A Resolved Commitment (The Beginning of Lent)
 
Joel 2:13-13 (NLT) That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.”
 
Give thought to your life overall, and think about things that you are doing that you know the Lord wants you to cease. Likewise – think about things that you are not doing and you know that God has been patiently waiting for you to get to work on. Let everything that takes away from the wholesomeness of your relationship with Jesus be the things that you fast, pray, and repent about in this Lent season. Ask your Savior to help you to no longer do what does not benefit your life in Him. Ask Him to help you be about the purpose your life is intended for. Think about Jesus’ sacrifice for you. What are you willing to sacrifice because of your love for Jesus? Make a resolved commitment, and turn to Him now.

What Love Does
 
Colossians 3:14 (NLT) Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
 
Love does everything for us that – without Love – we would not be able to do for ourselves. Love is the reason and the purpose for our existence. Love is our Creator, our Faith, and our Source for all of the wonder and beauty that life is made of. Simply put – Love is -- the warm, caring, unifying and everlasting way that we connect to each other in the spiritual and physical realms. Love keeps us in the Presence of God, and Love is the ingredient and product of our appreciation for the Love that God has toward us. Let others know that you love and appreciate their existence along with you in this experience of life on earth. “Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” James Baldwin, Writer and Civil Rights Activist (1924-1987)

The Meeting Place
 
Romans 8:39 (NLT) No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
As he took care of his dad whom he felt he had already lost to the clutches of Alzheimer’s disease, Gary got a chance to realize how enduring God’s love is for His children. Since the time his dad began to sit in a silent trance, Gary would say to him daily, “I’m missing you, Pops.” It went this way day in and day out for months. And then one day, Gary stood in desperation before his day and said out loud, “Jesus, I trust you in this!” When he did this, his dad shouted out, “Hey there Jesus, my Friend!” Gary found his dad in the company of his Best Friend - Jesus. It is the same for those of us with a family member whose life has been interrupted by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Our loved one is not lost from Jesus. Their inability to remember things or to be fully in the present with us like they used to is difficult to accept. But we can know that in their spirit there is a meeting place where they are whole in the company of Jesus. Their life continues to be rich even in the midst of changes that are out of their control. Nothing can separate us from God; and in God - we’re never separated from each another.

Carry Your Cross & Shine Your Light
 
Psalms 55:22 (NLT) Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
 
We’ve each got a cross to bear and a light to shine because we are followers of our Savior. Whew! That cross we have to carry gets knee dropping heavy at times, but we can trust that it will never become more than we can bear. And the light inside of us feels like it will flicker out, but it won’t because the source of our light lives within us.  No matter what it feels like at the time -Jesus will help us to carry the weight of our cross and to shine our light. There are times when we too readily want to lay everything down. But we must hold on. As we carry our cross, we give the burden on the cross to Jesus, because He can handle its weight best. And as we shine our light, we may demonstrate to God our faith in Jesus, and Jesus’ faithfulness to us. We do what we must do to lead the world to God’s Light.

Let’s Chat & Chew!
 
Psalm 133:1 (NLT) How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
 
When is the last time you got together with people who have made an impactful difference in your life and in the person you are? You know those individuals whom you haven’t shared every aspect of your life with, but your bond is everlasting because of the love and loyalty you have for each other. Every so often, you need to rally yourselves around the table for a time of chat & chew! That’s right – leave all of the world’s callings outside the door. Take time out to joke and laugh, share, and appreciate one another. Gather around some delicious food and get your grub on - enjoying a meal together and then talking and laughing some more. The beauty of simple fellowship is that it does not require rules or a program format. All that’s needed is the kindred spirit of friends who are grateful for God’s gift of ‘each other’.

Dare Yourself To Try
 
Romans 8:31 (NLT) What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
 
You and I don’t need to have a crowd’s approval before we venture an idea that stirs up and inspires us from within. We’re not supposed to ignore the possibility of something that we are obviously meant to give our attention to. If the idea came to us – it’s most likely that God is involved with it. Has an idea come to your mind that is stirring a sense of excitement in your spirit? I suggest that you talk things over with God, and ask Him to let you know what He wants you to do about it. Don’t invest any of your precious time thinking about things that would hinder you or count you out. Instead, think about the number one reason you should dare yourself to try. Your number one reason is God, and He is eternally greater than any crowd. Go for it!

God Will Take Care of You
 
Psalms 118:6 (NLT) The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
 
Do what you know to be the right thing to do, and don’t restrict your actions with anxious thoughts about what could possibly go wrong for you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain when you do what you know is the right thing to do. It might not feel good at the time. But it is certain that when you do right – whatever is ugly, whatever is not right - it will be exposed. But don’t worry. God will take care of you. Be obedient in your task, and let God take care of the rest. You will be blessed.
“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” Rosa Parks, American activist (1913-2005)

Bound and Broken
 
Romans 8:26 (NLT) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
 
Sometimes it is hard to pray. Our flesh gets weak in anger, hurt, and pain, and we can’t muster the breath - much less the words - to speak to God. But that’s where our Helper comes in. The Holy Spirit breathes and intercedes on our behalf when we are too bound and broken to pray for ourselves. We are helpless creatures on our own, but there is nothing helpless about us in Christ. He meets our every need – even the need for a Holy Intercessor when we’re in need of prayer. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what to pray for on our behalf, and he knows how to comfort and care for us – loosening our spirits and healing the broken parts. When it is difficult for you to pray, know that if you yet but close your eyes and bow your head, God will listen to the Holy Spirit pray for you.

New Believers...
 
Colossians 1:9 (NLT) So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual understanding.
 
Dear New Believers,
 
We, your brothers and sisters in Christ who make up the body of the church are not a perfect people. We are striving every day to be more like Jesus, and we want you to know that we embrace you with the love, hope, and joy we have in Jesus Christ. We celebrate about you and with you because Heaven is rejoicing about your decision to come to Jesus. This is the best decision you will ever make in your life. This is your time. Whatever your life circumstances may be right now, you can trust Jesus with all of it! He will walk with you and guide you on a lighted path for your purpose in the earth and your service for God’s Kingdom. Through life’s ups and downs, we can testify to you that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. In Him, you have found yourself a lifelong friend. Welcome to this family of believers. We love you, and we are here for you and for each other. God bless you!

Brand New Harvest
 
John 15:16 (NLT) “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”
 
In your seeking God for direction to do something new in your life –get ready for it – and don’t let the pinches you feel in the process discourage you! Be glad that God is going to prune away things of the past as well as things in the present that would otherwise set you up for failure. The ‘good hurt’ of God making room for new growth in your life is a minor pain in comparison to the pain of having the better and best that you can produce choked out of your life. There is abundant joy in the new fruit that will come forth! You want a brand new harvest to come through your life? Expect to be pruned.    “That past success will hinder your future fruitfulness.” Dr. Daniel Simmons, Senior Pastor – Mount Zion Church/Albany, GA

Come To Jesus Just As You Are
 
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NLT) ...There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.
 
What do people who come to come to Jesus look like? They look just like you and me, because underneath the outer layer of our identities we all look the very same. We are imperfect souls stained with sin. We seem to forget about that when we come to Jesus and begin to feel better about ourselves. How many of us are willing to admit that we told a pastor or a member of a church at one time or another that ‘God knows my heart, and as soon as I get myself straightened out I’ll come to church’? Uh-huh...we chuckle about it. But the fact of the matter is that ‘because God knows our hearts, we should come to unto the church so that He can straightened us out’. Mm-hmm...if you’re reading today’s devotion and it has touched a nerve, come to Jesus – just as you are.

Are You Tuned In?
 
John 8:47 (NLT) “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
 
This is a noisy world, isn’t it? Well, guess what? There is more noise coming! Do you want to know why? I’ll tell you – because ‘the Word of God is alive and powerful’ (Hebrews 4:12) – meaning that the Word of God speaks above every distracting sound in this world. But expect to hear giant a voice clambering over the volume of the earth’s turbulence. No - you’re listening to hear the ‘gentle whisper’ (1Kings 19:12b) of God speaking through your human nature and into your spirit – that intimate place where the Holy Spirit lives. Can you hear God’s Spirit speaking to you? Tune in, and listen.  
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”
George Washington Carver,
American agricultural scientist and inventor 
(??? – 1943)

Understand Your Talent
 
1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) God has given each one of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
 
There are all kinds of talented people in this world that we don’t hear about. They may not be rich or famous, but they are definitely talented. Fortunately, the gift God has placed in each of us comes with His seal of approval. The world is neither our promoter nor validator. God’s blessing upon us is all that we need for our gift to be fruitful in the earth. Do you understand your talent and its purpose? It is more than a means of making money. It is a tool of connection between one soul and another wherein the Spirit of God can do supernatural works in people and in places that need His Presence there! Do you want to know how to best use your talent for God’s Kingdom? If you desire for God to come through your talents, don’t worry. The Holy Spirit will show you how it's done.

Daily Devotion – Thursday/ February 1, 2024
 
We’re Already One Month In...
 
Romans 14:12-13 (NLT) Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
 
It’s about accountability. Action speaks louder than words, and fervent action accomplishes even more. We know how swiftly time goes by, and we know that - after a little while - our habit of slacking off on what we say we’re going to do kicks in. Think about what it must mean to God when we don’t follow through with our plans – even more – His plans? Do we really want to take life so nonchalant? Is that all the appreciation we have for Jesus sacrificing His life so that we could have life? We’re already one month into 2024. Let’s think again. Pick up the drop off – and let’s make things happen.

How We Can Do The Impossible
 
Zechariah 4:6 (NLT) ... “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
 
‘Work smarter not harder’ is the recommended mode of our efforts. It is sound advice, because we are so good at making things more difficult than they have to be. We work against ourselves because we depend on our own self-reliance instead of trusting God and executing our faith in Him. The results usually end up being ‘no power – no progress’. However – we can do the impossible. We can do it by the Lord’s Spirit through our faithful trust in Him. Are you willing to trust in God? I know I sure do!

A Time For Celebration!
 
Romans 12:10 (NLT) Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
 
Celebrations are a part of the church’s biblical history – the special times when the people of God festively rejoice and give honor to God for His Goodness and to each other for their fellowship in Him. It is good and necessary for the body of Christ to fellowship and celebrate our brotherhood and sisterhood with each other and in our unity in Jesus Christ! 158 years of Mount Zion/Albany’s Kingdom building service and 32 years of the devout and dynamic spiritual leadership of Pastor Daniel Simmons is indeed a time of celebration worthy of a gala affair! Praise God for the family and ministry work of Mount Zion! Praise God for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Don’t Give Up
 
Psalm 27:13-14 (NLT) Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
 
We are grateful that Pastor Matthew Faulk of Greater Union Baptist Church in Camilla, GA graced us with his presence. He left no stone unturned as he cited a host of discouraging issues of life that can make even strong believers in Christ want to consider giving up their position of faith in the Lord. Pastor Faulk stomped those same stones under his feet, and he showed us how to do the same when he directed us to the evidence found in the scriptures that our confidence in Christ shall never be in vain! Jesus will forever come through for us! Therefore, today and always – no matter how tough the storms in life may come – let’s continue to hold on to God’s unchanging hand until our change comes. Jesus will never fail us if we don’t give up.

Stay Free
Galatians 4:9 (NLT) So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you) why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?
 
By way of Foster Chapel Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, Mount Zion appreciates Pastor Joseph Tolbert for stopping by to remind us that God has been, still is, and continues to be faithful to us in our corporate and individual lives. Our greatest victory is found in our accepting God’s Son - Jesus Christ – as our Lord and Savior. We already know that in this sinful world our victory in Christ doesn’t attract secular fanfare, but it does target us to endure much that will test our conviction to our faith in God. In knowing this and in knowing what God desires to give us – we are firmly decided upon living in the freedom we have in Christ versus living in the freedom of the world that will cost us our souls and our gift of eternal life. Amen!

An Authentic Crown
 
Proverbs 12:4a (NLT) A worthy wife is a crown for her husband...
 
In this season of celebrating 158 years of the Mount Zion/Albany, we are also celebrating the 32nd anniversary of Mount Zion’s anointed pastor, Dr. Daniel Simmons and his beloved wife, Mrs. Diane Davis Simmons. Mrs. Simmons is a woman of God whose steadfast faith blesses the church family by way of the love, support, and fervent prayer life she utilizes to bestow care at home to her husband and their family. The overflow of her care then transfers over to the church and blesses us! Mrs. Simmons is a halo of spiritual love around the heart of her family and Mount Zion Church, and she is most certainly a crown for her husband. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers, Mrs. Simmons. Congratulations on this anniversary! Your Mount Zion family loves you!

Servants Honor Award – A Message from Pastor Daniel Simmons
 
1 Thessalonians 5:12 (NLT) ...honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work.
 
To my beloved members:
 
I appreciate the honor you bestow upon me as I serve in the capacity of your Pastor and leader at Mount Zion/Albany, GA. God called me here, and - whether you believe it or not - He called you here as well. We (you and I) serve together to fulfill God’s Kingdom building work here in the earth. Therefore, as I graciously embrace the many ways that you express your appreciation towards me and my family, I’d like to acknowledge you, too. And so – to you, and You, and YOU – who willingly answer God’s call to faithfully participate in membership, fellowship, and service at Mount Zion – THANK YOU! You are an essential part of this church ministry – and not by accident. You are a part of God’s providential plan for the upbuilding of His Kingdom (God’s people) through Mount Zion. Therefore, I bestow to you a ‘Servants Honor Award’ for your seen and unseen acts of Kingdom service that demonstrate your love for God and God’s people. God bless you!!!  

50+ Plus Faithful Years!
 
1 Peter 25:5 (NLT) And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
 
A church body like Mount Zion/Albany, GA is truly blessed to be able to celebrate its members who continue to be an active force in ministry for fifty years and more! Our rich history is not just sitting on a shelf collecting dust in a documented canon. Our history is alive, and it walks, talks, and serves each and every day by way of members who’ve remained faithful in the journey and progression of Kingdom service. We give honor to God for our members of 50+ plus years who have been - and continue to be - essential parts of Mount Zion’s ministry! May God keep right on keeping them and blessing them to His Glory, and may their lights in the body of Christ continue to shine brightly for King Jesus!

Teaching ‘HIS’tory To Future Generations
 
Deuteronomy 32:7 (NLT) Remember the days of long ago; think about the generations past. Ask your father and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.
 
The chronological story of the origin of Mount Zion/Albany’s church and ministry is like no other story that will ever be told in Christian history. Our story has a divine significance, because it tells of the manifestation of our purpose here in Southwest Georgia as a branch of the eternal biography of Jesus Christ! Hence, teaching ‘HIS’tory and Mount Zion’s role in it is a privilege and an honor! We teach our story because the Lord commissions us to do so. We teach our story because we love our children. We teach our story to ensure that the future generations of Mount Zion will rise up with knowledge and understanding about the church and stand sure-footed on the foundation of this anointed ministry! Amen and amen!

Mount Zion Is Moving Forward
 
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT) “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
 
It is humbly gratifying to see the Lord’s Hand at work within the ministry of Mount Zion/Albany! We are reaching people all over this entire world with the Good News of Jesus Christ through evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, and mission. Because we are sowing Kingdom seeds we continue to see growth in the membership body of Christ; growth and expansion in the ministries of service we provide; growth in Mount Zion’s influence and relationships both within and beyond the immediate and surrounding communities; and we see growth and progress in the Kingdom vision God has set before us. Mount Zion is moving forward in its commitment to serve God, and we invite fellow believers in Jesus Christ to join us! We give God all the praise for leading the way!

Fake Faith
 
Proverbs 10:29 (NLT) The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.
 
There is a right way (God’s way) and a wrong way (sin’s way) of doing anything. It’s our choice between the two that determines the ultimate outcome! And we can’t claim that we trust God by praising God for what we ourselves manipulated to make happen. Nah! God knows what He put His fingerprints on, and He won’t accept our gratitude for anything that He was not involved in. And if God doesn’t accept it, we can expect that whatever we did will eventually come to the light of truth. Fake faith is a waste of time. Either we trust God - or - we don’t!

Joy Stealers
 
Psalm 143:10 (NLT) Teach me to do your will, for you are my god. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
 
How can you have inner peace and not let your joy be stolen away by difficult people, and difficulties of life? Keep your focus on the goodness of Jesus. His goodness and His love for you never go away. Nothing can get in the way of your Jesus joy – unless you let it! Jesus gives us His peace so that we don’t have to be a victim to the trickery of joy stealers. Our joy and our peace are secure in our Savior, and we experience this to be true when we keep our focus centered on Him. Selah!