me feeling unexpectedly satisfied. Why do I feel so good about doing such a small thing? I wondered.
It turns out that the human body produces chemicals that improve our mood when we’re kind to others. We’re made to feel good when we do good! That’s not surprising, because we were created by a good God who made us to be like Him.
Ephesians 2:10 shows us that blessing others is a part of our very purpose: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This verse doesn’t simply give an instruction to do good; in a way, it also reflects a part of our God-made nature. We don’t have to be doing great things all the time. If we do something small to help others in our daily lives, we not only get the reward of satisfaction, but we also know that we’re pleasing God—doing exactly what He made us to do.
By Leslie Koh
REFLECT & PRAY
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Who needs a helping hand or an encouraging word? What kind word or simple gesture can you extend to a friend, colleague, or neighbor?
Dear Father, please open my eyes to see how I can be kind to someone today.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The creation account in Genesis says that “God created mankind in his own image” (1:27). Ephesians 2:10 also declares that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Jesus set the example for us during His earthly ministry by doing “many good works from the Father” (John 10:32). Peter elaborates and says: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, . . . he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him” (Acts 10:38). As believers in Christ, the Spirit will provide the opportunities and empowerment to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and do good works. The fruit of the Spirit’s work in us is “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Alyson Kieda |
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Connections Blog:
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March 14 - O Lord, You Are My Strength
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Before you begin, sit quietly before the Lord. Ask to be given a “willing spirit”—willing to repent, to change, to listen, to obey.
Father, thank You for the promise of Your Word that those who hope in You will renew their strength. You alone are the source of all strength, for You are the ruler of all things and in Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to me. Strengthen me to stand firm, to stand for righteousness, to stand for Your kingdom! Like Daniel, may my life be characterized by integrity and “above-reproach conduct.” Even in the midst of injustice, may I be one who turns to You in worship and thanksgiving. May I always run toward You and not grow weary.
Empower me, I pray, to walk and not faint. Help me to not fear or be dismayed, regardless of the situations that I am in, or the condition of the world around me—for You are God and You hold all things together. Hold me together, I pray! Strengthen me and help me—uphold me with Your righteous right hand and with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart in all of His fullness—in all His fullness! Have mercy on me, Father and help me to lean on You and find my strength in You alone for my spirit is willing but my flesh is so weak and I confess to You, Lord: the weakness of my faith and flesh . . . O Lord, have mercy!
The undisciplined use of my mind . . . Renew and strengthen my mind by Your Word! The sin that I yet hold on to . . . Wash me and cleanse me. The timid ways in which I still live . . . I turn from a spirit of fear and trust in Your name!
Increase my faith. Destroy doubt and unbelief in my heart and mind and empower me to live boldly. May the sphere of influence in which You’ve planted me resonate with the praise of Your name and the imprint of Jesus be left on all that I touch. For Your name and Your renown are the desire of my heart. In Jesus’ powerful name I pray. Amen.
Isaiah 40:31; 1 Chronicles 29:12; Isaiah 41:10; Daniel 6; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 41:10; Colossians 1:17; Ephesians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Matthew 26:41; Romans 12:29; Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 26:8
--Adapted from Pray the Word: 31 Prayers that Touch the Heart of God by Tiece L. King. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Read Psalm 24 and praise God as the King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord almighty!
- Give thanks for God’s power poured into your life and ministries.
- Confess any attempts to live and minister by your power instead of the power of the Spirit.
- Commit yourself to being a channel of his powerful love.
- Ask God to give you clean hands, a pure heart, integrity of soul and honest speech (24:4), so his power can flow through you unhindered.
- Pray that God will bring a powerful revival to your nation. Ask him to bring his almighty, King-of-glory presence into your neighborhood through your own example and words.
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2025 is a free devotional published daily by OneCry Prayer. Find more resources at www.onecry.com |
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