Category: Encouragement

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Wrapped in Love

I have a big basket of knitted blankets in the living room. When the grandkids come they each want their own blanket. There’s just something about being wrapped up, all snug as a bug in a rug.

There are two fleece blankets in that basket, not homemade, but given to me by two dear friends and each time I snuggle in beneath them, I feel the love that their friendship has blessed me with through the years.

Wrapped in love!

As I read God’s word each morning. it gives me a feeling of peace, strength, security and love. Oh my…it’s much greater, so much greater, that snuggling in those blankets, but that warmth gives you a tangible example of how God’s word touches my life.

“Lord, your faithful love reaches to the sky. Your faithfulness is as high as the clouds. 6 Your goodness is higher than the highest mountains. Your fairness is deeper than the deepest ocean. Lord, you protect people and animals. 7 Nothing is more precious than your loving kindness. All people can find protection close to you. 8 They get strength from all the good things in your house. You let them drink from your wonderful river.9 The fountain of life flows from you. Your light lets us see light .10 Continue to love those who really know you, and do good to those who are true to you.” Psalm 36:5-10 ERV

Love, faithfulness, goodness, protection, loving kindness, strength – all these words and so much more are a description of the Father’s love for us!

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. ” I Peter 4:8 NLT

Christ covered our sins with His death on the cross. The Apostle Paul says they were blotted out – the edict containing all our sins and failures, was saturated with the blood of Christ until the handwriting against us was no longer visible.

Our sins were covered by His love! And not just our sins but the sins of the whole world!

“ He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:2 NLV

I hope that you will sense God’s loving arms wrapped around you and that you are consciously aware of His faithfulness, goodness, loving kindness and strength.

May you start each day wrapped in love!


    

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The Power of Love

Have you bought any Valentines this year? I was just thinking about the card boxes we made when I was in elementary school. For some reason, I can still picture the box I made and took to my third-grade class.

Maybe that year was more memorable because we had just moved back to my hometown and I was in a new school, making new friends. I was the “new” kid, the outsider, and I wanted to fit in so badly. Eight years old wanting to be accepted…

I remember carefully choosing each Valentine and putting a classmate’s name on it, some were more special than others. I had to let my new friends know I cared. Mom made a plate of cookies for the class party, heart shaped and frosted with white, pink or red icing. Those were a hit!

It may seem silly for me to be sharing these childhood memories but it’s a reminder to me of the power of being loved.

When I opened God’s word this morning, I was met with these words.

“What if I could speak all languages of humans and even of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 What if I could prophesy
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. 3 What if I gave away all that I owned
and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.” I Corinthians 13:1-4 CEV

Yes, those verses precede some of the most quoted verses in the Bible, they are from the love chapter, I Corinthians 13.

Paul was an educated man, passionate, and giving. He had been maligned, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten and imprisoned all for the message of Christ. How did he keep going? How did he continue to preach? Why was he so driven to deliver the message of Christ? He knew his sacrifice was useless without love.

“Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5 rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. 6 Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. 7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.8 Love never fails!” I Corinthians 13:4-8 CEV

Love doesn’t give up – it endures. God never gives up on us.

“…I think about this, and I have hope: 22 We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my God, and I trust him.’” Lamentations 3:21-24 ERV

You may be like that little eight-year-old girl who was hoping to fit in. Let me tell you the truth she has learned. God is faithful and His love never fails. He is waiting to show you just how much each and every morning.

That’s the power of love!

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Pray for Everyone

Last night the following verses became my command for the evening.

“First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. 2 Pray for kings and others in power, so we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. 3 This kind of prayer is good, and it pleases God our Savior. 4 God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is,

5 There is only one God, and Christ Jesus  is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us. 6 God showed us this at the right time.

7  This is why God chose me to be a preacher and an apostle of the good news. I am telling the truth. I am not lying. God sent me to teach the Gentiles about faith and truth.” I Timothy 2:1-7 CEV

I had a private prayer meeting. Others had been invited but I soon realized the room would be filled with just two attendees, myself and precious Holy Spirit. I sat and prayed in the quiet, wondering if I should just leave.

No. It was time to pray.

First of all, I prayed for our political leaders, the ones I agree with and the ones I don’t. I prayed for the Lord to reveal Himself in a mighty way to each of them – letting them know His love and His truth. And then I prayed that God would remove from office those who don’t honor Him and aren’t willing to lead according to His plan and purpose. The rest I will leave up to Him.

But then the words “pray for everyone” kept circulating in my heart.

We live in a small community where I am familiar with most of the names but not all of the faces, so I felt prompted to take a walk through the neighborhood in my mind’s eye. Stopping at each residence and praying for the occupants.

Some have physical needs, others have financial and emotional needs, and we all have a need for a deeper relationship with Jesus, who is our Lord and Savior.

According to the Apostle Paul this kind of prayer is good and “God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth”. Our heavenly Father isn’t a narcissist or an egotistical dictator. No, He gives each of us a free will to do as we please. However, He does know that when we follow Him and His plan for our lives, we will experience a true and abundant life.

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.” John 10:10 CEV

After I prayed for all of them, I prayed for you, my readers.

Never consider the time you spend praying or studying God’s word to be a waste. That is precious time that will enrich your life with strength and power.

“I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 24 The one who chose you can be trusted, and he will do this.” I Thessalonians 5:23-24 CEV

I encourage you to make time in your day to pray.

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Think On This

I wonder how often we overlook the important because we are focused on minute details.

Sometimes we allow the “little” things to block us from what truly matters. I heard a Bible teacher comment on this verse in Philippians and it gave me a greater perspective of what my daily mindset should be.

“Christian brothers, keep your minds thinking about whatever is true, whatever is respected, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever can be loved, and whatever is well thought of. If there is anything good and worth giving thanks for, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 NLV

Thinking on what is good, pure, lovely, true and worthy of respect will stop us from jumping to wrong conclusions. When we deal with others we should be slow to take offense. It’s possible that the other person has just had a very bad day and they didn’t mean to be rude or critical. Think on what is good, loving and kind.

Let God’s love flow to them, showing them His compassion. Afterall, doesn’t God extend His loving-kindness to us even when we are at our worst.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!'” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Each day is filled with challenges but we have God’s example and His strength to handle them in a way that brings God glory.

I want you to stop and think about the most difficult person you have ever encountered. Now, with their picture in your mind think about God’s love.

“Do not trouble yourself because of sinful men. Do not want to be like those who do wrong. 2 For they will soon dry up like the grass. Like the green plant they will soon die. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good. So you will live in the land and will be fed. 4 Be happy in the Lord. And He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Give your way over to the Lord. Trust in Him also. And He will do it. 6 He will make your being right and good show as the light, and your wise actions as the noon day.” Psalm 37:1-6 NLV

Don’t fret, trust God, do good, be happy. Think on these things and let God handle the rest!

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Much Fruit

Today will end our month-long teachings on love. That doesn’t mean I will no longer be teaching on or talking about the love of God. It’s not possible to talk about our heavenly Father without mentioning love because that’s who He is.

God is Love.

Our verses for today find us in John chapter 15. The foot washing of John 13 is over, and Jesus is getting ready to head to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. These are His words of encouragement to those He knows will be heart-broken in just a few short hours.

“If you get your life from Me and My Words live in you, ask whatever you want. It will be done for you. 8 ‘When you give much fruit, My Father is honored. This shows you are My followers. 9 I have loved you just as My Father has loved Me. Stay in My love. 10 If you obey My teaching, you will live in My love. In this way, I have obeyed My Father’s teaching and live in His love. 11 I have told you these things so My joy may be in you and your joy may be full.

12 ‘This is what I tell you to do: Love each other just as I have loved you. 13 No one can have greater love than to give his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I tell you.'” John 15:7-14 NLV

The life of Jesus was one filled with compassion. It was a fruitful life, He followed all the Father had instructed Him to do. His life was joyful. He found great joy in making others’ lives better. His final act was His most loving – He laid down His life for His friends.

He wanted, and still wants, those who follow Him to live joyful, compassionate, loving lives. He wants us living by His word; His words are life. His words are our firm foundation. They will keep us steady through the storms.

You will notice that Jesus was asking his disciples to lay down their lives, not on a wooden cross but on a cross of obedience to His word. He asked that we do what He has asked us to do.

“Love the Lord our God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as our self”, then our lives with be productive and we will bare much fruit!

Have a fruitful day my friends!

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Change the World

The love of God is world changing! It has certainly changed mine and I hope it has changed yours.

This morning, I took time to reread the 13th chapter of John, in the CEV version. The love that Christ had for His disciples encased every sentence. Please take the time to read that. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13&version=CEV

Jesus only had a few hours left with the men who had walked side-by-side with Him for the last three years. They had seen the miracles – they had their moments of doubting and also of awe. Now, they were about to face their greatest moment of sorrow and they didn’t realize it.

What Jesus does at this time is remarkable!

“It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end…So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing…14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16  I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them…33  My children, I will be with you for only a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ 34  But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13 CEV

Jesus makes one final gesture, an act of humility, an act of love. He washes the feet of His disciples. All of them, including Judas.

Peter the boisterous and the bold is the one to question why Jesus is doing this; Judas sits quietly as Jesus washes his feet, knowing that He is about to betray his teacher and Messiah.

Jesus’ love was unconditional, no one was outside the realm of His saving grace, not even Judas.

I wonder if the disciples thought about that later – thought about Jesus being no respecter of persons. He showed the same servant’s heart to John the disciple “whom Jesus loved”, as He did to the one who sold Him for 30 pieces of silver.

Betrayal of a trusted friend is one of life’s most bitter moments. Jesus turned that experience into an opportunity to teach us all about the love of God. No retaliation, no rebuke, no condemnation only love.

“ As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. 2  Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other.” Ephesians 4:1-2 CEV

When we drop selfishness and truly love like Jesus did, in a humble and gentle way, we will change our world with the power of God!

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Be An Influencer

Yesterday afternoon Dave and I were watching one of our favorite YouTube channels; they are full time RVers and they were at the Tampa RV show. As they were going from one new model to the next, they introduced a man who was with them as an “RV Influencer”. That is such a strange term however, the concept of an influencer is as old as man.

The first real influencer appeared in the Garden of Eden and was so convincing that Eve, was not only tempted, but influenced to eat the fruit that God had forbidden.

As I sit here this morning, I have been mulling over what it would take for us to be influencers. Influencers for good and not evil. Is that possible for someone like me and you? Or is that only for the rich and famous?

“We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4 God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.” II Peter 1:3-4 CEV

Jesus knew it was possible and gave us a directive to follow.

“Go and make followers of all the nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to do all the things I have told you. And I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matthew 28:19-20 NLV

Since the world hasn’t ended, Christ’s command is still valid.

In yesterday’s verses we saw the thing Jesus wanted his disciples to convey to the world was a “new commandment”, that they love one another. This is what He wanted them to teach the world.

Jesus is our living example of an influencer of love:

  • Let the little children come to Me. When you show kindness to one of these, you’ve done it to me.
  • He touched the leper
  • He ate and drank with the common people
  • He healed the sick and raised the dead
  • He made an impetuous man like Peter one of his disciples
  • He fed the hungry with 5 loaves and 2 fish

Paul, who had been a harasser of Christians, became one of their greatest teachers.

“My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn’t think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame. 28 What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important.” I Corinthians 1:26-28 CEV

We should make it our goal to be an influencer of love and forgiveness. Be gracious in how we treat others. If we touch just one person’s life today with the love of God and they touch one person’s life tomorrow, we will be making an impact that will change the world!

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In Debt to Love

Dave and I have worked for many years to get out of debt and to stay out of debt. Thank God for the blessing of being debt free. There is one debt however that we will never be able to wipe off the books; it will always be on the balance sheet.

“ Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands. ” Romans 13:8 CEV

Each and every one of us are in debt to love.

Love is hard. It requires work and it isn’t for the faint of heart. The good news is that we haven’t been left on our own to pay this debt. We have been given help for each day.

“ God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

There’s an urgency to be loving. The world is becoming more and more selfish; self-centered ambition drives so much of what is being done. Several years back there was a campaign to encourage people to do random acts of kindness.

What happened to that? Did you know that Jesus taught the same thing?

“The man replied, ‘The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, ‘Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’ …

But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, ‘Who are my neighbors?’

30 Jesus replied: As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. 32 Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.

33  A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him 34 and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, ‘Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return.’

36 Then Jesus asked, ‘Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?'” Luke 10:25-27 CEV

Each one of us have been the man who was beaten and left on the roadside and if it weren’t for God’s unconditional love, we would be dead.

“Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. 13 The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. 14 And you are my friends, if you obey me.” John 15:12-14 CEV

The debt of love is great. Christ freely gave to us, let’s be good Samaritan’s and freely give to those in need!

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Once For All

Today I am going to say very little, but I do want you to read a longer passage of Scripture. One reason, I think, we have such a hard time in believing God and His love for us is because of we are keenly aware of our shortcomings and our sin.

We know ourselves better than anyone else. We know our failures and our secret or hidden thoughts. But God knows those too and He has provided forgiveness.

As we read His word today, let it sink in. We are who God says we are and He says we are forgiven, cleansed and unconditionally loved. Believe Him!!

“The Law of Moses is like a shadow of the good things to come. This shadow isn’t the good things themselves, because it cannot free people from sin by the sacrifices offered year after year. 2 If there were worshipers who already have their sins washed away and their consciences made clear, there would not be any need to go on offering sacrifices. 3-4 But the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.

5  When Christ came into the world, he said to God,

“Sacrifices and offerings
    are not what you want,
but you have given me
    my body.
6 No, you are not pleased
with animal sacrifices
    and offerings for sin.”

7 Then Christ said,

“And so, my God,
    I have come to do
what you want,
    as the Scriptures say.”

8 The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention these things and say that God did not want them? 9 Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. This is what he meant by saying to God, “I have come to do what you want.” 10 So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all.

11  The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12  But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God’s right side, 13 and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power. 14 By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.

15 The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said,

16 ‘When the time comes,
I will make an agreement
    with them.
I will write my laws
    on their minds and hearts.
17 Then I will forget
    about their sins
and no longer remember
    their evil deeds.’

18 When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.” Hebrews 10:1-18 CEV

Christ sacrifice for our sins was made ONCE. Christ sacrifice was FOR ALL who have sinned. We are forgiven – ONCE FOR ALL!

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Growing In Love

After fifty years of marriage, you would think Dave and I know everything there is to know about each other. Not true!

I learned a couple years ago that he used to walk on stilts, and he just recently learned that I ran hurdles in High School and did the high jump. Shocking, I know but it’s the truth.

I’m telling you this because although we have spent the last twenty-four days uncovering the truth of God’s love there is still so much more to discover. The Apostle Paul had grown up being schooled in the Jewish synagogue. He knew the Torah, the first five books of the Bible; he studied the book of Isaiah and he read the Psalms but look at the statement he made to the church of the Philippians.

“Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, 11 so that somehow I also may be raised to life. 12 I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize.” Philippians 3:8-12 ERV

Here is a man whose life impacted the world with the message of Jesus Christ and he says, “All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life”.

As I was writing in my journal this morning, these were my words. “My heart is full but my words are missing. I just want to know more of Your love and be able to share it”.

Then the song that was written based on Philippians 3:10 came to mind:

“Lord, I want to know you more.

Deep within my soul I want to know You

And I would give my final breathe

To know you in your depth and resurrection.

Lord, I want to know you more.”

That’s how Christ wants us to know Him. He wants us to be confident in the depth of His love.

“…We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16 and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.” Ephesians 4:15b-16 ERV

Be like Christ in every way – be like Him!

To be like Him we have to watch what He did (we see that in the Gospels), we need to hear His words as recorded in the Bible and we need to listen with our hearts for the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Lord, I want to know You more. I want to grow in the knowledge of Your love!

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