Wig’s Word of God Today 3-18-2011

But if the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all My statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Ezekiel 18:21

 
Ezekiel 18:21-28, Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 & Matthew 5:20-26
 
I have met many a man and women who were living a life of despicable wickedness full of self and sinful ways who have turned to the LORD and found comfort, guidance and peace. They live today in the Light of Christ seeking to accomplish the Will of God by their practice, their prayer life and their proclamation of Christ’s Truth. Amen.

Living the Gospel rids you of selfish acts of sin replacing them with studying His Word, seeking to give charity and proclaiming His Gospel to accomplish the Will of the Father. Jesus says such a person will forgive his brother or sister for anything or be liable to God’s judgment. Live to love your love of Christ to accomplish what is right and just: be forgiving.
 
So we ask in prayer: Dear LORD, I pray for peace in studying Your Word to accomplish Your Truth. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
 

God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”

 
To Live for Him True
 
Turn away from sin
See the Light of Truth
Virtues practiced to win
Eternal life as Proof
 
To kill seeks vengeance
To hold a grudge too
Forgive your brother’s wrong
Christ died for you
 
His forgiveness frees us
Pay what is due
Christ wants us
To live for Him true

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 18, 2011 @ 4:07 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-17-2011

As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you. Esther C16
 
Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25, Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 & Matthew 7:7-12

Once again I am reminded of my Grandmother Carter here in Esther as Esther describes as a child hearing the books of her forefathers telling her that our God always frees those who are pleasing to Him. It reminds me of my grandmother because she use to read the stories from Bible to me and my brother and sister. We’d sit around a fan in the heat of the summer and listen to the Words of Life bring soothing yet confusing sounds to our hearts and minds. My grandmother’s fondness of truth rested in my soul all these years and after being watered by my own repenting tears has grown into a daily habit of seeking His Word in everything I do. Practice, pray and proclaim. Amen.

It seems so simple, “ask and you shall receive.” Jesus tells His followers to knock and the door will open but how is this done? The things you want in your life have to align with the Will of God and He will most assuredly give them to you. You have to have faith and hope in your surrender to His Way of Living. Amen. You can’t be a closet Christian waiting for God to bring you a million dollars because you ask for it. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask for it and aligns His Will in our lives to accomplish His Glory. By loving our love of Christ we seek to knock on the hearts of men and women to bring His faith, His hope, His charity and His love by our actions of His Will. Praise God for everything He gives you from parking spaces to food as well as your ability to help others who are in need. Praise Him and be thankful.

So we ask in prayer: Dear LORD, we pray today for Felix Alvarez to be guided by Your Light as he works to share Your Truth LORD. We pray to knock on the doors of those in need to share Your Glory. I pray today for the need to pass a teaching certificate exam. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”

Your Desire of His Creed

 
He tells us to ask

Knock to gain entrance

He tells us to seek

His love in an instant

All who seek shall know

A Truth of Love to grow

All who knock will find

His Redemption kind

Wicked of heart can form

A heart of good for a child

Your Father will give you more

Love of His love in style

Simple Truth will lead

Humanity to believe

Do unto a neighbor in need

Your desire of His Creed

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 17, 2011 @ 3:47 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-16-2011

Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold His blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish. Jonah 3:9
 

Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. Luke 11:30

 
Jonah 3:1-10, Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 & Luke 11:29-32
 
There are times in all of our lives that we try and hide from the LORD but you cannot. You can get a haircut, you can shave off your beard or you can get a perm ladies but God still knows each strand of hair on our head and body. Jonah was a prophet running from his duty to the LORD. Thrown off a ship and into the sea, the LORD sent a great fish to rescue him and spew him on the shore. From there Jonah finally accepted his calling and went to Nineveh to be received by the Ninevites and repent from their evil ways. How many of us have refused to follow in God’s Plan for our lives only to be knocked back down to our senses? The LORD rescued many of us I’m sure and we didn’t even know to acknowledge it.
 
In our surrender to His Truth, we live according to His Will to accomplish acts of faith, charity and love. When you hear God talking to you, do you run and hide or take up His Cross and follow Him? Many a generation wanted to see signs of the LORD’s ability. They want to test the LORD to show His Strength but as it is written, “You shall not put the LORD, your God, to the test!” Deuteronomy 6:16 You must trust in the LORD with all your heart and soul and abide by His Word for the person who trusts abides by his love of loving His Son’s Truth. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
 
So we ask in prayer: Dear LORD, we pray today to live a life of Truth seeking not signs of Your Awesome Power but accepting all as the Power of You. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
 

God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”

Accepting All as the Power of You The Way
 

Second chance arises

Jonah came to know

Speaking repentive actions

Ninevites abided to show

Relinquishing sinful actions

Fasting and proving their way

God’s Wrath was seen forgiven

City of Homage He granted His stay

 
Hearts of humble serving
Learned to proclaim and say
God’s Word can guide your giving
His compassion wiped your sins away
 
Generations of evil and sinful living
Seeking signs of Your Awesome Day
Must with repentive and prayerful action
Accepting all as the Power of You The Way

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 16, 2011 @ 4:21 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-15-2011

So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
 
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9–10
 
Isaiah 55:10-11, Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 & Matthew 6:7-15

The first prayer I ever learned was the LORD’s Prayer taught to me by my devout Grandma Mildred Carter. Seems like yesterday when I can hear her saying, “If you practice this prayer I’ll give you $5.” The words I learned that day have stuck with me for life always present in everything I do. Her investment was fruitful so to speak and she is the one person I missed the opportunity to talk Spiritual with. While I learned the prayer for the $5, I didn’t allow God to capture my heart and soul until many years later. As Isaiah so eloquently writes for our Father, His Word completed my grandmother’s prayers fulfilling the Will fo God in returning fruitful fertilized ground by my actions in practice, prayer and proclamation. Her love of God in prayer was once considered boring has now become my reason for living. “Achieving the end for which (He) I sent it.”

While writing I’ve been thinking about describing the LORD’s Prayer in my own words. How they have touched my life. They have given me freedom of hate, jealously and self. It has been a daily prayer people have prayed for over 2000 years. They (the words) give humanity peace. In His own words, “Here He Who is Heaven, Who’s Name is Hallowed, His Kingdom is It, what He wants I do while living a life of heavenly grace as I learn to share His Truth. Today I will eat as You give. May my trespasses be dismissed by Your Son’s Blood. I will not hate or despise anyone who sins against me. I will forgive. By my practice, prayer and preaching LORD I WILL avoid temptation. Keep me from evil. You are the Only One I will share me my love of loving You. Amen.

So we ask in prayer; Dear God, we pray today for the strength to whisper Your Son’s prayer forever. We pray for Japan LORD, may they find peace in praying to You. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”

 
You Are Everything
 
The elements must fall
Bringing forth fruit
Fertilizer for all
God-led proof
 
His Word is for all
Words eaten Truth
Going out in call
Void of lying eaten dirt
 
Heaven is He
Thy Name is It
I Am Your Kingdom
Will of Truth
 
Nutritious snacks
Forgetting our sin
Forgiving me too
Please temptation no
 
Kept from evil
You are everything
Void of the devil
Father Son Holy Spirit

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 15, 2011 @ 5:21 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-14-2011

Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am Holy. Leviticus 19:2b
 

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Matthew 25:33 & 46

 
Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 & Matthew 25:31-46
 
We can never be God but we are commanded by God to be holy. God Himself tells Moses to tell the people the etiquette of life and Moses surely brought the news to his people. It was Christ Who brought the Good News because God Himself had to come to tell the people His Love was Eternal bringing forth forgiveness of sins directing us to forgive all people not just our kinsmen but even our enemies. “You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow man, do not incur sin because of him.” Leviticus 19:17  His New Covenant of Love enhanced what Moses brought from God allowing us experience His True Love for Humanity- His People.
 
How do we be holy? God told Moses to tell us not to steal, not to lie, not to kill, and not to worship false idols. God tells us to love one another as ourselves. Yet God tells us to do much, much more; “Likewise, you shall not pick your vineyard bare, nor gather up the grapes that have fallen. These things you shall leave for the poor and the alien. I, the LORD, am your God.” Leviticus 19:10 He reminds us to be conscious and active in helping the less fortunate. He wants us to give love and received rightful punishment for doing wrongs coupled with forgiveness. He will not forgive those who purposely offend Him but forgive those who earnestly repent. We become holy by our commitment to loving His love for Humanity through our Practice, Prayer and Proclamation. Amen.
 
Do you believe with all your heart and soul that Jesus Christ is your Savior? Will He leave the unfaithful behind? Will He separate the believers from the nonbelievers and cast us into either heaven or hell? Christ Himself proclaimed there was only One Way into heaven and that’s through Him. “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 He describes us as sheep and goats led to Eternal Bliss or Eternal Fire. Those of us who learn to become His Sheep then we learn to live a life of sacrifice and praise versus a goat full of self. We learn to live in compelling effort to seek out the lonely and the lost, to feed the hungry and the poor or visit the imprisoned. We learn the only way to live life is in constant communion with Christ Jesus where everything we think, desire or do is in His Name. Halleluiah!
 
So we ask in prayer: Dear God, we pray today to never be shy of feeding Your sheep by our love of loving Your Son. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen
 
God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”
 
 
Least of Such
 
Angels in flight
Savior’s right
Second to none
God’s Only Son
 
Sheep’s prepare
Goats will glare
Heaven’s bliss
Satan’s hiss
 
Kingdom prepared
Satan is scared
Burning in Hell
Goats will yell
 
Frolicking sheep
Prays to sleep
In heavenly heights
Eternal life
 
I was fed
Thirsty too
Heaven’s Light
Prisoner’s delight
 
Homeless touched
Least of such
No effort planned
Flames will be fanned

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 14, 2011 @ 5:28 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-13-2011

But the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die!” Genesis 3:4
 
For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
 
It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test. Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve.’ Matthew 4:4,7,10

 
Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7, Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17, Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19 & Matthew 4:1-11
 
We revisit Genesis today and think how the serpent cunningly tricked Eve into eating the precious fruit of the tree of knowledge. The world revolved around the joy and beauty of life unfear of anything until we allowed the serpent to sway our hearts to sin against our love of God. Our perfection gained a flaw called Free Will and humanity began to experience the oppression and death of following a heart of self. Our love of the LORD began to take a backseat to greed and excess. Oh the serpent certainly did know Adam and Eve would die eventually leading humanity to forever battle the forces of good and evil. Good always overcomes the evil embedded in the soul of many a person because the power of persistent prayer, kindness and love always endures and stays the course for the God-fearing mind.
 
Just as this disobedience of God’s directions lead Adam and Eve to sin, so did the obedience of God’s Only Son save the souls of humanity by his acceptance of living sinless, enduring the pain of whips tearing his flesh and dying a Crucified death on a Cross while being tormented by satan and the humiliation of Roman guards. There is only One who has given us Eternal Life to choose as His Gift for humanity to show how much He loves us. He shared with us an obedience to His Father we have the choice to embrace because of our Free Will serving the greater good of all mankind. God makes it so simple. He shares with us the gifts of the Spirit to live our life in a agreeance with His Will to accomplish so much in as we live for His Glory. Amen.
 
For forty days and nights He endured every kind of temptation. For 33 years He endured every type of pain. In three days He was spit on, tied like a dog, forced to wear a Crown of Thorns, whipped and beat until He stained the hearts of humanity, nailed to a tree with spikes through His Hands and Feet dying a slow agonizing humiliating death, and Rising again to show His Strength of absorbing any kind of sin. He endured every moment with humility and honor deserving endless praise. He is everywhere and is everything. He was with my wife and I as we walked up to the abortion clinic yesterday morning, asking the security guy who’s always there video taping us and putting up sheets to block our view of the patients walking in and out saying, “Do you ever get tired of hiding the killing?” Yes, I believe Christ can absorb even these tragedies they are trying to hide every day. We must pray for these people in loving our love of Christ just as Jesus prayed for us as He rejected sin in the desert and hung on a Cross to endure the sin of all.
 
So we ask in prayer: Dear God, we pray today we can overcome temptation in our Free Will to be obedient to Your Son’s Truth. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
 
God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”
 
Only Him Will I Serve to Win- Matthew 4
 
Walked into a desert
Spirit guiding His Way
40 days of praying
40 nights gave way
 
Induced by a fallen angel
His temptations of evil self
Turn a stone into nourishment
Bread alone without Word’s help
 
Even angels will protect you
You can fly off a mountains peak
His answer was one of obedience
No test against the LORD shall you seek
 
But all the kingdoms can be Yours
Worship me the Devil said with a grin
Get away Satan for it is written
Only Him will I serve to win

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 13, 2011 6:07 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-12-2011

If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday. Isaiah 58:9d-1o
 
He said to him, “Follow Me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed Him. Luke 5:27b-28
 
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” Luke 5:31b-32
 
Isaiah 58:9b-14, Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 & Luke 5:27-32
 
Where is life if God isn’t your reason for everything? The reason to die the reason to live the reason to hide and the reason to fight for Truth to overwhelm Humanity and Light the tents of homeless people, the faithful and the rest. Isaiah speaks to the heart of us all I believe by telling us God wants our everything (si todito). You must agree that only one of us at a time by our participation can we, mankind, change a selfish world into a world of joy, hope and sharing where life-giving celebration of life flows across the divides uniting humanity as One. “Bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted” should be a battle cry of love embracing the Truth with necessity, effort and trust aligning the world to always Honor Him Who bestows the passion of forgiveness on us all self-willed sinners.
 
Yesterday I met a man named Carl. He was on a corner holding a sign stating “I’ll work for food.” You’ve seen them in every town across the world holding signs saying “please help me.” I used to think these people were “lazy” and full of spite, hate and addiction.” I mean, “why would anyone” ever live in a tent or the bushes of society unless they were hating someone, something or God Himself. On the contrary, Carl was full of life, eager to work and make a living but unable to find continued permanent work. No family. No friends. His life. I shy from writing no life because he has earned the right to live a life as God deems and his will drives him. We have to look for some way to give and actively seek all of mankind that’s why he at least got a chance to take a hot shower as many times as he wants in 20 hours yesterday to today because I bought him a room for the night. I prayed with him on the ride there and he was full of love for the LORD. Jesus Himself crying “thank you.”
 
How Isaiah rings home the Truth of Christ in our souls as we listen to Jesus tell the Pharisees “I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” Christ reclining at table with the lowly of the world including the ones who have money where a feast has been thrown for Him by Levi at his home. Many of us wonder how people can get up and leave everything behind for Christ as Levi did seeking nothing more than His Will to sustain us in nutrition and in wealth. We can’t live without food/water and money, right? There is a sense of freedom that comes from surrendering it all to Christ Jesus. Amen. Be prepared for Him to guide you to trusting Him with all your heart and soul. You will seek out the afflicted and the oppressed with His Passion of Forgiveness. 4:44 AM EST
 
So we ask in prayer: Dear LORD, we pray today for the hungry, the homeless and the afflicted. We pray for Carl to find Your Truth in every opportunity he encounters. We pray for our children to know Your Word and to be taught to live a life of faith, charity and love for Your Glory. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
 
God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”

To Teach Them How to Pray
 
Seek to root out oppression
His Truth to guide your soul
Forever in the Light of Foundations
Forgiveness in the Right of the Son
 
Honor me in work and thanksgiving
Delight in the LORD to say
Honor my Word without malice
The honor of the Sabbath every day
 
Taxing the heart to follow
Levi left his post to say
I will follow You forever
Always trust in Your ways
 
For He came not to save the conceited
Not the proud of heart who say
Why do you eat with sinners
His reply to teach them how to pray

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 12, 2011 @ 5:07 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-11-2011

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Isaiah 58:6-7
 
The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:15c

 
Isaiah 58:1-9a, Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19 & Matthew 9:14-15
 
There are so many ways of fasting for our LORD that we fail to see what the real purpose is for fasting as we are reminded today in Isaiah the true reasons for fasting for our God. As Isaiah instructs us by his revelations from God, teaching us what fasting should not be; “Why do we fast, and you do not see it? afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?” Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers.” Isaiah 58:3 I believe fasting should include as Isaiah instructs acts of charity, compassion and action for the elderly, the homeless and the hungry by seeking to share your excess with those less fortunate than yourself or you family. When we fast, it is not to accomplish selfish acts of pride and conceit but rather to serve humanity for the greater good of God.
 
The disciples of John asked Jesus why they and the Pharisees fast much yet His disciples fail to fast as everyone else does. His reply is one to ponder and take into account in each of our lives. “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:15 The custom of celebrating during the wedding feast goes back as far as time exists and Jesus reminds them that while He was present and serving the people with faith, hope and love, a fast was not needed for the time will come when He would not be with them and then they would fast to share His Truth with the world. Fasting used to be a sign of respect to acknowledge the death of a loved one while mourning their loss. There was no need to fast by the Disciples for they were in the midst of the wedding feast of Christ’s Joy here on earth. By your fasting and constant prayer your are giving Glory to the Father in your love of loving of Christ Jesus. Amen.
 
So we ask in prayer: Heavenly Father, we pray today our fast and prayers honor You LORD for the joy we receive in knowing Your Son Redeemed our Sins. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
 
God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”Fasting Jesus
 
Spiritual warfare
Majestic Truth
Fasting often
Satan’s reprove
 
Hungry humans
Naked too
Feed humanity
Fasting proof
 
Fasting Jesus
Share wealth
God’s use
Christ’s too

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 11, 2011 @ 6:07 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-10-2011

I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding His voice, and holding fast to Him. Deuteronomy 30:19-20a
 
Then He said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
 
Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 & Luke 9:22-25
 
We are all living a life for Truth by trusting in the LORD to bring us the strength to deny ourselves lifting our Cross of Christ high over our heads each day to accomplish the Will of God in Christ Jesus. Amen. Moses further explains the blessing and the curse by describing the Ten Commandments as the only way to live in grace through loving the LORD in following the decrees He shared with Moses to guide humanity to peace and harmony. Moses charged all to know that heaven and earth will witness against the lives you lead in public and private and you can rest assure God is watching every decision and action you will every make just as your neighbors, friends and communities are a witness to the life you lead in Christ.
 
Last night I read a bumper sticker that said, “Calling you a Christian just because you attend church on Sunday is like calling you a car if you visit your garage.” There is more to a life in Christ than just visiting your church on Sunday. There is life to lead in His Word that pushes you to be a person of action, of compassion and of Truth void of all acts of self. The world needs Christians of action who are willing to deny themselves to accomplish works of faith, charity and love. God has asked us all who believe in His Son to accomplish more than just attending church Sunday. He wants us all to know Eternal Life by our faith in Jesus Christ. In loving your love of Christ, you will live by His Words; “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Luke 9:25
 
So we ask in prayer: Heavenly King, we pray today for strength to carry the Cross of Your Son be it heavy or light to further the Gospel for the Salvation of Souls. We ask this in the Name of Christ Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
 
God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”
 
Live Forever the Gospel of Trinity
 
Live void of death and doom
Commandments of vitality groom
A life to lead in action to prove
Your worth to enter Heaven’s room
 
Loving Him and walking in His ways
All your exertion of faith He sees
Numerous descendants of Humanity
Keeping His commandments and decrees
 
Hearts lead astray seeking false Gods
Choose an existence of burning fate
Void of a long life He promised to state
Witnessed by heaven and earth to relate
 
Come after Him and surely see
His Truth of living Eternally
For whoever loses their life abundantly
Will live forever the Gospel of Trinity

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins Marh 10, 2011 @ 4:57 AM EST

Wig’s Word of God Today 3-9-2011 Ash Wednesday

Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1
 
But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Matthew 6:3-4
 
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. Matthew 6: 17-18

Joel 2:12-18, Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 & Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
 
Today, millions if not billions of people worldwide begin a 40 day period of fasting that represents the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert prior to His public ministry here on earth. The 40 days leads up to the Holy Week of Easter and the Passion, Crucifixion/Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time for reflection for all Christians worldwide to sacrifice a small yet important parts of our Christian life for the One and Only True Savior of all. As kids, many of us were taught to give up something for our love of Christ these next forty days, i.e. chocolate, meat on Fridays (a norm) and other things that as a kid we’d miss. But what are you sacrificing as an adult to give up for His Salvation these next 40 days or your life?
 
As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 6, do not “receive the Grace of God in vain,” rather gather your thoughts daily in a complete surrender to Christ Jesus and renew your faith constantly through prayer and fasting. Seek to share some of your blessings from God with those less fortunate than you and do this in secret for “Father who sees in secret will repay you” in secret. Join me every day as we seek to share His love with complete strangers guiding the Gospel to change lives and mend fences. Take time to sit with your family often these next forty days and pray with them by reading your Bible aloud gathering your family together to discuss what you can do as a family to provide for the poor or the homeless.
 
Stop just going to church on Sundays and visit the Altar often offering prayers of sacrifice and praise to accomplish His Will in your life. Give more and take less when offering Tithes. Remember, Tithes for our LORD are more than just giving money to your church on Sundays. It’s giving  your time to children who need love and attention. It’s giving time to the elderly in a nursing home to console their lonely feelings. It’s seeking the poor, the hungry and the homeless to give more than just a few dollars. Find someone to bless in secret and offer them a chance to experience a grace of God by your love of loving Christ Jesus. Seek to give and expect nothing in return and your heart will glow with the pleasures of God’s love. Amen.
 
So we ask in prayer: My LORD and My God, we pray today for my friend’s daughter Jessica. We pray to have enough strength to give more to Your Son’s Gospel and less to our selfish needs. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
 
God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”
 
His Grace Given for Nothing is Hidden
 
Come back to His Love
Offer a fast for His proof
Seek not your own grace
Live the joy of Christ’s Truth
 
How merciful is He
Sharing Redemption eternally
His Son won so graciously
His death cured sin of humanity
 
Gather one and all to celebrate
Our God has need for our thanksgiving
Rising up above all forgiving
Sins of lust and selfish living
 
Jesus warned to give in secret
Prayer and fasting to seek completion
A surrender of the left for the right diversion
His grace given for nothing is hidden

© Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins March 8, 2011 @ 5:13 AM EST