Adventist Youth & Young Adults

09/11/2018

08/24/2018

OTHERS LORD!

1 Timothy 2:1 ESV
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people..."

This day we pause to think of others. Young adults and teens in our family, church, our friends' children. Our God-children. We bring to mind our seniors with aging bodies, limited income and deceased spouses and agonizing loneliness. We remember those incarcerated, facing trial and or in trouble. We call to mind the homeless, the helpless and the hopeless. We remember parents who have disabled and differently able children. We take these minutes of our time to remember those with "out of control diabetes", hypertension, cancers and those who will today learn that they have these or other medical challenges. And we say Almighty God in your mercy hear our prayer. Today Lord we pray for our fellow man, we ask you for strength for the weak, guidance for the confused, relief and peace for the stressed, your divine direction for the lost and for those crying out for help or those just crying, please be a solace and comforter to them today. Send provision to those who lack, send supplies to the needy, let the unloved feel loved today and nourish the hungry. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.
Protect our young from evil, sn**ch them from the hand of the devourer. Bless every child. Let the fatherless and widows find in you a defender and provider. We pray for those we can see are on a path of destruction but are blind and deaf to the warnings you send ..open their eyes and ears urgently Lord. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.
We know Father you will hear and answer us for you told us to pray for each other and confirmed this is your wish by saying:
James 5:16 ESV

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

So we bring them all to your throne this day - heal those who we have hurt and heal those who have hurt us - for "hurt people" hurt people. Let your divine forgiveness be found in our hearts. Let us who need your mercy be merciful. Protect the citizens of the kingdom this day and without partiality for all men we pray. Lord in your mercy hear this prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Daily One-Minute Devotionals

08/07/2018

THE SIMPLE LIFE.
Luke 12:15
(NIV)
Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."
Beloved disciples our Heavenly Father does not assess the success of our life by looking at our acquisitions!
As he looks down from heaven our material possessions do not impress him. For him...
1. It is not whether you own your home or rent but whether Jesus has a home in your heart.
2. It is not whether you use a bicycle or own a car or use any other mode of transportation but whether you walk daily, in obedience to his word.
3. It is not the quality of the clothes you wear, but whether you have exchanged your old garments (lifestyle of gossiping, judging, etc) for a robe of white (right living)
4. And finally, it's not the number of friends or "likes" that we get but the number of people we have led to Christ. This is the litmus test. How many times a week do you tell others about their need to be saved from the death sentence that hangs over their head? Why would we be quick to give someone in need $20 but not 1 word about God? Are we graduating or our children from college/university but remain servants of the kingdom of darkness? Do we give our loved ones, beautifully chosen gifts each birthday, Christmas or special occasion but have never given them the gospel? I speak of the children, no one take to church regularly - how will they know about God unless we go out of our way and tell them?
I speak of your "best friend" who is an "enemy of God" because he/she loves the world and are unsaved? Have you told them of God's love and his wrath?
This day seek the simply life and obey God by sharing his gospel and doing the next right thing! Give God what he asked for instead of substituting deeds that are convenient for us! Every life is a wasted life if that individual is not saved and obeying God." Mark 8:36 (KJV)
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Matt 8:36
Seek and share God today - everything else is temporary and worth - less.

It's that simple!

Amen.

07/31/2018

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death...."

I have a croton garden that I adore! I hate to see even one w**d in it. So after I planted it I put down w**d block fabric, then I scattered bags of wood chips over the w**d block because I was intent on ensuring not ONE w**d is allowed to grow. Routinely a herbicide is sprayed on the wood chips if I see ONE w**d peeping out. You see my garden is at the front of my house. The crotons are absolutely beautiful but I find that the w**ds stand out more prominently the more beautiful the garden looks. And everyone notices them...or at least I do.

God is cultivating a beautiful life- yours! He has placed you in a prominent place so all can see you. You are at the front of his house " a city set on a hill". Sinful habits or sinful acts stand out like w**ds and spoil the beauty of your life.

While we may think no one knows or see that is not true. Jesus sees - he is the gardener. Just as I notice every w**d that pops up in my garden so does he. But I have learnt to either prevent w**ds from coming, by creating an environment where they cannot thrive or pull them out or spray them as soon as they rear their heads. Let's treat sin the same way, your w**d block is the word of God. Apply it to your life daily. A mind focused on the word of God does not allow sin to grow. Then apply prayer - if you are in constant conversation with God you are less likely to disobey Him. Finally let the blood of Jesus be your herbicide. Every small sin "spray it" by repenting and getting rid of it at an early stage. Finally do regular inspections of your life.

Would you know that in my garden despite all my preventative actions I am sometimes shocked to find that there was one stubborn crab grass that grew where I did not notice! When I try to pull it out it breaks off at the leaves but the roots remain. To get rid of it I have to lift the w**d block and dig it out. It disturbs the beauty of my garden during the process, is hard work but if I leave it I know it will multiply beneath the surface and soon be a major problem..possibly taking over my garden.
Today let's examine our lives, are we angry at anyone to the point we resent them. Apply w**d block - God's word - " Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath" Eph. 4:26. Are we prone to add lies to the truth or flirt with s*x outside of marriage? "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Rev 21:8. Are we disobedient? " "If you love me, keep my commands" John 14:15

Yet the main reason we check garden of our lives for sin is because of today's scripture. Sin will kill us. The wages of sin is still death. Yes sin like "little w**ds" - can overrun and destroy our whole life. If God says it believe it. Let's kill sin before sin kills us. In Jesus name. Amen.

Daily One-Minute Devotionals

07/30/2018

AUDIT TODAY!

Romans 14:12-13 (NIV)

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister."

Today I beseech you to check your ledger, ensure your transactions are legitimate and correct any errors made in your entries. This is the job of every accountant. Are we spending our lives, money, time and other resources prudently and in accordance with the accounting standards set by Almighty God.

Sitting at a funeral last week I was firmly reminded that each of us will have to present ourselves before God to give a full explanation of every transaction we have done in this life. Every deed. The motives will be checked and thoroughly assessed. There is no deferral. No one will be excused from this audit. The requirement to be true in our lives become more critical and urgent when we also recognize that we have no idea which day is the scheduled review day. None of us knows when our books will be closed off! Moreover at that stage we cannot alter the records - what's done is done.

Therefore we must slow down and live conscious of each thought harboured, word spoken and action contemplated. Every single one will be examined.
Beloved disciples treat each day as an audit day! Check your thoughts, if they don't add up to God's word - correct them immediately. Stop talking so much, the fewer words spoken the less chance for misstatements.
Ecc 5:2 "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few."
Again in
Matt 12:36 "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken."

Be deliberate in what you do, carefully consider the actions you plan to take. 2 Cor 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

Today let us repent and be grieved about those things we have thought, done or said that were ungodly. To be removed from the ledger and they can be - ask God for forgiveness and grace not to repeat the mistakes. Then with a clean page let us make our Father proud as he records the transactions of our lives. We have an audit partner - the Holy Spirit, slow down and listen as he guides us today so that our errors will be few. Then before we go to sleep each night let's tally the book, double check all entries - and do a reconciliation with your Father in pray. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hebrew 3:13 (NLT)
"You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God."

Daily One-Minute Devotionals

07/20/2018

Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

In 1 Sam 30:6 the verse ends with the phrase "....but David encouraged himself in the Lord". At that time David had no supporters, everyone was against him and somehow he had the inner strength to be his own cheerleader. He knew that he had the backing of his God and this fortified him.

We take our scripture seriously. For where we find our Father seeks to specifically encourages us it's because he knows that it's an area in which discouragement will come. Such an area is when you are trying to doing what is correct by His standards. Being committed to a task when others are fleeing if they are not cuddled and pampered. Being generous when the world applauds selfishness, honoring the lowly when the proud are celebrated. Being honest when lies are accepted as " alternative facts". Our Father steps in this day and says "Do Not get tired of doing the right thing." Do not give up!

Our Father treasures obedient children. He find ways to honour them and celebrate them. He sneaks blessings into their lives that blows their minds just because they are faithful and stick to doing "the right thing" against all odds.

Today remember the world needs you to continue shining your light. You are making a difference. Little is much when God is in it. As my brother says in his greeting when asked " How are you doing? " his reply is " Everything blessed!".

Today keep doing what God expects of you knowing " Everything Blessed". In Jesus' name. Amen.

07/15/2018