Without Reservation

Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God.

Romans 15:7

The church in Rome was divided. People were accepting certain religious customs and truths about God but rejecting others. They were doing the same to the people who followed them. Their condescending attitudes were out of line with God's purpose and perspective. That truth is as valid today as it was almost two thousand years ago.

Jesus accepted everyone without reservation. He knew everyone inside and out - he knew the good, the bad, and everything in between. He accepted you long before you noticed him, even if you rejected him, and solely because he loves you unconditionally.

As you grow more intimate with the One who has fully accepted you, it becomes easier to accept those around you, even those whose actions, attitudes, and beliefs do not line up with your own. You may not condone what they do or agree with what they believe, but you can still receive them with open arms, which is what the Greek word  for accept rally means. Being honest, authentic, and accepting in your love, even of people who misunderstand or reject you, help them see what God's love is like. It gives them a real-life picture of how Jesus related to others - and ultimately relates to them. When you accept others, it pleases God, as well as reveals him.

Pray for anyone you have difficulty accepting. Ask God to reveal any fear, anger, or jealousy on your part. Then ask God to help you understand how he feels about the one you're praying for.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God and ask him to cover you as you walk this pathway of accepting others. Hold strong to the truth that God's love and power is stronger than any concerns that the enemy can ever create. For God is the ONE and ONLY Creator who did so for LOVE. ~ MME Team

Running to Win

One thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.

Philippians 3:13-14

When the apostle Paul said there is "one thing I always do," it is time to sit up and listen. Paul summarized his goal in life and shared a couple of quick tips on how to persevere toward reaching it. That makes his advice not only important, but extremely helpful to those with that same goal in mind.

Paul's images of "straining toward what is ahead" and "trying to reach the goal" paint a picture of a long-distance runner whose focus on the rewards of the finish line gives him the strength to persevere, one step at a time. The goal Paul pointed to is God's call to run toward a Jesus-centered life, leaving his self-centered life behind in the dust. The prize he longed to reach was not eternal life, because Jesus's death has already achieved that. Instead, Paul pursued a mature Christian life, one that yielded rewards both in heaven and on earth. 

Paul's purpose and process for perseverance provide practical applications you can use every day of your life. Put your past mistakes, victories, and self-reliance behind you. Focus your attention and energy on Jesus, not on those running the race alongside you. Keep moving forward - your endurance increases the harder and the farther you run. Keep the finish line in sight. It doesn't mark the end of your life; it marks the beginning of an eternity spent in the winner's circle with Jesus, the One who enables you to be victorious.

Persevering toward maturity in your faith takes both personal effort and the transforming power of God's Spirit. God works through you as you do his work.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God for obedience over your mind and body to run the race he has laid out for you. Let us not get lost in our own self-reliance and/or abilities. Rely only on God's will and seek sustainability to worship him even in the times of pain and hurt. Our flesh is weak but our spirit is strong when we a-line our life's purpose with that of God's gifts.

Eternal Will and Testament

Christ is the mediator of the new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:15

Words like mediator, covenant, and inheritance in the book of Hebrews give the impression of a legal document. Actually, the entire book of Hebrews differs in writing style from the rest of the letters in the New Testament. Its unknown author presents a thesis-like case, methodically stating why faith in Jesus is a logical and God-designed spiritual progression from Judaism.

The verse at the heart of what the author wanted his readers to understand proclaims that Jesus is both a mediator, "someone who makes peace between two parties," and a testator, "someone who determines the conditions and benefits of the inheritance he leaves behind." The words testament and covenant are interchangeable. The Old Testament and the New Testament could just as easily be called the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, since the two parts of the Bible really focus on covenant. Under the Old Covenant, or Old Testament, God accepted the sacrifice of animals as a way to cover up the wrongs people had done. Under the New Covenant, the wrongs were permanently erased by a different kind of sacrifice - Jesus's gift of his own life.

A last will and testament is valid only after someone dies, and then it is irrevocable. That means Jesus's death guaranteed your inheritance. Jesus saved your life by substituting his own in payment for every wrong you've ever done and ever will do. Because of this, you will receive what you never could have earned on your own - the ultimate freedom of living a life that never ends.

Jesus's testament to you is not only a guarantee, but it is also a true source of encouragement. When God makes a promise, it's like a legal document. He will fulfill every word.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray and give thanks to the Lord all mighty who gave us Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice so that we may be saved. Our part is to go to him, our Father, and declare that indeed we need saving. Let no man, woman or beast depart you from your Savior. Salvation is a personal matter and it begins with repentance. No matter where you are (work, home, church, homeless) reach out to him in prayer and testify all that you know to be true of yourself. For he knows you perfectly and loves you always. God is waiting to hear from you, to strengthen you with his love.  ~ MME Team

Consolation Prize

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The apostle Paul began his second letter to the church in Corinth just as he did his other letters, with a brief introduction that leads straight into thanksgiving. Paul's cause for thanks, however, sets this letter apart. You can be thankful for comfort only if you've know the pain of suffering. Paul certainly did, and so did his Corinthian audience. So does every individual who reads these words today.

Through levels of personal suffering differ, pain and heartache are universal. Yet amid that sobering truth, Paul gave reason for praise. God's comfort is at hand in every type of trouble. The original meaning of the old-fashioned-sounding word tribulation covers a lot of ground. It can mean "distress," "affliction," "persecution," or simply "great mercy." God's comfort fits any and every situation perfectly.

Through Paul, God provided even more good news: there is a positive, productive side to suffering. As God comforts you, you learn how to better comfort others. This is different from simply being sympathetic toward people and their problems. The Greek word for comfort implies action. It means "to come alongside and help." God actively comes alongside you with strength, encouragement, hope, and healing, and you gain the ability to do the same for others. When you are struggling with difficulty in your life, remember to reach out to God and then to others. God provides comfort to help you become a comforter like him.

When you're facing tough times, follow Paul's example. Praise God for the comfort he's already promised, and then ask him to help you use your own experiences to bring comfort to someone else.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God and praise him in your suffering. It is in the suffering that we strengthen our faith and find peace and hope in the mercy and grace of our Lord. ~ MME Team

Panic Attack

Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Worry is a stealthy, yet formidable, enemy. Worry can creep into your life quietly, masquerading as an acceptable human response to living in an imperfect world. But worry is neither acceptable nor harmless. Worry is a dangerous diversion that leads you to focus on your problems instead of on God, who loves you and is in control. There is an easy, effective way to eliminate worry - pray.

Praying about both the big and the small things in your life is a way of constantly realigning your point of view with God's perspective. Prayer is more than simply asking God for help. It is also a time of worship and thanks. Thanking God for his past help and blessings is a gift to yourself, as well as to God. Every thank-you serves as a personal reminder of God's love and faithfulness in your life, and it provides you with a source of comfort, strength, encouragement, and peace.

Peace and worry cannot coexist. Where worry is the potential enemy, peace is the faithful sentinel guarding your mind and heart. There is nothing passive about the word guard. It's a Greek military term that paints a picture of a stronghold being protected by vigilant garrison of watchmen. When you allow prayer to defeat worry in our life, God's peace will be your watchman through any and every situation.

At the first sign of worry, practice the life-changing principle found in Philippians 4:6-7. Tell God what you're anxious about. Thank him for who he is, for what he has done, and for the peace he provides.

Pray to God and give thanks for the sustainable peace he provides us when we declare that he is in control. ~ MME Team

Empty Tombs

If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

1 Corinthians 15:17

The moment Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed. How God related to people in the Old Testament (by speaking to the whole nation through prophets) gave way to the New (by speaking to people individually through the Spirit). God forgave the sins of those who chose to follow him. Death was defeated. Eternal life was certain. There was absolute proof Jesus was who he said he was, God and Savior.

The apostle Paul's' words to the Corinthian church remove the option of believing the Bible is collection of morality myths. His words do not allow for Jesus to be regarded as a prophet or a good teacher. Either Jesus rose from the dead, proving he was who he said he was and that he did what he said he would do, or your faith is useless. Paul, the writer of 1 and 2 Corinthians, went on to say that if Jesus did not rise form the dead, then Christians are to be pitied as the most miserable people on earth because they base their faith, their hope, and their purpose in life on a lie.

History says otherwise, however. More than five hundred witnesses saw Jesus alive after he died on the cross. The bodies of other great religious leaders, such as Buddha and Mohammed, remain dead in their graves. Only Jesus lives beyond the grave. This important verse is a subtle reminder that because of Jesus, one day you will too.

Through Jesus's death paid the price for people's transgressions, Jesus's resurrection is evidence of God's acceptance of that payment. Let Paul's words help keep you grounded in the historical facts that support your faith.

Pray that your wisdom on earth will not take away your victory with God in heaven. When mankind speaks of history and science they speak from wisdom derived from their own assessments; when God's people speak of history we speak of the Bible and the eternal truth. ~ MME Team

More Than Meets the Eye

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

                      

          The apostle Paul had a difficult life. He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, whipped, slandered, and shipwrecked. Through it all, however, he continued to tell others with joy, hope, and conviction about what Jesus had done. God had called Paul for his purpose. Paul knew God was at work behind the scenes, transforming every circumstance into something that would bring glory to God and good into Paul's own life.

          Paul said "we know" with assurance. He did not write "we hope" or "we feel" or even "we pray." God's loving involvement was, and is, an irrefutable fact. When Paul spoke of those people who God calls for his purpose, Paul was talking about every child who responds to the call of his or her heavenly Father. In the same way that an earthly father cannot show a child something wonderful until the child responds to his call to "come here," God promises to work only wonderful things in the lives of those who follow him.

          The good that God worked in Paul's life, and that he vows to work in yours, is not a promise of perfect happiness. It is a promise of eternal purpose. God's plan for you to know him and to spend eternity with him is steadfast. In addition, God will use the pain and the disappointment  in your life. He will use them to do something beautiful, to turn heartache into strength and sorrow into joy.

          When you are facing difficult circumstances, remember that God is at work transforming everything that happens, both good and bad, into something beneficial for you.

          Pray for obedience to God that you live your life according to his heavenly purpose, to make his pathways straight and for you to glorify him in all circumstances. 

          God bless, ~ MME Team

Fully Forgiven

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9       

                                   

                                                

                Being a scapegoat is not a job most people would volunteer for. After all, it implies taking the blame for what others have done. But in the Old Testament, God offered forgiveness to his people in exactly this way. The priest would lay his hands on the head of a goat and symbolically transfer onto the scapegoat the blame for the sins the people had committed. The priest then sent the animal into the wilderness to take the people's offenses far away. Once the scapegoat removed the people's sins, God in his holiness could once again draw near to the people he loved. 

               In the New Testament, a different kind of scapegoat appeared - Jesus Christ. As God's Son, he willingly chose to bear the offenses of the whole world, to take the blame for everything the people had done against God since the dawn of time and until the end of it. Jesus was innocent of the sins and transgressions of the people, and yet as the scapegoat, he took the punishment for them all so that his beloved people could be spared. 

             The great hope and promise of this verse is that it tells you exactly what you need to do to allow Jesus to be your scapegoat, which opens the door to God's forgiveness in your life. To confess simply means "to agree." Take a few moments each day to agree with God about how well your thoughts, words, and actions have lined up with what he desires for your life. Move forward with confidence, fully forgiven and free from guilt.

             Once God forgives you, all traces of your past offenses are gone. His forgiveness wipes away any feelings of guilt or blame. 

            Pray today to God to teach you how to confess your sins and find eternal love and justice in his merciful presence. 

            God Bless, ~ MME Team

Matthew 11:28

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Consider giving a donation of $1.50 today to help feed a child in need in Ventanas, Ecuador. When we are weary, tired and hungry God provides us nourishment and rest. Today when you sit down to take comfort in your home to rest and give thanks to God for his generosity will you remember that He also wants you to show that same generosity to the children of His nations. What is $1.50 to you... as they say "a mere cup of coffee" but for a child hungry, tired and anxious of where he will find food today it is EVERYTHING. We are grateful for the blessings God has provided us and we verbally call out to him in prayer and say "Thank you Lord for I have asked and you have provided"...Let us give to those who do not have a voice, let us give to the children in need. The children who are orphaned or otherwise under nourished because of single parent households that cannot provide them the meal they need. One meal a day to sustain them in good health to be a testimony to God's good work. Please give today - donate what you can to Ministry Minjah Elohim's food program in Ecuador. All money goes directly to feed the children. May you always know God's love and generosity in your life. 

God bless,
Ministry Minjah Elohim
  

Proverbs 25:11

Proverbs 25:11 

The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl. Let's take time to hear each other during this busy holiday time. Your words can be a blessing to someone in need. God is Love

Hebrews 12:1-2