Anchored In Faith and Perfect Love

     The examples of God working through lives are endless and they are eternal. The Spirit-filled life is one of abundance, deep joy and peace. The blessings of God act as stepping stones to guide us on the path ahead. As our trust and faith grow, as we rely more and more on the secure foundation of Christ, we can walk in hope and show the world around us that everything in life brings us to the One thing we need. It is Christ.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Hebrews 6:19

     The words in the verse above give us strength. We have an anchor for our souls, where it matters most, firm and secure, always hopeful. We can enter the very throne-room of heaven with anything and everything and He is there. Jesus experienced every single emotion, every single temptation, every tribulation we will encounter. He felt every sin, felt the agony of each disease, suffered the pain and loss of being separate from His Father in heaven for the first time. He knows. He has been there.

     Life is precious and fragile. It is exhilarating and frightening. It is filled with happiness and sadness, with hope and despair, and with Christ, we will get through it all in triumph. He has overcome death for us! There is no more fear with Him. His perfect love is forever.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

     His mysterious ways will remain that way until that glorious day we walk through heaven’s door forever. All of our questions will be set at ease, all of our hopes realized, all of our fears unfounded, all uncertainty gone, no more pain, no more tears, only perfect love forever. Keep that foundation of faith with you each unsteady step of the way. The anchor of Christ is secure and it is lasting.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

Lord,

Whatever life holds, you hold us. Our fear keeps us from trusting you. Our worries about tomorrow rob us of the joys of today. Be with us wherever we go. You promise to never leave us nor forsake us. And Your perfect love stays with us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Mysterious Ways

     When we can’t find an answer, when we don’t know how to get through the grief, or how to help a loved one, or what to do next, we can place our complete trust in Jesus. He has the answers. He knows the way through. He has the words of comfort for us to use. He sees the next step and the one after that. There are millions of testimonies in history up to the present day reminding us and teaching us that God works through everything..

     The apostle Paul wrote several of his epistles from a dark, dank, smelly jail cell in Rome. He was chained to a guard at all times. All of these prison epistles are filled with gratitude to God, with an understanding that even then, the good news of the gospel would be preached.

     He and his other Christian cellmates sang songs of praise and joy, stunning their jailers and other prisoners. The words throughout the book of Philippians speak of deep joy, about the peace that passes all understanding, and the call for believers to continue to shine as stars.  Here are a few verses to take with you today.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. Philippians 1:12

For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2:15

Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again. Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

     The verses in the Book of Philippians are worth reading time and time again. Put them to memory and take them out when you are feeling weak and overwhelmed. Paul reminds us to spread the gospel no matter the circumstances in our lives, to continue to shine like stars in this warped generation, to rejoice always! God is good, all the time. Stay filled with His peace and joy as we continue to marvel at His mysterious ways.

Lord,

Thank You for the examples of faith both in Scripture and in life. Teach us by example to rely on Your great love and strength that will get us through life, all of it with peace and joy, always striving to shine with Your glory.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Mysterious Ways

     Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond searching out! Romans 11:33

     When we sit in wonder and awe at the scope and magnitude of our Creator God, it is simply miraculous that His plans include us. Let this verse help you relax in His strength today. He is in all things around us and He has absolute control.

For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen Romans 11:36

     All things. That includes you and me, the spinning of the globe, the sunrise and the sunset, the ocean waves and the breeze. All from Him. All through Him. All for Him.

     Placing our very lives in His hands is not easy. We want control. As humans it becomes difficult to keep our peace as we question the future of the planet, as we obsess over government or rulers, as we fret about our daily activities and work schedules. God uses them all. Ultimately, the end of the earth as we know it will be in His hands and eternity will be ours. Focus on the things that please God. Focus on His beloved Son. And focus on the things of the heart.

     Above all else, our faith pleases God. His mysterious ways will not be completely understood by us right now, but we know we have a secure foundation.

And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Lord,

How wonderful are Your ways! Keep us strong in faith and trust, looking to You for everything we need in our lives. You are the author and finisher of our faith and of the heavens and the earth. Give us peace today as we leave it all in Your capable hands.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Mysterious Ways

     As we live out our lives, we will never completely understand the mysterious ways of God. He weaves people, circumstances, places, even our words into His timing and for His purposes. There are times we are obedient and understand what He desires from us and what to do for and with the people and opportunities He places before us.

     Most times, I believe, we won’t realize the impact we have made through the Holy Spirit until eternity. When we use our spiritual gifts and ask the Spirit to guide us, He WILL work through us.

     My husband and I were listening to music over the weekend and listened closely to the lyrics of the Beatle’s song, “In My Life.” This song speaks of people moving in and out of our lives Some have died and some reman, as we hold affection for them all. Have you had an old friend pop back into your life? Have you been able to thank someone for making a difference in your life? Has someone told you how much you mean to them? Has a word spoken at the right time meant so much?

     Think back over your life and smile as you remember those that have made a difference to you. A parent, a teacher, a friend?  Could it have been a stranger you encountered along the way? Thank God for those people and ask Him how He can use you in the same ways.

     Let’s be ready for His call. The most unexpected encounters may be the very ones God has in mind to change a life through us with His presence, with His promises, with His love. Don’t try to figure it all out. He works good through the toughest times and brings blessings in the most mysterious ways.

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John 13:7

Father,

We love the journey we are on with You. Open our eyes to Your ways, but keep us peace-filled when we don’t understand. Your ways are so much higher than ours. We thank You for the people and the places we find through Your lead.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Come Lord Jesus

     Life moves through cycles of weakness and strength, of chaos and peace, of sadness and joy, of comfort and unrest. After we come to know Jesus, He sticks with us through it all and as we deepen our relationship with Him, we look more and more forward to seeing Him face-to-face and we yearn for our eternal homes.

     My grandma, Pella, made a huge impact on my life. I was lucky to have her until my late twenties. As she aged and moved into her nineties, she would often say, “I just want to go home to Jesus.” With her strong Swedish accent, she said, “Yesus,” and called me “Yudy.”  I still miss her, but the older I get the more I understand the longing that faith brings and the eternal perspective in life.

     My aunt and uncle are both in their nineties now. Along with my grandparents, they have taught by example what it means to live a life of faith. My uncle, Paul, has always been larger than life to me with his outgoing personality filled with laughter and love, with his ability to speak passionately and pray beautifully, never afraid to share His love of Christ.

     Each time I talk with him or my aunt, or receive a letter or card from them, they add the words, “Come, Lord Jesus!”  They long for His return and they long for heaven, which now includes their beloved son, Dan.

     Did you know that the disciples expected Jesus to return at any moment? The apostle Paul, too, wrote often about being ready for the soon return of Christ. Each generation believed He could return at any moment, any day, any season. We, along with generations past, should be ready as well.

     His return is imminent. About to happen at any moment. Are you ready and longing for His appearance?

So, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him. Matthew 24:44

Therefore, keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24;42

     Keep watch. Be alert. Watch the signs and the seasons. As we witness Scripture coming true prophetically, we can be confident in our faith and in the soon return of our Lord.

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:28

     We have nothing to fear. Live with confidence in Jesus. Wait patiently and with great expectation. Each day is a blessing and our eternity is secure.

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come Lord, Jesus. Revelation 22:20

Father,

We say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” What a day it will be when we meet Him face-to-face and move into our glorious eternal home. In the meantime, keep us ready and alert, doing what You ask us to do through our lifetimes here as we await that glorious day.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Enjoy the long weekend and let’s remember those who have gone before us and those who have served to give us our freedom. See you back here on Tuesday, May 28.

Come and See

     Come and see what the Lord has done! As we live our lives with Jesus, we begin to witness the miraculous all around us. His creation is more magnificent and unbelievably beautiful than we appreciated before knowing Him. The love we share with family and friends becomes more precious because of Him.

     Our eyes open to what is important to Him, the deep and the lovely world that Jesus offers. Deep speaks to deep.

These are the things God has revealed to us through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10

Deep calls to deep in the roar of the waterfalls, all Your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalm 42:7

     Jesus opens our spiritual eyes with the help of His Holy Spirit. After meeting Jesus and following Him for a while, the deep blessings overwhelm us. His voice reverberates in our souls and we begin to see through His eyes, hear with His ears, serve with His hands, walk in His steps. We remain human and fraught with weakness, slipping again and again, but His love remains strong and faithful as He continually welcomes us back to Him and to come and see what He will do next.

Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind! Psalm 66:5

     Our testimonies will become filled with His stories, with His ability to walk us through anything, with the blessings of His love. John and Peter had been arrested while sharing the Gospel and were told not to speak in public anymore. After their release, they went right back out. Why? Here is the answer.

“As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20

     Come and see what Jesus has in store for your life, and you, too, will not be able to stop speaking of everything you see and hear.

Lord,

Your ways are much deeper than our ways. Open our spiritual eyes to see what You have to share with us. The glories You offer are beyong this world, sent from heaven for our pleasure. We love You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Come Follow Me

     After coming to Jesus with our hearts, He asks us to follow Him throughout the rest of our earthly lives, trusting Him through each day, with every step, through the tough times and the smooth times.

“Come follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1;17

Then He said to them all, “Whoever wants to be My disciple, must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

“My sheep listen to My voice. I know them and they follow Me.” John 10?27    

     Following Jesus does not mean our lives will be perfect and easy. On the contrary, He often works best through our times of suffering and sadness. We become closer to Him. Our testimonies become rich with wisdom and trust. His blessings are much deeper than the blessings the world sees as most vital. His love and hope grow in us when we are most vulnerable.

     Follow Him and listen to His voice. He has the answers to the questions you are asking right now. Feel the warmth of His love and comfort. Follow His lead. He will use your stories to shine with His love.

Lord,

Even when life is not easy, we come to You. We follow You. We listen to You. Teach us to trust You and count on You every minute of every day.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Come To Me

     Have you met Jesus? Accepted him as Savior? Love Him more than anything? If not, He is right there, knocking at your heart. Jesus beckons, welcomes, waits patiently for us to turn our heads His way. Jesus will continue to watch over us, waiting for the opportunity to arise. Often, when we do come to Him, it is during a time of suffering, a time of asking the deep questions in life. Are you seeking answers? Wondering about life and what it’s all about?

“Ask and it will be given to you, , seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7;7

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

     Jesus is ready to open the door. You will find Him. Feeling weary and burdened with life? Seeking comfort and hope? Jesus is speaking to your heart.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

          Rest from our worries, rest from our stress, rest from our grief, answers to questions, peace and joy from now until heaven. He offers us a changed life, one built on the foundation of faith. If you haven’t met Jesus, come to Him today with an open heart, ready to listen, to discover His love, to accept Him as Savior, and He will meet you right where you are.

May Your unfailing love come to me, Lord, Your salvation according to Your promise. Psalm 119:41

Jesus,

Open hearts today. We come to You with our lives. Open Your loving arms to us and to those who do not yet know You. You are waiting for us to come home.

Amen

Heaven and Earth Are Full of His Glory

     Remember two days ago we talked about Christ being the reason “all things” were made? Let’s look at one of those verses again.

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. All things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

     Part of this verse mentions the things that are “visible and invisible.” The Bible speaks often about the spiritual world around us, both good and evil. Do you ever imagine what heaven will be like? I do. I look forward to seeing the angels, to marveling at the colors and the light.

     And most of all, I wait in expectation at the thought of meeting our Lord, face-to-face.  We will be home and we will see everything clearly with our spiritual eyes wide open.

For now, we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, then we shall see face-to-face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

     This verse is at the end of the love chapter, that is read at many weddings. Finally, at the end of all things as we know them now, we will have only just begun. What will remain? This verse is a great reminder of what our focus should be fixed on while alive on the earth.

And now these three remain, faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

     The love we gather, the love we share will follow us and will remain in heaven. It’s ultimately all about love. If only the world could know the love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The only earthly hope, is heavenly love and it comes from above.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

     All of our gifts are lavished on us from the Father of lights. He does not change. His love endures forever. Great is His faithfulness.

For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 57:10

Father,

Your gifts are good, Your love and faithfulness are ours forever. Both the invisible and visible praise Your name. The earth and the heavens bring glory to You. We praise You for everything You give us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Handiwork

     We have been appreciating and discussing God’s magnificent creation this week. That includes you! You are His handiwork and don’t you forget it.  He needs you!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

     God knew you before you were born. He understands how you are made, your personality, your family, your gifts and talents and He planned good things for you to do, according to His plan. This is fascinating, isn’t it? Let Him guide you throughout your days and you will be surprised at the encounters you will experience, the opportunities placed in your path and your ability to use your God-given gifts to serve Him.

     What a privilege to represent Him to our loved ones and to our communities and to strangers throughout our lives. I wish I had known Him much earlier in my life. I am more than grateful that our daughters know and love Him. Are you ready for His plan? It’s an adventure filled with blessings! And He will meet your every need.

And God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Out of His fullness we have all received grace upon grace in place of grace already given. John 1:15

Lord,

You never run out of the grace we need. We can never fall too far away from Your goodness. Your grace is always sufficient to meet our every need. Send us out to do Your works in the world around us. We are Your handiwork.

In Jesus name,

Amen

All Things Through Him and For Him

     Think about the resources, the time and the thought that has gone into some of the conveniences we enjoy today, from microwaves to I-phones, from airplanes to driving our own cars. To think God created us to be able to create, to build, to invent, to discover so many new and improved ideas and inventions.

     Imagine the thoughts and ways of our God! It is impossible, as we know from this verse in Isaiah:

“For your thoughts are not my thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

     I simply can’t comprehend how anyone can believe that the universe just “happened” by some random cosmic force. The design of each tree, the color and shape and variety of each flower, the koala bear’s nose, the bunnies ears, the horse’s hoof, the zebra’s stripes, the giraffe’s neck, the lion’s mane, the flow of the streams to the rivers, to the magnitude of the ocean, the majesty of the mountains, the uniqueness of each individual human, the miracle of birth, one heart beat as blood cells, veins and arteries course through our bodies.

     When we sit and concentrate on all of creation, we know there has to be a grand design, a plan, a Creator and He is God of all.  Jesus is the heart of all we see, taste, touch, feel and hear. Listen to these two verses about our Lord.

Through Him all things were made. Without Him, nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. All things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

     “All things?”  Everything created around us is because of Him. Amazing! Praise him as you look around. Appreciate the breath of life today, the birds and the trees, the rocks and the seas, all because of Him.

Father,

Thank You for Your thoughts and Your ways, so much higher than ours. You give us much more than we can hope for or imagine. Keep us filled with gratefulness for each day on this earth, the works of Your hands.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Beauty Around Us

     Are you inspired by God’s creation? Do you long to sit by the ocean, hike in the mountains, or do you have a favorite tree, flower or animal? Miraculous creatures, stunning views, quirky plants, flower-eating bunnies (not so cute) and my particular favorite, palm trees, are available for our pleasure.

     To think God created all of this for me and for you! There is so much we take for granted each and every day, including the sunrise and sunset, the moon and the stars, the air that we breathe. I am grateful. Take a deep breath today. Look out the window and marvel at the sights and sounds. There is a robin right outside our window that greets the sunrise for us. Luckily, we are early risers.

     I have a wall of palm tree pictures taken on some of our vacations. These wonderful trees come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Tall and willowy, short and stubby, long palm strands or short. I’ve even named some of my favorites, as if they have personalities of their own. I bet heaven will be filled with even more of God’s glorious creativity, but I am convinced palm trees will be with us. Maybe my special place will be surrounded by them.

     Scripture shows that in the building of the Jewish temples, the carvings showed the angels (cherubim and seraphim) surrounded by palm trees. (1 Kings 6) The earth sings in praise to the Lord. Let’s join the chorus as we marvel at the beauty around us.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song before You, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Father,

We praise You for all of creation today, for the miraculous sights and sounds of the earth and for the beauty of heaven that will be ours one day. We can never thank and praise You enough.

In Jesus name,

Amen

It's All For Him

     Everything in all of God’s creation points to Jesus. The earth was made for our enjoyment, but all of it, including us, was created to show His glory. I love to think about how God uses everything to show us who He is. In Scripture, over and over again, the ways and means of nature are brought about to show us how it all relates to Christ.

     Today, let’s think about the birds that raise their heads to greet the sunrise, giving glory to God’s name. The head of the sunflower follows the sun throughout the day. Seeds planted by the farmer need to die before they are brought to glorious life.

     In John 15, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.  Only when we are rooted deep in the nourishment of Christ, will we bloom for Him.

“I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.  Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5

     Jesus is our rock, sturdy, solid, keeping our foundation from falling. He is the Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God. As you witness His creation, see how everything brings glory to the Creator of heaven and earth. Call on the Lamb, the Lion, the Rock and the true Vine. Let’s raise our heads, along with the birds of the air and the flowers of the earth. He is to be praised!

He will call out to Me, “You are my Father, my God, the Rock, my Savior.” Psalm 89:26

But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God, the Rock in whom I take refuge. Psalm 94:22

     Let’s praise Him for all He has given us.

Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:2

Lord,

We praise You for the many ways You reveal Yourself to us. Open our eyes to new beauty and truth today, as we move into the world. You are all around us and we worship and praise You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Joy, Peace, Hope

     Working from the inside out does not come naturally to us. That’s why God uses His supernatural powers, through His Holy Spirit, to fill us with His love and goodness. Overflowing with His love happens only when we fill up with what we need and with what Jesus offers.

     Focusing on Him takes practice and faith. Our minds are distracted by so much around us. But He can come with us wherever we go, with the Spirit reminding us of His presence. He will continually fill us and open our hearts more and more to an understanding of who He is.

May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

     Overflowing with hope? Yes, I want that! Filled with joy and peace? Count me in! Trusting Him with all things? I continue to work on that!

     I am grateful for each one of you as we study God’s Word together and listen and learn from what He offers. I leave you with this verse as I pray for you today.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. Colossians 1:9

Amen!

Things Above

     As we fill ourselves with the living water and the bread of life, our hearts will become filled with thanksgiving to God. Though we face trials and tribulations in this life, God gives us the strength to believe in His love, to find hope, to use His grace to get through each day.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7

     I want my heart to overflow with thankfulness for the faith that strengthens me. How about you? I love these next verses. Keep eternity, our real home, tucked in your heart each day. We are already seated there and one day soon, we will be with Christ forever!

Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

     One day, glory. For now, we remain filled with thanksgiving for Christ who is our life. Let’s focus on things above as we live out our lives for Him.

Father,

As we fill ourselves with Your Spirit, You give us grateful hearts. Thank You for keeping our faith strong in these difficult times and keep hope alive as we wait.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Renewed Minds

     Jesus transforms from the inside out. His world moves us out of the physical world around us and into heaven, where we come boldly to the throne of God.

Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4;16

     Not conforming to the world around us is difficult isn’t it? Our culture talks to us 24/7 on our devices, in the media, in advertising, in our places of work, in our neighborhoods.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

     How do we not conform to the patterns of the world? The Scripture above answers the question for us. We need to renew our minds, to know His Word, to discern what is good and pleasing to Him, rather than what appears to be good in the world around us. Remember, Satan is deceitful, can masquerade as an angel of light and is the father of lies. (John 8:44)

     The truth is ours and it will set us free from the chains that bind us.

Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

     Move to the throne of grace and focus on things above. The Word will renew our minds to be filled with God’s Word rather becoming filled with the world around us.

Lord,

Renew our hearts and minds to be focused on You above all we see, hear and touch. Our spirits are hungry for what is good and pleasing to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Heart Conditions

      The heart is most important to our Lord. He wants us to focus on our hearts more than what is outwardly visible. Years ago, our church sponsored a small, poverty-stricken church in Mexico. The pastor from that church came to visit and one of our pastors took him to the Mall of America during his time here.

     The culture shock shook him to the core. He insisted on leaving almost immediately. His thoughts? He felt pity and sorrow for Americans, who needed all of the lights, all of the products, all of the moving to and fro to be content. He said the poor people of his congregation understood that only God can give us what we need. He saw a joy and contentment in his people that he believed was missing in those he saw here.

     His observations were enlightening and heartbreaking and true. When Jesus gives us what we need most in life, the heart will sing. We will overflow with what He has given us, His love, His hope, His soul-transforming life.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

     What we fill our hearts with will show. When our hearts are all about Jesus, He shines through rather than our unruly emotions or fear. His spiritual food is more important than our physical nutrition.

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouths that is what defiles them. Matthew 15:11

Lord,

Fill us with the spiritual food that brings joy and contentment and goodness and let it show. What fills our hearts will overflow to the world.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Spiritual Food

     Feeling the need for deep nourishment and rejuvenation? Jesus has the answers and the ability to fill our deepest needs. Our soul and spirit need to be fed and filled just as our physical bodies need nutrients and hydration to survive. In fact, Jesus calls Himself the “bread and water” we need.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

     Filling up with the Word of God and allowing Jesus to feed our souls means we will never be thirsty or hungry for our deepest desires again. A saying came to me last night. I’m not sure if God gave it to me or if I heard it somewhere, but here it is:

     “With Jesus, even when everything else is gone, we are left with everything we need.”

     Jesus knows us deeply. He understands our quirks, our weaknesses, our mistakes. He loves us in a more intimate way than anyone else. Allow Him to nourish you today. Ask Him to feed you good spiritual food and the living water that leads to eternal life.

“Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow within them.” John 7:38

Jesus,

Fill the empty places in our souls. Give us the living water that will flow within us. We long to be filled with the bread and water of life.

Amen

Read, Pray, Listen

     These three disciplines will guide us into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

1.     Studying and reading the Bible. What a precious gift this is. The word of God is alive and necessary for us to follow. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth. I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I delight in Your decrees. I will not neglect Your word. Psalm 119:13-16

2.    Pray. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17. This is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:14

3.    Listen. The Holy Spirit of God resides within us as believers. The Spirit will open up the word of God to our hearts, will intercede with us when we don’t know how or what to pray and will relay God’s desires for us as we move through our days, nudging, warning, guiding, teaching, and opening our eyes to opportunities. Listen to the voice within. The very Spirit of the living God. My sheep listen to My voice. I know them and they know Me. John 10:27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with us with wordless groans. Romans 8:26

     Read, pray, listen. He is our Lord and Savior and He always leads us in the best, richest, most satisfying ways. He is life, life to the full, the abundant, blessed life. And He is ours! Sit with Him. Hear Him. Be filled with peace and joy and rest.

Lord Jesus,

Keep us steadfast and trusting. Keep us less busy in order to keep You in first place where You belong. Please let Your Spirit guide us today and every day until we reach our heavenly home.

Amen

    

Love God, Love Others

     I feet better already. Thanks for reading this week. I needed these verses and reminders. We all do. Think about the lives of our grandparents and great-grandparents. Can you imagine them witnessing our world today? It is no wonder we become stressed or anxious. We move too fast, use screen-time too much, get stuck in traffic, and it is easy to see why we often lose our way.

     Jesus asks us to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, our souls and our strength. Jesus summed up the greatest commandments for us.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

     Loving God first. It encompasses everything important in life and eternity. That love encourages us to love ourselves and others. Losing your way? Put priorities in order. And others will recognize Jesus through our love.

By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

     Let Jesus change your heart into one of love, peace and joy.

Jesus,

Let others recognize us as Yours. Only placing You truly first in our lives will fill us to the brim until we overflow with Your Spirit. Help us find time to be with You.

Amen

Perfect Peace

     When I am distracted by too much going on, choosing to spend too much time on Facebook, or fretting over even special and happy events in the future, I lose my peace and joy. Can you relate? Our lives move too quickly, ending up being too restrictive and full. We become spiritually undernourished and it shows.

     Patience can be lost. Kindness goes by the wayside. Anxious thoughts fill our minds and we can’t find the joy in our days. If you find negative emotions replacing what Jesus has to offer, maybe you need a little nudge in our Lord’s direction.

     Prayer is a necessary part of our faith life and Jesus loves hearing from us. Give all of your anxious thoughts, your over-booked mind and schedule to Him. Let Him lead You into His good graces once again. He is available 24/7 and I find myself talking to Him over and over in the middle of the night, which is great, but He also promises us good rest.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Isaiah 26:3

     The definition for “steadfast,” includes reliable, dutiful, unwavering. Are you trusting Jesus with your life, with your plans, with your days and nights? I fall short in that steadfast trust that leads to perfect peace. Let’s move it onto His shoulders and get some perfect peace and rest.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

     He, alone, offers complete safety. He, alone, offers perfect peace. He will give us rest and sleep as we give ourselves to Him.

Father,

Your Son has everything we need. Thank You for His grace that is sufficient for us each day. We rely on Him. Keep us steadfast and trusting.

In His name,

Amen