Jesus is Our Father. 1/7/15

Please pray for Ivette. Her father passed away this morning.

Tips on Reading the Bible Daily

1. Start reading the Bible today -- there is no better time, and there's no reason to wait.
2. Set aside a specific time each day. Set your schedule and then stick to it. Mornings are great, but feel free to use any time that works consistently for you.
3. Read the Bible for the sake of learning, not simply to accomplish your next reading. Say a short prayer to God before you begin, asking the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and understanding, then be refreshed by the words you read!

Matthew 6:1-18
Giving to the Needy
6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Supplied Life Devotional by Bill Freeman

January 7th
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision." Acts 26:19
These words are Paul's own testimony about his calling and constitute a summary of what governed his life. It was vision! He was governed by a heavenly vision that controlled and directed him. The Lord appeared to him, spoke to him, and gave him a revelation of his mission-- to open people's eyes to see the light of God's plan and to usher them into God's heart's desire.When we have vision, we have something to govern and direct our lives day by day. Vision gives us something to which we can render our obedience. If we do not have a heavenly vision, what do we obey? What is the vision that directs our life? What do we see? What controls us? Is there vision in our life? Or are we just spending our days passively waiting to go to heaven? We need to see what God's purpose is right now in time.
When vision governs us, our lives are properly controlled and directed. When there is no vision, then our lives are spent in vanity. We sit at home and watch television, read the newspaper, go to work, acquire an abundance of material possessions, and exist with a sense of futility and emptiness about life. We go through the cycle of life without any governing vision. There is nothing that shapes and directs our lives. So we must see how crucial vision is to us. The vision that Paul speaks of as the heavenly vision was the factor that governed his plans and practical life. Immediately after receiving this vision, he "declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles..." (v. 20). In other words, first comes vision; then comes a controlled and directed life in practical service. It was vision that gave Paul direction and caused him to spread the gospel and build up local churches in an ever- increasing sphere. The apostle Paul was under a mandate because he was under vision

Pray Until Something Happens (PUSH)

A cure for the Ebola virus and the D-68 virus, Areyda, Cameron-God's plan for her life, Charlie, Cookie, Daina, Cy, Debbie- Pray the Lord will give her wisdom and an outpouring of grace and blessings for her outstanding intercessory prayer ministry, Derithia, Marquis, Monig-get her voice back, Nicole and family, Pastor Ford,Vonetta's mother, and Willie.

Health and Healing

Ivette's mom and Vonetta's mom.

Support and Comfort

Ivette and family.

Praise Alert
God is in control!

National

Conflict between citizens and  police officer. 

International
Shooting in France.

Israel and Palestine
Iraq

Syrians

Ukraine

Missing plane and passengers.
Missing Nigerian Christian girls.

Song(s) of the Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYTPE5B1zyg