My Divine Notes

Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I’m sharing notes I took on a sermon given by Pastor Charles Stanley (InTouch.org) entitled, “Prayer: Our time saver” which is appropriate as we begin a new year. Each of us is given a certain number of days that we can use effectively or waste. I have found that I am more fruitful and productive when I plan my life around the things that God wants me to accomplish whether it’s in my personal, professional or ministry life. Life changes radically when God is our priority. When you talk to God, you know your purpose, your assignments (ministries) and it gives us energy for our busy, harried and stressful lives. Begin your day with God, read the Bible and listen to him. You will find that it will make your life fruitful, on purpose and significant. Following are my notes from the sermon on why prayer saves time. 1. Prayer gives us clear, timely advice and direction 2. Prayer prevents us from ma...

January 2, 2011 Genesis 1:9-10; 1:11-12; 1:18 ... And God was pleased with what he had done (TLB) This is the year to celebrate the successes we achieve in the areas that we have God-given gifts and abilities. As I was reading through the story of Creation, I was fascinated that Scripture says that God saw that his work was good, and another translation says that God was pleased with what he had done. Since it’s a new year – a new start, why don’t we appreciate ourselves for doing the things that God has asked of us? Too many of us don’t recognize and celebrate those successes either because we want to be humble before God and others or because we don’t see ourselves as God sees us. He created us and he is pleased with us. Take time to appreciate the things you do for God. Stop and be pleased when you are obedient, when you step out of your comfort zone, when you kick that habit and when you go the extra mile because you care what God thinks. Be pleased and don’t hesitate to gi...

Psalm 35:27 (CEV) Let all who want me to win be happy and joyful. From now on let them say, "The LORD is wonderful! God is glad when all goes well for his servant." I started off 2011 praising and worshipping my awesome God. The Lord has done amazing things in my life and I have made a vow to never down play them and to make sure that I give God credit for everything that he has done for me and my family. For in giving God credit, I learn to discern his hand in my life and I also encourage and influence others to believe in his great and mighty power. Giving God credit means I appreciate and acknowledge his goodness for the blessings he has bestowed on me. As Pastor Joel Osteen said, “Wear your blessings well and realize that God owns it all.” When we give God credit for every part of our lives, it’s possible to have an abundant mentality. Choose to expand your vision for yourself because God wants everything to go well for you. Thanks to Pastors Joel and Victoria ...

1 John 5:3 Loving God means keeping his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome. When all is said and done, it takes knowing God to love him. Loving God with our entire heart, mind and soul means we will care what he thinks. If God says: we will not worship other gods (things, people); we will not make images (material possessions, etc.) to worship; we will not use his name irreverently; we will observe a day of rest; we will honor our father and mother; and that we will not commit murder, adultery, steal, lie and be envious of our neighbor, then we will obey for one simple reason: love. Loving God means changing the way we approach life and relationships. After a while, we detest the loathsome things we did and we change the way we think because God opens our minds and gives us a new way of thinking. Our minds are opened to receive the truth. Truth is freedom. Freedom is love. God is love. ♥ ♥

1 John 5:14 We can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. Learning to obey God’s will opens doors that the human mind cannot understand in the natural. But, therein is our human challenge: wanting God’s will. For if wanting God’s will means hardship or unpleasantness, how can our hearts want the will of God? Yet the will of God is perfect for our lives. A life lived in God’s will is the most effective, powerful and peaceful. God’s will allows us to be effective in living a life of purpose. God’s will allows us to live a life that is powerful in our mission fields. God’s will allows us to live a peaceful life amid storms. Want God’s perfect will.

December 29, 2010 1 Kings 11:10-15 (NIV) 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command. 11 So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.” God stands by his word and always makes a way for us to get out of the situations we create as a result of our disobedience. Parents understand how difficult it is to discipline a child--yet the result of discipline is personal excellence. God’s tenderness is revealed in his love for David and Israel. David was an imperfect...

Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message) 10-11 This is GOD's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV, ©2010) 11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” For days I had this verse in my mind, as I’m finalizing my ministry and life plans for 2011. This morning God put the specific book name and verse number in my mind. When God speaks, I’m learning to listen. The message is two-fold: 1) God has a plan to give us a hope and a future and 2) By executing God’s plans we will feel empowered, hopeful and loved by our Creator. Those who trust God have the freedom and sound mind to work out the plans he has f...