Selah Session with Pastor Carlos

Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Reflection on Proverbs 2:1-10

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands

In the beautiful wisdom of Proverbs 2:1-10, we are reminded

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I’m not shouting, “I’ve been saved!”

I’m whispering, “I get lost sometimes

That’s why I chose this way”

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I don’t speak with human pride

I’m confessing that I stumble –

needing God to be my guide

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I’m not trying to be strong

I’m professing that I’m weak

and pray for strength to carry on

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I’m not bragging of success

I’m admitting that I’ve failed

and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I don’t think I know it all

I submit to my confusion

asking humbly to be taught

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I’m not claiming to be perfect

My flaws are far too visible

but God believes I’m worth it

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I still feel the sting of pain

I have my share of heartache

which is why I seek God’s name

When I say, “I am a Christian”

I do not wish to judge

I have no authority

I only know I’m loved

Scripture Focus: "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

Reflection:

1 John 3:2 invites us into a profound mystery and promise. As believers, we are already children of God, a status that brings with it an inherent dignity and worth. Yet, there's an element of the unknown, a future glory that awaits us. This verse assures us that our ultimate destiny is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ Himself. This transformation will be complete when we see Jesus face to face, in His full glory. Until then, we live in this tension of the 'already' and the 'not yet.'

Fixing Our Eyes on the UnseenVerse: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) - "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Verse: Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers."

Devotional:

Good morning, beloved! As we start our day, let us reflect on the timeless wisdom found in Psalm 1:1-3. This passage paints a vivid picture of a blessed life, drawing a powerful analogy between the righteous and a tree planted by streams of water.

So what are you thankful for? You’d think that would be an easy question to answer. Yet how of-ten does the speed of life blind us? How often are the blessings we experience blurred by the chaos we walk in? While we’re busy trying to keep up, do we fail to recognize all we have to be grateful for? Life has a way of chiseling away at a heart of gratitude. But what if we could stop, pause in the moment, and recognize the incredible work of God which surrounds us? What if the intensity of the day to day could be stilled by the peace of thanksgiving? What if we could practice the words of Scripture and give thanks in everything? Perhaps these are the questions we need to ask ourselves so we can begin to see the beauty of a life spent giving thanks.

#ThanksgivingQuestion #Gratitude #CountYourBlessings #PauseAndReflect #LifeReflection #ThankfulHeart #ChaosVsGratitude #GiveThanksInEverything #DailyThanksgiving #BeautyOfGratitude #RecognizeBlessings #ScriptureReflectionl

Scripture: Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

"Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."

Devotional:

Good morning, beloved! Today, let's dive into the beautiful message found in Hebrews 13:15. This verse reminds us of the profound act of offering a sacrifice of praise to God. What does it mean to offer such a sacrifice, and why is it significant in our daily walk with the Lord?

Scripture: Psalm 145:1-3 (NKJV)

"I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."

Psalm 27:1 (NKJV)

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

In the quiet hush of the morning, as the sun's first rays begin to paint the sky with their gentle warmth, let us turn our hearts and minds to the comforting words of Psalm 27:1. This verse is a powerful reminder of God's presence in our lives and the security we find in Him.