Do you remember the story of the sisters, Mary and Martha?
Company was coming to their home, including Jesus! Oh my. I don’t know if
hospitality is your gift, but it is not mine. I would love to be the one
sitting in a corner, talking to one person, hoping someone else is handling the
cooking and cleaning. Fretting over company comes naturally to me.
Mary sat at the
feet of Jesus, worshipping, listening, just wanting to be near Him and spend
time with Him. Her sister, Martha? She was doing all of the preparing, all of
the work. Busy, busy, busy. Cooking,
cleaning, slaving away all by herself. Well, you can imagine her emotions. I
would feel the same way.
Here is the conversation
between Martha and Jesus.
But
Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to
Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work
by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha,
Martha,” the Lord answered. You are worried and upset over many things, but few
things are needed-or indeed, only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it
will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:40-42
Jesus understood
what needed to be done. He wants to be first, before all of “what we have to
do.” Hospitality is a vital gift in the body of Christ. Welcoming, feeding,
comforting, opening our homes and churches are necessary and wonderful. But Christ
reminds Martha of the first thing. Spending time with Him is most needed.
Jesus, may be
repeating your name, reminding you. Are you too busy with many things? Have you
moved Jesus away from being the “better choice?”
Lord,
Keep us from becoming too busy with everything else. We long
to sit at Your feet and listen and spend time with You and Your word. Help us
to find the time, placing You first in our busy lives.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Then,
because so many people were coming and going, that they did not even have a
chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place
and rest for awhile.” Mark 6:31
Is life moving too
quickly for you? Too much to do? Too much coming and going? Too many details,
social media, work, kids, life? I know the feeling. Even when we are not in our
“too busy” mode, we find ourselves forgetting to spend time with Jesus.
Our Lord is our
place of peace and rest. The details and scurrying can wait. In fact, He will
help us move step by step in peace and joy, if we just let Him. He is our Rock,
our Shepherd, our quiet place to rest for awhile.
That sounds pretty
good to me right about now. You, too? Let Him take you by the hand, lead you to
a quiet place and let Him nourish your soul. His Word feeds our deepest needs.
His love penetrates our weary hearts. His peace eases our distracted minds.
Give it all to Him in a quiet place, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
Let His peace wash
over you as you sit in a quiet place and rest for awhile.
Lord,
Thank You for Scriptures that reminds us of all you do for us.
Keep us from being distracted from what should be the first things in life. Our
very first and most vital need is to spend time with You. Lead us to that quiet
place today.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Live in light of the resurrection. We need no longer fear
death. Our souls will immediately be with Jesus and at Christ’s return, our
bodies will become immortal. Remember, the disciples saw Jesus. They touched
Him. They ate with Him. They witnessed
His return to heaven.
He now sits at the
right hand of the Father, awaiting the day He will bring us all home, to
celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, a gathering together of all of His people.
How blessed are we! When the Jewish people did not recognize their Messiah,
even after all of the prophecies that were fulfilled at His first coming, God
moved to the Gentile world.
And soon, God will
bring us home and the world will move into the Day of Jacob’s trouble or the
seven-year tribulation. The Jewish people will, over that period of time, recognize
Jesus as Messiah and the new kingdom on earth and in heaven will begin.
The apostle, Paul, was once a Pharisee, one of the most highly regarded Jewish leaders. He wrote
most of the New Testament after his miraculous encounter with Christ. Over and over again, he is called, "the apostle of the Gentiles." He
defines many of the mysteries regarding the Gospel and the Jewish people. You
may not know that Romans 9, 10 and 11 are all about Israel. He speaks to all
Christians.
I do not
want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may
not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening in part, until the full
number of the Gentiles has come in. Romans 11:25
Only God knows this number. We,
the Gentiles, were welcomed into the family of God, which was supposed to be
offered to us through Israel. We have been grafted into the original root. This
may be confusing, but listen to these Words from Paul to the Gentile
(non-Jewish) world.
If some
of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have
been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the
olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If
you consider this: You do not support the root. The root supports you. Romans
11:17-18
If the Gentile
world was grafted in as a wild branch, how much more will God welcome back His
chosen people? We don’t understand it all, but the Bible has been 100 percent
true in all of the prophecies of the 1st coming (around 300) and
there are many more regarding His second coming. Everything scientifically,
archaeologically and historically recorded in the Bible has proven true. Read,
study, follow. He is coming soon.
He who
testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come Lord,
Jesus. The grace of the Lord, Jesus be with Bod’s people Amen Revelation 22:20-21
The Word of God is alive. It speaks to our hearts, teaches us,
guides us and changes our lives. Jesus was a Jew. The Bible was written by
Jewish men and everything in it points to Jesus, foreshadows Jesus, predicts
Jesus, and witnesses to Jesus.
This Easter weekend
matched up with the Holy Days of the Jewish faith for only the second time in
the last century. When Jesus ate the last supper in the upper room with His
disciples, they were celebrating Passover. As He rode the donkey into
Jerusalem, the thousands of Jewish people were bringing in their lambs to be
sacrificed.
Each lamb had been
examined to make sure it was without blemish, just as Jesus was looked at with
a fine tooth comb to find evidence against Him. What did Pilate say?
So Pilate
said to the chief priests and the crowd, “ I find no fault in this man.” Luke 23:4
The perfect Lamb of
God, the perfect man, the true God was put to death at the very same hours as
the lambs were being slaughtered. And Easter Sunday morning, was the
celebration of the feast of firstfruits or Shavuot, the celebration of the
harvest.
But each
in turn. Christ, the firstfruits, then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.
1 Corinthians 15:23
Amazing! Jesus was
the first to rise from the dead, the beginning of the harvest of what is to
come. Everything in these last days will coincide with the Jewish traditions. Miraculous!
Only God and His perfect timing. Trust everything to Him. He is in control.
Lord,
Your timing is always perfect in every way. How miraculous are
Your ways! We sit in awe of You and remain faithful and steadfast as we await
Your return.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Our true home is in heaven. Our citizenship resides there and,
as we wait, we are the ambassadors for Jesus on this earth.
We are
ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on
Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
But our
citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:2
What a privilege it
is to represent Jesus in this dark and crazy world. If only the world would
recognize the need for a Savior. As we witness the violence, the drugs, the wars,
the terror and the chaos of our society, it is easy to understand why God’s
return could be imminent. There are days I anxiously await our heavenly home.
How about you?
In the meantime,
God is using us, giving us deep peace and joy in the midst of it all. He keeps
us protected, Spirit-filled and purposeful. We are truly blessed.
Lord,
Our citizenship remains with You as You prepare a place for
each one of us. We eagerly await Your return. For now, we trust in You and Your
timing, awaiting our forever with You.
In Jesus name,
Amen
One day we will meet Jesus face to face. Our bodies will
become immortal. Did you know, after the resurrection, Jesus ate with His
disciples? Did you know that they could touch Him and see Him? And did you know
He could move from place to place instantly? Imagine that!
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. 1 John 3:2
Jesus had to
reassure His disciples that it was indeed Him, raised from the dead. Thomas or
“doubting Thomas” as he became known, insisted on touching Jesus. He had a body
different from ours, but made with flesh and bones.
“Look at
My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see. A ghost does not have
flesh and bones as you see I have.” Luke 24:39
One day all of our
suffering will be over. No more grief, no more disease, no more anger or
bitterness, no more addiction and hopelessness. And our bodies will live
forever in joy.
So, it
will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable.
It is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is
sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is
raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual
body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
We will be like
Him, a new body, raised in power, in glory, imperishable. Keep this tucked away
throughout the rest of your lives. We are raised with Christ. Do not fear
death.
Lord,
One day we will live forever in glory with You. Give us hope
each day on earth as we share the truth of Jesus and His resurrection.
Amen
Jesus is risen! Alleluia! Because He lives, so do we. We live
with Him now and forever. Most of the world religions are based on works of the
flesh. Praying a certain amount of time each day, working towards a greater
state of bliss, being kind enough, good enough, worthy enough.
Only one was
worthy, and it was Christ. His life, death and resurrection gave us the freedom
to live victorious lives, trusting in Him for our eternal home. As Paul says,
if there is no resurrection, we are to be pitied.
If only
for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1
Corinthians 15:19
The resurrection of Jesus changes
everything. We need no longer fear the death of the body, but only the death of
the soul. Jesus is the way home.
Jesus
answered, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me.” John 14;6
Put your faith in
the Son of God, who came to dwell among us and will return to set up a new
heaven and a new earth with us forever. Believe in Him and you will be saved.
His death and resurrection vanquished our sins, once and for all, and gave us
victory over death.
For if we
have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united
with Him in a resurrection like His. Romans 6:5
Now if we
died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. Romans 6:8
Jesus,
Your resurrection from the dead transforms everything. You
paid the price for us and we are free from sin and death. We glorify You today
and every day. We praise You and thank You.
Amen
Does your life look like you are a follower of Jesus? Remember
He offers the abundant, Spirit-filled life. He offers grace upon grace and we
move from glory to glory reflecting His image in ever-increasing ways. The
“more” and “even more” of Jesus is available 24/7 to those who love Him.
He has saved
us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but
because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus
before the beginning of time. 1 Timothy 1:9
I have
been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The
life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
He gave Himself for us. The reflection of
Jesus offers us an inner peace, a deep joy in spite of circumstances, a patient
heart and a generous soul. The people around us may need a dose of Jesus. Could
it be you? Can you represent Him? The angriest, most critical, most arrogant
people you know need Him the most. You may not think they deserve Jesus.
Neither did we.
Dear Father,
You love us all right where we are. Change us into Your image
with the help of Your Spirit. The abundant life is filled with the giving and
receiving of God’s blessings. It’s how life works in the realm of the Holy
Spirit. We don’t get it, but we want it.
In Jesus name
Amen
He is risen!! Celebrate
the resurrection. Because He lives, so do we. Eternally.
Happy Easter!
Are you recognizing the potential to gain the “more” of
Christ? How about the “much more” of His love and His gifts? Our gravity-bound,
earth-dwelling selves know how to love. But the love of God is beyond the moon
and the stars for us. In fact, He created the moon and the stars for us!
“Which of
you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if
he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in
heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:13
We give good gifts
to our children and want the best for them. But “how much more” God gives to
us. Did you notice what Jesus tells us to do? We are to “ask” for the Holy
Spirit. This greatest of all gifts will be your teacher, your guide, your
comforter, your intercessor. The very Spirit of God is within you. Sit with
your heavenly Father and ask for “more” of the Spirit and feel the power of the
resurrected King.
Lord,
We ask for complete filling of Your Spirit, the same Spirit
that dwells with You! You always have more to give and You tell us to ask. We
pray to You this morning in Jesus name.
Amen
Moses came as close as any man to the presence of God in the
Old Testament. God hid Moses in the crevice of a rock and placed His hand over
the crevice as His glory moved past. The closeness of the glory of God, even
hidden in the rocks, shone on Moses and he had to wear a veil in order for the
Israelites to look at him!
As Jesus died on
the cross, the veil of the temple ripped in two. (Mark 15) This veil is
believed to have been 30 feet long and 30 feet wide and as thick as a man’s
hand.This enormously heavy veil enclosed the spot where the presence of God
resided. It was called the “holy of holies.”
Only the high priest could enter the sanctuary on the holiest of days.
Here we are, in the
days of God’s grace, beyond the cross and the resurrection. See the “more” of
Christ in today’s verses. Paul wrote these words through the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, about 30 years after the resurrection.
Even to
this day when Moses is read a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone
turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled
faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with
ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3-15-18
These are some
life-transforming verses. Let them sink in. We are being transformed into
Christ’s image with ever-increasing glory! From glory to glory, the more and
even more of a relationship with Christ. In the book of James (Jesus’
half-brother) we see the Word of God as a mirror. As we read and meditate and
learn from it, we are transformed more and more into the image of Chrst.
Reflect God’s
glory. Let Him take over and transform your life as only He can. The veil has
been lifted forever. It’s His work, not ours. Become that jar of clay. As He molds
you into His work of art.
Dear Lord,
These Words are miraculous and awe-inspiring. Only you could
take sin-filled man and fill them with something beautiful; Your Spirit. Let it
be said of us that we are Yours.
Amen
We are fortunate to live in God’s grace. Grace is the good
news of Jesus. In addition to Webster’s definitions of the ways we use the
word, like “goodwill” and “beauty of form or movement,” there is the
definition, “God’s love.” Yes, grace is God’s love poured out through His Son. We
live in His grace day by day and as we continue to talk about the “more” of
Jesus, there it is. His abundant grace.
For from
His fullness we have received grace upon grace. John 1:16 ESV
When we think we
can’t be forgiven one more time, when that nasty habit rears its ugly head,
when we speak out in anger or use God’s name in vain, the Holy Spirit convicts
us with a gentle voice and Jesus waits for us again to come back to Him. He reminds
His children that it was finished on the cross. He never leaves us. He just
keeps washing over us with His grace. And then more grace. Grace upon grace.
Jesus,
Thank you for Your never-ending grace. Your gospel is the
gospel of grace. What a beautiful gift from You. May we never forget it. It is
Your gift. The gift of everlasting life. The gift we didn’t deserve and You
give it with grace.
Amen
Jesus offers us more. Are you satisfied? He will give you
more. Are you empty? He will fill you to the full until it overflows. Do you
have more than enough? He offers even more! The choices are stark. Evil may
increase more and more. Corruption even more. Sin abounds.
The contrast? There
He is: Jesus. Each day this week we will focus on a verse; a verse with the
“more” of Jesus. Remind yourself of the choices you have today. Fill up on life
and blessing. He offers it in abundance.
From the Amplified
Bible, Jesus tells us:
The thief
comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have
and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows) John
10:10 AMP
Don’t let that pesky
devil steal your joy, destroy your health and kill your soul. Ask Jesus to give
you more of the abundant life in Him. He gives and gives to the full, until it
overflows.
Dear Father in Heaven,
Your Son freely gave Himself to us when we didn’t deserve it,
accepting the suffering we all deserve. Not only has He washed us clean from
sin and promised heaven, He offers the abundant life on earth. How do we not
choose Him?
In Jesus name,
Amen
With the glory of God as our goal, we can worship Him with all
we have, with all we do, with our very lives, fanning the flame of the Spirit
within. Remember, there is no one else like you in this world. God has placed
you in your neighborhood, in your church, in your family, with your
acquaintances to shine, right where you are planted.
Do you teach? Do
you encourage? Do you pray in faith? Do you give generously? Do you recognize
the pain of others and are a good listener? Do you have children or
grandchildren? Do you have the gift of music or hospitality? Your gifts are
made just for you, for your personality, for what you value most, for life on
this earth.
God created you in
a wonderful way. And don’t you forget it! Here are just some of the beautiful
words from Psalm 139 to remind you of how intimately God knows you.
You have
searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You
perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down. You
are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You Lord, know it
completely. You hem me in behind and before You and You lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, to lofty for me to attain. Psalm 139:1-6
He lays His hands upon you, to
guide you, to love you, to lift your burdens and to grow you in His Spirit. You
are made in His image, fearfully and wonderfully made.
I praise
You, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I
know that full well. Psalm 139:14
God shows off His
wonderful works in the way He made you. Let’s bless this day to His glory.
Amen
The worship of God increases our passion for Him. Worship doesn't need to be, and shouldn't be, limited to a church pew. Seeing the
beauty in creation, the smile of a baby, the sun by day and the moon by night,
understanding the true sacrifice of our loving Lord, brings us to our knees in
awe.
God is so much more
than we can ever hope or imagine.
Now to
Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according
to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever. Amen Ephesians 3:20-21
Our purpose as Christians is to
bring glory to God with our lives. With the Holy Spirit within us to guide us,
we can be filled to overflowing with the love of Christ. I have prayed with my
almost 88-year-old neighbor weekly for almost twenty years. She has shared
untold wisdom with me, loved me, and laughed with me in ways impossible to
share.
Even now, with her
confused mind, her countenance shines with the glory of God. The three of us
who meet each week end our time in prayer. My friend, Connie, begins, I provide
the middle ground and our sweet Phyllis wraps it up. The wisdom of God
continues to flow from within her. I look in wonder at her after our prayers
and tell her how much she still has to offer for our Lord. She brushes it off
with a smile. This last week, she ended the prayer with these words, “Bless
this day to Your glory, Lord.”
This phrase has
stuck with me throughout the week and I have prayed this over and over. It
takes the focus off of me and unto our Lord, where it belongs. Let His glory
be your goal this week. Shine for Him wherever you are.
Lord,
You do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. Thank you
for Phyllis. Keep her at peace and in your joy. Her life brings glory to Your
name.
Amen
Brother Lawrence, as he was
known, became a Carmelite monk in Paris, after witnessing the untold atrocities of
war. His character and peace brought many to seek his wisdom and his book, “Practicing the Presence of God,” is
still widely read.
What many would
consider a lowly position in life, working in a kitchen, and later, repairing
sandals, would lead him to what is most valuable, a life of joy and peace and
wisdom from God. He believed in the following verse, understanding that even the
mundane chores of life could be done unto the Lord as we experience His
closeness.
Whatever
you do, work at it with all your heart, as working to the Lord, not to human
masters. Colossians 3:23
Retaining our enthusiasm and
passion for God, requires acknowledging His presence throughout our days. Doing
the dishes, the laundry, driving to and fro, sitting at our desks, walking in
the woods, or crying in our grief. He is there. Practice the presence of God in
your life. What a gift we have in Him. Welcome Him into your everyday, ordinary
experiences, and in so doing, and you will lead an extraordinary life.
Brother Lawrence
would endure three serious illnesses later in life. After recovering from
his third, he said to his doctor, “You only delay my true happiness.” Yes, more
happiness and joy to come, with no fear. He is here now. He will be there then.
Lord,
We thank You for the witnesses and their testimonies who go
before us. Help us to leave a legacy of being with You, minute-by-minute,
hour-by-hour, day-by-day. You are here now and forevermore.
In Jesus name,
Amen
The apostle, Paul, mentored Timothy and Titus in the faith, as
they would continue the work assigned to them; the work of spreading the Gospel
after Paul’s death. Paul prayed over them and laid hands on them to pass on the
blessing of God as they moved into full-time ministry.
Paul reminds us
through all of his epistles to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to use our
unique gifts from God, to share with others, to teach, to encourage, to shine
with the light offered to us. Here are some of his words to Timothy:
For this
reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through
the laying on of my hands. 2 Timothy 1:6
Paul has witnessed
a sincere faith in Timothy, handed down from his mother and his grandmother.
Are you handing down the faith to your children, to your loved ones and
acquaintances? What a privilege to be able to raise our children in a Christian
home, to freely speak of His love, to read His word together, to love one
another with His kind of love.
Pass it down. Let’s
not lose our zeal. Fan the flame of the gifts God has given you. In the next
verse, Paul helps us discover just what God has given us with His Spirit.
For God
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound
mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
Be filled with the
power of Christ. Pray for God to fill you with enthusiasm as you fan the flame of the gifts God has given you! You have a
spirit filled with love and a sound mind. Let’s go and serve!
Jesus,
Help us to fan the flames of the Spirit, to keep our faith
first, to feel your presence surrounding us, and to shine with the love and
light You offer, as we pass it on to the generations to come.
Amen
How do we remain strong in faith? How do we keep Jesus front
and center in a busy world? When things are going well, do we set Him aside? We
can so easily become complacent. The
Bible reminds us to keep our enthusiasm for the faith.
Never be
lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11
How do we remain
fervent and filled with zeal for Jesus? The next verse in Romans helps us with
keeping our firm foundation.
Be joyful
in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
When life takes
over and I lose my way, it is usually when I have strayed from the Bible and neglected
prayer. Days can easily turn into weeks when we become comfortable and out of
touch with Jesus. Where are you today? Do you feel His peace? Joy-filled?
Patient?
Go to Him in prayer
several times today. Keep Jesus first as you move into the world. Take Him with
You. Ask for His help. Give Him your worries. And spread the word about Your
Savior, filled with zeal and passion for Him.
Lord,
You gave up so much for us. How can we not remain filled with
joy and hope, when You have overcome death for us? Keep us firmly grounded in
the faith as we keep our enthusiasm alive for the rest of our lives.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Finally, we come to the reason Jesus came to earth. Yes, God
is our Father, Jesus is our friend, our light, our shepherd. Without His being
our Savior, we have nothing at all. We need to come to Him in humility with a
deep hunger for Him to become our Savior. Tired of navigating on your own?
The gap between God
and man was impossible to bridge. The giving of the law to Moses would bring
all people to the realization that there is no way to keep the perfect law of a
holy and righteous God. We all fall short.
For all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Jesus came at the
perfect time, to fulfill the perfect law, so that the perfect man could suffer
the consequences of imperfect us All of it. Every white lie. Every work we perform
as if we are good enough for heaven. Every temptation we have fallen into.
Every disrespectful thought or word, every mistake, every disease, every bit of
fallen humanity was placed on our Savior’s shoulders.
“Do not
think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to
abolish them, but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
The prophet, Micah,
foretold the coming of the Messiah.
You will
again have compassion on us. You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our
iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7;19
Did you know over 300
prophecies came true at the first coming of Christ? An impossibility of course.
But not for God. Jesus fulfilled the law. He suffered all of our sins. He
overcame the fallen world. And all He asks? For us to believe in His birth, His
suffering and death, His resurrection from the grave. The darkness of Good
Friday became the light and hope of Easter morning. Accept Him as Savior. Come
humbly to Him as a fallen human fully in need of a loving Father, friend,
shepherd, light and most of all, SAVIOR!
Believe in your
heart that He came, that He died, that God raised Him from the dead. He
conquered death for you. Profess with your mouth and then? You will be saved.
Heaven-bound! Forgiven forever. His forever. A Father, a friend, a shepherd, a
glorious light, a Savior to watch over you. It is so simple, so profound, so
mind-boggling. It comes as a gift freely given. It is grace undeserved. It is
hope.
He is Lord.
If you
declare with your mound, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Make Him your Savior today, if
you have not. And your life will be changed in an instant. Read the Word. Feel
His light. Go to Him in prayer day by day and He will guide your footsteps into
freedom and wholeness. That’s what He does. Transforms lives, redeems souls,
gives hope and light in the darkness, and one day soon, He will welcome us home.
Father,
There are no words to thank You for Your Son and for His
gracious gift to us. There is nothing we can do to earn it. All of us fall
short, but it is ours for the taking. Enlighten hearts to see the light of the
Son.
In Jesus name,
Amen
The world can become a dark place. There are times when we lose
hope. Our focus becomes one of fear and dread. A loved one dies. A friend turns
against us. A spouse leaves. A job ends. Finances fail. Our souls ache with
emptiness. The tough times in life will come to each one of us. Jesus reminds
us, He has overcome the world.
“I have
told you these things, so that, in Me, you may have peace. In this world you
will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:13
Of all of the
descriptions, names and attributes in the Bible about Jesus, I think my favorite
is, “the light of the world.”
When
Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows Me, will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John
8:12
I wrote a Bible
study on light with the verse above as my inspiration. If we would only believe
this every single day! We will never walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life. That light is Jesus. He lights the path ahead of us. He lights up our
souls. He lights up our countenance so others may see Him. He is the true
light.
The true
light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:9
True light. The
light of life. The light of the world. His Word is a lamp and a light to our
path. (Psalm 119:105) The darkness will never, ever overcome His light. (John
1:5) He is the Father of lights. (James 1:17)
Once we live in His
light, there is always more and more light.
For with
You is the fountain of life. In Your light, we see light. Psalm 36:9
His light is seen
even in our darkest hour. Search for it. Believe it is there. Believe in His
hope and His everlasting light. One day, there will be no more darkness.
And there
will no longer be any night and they will not have need for the light of a
lamp, nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them and
they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:5
No more night. We
will shine with His glory forever and ever. In the meantime, receive this
blessing:
The Lord
bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious
to you. The Lord lift His face toward you and give you His peace. Numbers
6:24-26
Have you ever been
lost? Maybe on a camping trip or a driving trip? Have you lost sight of your
children at the mall or the park? Being lost can be a frightening experience
for all of us. So many people do not realize they are lost. Lost without hope.
Lost without God. Lost without a shepherd.
All of
us, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. But the
Lord has caused the iniquity of all of us to fall on Him. Isaiah 53:6
Isaiah is prophesying about
Jesus, hundreds of years before He would take on our iniquities. Jesus is our good
shepherd, the one who would lay down His life for us. A good shepherd tends to
his sheep. He watches over them by day and by night. He feeds them. He makes
sure they are safe. He leads them to green pastures. He carries them home when
they are lost. Our shepherd does the same.
I once was lost and
now I am found. You too? And right this minute, He is tending to you and your
needs. Listen for His precious voice today. This shepherd is good through and
through.
My sheep
listen to My voice. I know them and they know Me. John 10:27
Still lost? Jesus,
the good shepherd, will never give up on seeking you, on beckoning you to Him, on
taking you safely home. He continually searches for His lost sheep.
“What do
you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he
not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered
off? And if He finds it, truly I tell you, He is happier about that one sheep
than about the ninety-nine that did not wander away.” Matthew 18:12-13
Jesus,
You will never give up on those that have not found You. We
pray for any lost sheep that need the voice of the good shepherd to lead them
home. Let us heed Your beautiful voice as we venture out in the world. Do not
let us go astray.
Amen
I have fabulous
friends. One I have known since the age of two and others for over four
decades. They are faithful, caring, encouraging and loving to me and to my
family. How grateful I am to be able to lean on them, to share with them, to
live life with them, to celebrate with them, and to mourn with them. It is a
gift.
A friend
loves at all times…Proverbs 17:17a
A man of
many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than
a brother. Proverbs 18:24
Luckily for me, my
friends understand me. No one, not even
our BFFs, will understand us as well as Jesus. When we feel misunderstood, or
criticized, or as if we don’t fit in, when we are lonely, Jesus remains our
closes companion. He has a listening ear available to us 24/7. He loves
unconditionally and will gently brush us off and lift us up to try again every
single time we fall.
He never gives up
or grows tired of our mistakes. I don’t know how He does it. I can barely live
with myself some days! How about you? Feeling the need for a forever friend?
Jesus is tireless and faithful. He sees your heart. He knows what you need
before you ask for it. He may keep you away from things that aren’t good for
you. He knows best.
Our loving Father
in heaven, our loving friend, is with you now. Reach up and let Him comfort you
as only our closes friends can. He is there.
Jesus,
What a friend we have in You. We carry everything to You in
prayer today. Lift our burdens. Remain close by our side. We are blessed to
have You and thank You, and thank You for the blessings of earthly friends.
Amen
As parents, we
never grow out of worrying, helping, loving and wanting the best for our
children. These days, it’s double and even triple the care and concern, with a
son-in-law and a future son-in-law, a grandson and two future added
grandchildren to join the family.
Luckily for us, we
have a Father in heaven. Our Father in heaven never grows weary, never makes
mistakes, and never frets or worries. He understands. He made us with love and
kindness.
The Lord
appeared to us in the past, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
Even as loving
parents, we make mistakes. We grow tired and cranky. We make a wrong decision,
or a few hundred wrong decisions. There’s also a chance you never had a loving,
earthly father. There is one available to you. He will love you and never leave
you.
I will not
leave you as orphans. I will come to you. John 14:18
Lean on the perfect
Father. He will remain our firm foundation. When we lose faith, He is faithful.
When we are out of control, He is steadfast. When we are sick with worry, He is filled with peace.
Leave it in His capable, loving and kind hands. He will be with you now and forever.
Dear Father in heaven,
You are the perfect daddy (“Abba” Romans 8:15). As imperfect
parents, we know we can rely on You to take away our fear and worry. Remind us
to lift up our children and their families in prayer to You each and every day.
Oh, how we need. You.
In Jesus name,
Amen
