Call To Service

Dr Stanley's devotional this morning really spoke to me. It was about the parable of the talents and the three servants in Matthew 25:14-20. I've heard that parable many many times. Up until now I've always thought that 'talents' were the form of currency at that time. And I only related that story to the wise use of money management. I finally understand the deeper meaning behind what a 'talent' is...

A 'talent' is not only money. It is any resource we have including our knowledge and ability.

I also now see the parallel to the 'day of accounting' when the Master came home in the story and the day The Lord Jesus will come in Glory to judge the living and the dead. The servants in the parable had to report how well they did with their talents. Two of them doubled or tripled the resources given them while one buried the resources he was given and had nothing of value to show his Master. In real life we all will have to give an accounting for how we lived our lives.

Wow... How could I not see the real meaning behind that parable before...? I feel super-convicted this morning...! I feel like the servant who buried his talent. There's so much more I could have and should have done with my life by now and so much I will do now that I see things more clearly.

Thank You Jesus for the parable of the servants and the talents. Lord I love You. Once again You have rescued me. You are all that I want. You're all I need. Bless You, Praise You Most Holy One. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN...!

Honor God By Serving Others

Each Morning I try to spend time alone with God. The past few months I have been getting some great messages from the CH Spurgeon Morning Devotional. This morning, however I am particularly drawn to Dr Charles Stanley's commentary on 'servanthood'. It ties in beautifully with Pastor Cere's message from last week about self-less living.

The title of “servant” is not meant to describe only those working directly for the church. Jesus’ promise from John 12:26— that God would honor those who serve Him—was made to all believers. We are to undertake every activity of our day as if we’re working for the Lord, so that servanthood becomes a way of life.

The Lord has placed each one of us in a position to serve others and thereby serve Him. The feet we wash, figuratively speaking, are those of our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We must give our best effort to the relationships and work we have been given in this world. To offer anything less is to refuse the life we have been called to live—a life of service to the most high God.

-Dr Charles Stanley

Wow... What a powerful message packed into just a few words of text...! I've always had this feeling that I have been called to minister to my friends, family and co-workers. Further, I feel that I have been specifically called to minister right here in the area where I grew up. I can't explain it better except that it's a feeling that I've had since I was young. I have really taken the phrase 'Bloom where you're planted' to heart....

I stand in agreement with Dr Stanley's statement: We must give our best effort to the relationships and work we have been given in this world.!

What the Lord is Saying to Me Lately...

God is working on me, that's for sure. The messages coming from church are clear: All Believers (myself included) need to be bolder in our witnessing efforts.

This past Sunday's message was particularly convicting. Our Pastor spoke on what a selfish society we have become. He challenged us to be more 'self-less'. He challenged us to give Jesus a 'self-less' life as our Christmas present. There's a stirring within me right now that I'll try to more fully explain the next few days...

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I'm a mess. Father God this morning I come to You seeking strength. Help me get my life in order. Help me spiritually. Help me straighten out my career. I want to dive into 2008 with a clear direction and singleness of purpose. I have too many directions right now Lord. Father God one thing is certain, I know You will guide me. I am going to go slow, stay connected to You and trust You that through You I will make correct decisions.

I Love You, Lord. You rescued me and You continued to rescue me. You are all I want, You're all I need.

I love my family dearly. I love my life. But Lord I put nothing in front of You today. You are number one.

Why do I do what I do...? For Your Glory, Lord. And I offer up all I hold dear to You, Jesus. Take my family. Take my life. I give them to You, my King.

I'm walking in Faith, Lord. I'm walking in You. Father I pray special blessings on my camp today. I lift up parents, coaches, and players this morning. I will give my all today, Jesus. And To You be the Glory, Lord.

In Your sweet, precious name I pray: Jesus. Amen.

Hebrews 4:15-16

15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


Pastor Cere preached on these verses this past Sunday. He reminded us that Jesus faced what we face daily. He knows what it is like to be in our shoes. He faced everything we are facing, and more...!

WE CAN get through our troubles...! But not alone under our own power. It is only through Christ's intervention that we can overcome.

Verse 16 is such a powerful verse. Let's break it's meaning down a little. What are we called to do? Draw near. How do we do that...? What does that look like...?

Drawing near means moving closer to. In my life Drawing near to HIM looks like:

• Lots of prayer
• Quiet time, reflection, and journaling
• Reading the Living Word of God

Now, here's the part often overlooked which I think is the real key to seeing the results that we are looking for... We've defined WHAT drawing near looks like but HOW are we supposed to draw near...?

With Confidence. We must Believe. We must have faith that Christ is real. We must not have hope that He is real, we must truly believe. We have to have an expectancy.

Verse 15 tells us that Christ was one of us. We must believe that. I think that has been my problem all along. I've always had 'hope' but I'm not sure I've had 'true belief'. The reason I say that is because I think about God fairly regularly, I pray alot, and I frequently spend time in the Word,. Yet I'm afraid I still have more hope, than faith. It all sounds good to me, and intellectually I know what I should do, but I still operate in the flesh all too often...

Do You know what is convincing me right now...? My little boy Elijah. He is totally dependant on his mommy and me. He has faith in his mommy and me. He knows (rightly) that his needs will be met. He knows that we love him with every fiber of our being and will do everything in our power to care for him.

Well, the love of Christ has got to be much greater than Mine and Monica's love for our children. God loved us so much that he sent his son down to earth to be born, live, suffer, and die for us...!

Praise God I Believe that...!

It makes perfectly good sense that God's love relationship with us, His children, mirrors our love relationship to our own children. But it is all on a much grander scale since after all, HE IS GOD...!

Praise YOU Lord, I'm not hoping in YOU any more. I am believing in YOU. And here are verses from one of my favorite choruses that pretty much sums up my feelings right now...

I love You Lord. You rescued me. You are all that I want.
You're all I need.

Thank You Lord for opening the eyes of my heart. I no longer hope, Now I Believe! --sc

Christmas Gifts...

This past Sunday Pastor Cere preached another masterpiece... He wrapped up his series of gifts we could and should give to Jesus. The gift he spoke about yesterday was 'self-lessness'.

It was one of the most powerful sermons I've ever heard preached.

It was explained that...

Jesus was the perfect example of selfless living. The perfect gift we can give Him this Christmas is a life life his own. Selflessness is the very core of redeemed living...!

-Pastor Cere Muscarella, December 2007

Galations 2:20 I am crucified with Jesus, yet I find I am still alive! But It's really not 'me', anymore but Christ living through me, and the life I now live on this planet I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me...!

Jesus gave His life for us....! Isn't that amazing? There is no way I can continue to live my life the way I have been... Of course, Cere explained it all so beautifuly, so succinctly... There is no way we can change ourselves through a shere force of our own will, no matter how strong willed we are...

We have to ask God to help us. We are nothing without Jesus. I am nothing without Jesus.

Friday: Coach Sam's Special Day of Thanks and Praise

Check out this phrase... 'TGIF: Thank God it's Friday'.

Sound familiar? Have you heard it before, or possibly even used it yourself? ...I have.

The contextual meaning in which I have most often heard this phrase used has been very distant from the meaning IT SHOULD HAVE. It should TRULY honor God, Our Heavenly Father.

But if you think about it, most of time this sentence is rendered as an irreverent, secular, exclamatory (and blasphemous) expression in which most people weren't really considering thanking God personally as if He were a real person to be praised and thanked. In most instances, I have heard the word 'God' used as an adjective to denote the degree of emotion someone is feeling. They are VERY glad it is Friday. They are NOT praising God. They are glad it is the end of the week, and they were getting off work and (probably) looking forward to partying all weekend...

God's name should not be used as an adjective...!

I am writing from personal experience because I often used that phrase in the wrong context before I was saved and knew better... After I became convicted of taking the Lord's name in vain in that way I decided to try to make it up to Him by doing my best to LITERALLY Thank Him for Fridays every Friday from then on. And while I want to be constantly aware of my blessings and try to keep myself in a perpetual state of gratitude every day, I now set aside Fridays in particular to count my blessings.

How to Have Successful Quiet Time With God (part one)

When I first became a Christian back in 1986 I was first drawn to God through my interaction with a Godly family. I remember that time fondly. I was 'on fire' for the Lord, as they say... But in the days and weeks and months that transpired after my accepting of Christ, I cooled off considerably. And no one was there to take me by the hand and lead me step by step in how to draw closer to God. Consequently, I remained a 'baby Christian' for some time.

Thanks be to God that years later I did meet a man who discipled me in how to grow in Christ. At last I had a successful 'method' and a 'formula' for how to walk with God. That journey will never be complete until the day that the Lord takes me up to be with HIM. But the journey this far has led me to the point to where I am now attempting to assist others in their own walks. My literary time the next few days will be spent creating a 'white paper' resource that may be of use in my discipling efforts.

I am aware, of course that bible study methods already exist and are readily available but I want to create a document that is uniquely 'mine' and contains a bit of my personal testimony. A document such as this will be more meaningful to those who know and interact with me on a regular basis.

The following article will be published here initially in several sections. Once completed, A 'pdf' file of this commentary in it's entirety will be available for downloading.

Prayer Warriors: Please pray for this project! -Coach Sam

What is a devotional...?

Quiet time with God is often thought of and referred to as a meditation or devotional time. First of all, let’s define exactly what is ‘meditation’, and/or a ‘devotional’. Two different information sources will be cited for comparison.

‘Wickipedia Definitions’ are more worldly in nature. As of 2007, Wickipedia definitions come up first on most Internet search engines. The nature of Wickipedia is that it is ever changing. Readers are free to ‘alter and rewrite’ the content as they see fit. In fact, there is a disclaimer on every window that states ‘examples and perspective in this article or section may not include all significant viewpoints.’

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, written by Noah Webster, was the ‘definition standard’ back nearly 200 years ago when our country was founded upon Christian ideals. –Enough said.


Definition Comparisons: Wickipedia vs Noah Webster

Wickipedia…Meditation is often considered to be prolonged mental introspection or contemplation which the practicant may or may not consider spiritual or mystical in intent. Many practices, beliefs, and traditions (including philosophical and religious) utilize the term, and a range of subjective interpretations also attach to it. It is widely thought to be of Eastern origin.

Wickipedia…Devotional: In Christianity, Bible study is the study of the Bible by ordinary people as a personal religious or spiritual practice. Some denominations may call this devotion or devotional acts; however in other denominations devotion has other meanings. Bible study in this sense is distinct from Biblical studies, which is a formal academic discipline. For more on Wickepedia’s definition of devotional Click Here.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: MEDITATION, n. [L.meditatio.] Close or continued thought; the turning or revolving of a subject in the mind; serious contemplation.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm.19.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: DEVOTION, n. multiple examples... See below:

1. The state of being dedicated, consecrated, or solemnly set apart for a particular purpose.

2. A solemn attention to the Supreme Being in worship; a yielding of the heart and affections to God, with reverence, faith and piety, in religious duties, particularly in prayer and meditation; devoutness.

3. External worship; acts of religion; performance of religious duties.

As I passed by and beheld your devotions. Acts 17.

4. Prayer to the Supreme Being. A Christian will be regular in his morning and evening devotions.

5. An act of reverence, respect or ceremony.

6. Ardent love or affection; attachment manifested by constant attention; as, the duke was distinguished by his devotion to the king, and to the interest of the nation.

7. Earnestness; ardor; eagerness.

8. Disposal; power of disposing of; state of dependence.


Personally, I prefer Webster's definitions. Wow...!

to be continued....

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thes 5:11

In this passage the Apostle Paul has just preached about the end of the world in verses 1-10 and is commending the church brethren for lifting each other up.

Consider that when Paul and Silas were visiting this church some 2000 years ago, they fully believed that they were already living in 'end-times' scenarios. While they were NOT correct in their time line for the end of the world, they were RIGHT ON about the urgency of the situation and how we should behave towards each other.

You've gotta believe that we are much closer to end times now in this day and age! The signs are all around us. The world right now is as dark as it has ever been and it is only getting darker.

And THE WORD rings as clear as it ever has: Believers are STILL called to be a light in the darkness.

God has called me to be a teacher and a coach and I believe that is a Very High Calling. As a coach I have the chance to shape the lives of young people pretty much every day. I have the opportunity to shine a light with my words and actions. As a coach who likes to use the power of positive reinforcement in his teaching, I love verses that speak of encouraging one another.

I was so moved by this study today that I've linked a few verses for your edification.

Please CLICK HERE for some timeless instruction from the Apostle Paul as he wraps up his letter to The Church.

Thanks for reading my prayer journal this morning... Until next time,

Be God's....!

Starting a New Week with a New Perspective

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord You are an Awesome God. You created me. You created time itself. You know everything. You have seen the future Lord. You know the choices I will make. Father God, nothing can escape You. Lord I just bow down and worship You this morning.

I give thanks to You for all that I have. Everything is a gift from You. Alone I am nothing and deserve nothing. But in YOU I am a beautiful new creature.

Thank You for life here and now. Thank You for choices. Help me to make the choices that honor You. Thank You for life everlasting. I love You Lord. Father I give today, I give this new week to You.

I pray these things in Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Isaiah 30:18 Waiting on God to Answer Prayer

Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you... Isaiah 30:18

The bible records many instances of people having to wait on God to answer prayer. There are people who prayed for healing, people who prayed to get pregnant, people who prayed for direction in their lives, and much more.

Sometimes God delays answering prayer for some reason or another. In Charles Spurgeon's devotional this morning, Spurgeon lists six reasons why God may wait to answer our prayers.


1. To remind us and everyone just who is in charge…
2. The greatest reason God withholds answered prayer is for our own good.
3. Waiting makes us appreciate the answer more when it does finally come.
4. We may be blocking God’s answer because of something wrong in our lives.
5. We are not fully trusting HIM but still relying on our own self too much.
6. Sometimes we must wait so that God’s Glory can be made more apparent.

Dr Charles Stanley delivered a similar message earlier this year. It's all very timely for me in particular because I am currently waiting on God's answer to prayer for some direction in my life right now...

Sneak Attack...

Today is Friday. I normally write about thankfulness and count blessings on Fridays but since today is December 7, I also want to commemorate the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. Many should be familiar with this event in history. It was an unprovoked sneak attack, and killed 2330 while wounding 1139 American servicemen and civilians. This atrocity committed sixty-six years ago unavoidably pulled the United States into world war II back in 1941.

I find it interesting that another 'sneak attack' is taking place today against America and Christendom all around the world. I'm speaking about the release of the movie Golden Compass. Many are completely unaware the impact this movie may have on the hearts, minds, souls, and futures of those who watch it. It is geared and marketed towards young people. My family was first warned about this movie by our Pastor at church. He recently referred us to this link on MSNBC.

Quite simply, it is based upon a series of books written by Philip Pullman, a noted Atheist. The movie was made to resemble the likes of the epic Chronicles of Narnia, except that the message is the antithesis of Narnia.

This topic is beginning to get lots of publicity now, and it just occurred to me that all the PR associated with this movie makes it a great witnessing tool... Since the public has such a familiarity with the movie Golden Compass, there has never been a better time to bring up the topic of spiritual matters to a someone.

Would you like some more encouragement or think you need more ammunition for such a conversation...?

My wife just posted an excellent article on her blog about the Golden Compass. Please check it out as she really put much thought and research into her post.

Friends, Philip Pullman is taking direct aim at destroying God in the minds and hearts of adults and children with this movie. I hope that you can see this movie for what it truly is and take appropriate action to defend and take a stand for what you believe in. Please don't keep your convictions to yourself on this one..!

The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 took our country to war. I submit that any attack or assault against the tender, impressionable hearts and minds of our young people as more diabolical than what the Japanese did. Especially one of this magnitude. Golden Compass is just such an attack.

But how can a Christian counter attack the message of Golden Compass...?

Let's not picket or stage a public demonstration. Let's make it personal right back. If you agree that this movie is against God and Christianity then personally tell one person at a time the truth about this movie and it's author. Take that opportunity to share what Jesus has done in your life and how he is real to you. Wouldn't it be awesome if this movie started a revival in our land...?

It is my prayer this morning that Christians will stay away from this movie in droves, AND that they will tell everyone they come in contact with WHY they are not going to support the movie. Let's make the most of this opportunity to share our faith. Join me in prayer and take assertive action today.

God Bless America...!

-Coach Sam

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor 15:58

I came across this verse as I was researching Spurgeon's morning devotional this morning. It just really jumped out at me. This verse was not the verse that his devotion this morning was based upon, but I happened upon it as I was reading Corinthians while researching his devotion, and something this morning shouted at me, PAY ATTENTION, SAM...!

In this passage Paul is speaking to Believers encouraging them to be steadfast, to 'dig in' and be stubborn in their faith. He says be immovable. Nothing should be able to move us from our stand in Christ. We should always be abounding in the work of the Lord. The key word here is ALWAYS, denoting the 'frequency' of our action. EVERYTHING we do should be the work of the LORD. He reminds us that Everything we do in the Lord matters, nothing is wasted or taken for granted.

Oh that my entire day would be like that.

My prayer today is that I would be steadfast and immovable and everything I do would be in the Name of God for HIS GLORY...!

Requirements for Answered Prayer

I have been seeking answers to some pressing 'life' questions lately. The answers have not been forth-coming. But for some reason God put it on my heart yesterday to fast and pray in place of my meals.

After consuming only water for the past 24 hours I was rewarded with a message from two separate devotionals that I try to keep up with daily.

Both Charles Spurgeon's and Charles Stanley's morning devotional this morning were about praying and the requirements for answered prayer... And while I haven't received the 'exact' answers my specific questions, a light bulb did turn on as to why my prayers have gone unanswered.

For illustration's sake I'm going to quote Dr Stanley's article below. He really produced a masterpiece of literature with his clear, precise explanation of what blocks prayers.

READ John 14:12-14 Jesus taught many things about prayer and its central role in a believer’s life. He also promised that our petitions will be answered when we meet certain requirements.

One condition is mentioned in John 14:14: after receiving Christ as our personal Savior, we have the right to present requests in Jesus’ name, which means praying something that the Lord Himself might pray.

Whenever we exercise this privilege, we must come to the Father, depending not on our own good works or character but on the merits of Christ alone. Jesus’ atoning death on the cross is the only basis for approaching God and being assured of receiving an answer to our petitions.

A second requirement is separation from all known sin. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” This refers to ungodly behaviors and thought patterns which we know are wrong but refuse to give up.

Remember, God looks at our heart attitude. If we struggle against our sinful ways, grieve over them, and ask for forgiveness, He will hear our cries and respond. But when He sees a hard heart, He is not obligated to listen.

Next time you pray, start with words of praise to God for His sacrificial love (1 John 4:10) and gratitude to Jesus for dying in your place. Express that you understand why your prayers are heard—because you have a relationship with the Father through Christ, and not because of anything you have done. Confess all known sin and ask for forgiveness. Then, present your requests to God with anticipation that He will answer.

-Dr Charles Stanley

There it is. God is not obligated to hear my prayers when I have a 'hard heart' toward others. He's also not going to come through if we don't really believe he will.

For brevity sake I have only included the summary of Charles Spurgeon's morning devotional today, but as you can see it stands in compete agreement with Dr Stanley's devotional. (I paraphrased my own interpretation in parenthesis)

No bashfulness need retard when Jesus invites. (Don’t be shy…) No unbelief should hinder when Jesus promises. (Do Not Doubt.) No cold-heartedness should restrain when such blessings are to be obtained. (Don’t hold anger or resentment against others and expect God’s blessings)

-Charles H Spurgeon

Today's messages really spoke to my heart and I hope they spoke to yours, too. I'm laying the 'issues' that have been hindering my prayers at the foot of the cross today. And I do so with an UNSHAKABLE CONFIDENCE that God will honor my actions and restore me spiritually. (and) HE WILL make my path clear, and HE WILL always provide for my family.

Amen, and to God be the Glory!

Acts 18:10

"I have much people in this city."—Acts 18:10

This verse was the basis for Spurgeon's devotional this morning. Spurgeon is quoted as saying that he tried to use lesser known scriptures for his devotionals in the hopes that it would 'peek the readers interest' to go to the WORD to read more of the passage to derive the context of the verse.

I did just that this morning and found that Acts 18 is a story from the life of the Apostle Paul. The verse is actually taken from a conversation Paul had with God when God appeared and spoke to him at night during a dream.

God told Paul to not fear bodily harm and encouraged him to be very bold in his witnessing efforts. God went on to tell Paul that he had many allies that he did not even know about. ('allies' referring to much people in this city...)

Spurgeon in turn encourages Believers to also be bold in their own witnessing efforts. He reminds us that God has called us in the same way that Paul was called. Spurgeon also reminds us that Jesus is praying to God the Father for both the missionaries (you and I) and the unsaved to whom we are delivering the message.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord thank You for this morning's study. I am so grateful for my daily spiritual nourishment and encouragement. Thank You for the teaching of Charles Spurgeon. I am being stretched daily by keen insights laid down by one of Your greatest servants ever..

Lord there is much on my heart this morning. You know what these pressing issues are, my King. I'm not worrying. I'm not stressing. I'm just going to seek You and Your will for my life and the lives of my family like never before. Father God you have always come through for me and this time will be no different. I know You want me to be more bold in my witnessing... I'm just trying to figure out the details....!

I love You Lord and want to honor You with my every action today. I pray these things in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Amazing Love

I've started a new routine of weekly devotionals with my stepson, Connor. We are using Charles Spurgeon's Morning Devotional for our study. This morning Spurgeon used Song of Solomon 4:7 as the basis for the daily lesson. That verse is part of the dialog between a groom and his bride. It describes how the groom views his beloved bride. He states:

'There is no spot in thee...' -Meaning he sees his bride as perfect, without blemish. A believer's relationship to Christ is much like a bride-groom relationship. -I've heard that before but did not understand it as clearly as I do now...

A bride gives herself to the groom, her husband. The parallel is that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior then we are in essence 'giving' ourselves to HIM.

A person really needs to be married to fully understand the implications of that statement. Honestly, I'm only drawing that conclusion just now, (today) at how much my relationship with Christ is like a marriage. And not just a good marriage, but a GREAT marriage!

I thank God that I have been blessed with a GREAT marriage to my sweet Monica... I certainly see no spot in her... And I love her so much that even if there was a 'spot', it wouldn't matter to me because of how much I love her...

Spurgeon made it clear today that our Lord and Savior loves us in the same way.

Wow... I'm really coming to understand the love of Our Savior more clearly than ever before.

He loves us with the love of a father AND a husband. I would never have come the same understanding had I never married Monica. And of course without her there would be no Elijah or Connor...!

Wow...!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You Lord for opening up my eyes a little more this morning. I'm just in awe of you, my King. Your love is truly amazing... Thank You for all the blessings in my life. I don't take a single one of them for granted.

Lord I want to live for You and to honor you in everything I say, do, and even think...! Praise You, Jesus. Praise Your Name on High...! You are Glorious and Wonderful...!

I love You and pray these things in Jesus' name,

Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

The Great Commission: Ah, how are we going to accomplish that...? How will we make disciples of all men....? That is the question of the day. That is God's calling for each and every one of us.

Yet, what did I do yesterday to accomplish God's will in that matter...? Oh I posted a blog with a Christian theme, but that is about as passive as one can get. I really want to start being more active in my fulfillment of the great commission. I'm not exactly sure what that looks like right at this second, but as soon as I find out, I'll definitely let you know....

Dear Heavenly Father,

I've awakened this morning with some doubt as to if I've been doing enough to fulfill the Great Commission. and if there is question and doubt, then I must not be doing my share. Help me to be more bold, Lord. Help me to risk being the 'bad' guy. There is no greater gift I could give someone than to help them to understand their need for Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Lord, I am so grateful for the resources that You have blessed me with. Thank You, Lord. And thank You for my precious family whom I love and cherish. I am in awe of You, my King. I just want to love and serve You with my utmost ability. I do love You, Lord. And I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen...