Sharing New Year's Blessings! A nice way to start...

Good morning and Happy New Year!🎆🎊

“The New Has Come”

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"..........(2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

TODAY'S WORD:

As a believer in Jesus, you are a new creation. You have a new spirit and a new life! There may be “old” things in your life that you are trying to get rid of. Maybe you have old habits or addictions that you want to change. Remember today that the new has come. It’s a new year with new opportunities, and it’s time for you to be the new you. Let this be the year that you break old habits and addictions. Let this be the year that you move forward into a new life of victory. Let this be the year that you take hold of all the spiritual blessings the Lord has promised—peace, health, protection and victory.

Be encouraged today because no matter what is happening in your life right now, you have a chance for a new beginning. Choose to leave the old behind—leave behind old behaviors, old thinking, old words, and old mindsets and embrace the new by faith. Trust that He is leading you, and this year, declare His Word and embrace the blessings that He has prepared for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for making me new. Help me to understand Your plan for me so that I can fully embrace Your promises. I choose today to leave behind the old life and receive Your strength and power for a victorious New Year! Amen.

MORNING PRAYER

MORNING PRAYER: Lord please use me in a mighty way today. Let something I say or do be someone’s answered prayer. Coat my tongue with gentleness and kindness. Replace a cold and indifferent heart with love and compassion. Let my hugs convey warmth and care. Remove any hint of harshness or reproach from my tongue. Kill the spirit of criticism and renew a right spirit within me. Let my thoughts be pure. Where there is bitterness replace it with love, forgiveness and acceptance. Break down walls within and without created by doubt, fear and lack of trust. Surround me with an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Replace turmoil and anxiety with great peace and calm. Season my words and make them pleasing and flavorful. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of those in my sphere of influence. Let me become a flowing brook instead of a stagnant pool. Chase away shadows of despair and hopelessness and flood my being with light and music. Let me become to the inconsolable a comfortable bench, a shady tree and a rippling brook.Strengthen me inwardly so that I can easily bear the weight from the burdens of friends and loved ones. Instead of crushing me, let the cares and vicissitudes of life sweeten my disposition and humble me to trust you and to depend on you completely.As I hand over the baton transferring some of my daily duties and responsibilities help me to do so with smoothness and efficiency so that I cause no one to falter, fumble or fall. Where there is lack, fill my life and my spirit with abundance. Remove all drought and bring back vigor, youthfulness and zeal. Let copious showers of blessings fall on me and let the heavy droplets permeate the lives of those around me. Help me to intercede for others today, and guide me so that my prayers will rightly correspond to their needs.Continue to transform my character so that I become more like you. All this I ask in Jesus name-Amen! (By Leila Rose-Gordon on 12-18-15, all rights reserved).

So Send I You

Today I want us to focus on God's call.  In the midst of life's trials and tribulations, in the midst of uncertainty and turmoil, God calls us to be His missionaries. He offers us much needed peace and at the same time He reminds us of our mission. 

It is so easy to become distracted, and believe me, the distractions are many and varied. Yet it is comforting to know that if we submit to His will, that if we ask that His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, that He hears us and is ready, willing and able to comply with our request.

It is with this in mind that I want us to contemplate His call today, as found in John 20:21...

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. - King James Bible "Authorized Version", Cambridge Edition.

I came across an article by Donald G. King, President of the Atlantic Union Conference and chairman of the Atlantic Union College Board of Trustees, about serving others at the edge of the cliff, that completely inspired me. Please read it here.

God is calling me, and He is calling you dear reader, to service. (Click here to purchase your own copy of  Beside Still Waters-Devotional for greater insight on that call to service from Jesus, the Good Shepherd). 

The Hymn entitled "So Send I You" is a fitting way to conclude today's post. You can find the words of the song as well as its history on this beautiful blog I came across here.

The hymn itself "So Send I You" as delivered by The White Sisters, can be accessed here.

It is my fervent hope that you will eagerly follow where God leads you today!

Leila Rose-Gordon

7-30-15

All rights reserved

He Has Forgiven Me

Forgiveness lies solely with Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 King James Bible states:
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Look to Jesus, and Him alone and receive forgiveness today! Ably sung by Damaris Carbaugh! 

Be blessed!

Leila Rose-Gordon

7-14-15

It's Your Time for a Breakthrough!

Hello Friends:

I was blessed recently with a Facebook post that I really grabbed hold of and the blessings started to pour in.  I am sharing the post with my readers as well as the poem I wrote that this post inspired.




Here's the poem:

Breakthrough

I wait for my breakthrough

As the sun waits for the morning

As day follows night

It’ll soon be in sight

I try not to be impatient

Not to strain or fret

Not to hold on to doubt

for which I’d regret

Having faith in Jesus

My Savior and Friend

Has helped me through

Every twist and bend

Faith is the key

that unlocks the door

To wonderful surprises

God has in store.

Your breakthrough is near

So be of good cheer

Let faith in God

Banish all fear

Pray and read

God’s word everyday

And live your life

The Overcomer's way!

Copyrighted 10-24-14 by Leila Rose-Gordon. All Rights Reserved

HOPE FOR THE BROKENHEARTED

Today I felt a little numb as more crushing news came of a dear friend whose leg had to be amputated. I realized that for him and his loved ones the coming years seem to loom ahead, gloomy and dismal. Then another dear friend shared with me that in her time of physical challenges she drew comfort from reading 2 Corinthinas 2:16.  For her it had taken on a much deeper meaning.  As I read over the words it struck me forcibly how God had made provision in His word so that we could be comforted as we face the actual loss of our health and even the physical loss of limbs and organs.

As I searched the internet for the text a blog arrested my attention: The Bottom of a Bottle.  The song that accompanied the text gripped my heart, as did the message that "there are no answers to be found in the bottom of a bottle or on the edge of a blade!" The answers can all be found in Jesus. So I am attaching the link to the song I'm a Believer in Christ here, as well as the link to the blog here . May these words comfort your heart as they did mine!. 

Peace on Earth, Good Will To Men!

Peace on Earth, Good Will To Men!

The enemy wants to defame our character. He knows that if He can cause others to believe that we are party to division and strife, to that extent our mission, our purpose on earth, will fail, and ultimately come to nothing.

We cannot prevent others from speaking falsely about us. Although these things may hurt us deeply, we have to remember that Christ is our righteousness. Outside of Him our righteousness is as filthy rags. We have to trust Him to live out His life within us.

We live in a sinful world. To the extent to which we interact with others, we will hurt, and be hurt. Our words can heal, and our words can wound. We speak from our beliefs, and often those beliefs when voiced, create a rippling effect that can cause others to respond and in turn air their views, their opinions. Once the ripple has gone forth, it cannot be undone.

We try our best to communicate to others our views, our feelings that matter so much to us. But often the words do not come out right. The words fail us. And meaning becomes distorted. Like actors in a play, we watch helplessly as the lines of communication are crossed again and again. And we are left to wonder if we will ever be heard.

Yet God has painted in our minds, our hearts, a vision of perfection to which we have been called to attain. Failure to empathize, to understand someone’s pain often occurs because we are too busy focusing on our own. If we could but take ourselves out of the picture, we would truly be able to serve mankind. We would be less preoccupied with self preservation, and more determined to bring about love and unity in the world in which we live.

We are called, set apart. We cannot live an ordinary existence. We cannot dwell where hate, malice, bickering, backbiting, and evil surmising coexist. To whom much is given, much is expected. We must give God a daily account of our actions, and daily repent with anguish of soul and mind when we recognize how our shortcomings perpetuate evil amongst us.

Let us rise then, to the challenge. Let us answer the call. Let us turn the tide. We belong to God, so we cannot be a law unto ourselves. While here on earth, we must maintain our connection to the divine. While others speak from pain, we must speak from love. The rippling effect we do not know, but we must let peace on earth begin with us.

Leila Rose-Gordon
2-10-12

The only real peace, by Candy Christmas

This song says what is in my heart time and time again. There is just that place inside that only Jesus can fill, and when He fills it, it is completely filled, and peace is the result.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=uikXpdWfzBc

Leila Rose-Gordon
11-18-11

Be a winner, not a whiner

The title of this blogpost is not unique by any means, but I thought I would share it with you because it has been helping me immensely over the past 10 hours or so. Believe me, there are many things you can whine about-feeling lethargic, too much work, the telephone ringing too loudly and incessantly-and on and on.

I smile because right after a "whining" thought comes the thought "Quit whining!"

And then I find myself doing those task at hand quite cheerfully. I did it all of today and the day came to an end, and it was a good day!

Why not try it sometimes?

Leila Rose-Gordon

Who is Jesus?

Unbelievable but true-some people never really contemplated the life of Jesus as it pertains to their soul's salvation. In fact, they are not aware that there are 3 facets to the human being-body,mind and soul.

They are zealous about feeding the body. They would never neglect to give their body proper exercise and the nutrients it needs for optimal performance.

They also believe it is important to exercise, as well as nourish the mind. But somehow they totally missed the importance of feeding the soul. Until now!

If you are one of those persons who have never really contemplated that you have a soul, then it is obviously in a state of neglect. But don't despair. On this blog I have placed valuable links, such as the Metro New York's Men's Prayer Ministry, and the video on "Jesus" that will really get your soul on fire for the Lord.

So don't delay any further-the rewards are great-life more abundant now, and later.

Start your journey this minute-put all else aside: everything you seek really takes you to this point. It is like a secret garden filled with treasures you never imagined existed.

And when you have supped,, don't forget to leave a message for the next weary travel, pointing the way to the well that never runs dry!

Blessings, and peace forever more!

Leila Rose-Gordon
8-4-11