Tag Archives: Faith in God

Redeeming the Time: Making Every Moment Count

Posted on by yolandaberry
1
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed Rom 13:11

When I was leaving work, I was so frustrated and aggravated that it took two hours instead of my average half-hour to forty-five minute commute. Nothing feels worse than wasted time.

Time is a commodity. It’s more valuable than money. Money can be lost or gained but time cannot be replaced. Only with God, who is not restricted by any single moment, can redeem the time.

When I was younger, I never understood or realized the value of time but as much as I feel that time was wasted, there is a divine timing and purpose for everything. Despite the setbacks, delays or stagnation, there is purpose in all of it.

There was a recent plane crash in Brazil reported on the news. The video featured the plane spiraling out of control. They interviewed one person who was late for his flight and was not allowed to board the plane which saved his life.

There were also countless stories that took place during the World Trade Center attacks where people did not go into work that day or was running late which saved their lives.

9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Prov 16:9

So whether commuting in traffic or traveling abroad, timing can literally be a matter of life or death. You must trust that every delay, missed opportunity or setback will train, equip, guide, protect, develop or teach you something that will move you forward to the next phase of life. However, we must be diligent and wise on how we use or spend our time.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
    but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Prov 21:5

There are three major time wasters that you should pay attention to.

Procrastination

Procrastination is a definite time waster because you continually put off what needs to be done. When you deal with procrastination, there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed whether it’s emotional, psychological,or mental.

When you deal with uncomfortable or overwhelming feelings, you tend to put things off. This is the devil’s playground because he never wants to see you accomplish anything. His main mission is to kill, steal and destroy which also includes stealing your time.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

John 9:4

Laziness

Slothfulness is another time waster. You cannot accomplish anything if you’re lazy or weary so having stamina, energy, and enthusiasm is a priority in completing tasks. Motivation and inspiration is based on feelings which are fleeting so you cannot depend on it. You should have persistence, determination and resilience which overrides tough situations and the challenges of life.

Depression

Depression is not often looked at as a time waster but it definitely is one of the most deliberate weapons the enemy uses to steal your time. When you’re in a heavily burdened state of mind, it is an emotional state that bears you down and is a hinderance to your progress. It steals your time from being productive. When you have no desires or interest, it can take a toll on your overall well-being.

You cannot move forward if you have low energy, defeating thoughts or a negative outlook or attitude. It will suck the life out of you due to the low-level thoughts and emotions. You should replace your defeating thoughts with the Word of God, which is health and healing, substance and life.

Lastly, you should also consider your environment. What do you watch or listen to on a regular basis? Who do you spend time with? Being selective on your daily activities and with whom or spend your time reveals your priorities.

If this message has helped or encouraged you, please share with your connections or leave a comment.

I would like to leave you with a few Bible verses to stand on for any season in life.

May you be blessed!

Daily Meditation

Eccl 3:11

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Eccl 3:1-8

 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Jer 29:11

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (KJV)

Prov 27:1

Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring. (NLT)

Psalms 31:15

15 My times are in Your hands. Free me from the hands of those who hate me, and from those who try to hurt me.

Psalms 90:12

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. (KJV)

Esther 4:14

14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (NIV)

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)

Eph 5:15-17

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (NIV)

1 Thess 5:1-3

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (NIV)

Joel 2:25

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (KJV)

James 4:13-17

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (NIV)

The Miraculous Power of the Resurrection

Posted on by yolandaberry
2
Jesus carrying cross

We will never be able to comprehend the betrayal, rejection, persecution and physical pain that Jesus endured. After such a brutal beating and mocking, He was led to carry a cross by Himself to His death. The ultimate torture lead to the ultimate sacrifice for us.

The complete darkness of the age was blinded that He was the Son of God. They discredited the works of His hands and the miraculous miracles to deliver and heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead.

The resurrection power of Christ to defeat death and the grave and transcend to life embodies the everlasting hope and faith of the ultimate love for the remission of sins. Jesus paid the price and penalty for our freedom and redemption to escape all forms of bondage, sickness, sin and death in exchange for eternal life and abundant living.

May the hope and freedom of His resurrection encourage you to rise above any circumstance and face any challenge with a fresh level of faith towards the future understanding the cost of His sacrifice for the gift of life. May the renewal of this season breathe new life in every area of your soul.

The Resurrection Prayer

Thank you, Lord that you paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross for my sins. You transformed darkness into light. May your Spirit illuminate my mind, body and spirit with understanding and wisdom as I continue down an unknown path as you continue to guide me along the way. I receive extraordinary faith, peace and power to rise above my present circumstances and to rebuke any challenges, obstacles or distractions that block your plan and purpose for my life. I pray for endurance to fight the good fight of faith and to carry the love of Christ in my heart and to expose the darkness and transcend to light in this world by your Spirit. To God be the glory!

In Jesus name, Amen.

Related Scriptures

Luke 24 – The Whole Chapter

Eph 1:7

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s

Eph 1:17-20

17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

Eph 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Eph 2:11-13

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Eph 2:20-22

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Luke 21:36

Matt 16:24-26

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him sent himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

For what profit Aman if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

The King is Coming

Posted on by yolandaberry
Reply

“Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Matt 21:5

And a great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

They cried out saying,

And when He had come into Jerusalem all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” So the multitudes I said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” Matt 21:10

Hosanna

The words that the crowd shouted, “Hosanna” derives from Hebrew meaning “Save now” or “Save us, we pray,” in which the long awaited time of the Messiah was finally here to bring Salvation and set up God’s Kingdom.

Unfortunately, the masses were seeking political restoration and not spiritual Salvation, much like the people of today whose interest are political, economic and social power of influence.

In that time, the majority of the population did not know or understand that Jesus was there to save them from their sins and to be the living sacrifice for the world and the coming Kingdom.

This was the beginning of the miraculous sacrifice of His love demonstrated for us all.

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna, in the highest!“ Mark 21:9

Hosanna only appears in the Bible twice. Once in Matt 21:9 and the other in Mark 11:10.

If you would like daily inspiration, subscribe to this blog or join my social media pages for encouragement.

Bible References

Psalm 118:26

26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

Isaiah 53

53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lordhath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lordshall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Luke 19:10

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Heb 9:22

Acts 1:11

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Matt 24:30

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Titus 2:13

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;