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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 24th

📖 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.  
—Psalm 118:1 NKJV 

God is a good God! He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son and we ought to give him praise! We should show our appreciation to God for everything he has done for us. Lamentations 3:22 says: “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.” If it were not for the Lord’s mercies, we would be consumed, but because of his great love towards us, he sent his only begotten Son for us all. Satan may lie and make us think that there is nothing to praise God for. We, however, know better. It is clear we have a reason to praise Him because His mercy endures forever. 

#mercy #deliverance #compassion #vcccharlotte #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 23rd

📖 God does not show favor to one man more than to another. 
—Romans 2:11 New Life Version

There are no favorites in the kingdom of God. God is no respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of faith. If you see one prospering more than someone else or that someone is walking in divine health while another is constantly having challenges in their health, it is not because God prefers one above another. It could be that one has been standing on the Word and the other is not. It is possible that one has been more diligent in the things of God than others. Habakkuk 2:4 tells us that, “the just shall live by his faith.” We are responsible for growing our faith. We are in control of what we receive from God. God is an “equal opportunity employer.” We can all prosper. We can all walk in health. We can all experience what God has preordained for us to walk in. We are not waiting on God; He is waiting on us. 

#thejustshalllivebyfaith #Godisjust #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 21st

📖 So keep the words of this covenant and obey them, so that you may prosper and be successful in everything that you do. —Deuteronomy 29:9 AMP

The world has its ideas about what it takes to be successful. They have their ideologies, and they have their formulas. Some of their ideas have caused success, but it has not guaranteed success. When we operate by the Word of God, we can know that success is imminent. We can know that God is watching over His Word to perform it. We can know that God is not a man that He should lie. We follow the commandments of the Word of God out of our love and respect for God; and as we follow them, we know that God will honor our obedience. The Bible tells us that it is the doer of the Word that is blessed and not the hearer only (James 1:22). As we are doers of the Word, we can expect the Blessing of the Lord to come upon us and overtake us. It may take patience. It may take diligence, but eventually, we will walk in it if we don’t quit and give up. God’s Word works. 

#success #Godsword #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 20th

📖 I will satisfy fully the life of the priests with abundance [of offerings shared with them], and My people will be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord. —Jeremiah 31:14 AMPC

God desires for us to experience His goodness. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above. God is a good God, and He wants us to experience His goodness all the time. The Bible tells us that He daily loads us with benefits (Psalm 68:19). God is constantly trying to bestow His blessings upon us. The Bible tells us that the blessing of Abraham will come upon us and overtake us as we diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord our God and obey His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:1-2). God has done His part. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). He has given us the ability to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:4). It’s on us now. Let’s pursue all that God has given us, and let’s not give up until we have obtained the promises. 

#theblessingofabraham #Godisgood #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 19th

📖 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. —Romans 8:6 AMPC

What type of mind do you have? Do you have a spiritual mind, or do you have a mind of the flesh? Do you make decisions only out of your intellect? Do you base your decision making on sense and reason without the Holy Spirit? That type of decision-making leads to death. God wants to be a part of every major decision that we make in our lives. He wants to lead and guide us. We can have peace when we know we are following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We can have peace when we know we have heard the voice of God. When we have renewed our minds with the Word of God, and we act on the Word, we can have peace because we know that God is watching over His Word to perform it. We must continue to work on our minds. We must examine our way of thinking. We must make sure that our thinking is in line with the Word of God. 

#mindset #intellect #vcccharlotte #devotional #thinking

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 18th

📖 A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. —Proverbs 17:22 AMPC

Two keys to walking in divine health are by having a happy heart and a cheerful mind, which will contribute to our overall well-being. We must fight for it. Because we live in a world full of bad news, we must guard our hearts and minds. We must discipline our minds to think of only good things. One way we can do this is by meditating on the Word of God both day and night. Meditation in the Word brings hope. It will cause you to have a positive outlook and positive expectations. It's hard to have a heavy heart when you walk by the Word and not by circumstances. It's hard to be down when you know that God is on your side. We have been redeemed from the curse. We are more than conquerors. We have so much to rejoice over, we don’t have to stay down. We can have a happy heart. We can have a cheerful mind. Just keep your mind on Him. 

#joy #divinehealth #devotional #vcccharlotte #redeemed

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 17th

📖 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. —James 1:5-8 NKJV

God wants us to believe in his love for us and his ability to provide our every need. Sometimes in life we ask God for things and then begin to doubt his ability or willingness to help us in our time of need. The Bible recounts a story of a man who was full of leprosy he fell on his face before Jesus and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus then put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed and the leprosy left him. The leper did not understand that Jesus was willing to heal him. The same is true in our situation. God is willing to help in any area we might need it. We can put our trust in him knowing he sacrificed his only begotten Son so that we would have a chance at a new and prosperous life. Whatever we need in life we should ask God in faith knowing that he loves and cares for each one of us. 

#God’slove #faith #vcccharlotte #dailydevotional #willingness

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 16th

📖 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your nets for a haul. 

And Simon (Peter) answered, Master, we toiled all night [exhaustingly] and caught nothing [in our nets]. But on the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets [again]. 

And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish; and as their nets were [at the point of] breaking, 

They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and take hold with them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 

But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 

For he was gripped with bewildering amazement [allied to terror], and all who were with him, at the haul of fish which they had made; 
—Luke 5:4-9 AMPC

It's amazing what happens when we obey God. Peter toiled all night long. Peter had done all that he knew to do. In his own efforts and in his own strength, he was unsuccessful. However, when he acted on the words of Jesus, the miraculous took place. When he ceased operating from his intellect and simply walked in obedience, abundance and increase took place. There is a time to use your intellect, but there is also a time when you must throw that out of the window. Sometimes God may ask you to do something that doesn’t make sense to your natural mind, but out of respect for God, we ought to obey. God will amaze us if we let Him. Our obedience to His Word will open the door to make the miraculous a normal occurrence in our lives.

#trustGod #notbypowernotbymight #byhisspirit #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 14th

📖 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy. 
—1 Peter 2:9-10 AMPC

God doesn't see us as insignificant. He does not see us as mediocre people. We are a chosen race and God's own special people. We are special because He purchased us by the blood of the Lamb. He sees us as royalty. He loves us. It is because of His mercy that we are not consumed. When Adam fell, all of mankind fell. God could have left us in a fallen state, but His love for us wouldn't allow it. Remember, you are special. You're not special because of what you have done. You are special because of what He has done. Oh, how He loves you and me. 

#worthyisthelamb #chosenpeople #devotional #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 13th

📖 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? 

What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 

What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 

So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor, 

And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 
—2 Corinthians 6:14-18 AMPC

God wants there to be a separation between the world and His people. We are to be the light of the world. We are the salt of the earth. The Blessing of God manifesting in our lives is the calling card to the world. It should draw the world to us because we are experiencing the goodness of God, despite all the ills that are taking place in the world. God wants to pour out His goodness on His sons and daughters. One way to make that happen is to separate ourselves from the world. We can be in this world, but we don’t have to be of the world. We don’t have to talk like the world, and we don’t have to have the world’s mentality. When Jesus was on the earth, He did not associate with the devil or His works. He set the people free from the oppression of the enemy. We must be like Jesus. The devil had nothing in Him, and the enemy must not have anything in us. We are the temple of the living God. He is living in us and walking in us. We are His ambassadors, and we should look and act like it every day of our lives. 

#ambassadorsofChrist #devotional #separation #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 12th

📖 I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. 

By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. 
—John 13:34-35 AMP

How are we supposed to be identified? It won’t be by how often we carry our bibles. It won’t be by our church attendance. People will know us as His disciples by our love walk. When we are walking in love with everyone, it shows in our daily interactions. The love walk should cause us to be kind and to treat people the way we desire to be treated. Going to church is the right thing to do. We are instructed to do so by the Word of God. Carrying our Bibles with us is a good thing as well. It reveals that we are not ashamed of the Gospel. But the bonafide proof of true discipleship is in how we treat our fellow man. The proof is in how we love our neighbor. 

#loveyourneighbor #disciplesofChrist #devotional #vcccharlotte #lovewalk

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 11th

📖 But Noah was a pleasure to the Lord. Here is the story of Noah:  He was the only truly righteous man living on the earth at that time. He tried always to conduct his affairs according to God’s will. And he had three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 
—Genesis 6:8-10 The Living Bible

This is what every believer should desire, to be a pleasure to the Lord. We know that God takes pleasure in our prosperity (Psalm 35:27), but we should also desire that He takes pleasure in our lives. Our desire should be that we live a life that is well-pleasing to God. We should not only be people of righteous living, but we should always conduct our affairs according to God’s will. One way that we do that is by doing what the Word of God tells us because God’s Word IS His will towards us. The Bible tells us that Noah walked with God. When we walk with God, eventually we get to a place where all we desire is to be a pleasure to the Lord. Our lives should always bring glory to Him. 

#devotional #glorytoGod #righteousness #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 10th

📖 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. —Psalm 30:5 NKJV

As a believer we must always remember that whatever tough situation we may find ourselves in, the Bible promises that joy will come in the morning. Jesus said in John 16:33 AMP “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” This is why we can count on joy coming because of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has already overcome the world. All we must do is remind our soul that our situation is not permanent but only temporary. As we stand on the Word of God, it is only a matter of time before our situations line up with the Word. When it feels like we are in the eye of the storm we should have perfect peace because of Christ’s victory on our behalf. We should count it all joy because we should look at our circumstances as another opportunity for God to show up strong in our life. 

#vcccharlotte #devotional #joy #God’spromises #peace

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 9th

📖 The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn’t ask God about it. 

So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it. 

And then, three days after making this covenant, they learned that they were next-door neighbors who had been living there all along! The People of Israel broke camp and set out; three days later they reached their towns—Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. But the People of Israel didn’t attack them; the leaders of the congregation had given their word before the God of Israel. But the congregation was up in arms over their leaders. 
—Joshua 9:14-18 The Message

Have you ever made a major life-changing decision without consulting God, then regretted moving forward without His wisdom? That is what Joshua did. Joshua made a decision based on what was presented to him. He made a covenant with men that he was supposed to conquer. The men presented themselves as a people who came from a faraway place, when they were from up the street. They deceived Joshua and then because of their agreement, they could not be conquered. They were now considered Joshua’s subjects. This was not the will of God, but because Joshua had made the decision to make the covenant, there was no going back. We must all learn from Joshua. When it comes to the major decisions of our lives, we must seek the Lord. When someone comes to us with a business proposition, we must seek the Lord. Everything that sounds good, isn’t always good. When you seek the Lord, He will always endeavor to lead and guide you in the way you should go. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

#spiritled #devotional #consultGod #vcccharlotte

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 7th

📖 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. 
—I Samuel 17: 45-47 KJV

When David faced Goliath, He did not brag about his skills with a slingshot. He did not talk about his experience with the shepherd’s staff. He did not refer to any earthly weapons. David leaned on God’s ability and not his own. David was coming in the Name of the Lord of hosts, not his own. He was not fighting to make a name for himself, he was fighting so that the earth would know that there is a God in Israel. David knew that the battle was not his but the Lord’s. We could learn a thing or two from David. When the devil attacks, we cannot rely on our intellect or our resources. We must fight with the resources of Heaven. We must fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons. We fight with the Word of God, the Name of Jesus, and with the whole armor of God. We fight from a place of victory. We fight knowing that the battle is the Lord’s. When we fight the way David fought, we can expect to win the way that he won. The battle is not ours; the battle is the Lord’s. 

#spiritualwarfare #devotional #vcccharlotte #davidandgoliath

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 6th

📖 Adonai, God, said, “It isn’t good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him.” —Genesis 2:18 CJB

It isn’t good for us to be alone. We were created to have fellowship with others. We were created to have relationships and friendships and to interact with each other. The Bible tells us that “iron sharpens iron; so, a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17).” God uses our relationships to make other people better. It is our interactions that allow us to become better individuals. Our interactions with others can open doors. It can cause us to become wiser and better in our respective fields. Having relationships can cause us to have experiences that we would otherwise not have if we were by ourselves. Of course, we understand we can’t be friends with everyone, but we can engage in friendships that will contribute to our overall well-being. As God said, it is not good that a person should be alone. 

#ironsharpensiron #devotional #vcccharlotte #relationships

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 5th

📖 And when He heard of Jesus..... —Luke 7:3 KJV 

Have you heard of Jesus? Are you aware of Who He is? The Word of God is his resume. It lets you know His qualifications and His characteristics. The Word of God tells us all about Him. He is our Healer. He is our Redeemer. He is the Messiah. He is the king of kings and the lord of lords. When people heard who Jesus was, it caused them to act. When the woman with the issue of blood heard of Jesus, she sought Him out. She knew that He could do what the doctors could not do. She knew He could make her well. We must hear about Jesus accurately. We must know that He has not changed. He is still a Healer. He is still performing miracles. He is still delivering and setting people free. Jesus will do for you what He did for people in the Gospels. He wants to turn your life around. Have you heard of Jesus? 

#ourhealer #reedemed #vcccharlotte #devotional #deliverer

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 4th

📖 One of those days He and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, Let us go across to the other side of the lake. So they put out to sea. 

But as they were sailing, He fell off to sleep. And a whirlwind revolving from below upwards swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger. 

And the disciples came and woke Him, saying, Master, Master, we are perishing! And He, being thoroughly awakened, censured and blamed and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there came a calm. 

And He said to them, [Why are you so fearful?] Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—in My veracity and My integrity)? And they were seized with alarm and profound and reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him? 
—Luke 8: 22-25 AMPC

Jesus had said for them to go to the other side. Once he had spoken, He went to sleep. He fully intended for them to get to the other side. He was so sure they would get there that he went to sleep. He rested in what He said. When the storm hit, the disciples spoke words that were contrary to what Jesus said. All they had to do was agree with Jesus. All they had to do was agree with the Word that was spoken. Their words located them. Their words proved that they had more confidence in the circumstances than they did in what Jesus said. Jesus was obviously displeased with the disciples. He asked them why they didn’t trust him. We can’t look down on the disciples. We have done the same thing. We have believed more in our circumstances than what God has said. God’s Word will change our circumstances when we agree with Him. God expects us to say what He says. He expects us to trust in His Word. Circumstances will never change the Word of God. God’s Word will always come to pass. We can trust in His integrity and His veracity. 

#words #believeinGod #trustinGod #vcccharlotte #devotional

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 3rd

📖 Then Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again.
—Exodus 14:13 AMP

Fear is a tool that the devil uses to get the people of God to forget his power and promises. God is simply too big for us to be acting fearful of anything the world may throw at us. As the Egyptians were approaching the children of Israel, Moses reminded the people that they needed to be confident in God’s protection. God has all power and authority, so we have no need to be fearful of anything the Devil sends. We must keep our eyes on God and remind ourselves of his infinite ability to take care of his children. Reading and studying the Word daily will help us in this area because when circumstances come our way the Word should pour out of us. Let us keep our eyes off the situation and keep our eyes on our all-powerful Father. 

#allpowerful #protection #vcccharlotte #devotional #Hispromises

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL | September 2nd

📖 Now in the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the foul spirit of a demon; and he cried out with a loud (deep, terrible) cry, 

Ah, let us alone! What have You to do with us [What have we in common], Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know Who You are—the Holy One of God! 

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent (muzzled, gagged), and come out of him! And when the demon had thrown the man down in their midst, he came out of him without injuring him in any possible way.

And they were all amazed and said to one another, What kind of talk is this? For with authority and power He commands the foul spirits and they come out! 
—Luke 4:33-36 AMPC

Jesus is our example. He never feared the devil. He never feared any demon. Jesus knew who He was and what belonged to Him. He walked in authority and spoke with authority. He knew that the devil was subject to Him. We have been delegated the same authority, and God expects us to walk in it. He does not expect us to run from the devil; the devil is supposed to run from us. He expects us to experience the same results that Jesus did when He was on the earth. We are in the same family as Jesus. We have the same Father. We have the same authority. We should expect the same victory, every time.  

#iamvictory #JesusChrist #devotional #familyofGod

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