I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to Prepare my Heart for Worship

Worship. On Sunday mornings we go to church and worship the Lord when we sing. We may even go to a whole service or concert and worship through song. If you know me at all, I absolutely love praise and worship. Music, words of worship, and harmonious melodies speak to my heart. I’ve even been known to raise my hands when singing. I get lost in it, unabashed in how I appear. But worship is more than just singing; it is an attitude of the heart. The Bible talks a lot about worship, but not just the worship of song. There are many ways and occasions of worship. Over the next couple of weeks, we will discover together the many ways we can worship God. We will learn together, not only pleases God, but how it affects us. When we worship: It allows our hearts to be softened/open Deepens our faith Alleviates fear As we pour ourselves out to God, He pours Himself into us It allows God to move our hearts so we can hear from Him There are more benefits to worship, but you get the point.  Worship means something to God and it means something to us.

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I Choose Today to Exhibit Self-Discipline

Self-control/discipline seems elusive sometimes. In this a day and age, people (myself included) can react inappropriately to situations. What does it mean to have self-discipline, and where does self-control come from? Self-control and self-discipline are closely related concepts, but there is a subtle difference between them: Self-control typically refers to the ability to restrain one’s impulses, desires, or emotions in the moment, particularly in situations where there may be temptations or distractions. It involves exercising moderation and making wise choices. One of the things I have exercised self-control is when it comes to eating sweets. I have learned to control my blood sugar with making life choices with my food. However, I do allow myself one bite of sweets when dessert is offered. This aligns with exercising moderation while making wise choices for my health. Self-discipline, on the other hand, is more about the ability to control one’s behavior and habits over the long term. It involves setting goals, making plans, and consistently following through with them, even when faced with obstacles or difficulties. In essence, self-control often pertains to immediate actions or reactions, while self-discipline is about maintaining a broader sense of control and direction in one’s life. Both

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I Choose Today to be Thankful to Jesus

It is not a coincidence Jesus died and rose again during Passover week. There is amazing significance between the two events. It starts with the reason for the Passover celebration. The Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as described in the Old Testament book of Exodus. During the original Passover, the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood so that the angel of death would “pass over” their homes, sparing their firstborn children from death. The connection between the Passover and Jesus’ sacrifice becomes evident when we examine God’s Word, where Jesus is often referred to as the “Lamb of God,” (“Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!“ John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬). His crucifixion is seen as the ultimate sacrificial act, where He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. By dying on the cross, Jesus fulfilled the symbolism of the Passover lamb, providing salvation and liberation from spiritual slavery. Therefore, the timing of Jesus’ death during the Passover festival is seen as significant, symbolizing the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the establishment of a new covenant between

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I Choose Today to Invite Jesus into My Day

“I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.” This morning, I felt the Lord prompting me to get up and spend some time with Him. It has been a beautiful thing. I feel like I get my coffee and have coffee with Him. It reminds me of the verse in Rev 3 where it says “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal (coffee) together as friends.” (Verse 20). So, this morning I sat down with my coffee and recited that verse and invited Him into my time so I can spend time with Him “as friends.” Isn’t that amazing that the God of the universe wants to have coffee with me, spend time with me, be friends with me? In my minds eye, I sit relaxed and listen to Him, laugh with Him, cry with Him, sometimes just sit with Him. In my minds eye, when I meditate on this verse, is when I have guests over for

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I Choose Today to Look for the God Who Sees Me

Have you ever been in a situation where you don’t feel there will be a good outcome or a way out? Maybe you feel alone and you don’t have any support? Well, that is exactly how Hagar felt so she ran away from her situation. But she found herself in the wilderness, feeling completely alone… but was she? Nope! God saw her! ”Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬a ‭NLT‬‬ He saw her mess (that she helped make), her distress, her isolation. Even though she wasn’t where she was supposed to be, God met her where she was! Hagar also recognized God. Hagar was an Egyptian. Her culture had many Gods. But being in Abraham’s household, she knew about his God, the one true God. And He was showing Himself to her, a lowly servant girl, who has made a mess of things. She recognized He was showing up for her; with compassion and understanding! “She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me [who sees me with understanding and compassion]?”“ Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬b ‭NLT‬‬ (Emphasis added from AMP)

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