Category: Forgiveness

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Sounds of Joy

For years we lived in a small town in Southwest Montana. On one of our first visits there we were walking down the street when the fire siren went off. It blew long and loud, we were startled to say the least.

Come to find out, that’s how they announced the noon hour to everyone in town. At twelve o’clock the alarm rang! We learned to get used to it and we also learned that if it rang at any other time it was a call to bring the volunteer fire fighters to their posts. That sound  brought assistance and silent prayers to those who were in need.

In towns throughout the world the sound of the church bells tell another story. They ring-in celebration; weddings, births, liberation. Is it any wonder that there are so many carols with bells mentioned in them? Silver Bells, Jingle Bells, Carol of the Bells.

What should be more celebrated than the birth of Christ?

I wanted to find out if there was any reference in Scripture to bells. I only found a couple of verses and they really had nothing to do with celebrating. But wait…maybe they do.

“ Make pomegranates of blue and purple and red cloth to put all around the bottom of this clothing. And put bells of gold between them. 34 Put a gold bell and a pomegranate, then a gold bell and a pomegranate, all the way around the bottom of this clothing. 35 Aaron will wear it when he serves Me. The sound of the bells will be heard when he goes in the holy place and when he comes out so that he will not die.” Exodus 28:33-35 NLV

These verses describe the special garment that the high priest, Aaron, was to wear when he went into the holiest place in the tabernacle to meet with the Lord. It was in this place where the Ark of the Covenant, the stone tablet with the Ten Commandments, and the other sacred things of the Lord were housed. This was the place where the high priest went to receive forgiveness from the Lord for the sins of the people.

Around the hem of his garment were bells. The bells would ring to indicate that the high priest was meeting with the Lord. Meeting there to obtain remission of sins and to find mercy. It was a meeting of the highest importance, only happened once a year, and it was a time of great joy for the people of Israel. They knew that God had accepted their sacrifice and forgiven their sins.

Yes, ringing bells were a sound of celebration!

Here are the words to our youngest daughter’s favorite Christmas Carol.

Carol of the Bells

Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away
Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold.
Ding dong ding dong
that is their song
with joyful ring
all caroling.
One seems to hear
words of good cheer
from everywhere
filling the air.
Oh how they pound,
raising the sound,
o’er hill and dale,
telling their tale.
Gaily they ring
while people sing
songs of good cheer,
Christmas is here.
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas,
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas.
On on they send,
on without end,
their joyful tone
to every home.
Ding dong ding dong!

Ding, dong, ding, dong Christmas bells are ringing.

On Saturday, while I was out for a bit, I was greeted with that sweet sound, the ringing of the bell. There was a dear man wearing the uniform of the Salvation Army standing at his kettle, ringing his bell of good cheer. He warmly smiled and offered everyone that past his way a joyful “Merry Christmas, God bless you.”

Each time you hear the celebratory anthem of the bells this year, stop for a moment, give thanks for the marvelous gift they remind us of; the gift of being in God’s presence and having our sins forgiven.

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Let It Snow

Do you remember the first time you saw snow? I do.

 

It was Thanksgiving 1959, I was 6 years old and we were celebrating Thanksgiving dinner at our friends home in Espanola, New Mexico. The prayer had just been said and we were ready to eat when one of the older boys looked out the window and saw that it was snowing.

There was a mass exodus of children from the table. We rushed outside to play in the snow. It was magical. It was marvelous. It was absolutely amazing! There’s something about seeing the ground completely covered; no footprints, no tracks, just the glistening white. It makes everything look fresh and new. I guess this is where the saying, “fresh as the new fallen snow” comes from.

You know that’s how God sees us when we accept Christ. Fresh, new and no tracks to mar our lives.

“Come now, let us think about this together,” says the Lord. “Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are dark red, they will be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 NLV

“See, You want truth deep within the heart. And You will make me know wisdom in the hidden part. 7 Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and happiness. Let the bones that You have broken be full of joy. ” Psalm 51:6-8 NLV

Whiter than snow!

We lived in Montana for ten years. The sun shine would reflect off the snow with a brilliance that was almost blinding. The white on the ground was luminous.  It was on one of those beautiful days that I took the picture above. I remember walking out the lane, camera in hand, wanting to capture the beauty. Dave was gone and I was feeling a bit lonely. That’s when I saw this barbed wire shaped heart on the fence line. The ice crystals sparkled like diamonds. I felt the warmth of the sun on my face but it paled in comparison to the overwhelming sense of God’s love that wrapped around me at that moment.

Our heavenly Father sees us as I saw the snow that day. We are cleansed from our sins and all that scarred our lives has been completely covered by what Jesus did for us.  Our Father sees us pure and free from sin.

“ He gave himself for us. He died to free us from all evil. He died to make us pure—people who belong only to him and who always want to do good.” Titus 2:14 ERV

I think I will make this picture my screen saver. It reminds me of God’s amazing love. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

 

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Thankful for Mercy

Yes, this is a great time to be alive! History shows us how many times society has failed to respect and honor God but His mercy endures forever.

I was reading in Jonah this morning and so I had to find a picture of a great fish! I know some believe that the story of a great fish swallowing Jonah is a fairy tale and that others believe it is some kind of metaphor. I believe it is real. My God can do anything and if He needed a big fish to swallow Jonah I have no doubt that He was able to do that.

But that’s not the focus of this morning’s devotional. It’s an even greater miracle, the miracle of mercy.

God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell them that He had seen their wickedness and was going to destroy them. Nineveh was a big city. It says it was so large that it took a man 3 days to walk across the it.

After the fish spit Jonah out, he went there and preached what God had originally told him to say.

“Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh. The city was so big that it took three days just to walk through it. 4 After walking for a day, Jonah warned the people, “Forty days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed!” Jonah 3:3-4 CEV

The people of Nineveh repented. They declared a fast of repentance; everyone in the city repented. When God saw this He withheld His judgement and spared their city.

“When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.” Jonah 3:10 CEV

This is where we find Jonah in the last chapter of the book. He is mad at God because God spared the people.

“Jonah was really upset and angry. 2 So he prayed:

Our Lord, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn’t destroy Nineveh. That’s why I left my own country and headed for Spain. You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don’t like to punish anyone, not even foreigners.” Jonah 4:1-2 CEV

Do you see what Jonah said to God? You are kind and merciful. You always show love, you don’t like to punish anyone. I am so thankful for that! Our God is so loving that He goes to great lengths to forgive us and draw us back to Himself.

How many times have I failed in my life of 65 years? How many times have I decided to do things my way and not God’s way? How many times have I decided not to be judgmental and then failed before the day was out?

Yet God who is rich in mercy…

“ In the past all of us lived like that, trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. Like everyone else in the world, we deserved to suffer God’s anger just because of the way we were.

4 But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.” Ephesians 2:3-7 ERV

God loves us!

Mercy is one of those religious words we use without thinking much about the meaning. We need to realize that mercy, God’s mercy, is defined as this: not receiving what we deserve for the wrong that we have done.

I’m not sure what areas of your life you need God to be merciful but I do know that all of us have failed and are unable to be “good enough” for God. He loves us still.

Let the words of Jonah bring us hope, joy and thankfulness this morning.

“You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don’t like to punish anyone, not even foreigners.”

Thank you Lord for Your mercy and Your grace!

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Wipe It Clean

If you’re my age or close to it, you will remember wiping the chalkboard clean when you were in school.

It was one thing to use the eraser to remove the Math problems or the sentences written for Grammar instruction but the real fun came at the end of the day when we got to use the teacher’s chamois to wipe the boards completely clean.

When I was a girl we sang this song in church, Calvary Covers It All. I was thinking about that song this morning. How thankful I am for Calvary!! Thankful that the blood of Jesus covers my sin!

In the Old Testament the priest would offer a lamb once a year for the forgiveness of sin. The priest would lay his hands on the head of the lamb, signifying a transfer of the sins of the people to the perfect lamb of sacrifice. And when this transfer was complete the Israelites could experience freedom and cleansing for another year. The blood of the lamb “covered” their sins but never completely blotted it out. Each year they would have to come again, offering another sacrifice, to receive their forgiveness.

“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 that are 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.” Hebrews 10:1-4 CEV

Jesus Christ is our lamb of sacrifice  and only had to be offered once for the forgiveness of sin! We, who have accepted that sacrifice don’t just have our sins covered but can rest knowing those sins are completely blotted out.

“You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins. 14 God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross. 15 There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory.” Colossians 2:13-15 CEV

Now this is significant. If something is just covered, we could lift the covering and find what was being hidden. However, if it’s blotted out or wiped clean. There is nothing to be found.

I know it’s  crude to use the illustration of cleaning the chalkboard but it gives us a visual that we can all identity with.  The blood of Jesus is so much greater than a chamois eraser but I think you get the point.

“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. Hebrews 10:11-14 CEV

We have been wiped clean by the blood of Jesus. There is no longer any evidence there to show our sin and failings. Jesus set us free forever. Let’s not  allow our mind or well-meaning people  to hold us captive to our past.

Jesus blood has wiped out and removed all trace of our sin. Hallelujah!

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Forgiven

How much credence would you give to some one who was a liar and a back stabber?

Would it surprise you if I told you a man like that wrote some of the New Testament and was one of the greatest preachers of the early church?

Recently our news was filled with the public interrogation of one of our Supreme Court Justices. What a horrible display by those who are supposed to be leading our country. Most of us will never have to go through that type of scrutiny but if we did I’m sure they would find something in our past that we aren’t proud of and want to keep hidden.

Each day Satan accuses us. He brings up things from our past and tries to keep us in bondage with those memories. He wants us to feel useless and unworthy of being loved. But Jesus is our advocate, He covers our sins with His blood.

“My little children, I’m writing these things to you so that you don’t sin. But if you do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He is God’s way of dealing with our sins, not only ours but the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:1-2 CEV

That preacher I was telling you about is Peter. He was one of those closest to Jesus, but he denied Him. While sitting around a warm fire, watching the witch hunt and sham trial that the religious leaders were conducting he was asked if he knew this Man or was he one of His followers. Peter lied and he denied knowing the Lord.

I can’t imagine the anguish he must have felt when Jesus looked at him after the third denial. Heart sick and broken, he had denied knowing his friend and his Lord. But our story doesn’t end there. Peter’s story is one of forgiveness and restoration.

When Jesus rose from the dead He stayed and ministered to the disciples for forty days before He went back to heaven. Jesus didn’t approach Peter and tell how devastating it was that He had been denied. No, Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep (his followers). Teach them, care for them, provide for them. Peter was forgiven and restored.

Now let’s look at Peter’s message to those sheep.

“You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. 19 You were bought with the precious blood of Christ’s death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb. 20 Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for you. 21 You believe in God through Christ. God is the one who raised him from death and gave honor to him. So your faith and your hope are in God.

22 You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart. 23 You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God’s life-giving message that lasts forever. 24 The Scriptures say,  “Our lives are like the grass of spring, and any glory we enjoy is like the beauty of a wildflower. The grass dries up and dies, and the flower falls to the ground. 25 But the word of the Lord lasts forever.”

And that word is the Good News that was told to you.” I Peter 1:18-25 ERV

Peter knew about things that pass and things that last. Silver and gold pass; the word of God is incorruptible and will last forever. It brings life changing results. It brings forgiveness to the lowest of the low. It brings new life to all who will receive it. 

We all have done things that we are ashamed of and never want anyone to know. The good news is this. Jesus knows what each of us try to keep hidden and He reaches out to us with love and forgiveness.  We have been given new life in Christ!

Forgiven! Amen.

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What Do You Mean By That

Dave and I were having a conversation the other day about phrases that are commonly used; figures of speech or colloquialisms. Neither one of us really fell into that habit.

“To die for” has been a pretty popular phrase. It has been joined to clothing, food, movies, entertainment, cars and sports.

Colloquialism. col·lo·qui·al·ism. NOUN  1. a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation.

So let me ask, what’s to die for in  life?  Family…our faith…our neighbor…our country?

Christ looked at us and said “You’re to die for”. And He did.

“Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life.” Romans 5:6-10 CEV

I think this morning is the first time I have really stopped and looked at verse 9.  Verses 6-8 focus on the amazing depth of Christ’s love for us; love beyond measure. Love that gave up all, His very life, for us. That would be enough for anyone, right? However, verse 9 goes on to say “But there’s more”!

Really? More than that kind of self-sacrificing love? Yes. More.  We have been given more than friendship with God, we have peace and salvation through Christ.

Now let me ask another question. What do you find worth living for?

” I honestly expect and hope that I will never do anything to be ashamed of. Whether I live or die, I always want to be as brave as I am now and bring honor to Christ.

21 If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. 22 I don’t know what to choose. I could keep on living and doing something useful. 23 It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be with Christ, because that would be much better. 24-25 But I know that all of you still need me. That’s why I am sure I will stay on to help you grow and be happy in your faith.” Philippians 1:20-24 CEV

Paul said he preferred to die and be with Christ but chose to continue living for the benefit of the Christians that he was ministering too. He had his life’s mission and he was determined to reach that goal.

God has blessed us with individual talents and abilities. He has strategically placed us in different parts of the country, in groups and organizations, among a diverse group of people. I can’t and won’t reach the same people  you do. The Apostle Paul often referred to Christians as “the body of Christ” because each part in the body has a specific purpose in providing strength and health to the whole. We should  do the best we can with the giftings God has given us.

Jesus chose to die for us. Shouldn’t we be willing to live for Him?

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Don’t Get Stuck

Yesterday our friends told me that there was snow in Glacier. A few days before that I heard that there was already snow in Dillon, MT where we used to live.

I’m glad to live where we aren’t subject to cold and snowy winters but it did remind me of an “adventure” that Dave and I had a few years back.

We were spinning our wheels and going nowhere fast.

We went  to cut our Christmas tree on a hillside above our home. The snow was deep but the road we were on was packed down by the hunters who had gone in over the past several weeks. Besides, we were in our 4X4.

We traveled down that road looking for the perfect tree. Stopped several times thinking we had found it, only to discover it was flat on one side or missing branches on the other. As we continued down the road the snow had gotten deeper so we decided to turn around.

We backed off on a side road to turn around and slid 70 yards down the mountainside. Two hours later, we were finally back on the main road and heading home. Inch by inch we gained ground but we had to make sure we had good traction and that meant cutting pine boughs to put under the wheels. We needed a firm foundation.

I’ve had those times of being stuck emotionally, as well. A failure or hurt can be daunting. Friends leave, loved ones don’t understand and so we can get stuck in our failure and live in self-pity or even become suicidal. Or maybe it’s been a tremendous sin in our life that has held us back from serving God. We’re left with the thought that God couldn’t possibly love or forgive us after what we have done but He can, He does and He already has.

“So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Notice that it says we are to remove from our lives the things that slow us down. Moses said the same thing to the nation of Israel.

“Today I am giving you a choice of two ways. And I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses of your choice. You can choose life or death. The first choice will bring a blessing. The other choice will bring a curse. So choose life! Then you and your children will live. 20 You must love the LORD your God and obey him. Never leave him, because he is your life. And he will give you a long life in the land that he, the LORD, promised to give to your ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

To go on with God we need a couple things; one,  look in the right direction – look forward and look up. Two, we need good traction – something solid beneath our feet.

“Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time. Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time.” Hebrews 10:10-14

The solid foundation we have from Christ is His sacrifice; it has provided us forgiveness and a right relationship with God (that’s our traction). It gets us out of the ditch of self-pity and unworthiness and the blood of Christ can and has cleansed us from a guilty conscience and put us on the right road with God.

When we’re wrapped up in guilt, and we all go there from time to time, we’re looking the wrong direction. (not choosing the right things) The victory comes in looking at Jesus – looking forward, not back. Looking back, we magnify our failures and sin; looking forward we magnify Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.

If you’ve been stuck in the past and are spinning your tires get some traction, make God’s word your solid foundation and go forward with Him.

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New Beginnings

It’s Monday! Yes, the weekend passed quickly and it’s time for a new week beginning now.

I must admit I was tempted to head back to bed after I finished my first cup of coffee. But then who would write the blog…

Did you see last night’s moon? I don’t know what it looked like where you are but here it is almost full and the sky was filled with lots of cotton puff clouds. It was that way this morning too.

Each new day reminds me that the Lord is into new beginnings. The sun always rising and setting – the tide always bringing the waves in and out – our God always was, is and always will be. He promises that each morning He will have new ways to show us His love and His mercy.

“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!” Lamentations 3:22-23 ERV

Everything on earth has a beginning and an end. There is only One who is eternal. He has no beginning and no end and He is ever present – always there, when we call upon Him and when we ignore Him, He is present. The Bible starts with “In the beginning GOD” and it ends the same way.

“Listen, I am coming soon! I will bring rewards with me. I will repay everyone for what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:12-13 ERV

When we enter through those “pearly” gates we will have life eternal and we will live forever in heaven with Almighty God. Jesus tells us that “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.”

And

“for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Those of us who believe in Christ as Savior have already started living the eternal life. There is so much more to our lives than this physical existence and it is our life in Christ. An abundant life where we draw from God’s love, mercy, grace and goodness each and every day.

Yes, today is Monday and maybe you don’t want to go back to work or school, just remember that the giver of life, abundant life, eternal life, has filled us with that life today and we can be victorious over every work of the enemy.

We can also bring life to those we work with because we take the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Enjoy this day, it’s a new beginning!

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When Does the Hurting Stop

Have you ever stubbed your toe or hit your funny bone? Hurts, doesn’t it?

Or maybe you’ve had the flu and your stomach has been upset or a chest cold and it’s been hard to breathe? Even more serious, maybe you have battled cancer or some other disease.

If so, you have learned how amazing the body is in working to heal itself. Blood cells start rushing to provide the infected part what it needs to heal. Swelling occurs to protect the injured part and keep it safe. Everything works together for the good of the whole body.

I remember when I broke my right wrist I had to compensate for the loss of my primary hand. I had to learn to do the simple things with my left hand; things like brushing my teeth, combing my hair, tying my shoes, keyboarding and writing.  Oh my goodness, I was so thankful to have a second hand and wrist that would move correctly, even if they were untrained.

This is the picture Paul is painting in I Corinthians 12. We are all members of one body, joined together, we each have our part to play in keeping the body of Christ healthy and whole.

When we allow prejudice and doctrine to separate us we are bringing cancer into the body. When we are jealous of what some other Christian has or is doing and wonder why we weren’t able to be in the lime light and do this or that we cause damage to the body.

And you know, that is exactly what our enemy wants to happen. Just as he works to destroy our physical bodies, he works to cause dis-ease in the body of Christ. He knows better than we do that if he can cause division of the members, get us out of joint, the pain will keep us from being effective for Christ.

“A person has only one body, but it has many parts. Yes, there are many parts, but all those parts are still just one body. Christ is like that too…

14 And a person’s body has more than one part. It has many parts. 15 The foot might say, “I am not a hand, so I don’t belong to the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. 16 The ear might say, “I am not an eye, so I don’t belong to the body.” But saying this would not make the ear stop being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell anything. 18-19 If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But as it is, God put the parts in the body as he wanted them. He made a place for each one. 20 So there are many parts, but only one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” 22 No, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are actually very important. 23 And the parts that we think are not worth very much are the parts we give the most care to. And we give special care to the parts of the body that we don’t want to show. 24 The more beautiful parts don’t need this special care. But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it. 25 God did this so that our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, then all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part is honored, then all the other parts share its honor.

27 All of you together are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of that body.” I Corinthians 12:12-27 ERV

Each morning I pray and thank God for health and/or I pray for healing in my body and that of my family. But as I was writing this this morning I was convicted that I need to pray daily for health and healing in the body of Christ.

Will you join me? We have some hurting parts and they need our love and compassion to help them as they heal!

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How Much is ALL

Not all of our time in West Glacier was spent working. We did take one day and travel through Glacier National Park. We went on Going to the Sun Road, saw St. Maries Lake and Many Glacier. We stopped at Many Glacier for lunch. The view from the deck of the Lodge was amazing. It was impossible to take in all the beauty.

I kept thinking God made ALL of this. He made if for our enjoyment. All of His creation tells of His glory.

ALL – is an absolute – not some, not part – not by special selection but ALL. The Bible has much to say about all. God loves ALL of us.

“God makes people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23 All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:22-24ERV

The righteousness of God, right standing with God, is for ALL and to ALL who will believe because there is no one who has his own righteousness. We have ALL sinned. Our salvation is not predicated on how good we are, our social standing, our financial statement, our academic degrees, political party or our natural citizenship. It is ONLY based on what Jesus did to bring salvation to ALL. Our part is to receive the gift.

More ALL verses to contemplate today.
” Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:8-10

All God’s fullness of power and deity are in Christ and when we are in Christ we are complete in Him. He invests His fullness in to our lives as well. That’s just too good to be true you might say. Read this:

” and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. 18 I pray that you and all of God’s people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep.[19 I want you to know all about Christ’s love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is.” Ephesians 3:17-19 CEV

When we understand the love of God by experience, His true unconditional love, we will be filled with ALL God’s fulness! Amazing!! Amazing grace in giving us freely this gift. The Gospel message really is the nearly too good to be true news!! The Apostle Paul prayed that we would know this fullness of God’s love.

He also gave us a few other absolute “ALL” verses.
” I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.” Philippians 4:13

” I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus! ” Philippians 4:19

If you haven’t accepted God’s free gift of grace that brings salvation, all you have to do is accept it with a sincere heart because it’s available to ALL.

” The Lord is not slow about keeping His promise as some people think. He is waiting for you. The Lord does not want any person to be punished forever. He wants all people to be sorry for their sins and turn from them.” II Peter 3:9

Be ALL God created you to be!

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