Category: God’s Love

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Grateful for Growth

A few weeks ago, I planted four large flowerpots at the front of our offices with petunias. I love gardening and these flowers have such bright colors. They make me smile.

Now each morning before I go inside, I stop at each pot and “dead head” the blooms. They need to be pruned so that new buds can continue to produce. They are an example of daily living to me.

“ Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit. He also trims every branch that produces fruit to prepare it to produce even more. 3 You have already been prepared to produce more fruit by the teaching I have given you. 4Stay joined to me and I will stay joined to you. No branch can produce fruit alone. It must stay connected to the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot produce fruit alone. You must stay joined to me.

5 “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything. 6 If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be like a branch that has been thrown out and has dried up. All the dead branches like that are gathered up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 Stay joined together with me, and follow my teachings. If you do this, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. 8 Show that you are my followers by producing much fruit. This will bring honor to my Father.”

9 “I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Now continue in my love. 10 I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and he continues to love me. In the same way, if you obey my commands, I will continue to love you. 11 I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. 12 This is what I command you: Love each other as I have loved you. ” John 15: 1-12 ERV

Do you see how many times in these few verses Jesus repeats “stay joined to me”? Go back and read it again and let it sink in.

Stay Joined to Me!

When we are joined to Him, we produce beautiful blossoms just like on the petunias. Our fruit, love for one another, brings beauty into the world and brings joy into our lives. There are things that need to be pruned so that we continue to grow in a healthy way.

Stay Joined to Me!

Jesus isn’t separating from us. In fact, we have His promise in Hebrews that He will NEVER, no, NEVER leave us or abandon us.

“Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,

‘The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5-6 AMP

We don’t have to be greedy and selfish when we are joined to Him. The vine supplies all we need for a good and healthy and prosperous life.

Never under any circumstances will He desert, abandon, forsake or let us down! Never!

What does your day have in store? There may be a little pruning but it’s for our benefit.

Stay Joined to Him because He’ll never let us down and we can say the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

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Focused On God’s Goodness

Today, and every day, there is really only one place to focus our attention. It’s on God’s goodness.

When we do, we can love like Jesus, forgive like Jesus and be an example of Jesus in the world around us.

“ Command and teach these things. 12 You are young, but don’t let anyone treat you as if you are not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way you live, by your love, by your faith, and by your pure life. 13 Continue to read the Scriptures to the people, encourage them, and teach them. Do this until I come.” I Timothy 4:11-13 ERV

Encourage, teach, love, live in the goodness of God.

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails. 2 Praise the God of all gods. God’s love never fails. 3 Praise the Lord of lords. God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1-3 CEV

“You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert. 2 I have seen your power and your glory in the place of worship. 3 Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you. 4 As long as I live, I will pray to you. 5 I will sing joyful praises and be filled with excitement like a guest at a banquet. 6 I think about you, God, before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night. 7 You have helped me, and I sing happy songs in the shadow of your wings. 8 I stay close to you, and your powerful arm supports me.” Psalm 63:1-8 CEV

Reading this Psalm reminded me of one of my favorites.

“You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies. You welcomed me as an honored guest. My cup is full and spilling over. 6 Your goodness and mercy will be with me all my life, and I will live in the Lord’s house a long, long time.” Psalm 23:5-6 ERV

Because of God’s goodness we are invited to be His guests. He protects us with goodness and mercy. Our enemies watch as the Lord provides for us. His powerful arm supports us.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NLT

Each day we are presented with opportunities of doubt and fear but when we wait on the Lord, we see His goodness and we can be brave and courageous. Focus on His goodness!

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The Sweet Fragrance of Praise

Chanel – White Diamonds – Giorgio – Versace – perfumes! All have a wonderful odor. Just one drop, and a room will be completely filled with fragrance.

Have you ever experienced that?

Just one little dab of expensive perfume on a cloth or piece of clothing will bring a wonderful bouquet to all the other clothes in your closet or drawer. Or maybe you’ve had the experience of walking past someone, you pick up on the sweet smell of perfume and it reminds you of a loved one or a special place and time.

“I am grateful that God ALWAYS (emphasis mine) makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.” II Corinthians 2;14 CEV

The Apostle Paul tells us that we should be thankful because God ALWAYS causes us to triumph in Christ. ALWAYS!! Not just occasionally, not just half the time but ALWAYS!

And then He helps us spread the message of Christ and His victory everywhere like a sweet perfume. We’re not the perfume, the message of Christ is. We’re simply the article that transports the aroma.

This reminds me of the woman who broke the box of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus. People were upset because she had wasted such a costly ointment but everywhere Jesus went, He left a sweet-smelling fragrance and there was no denying that they had been in His presence.

Are we leaving people with the ability to sense that they have been in the presence of the Lord?

“You are God’s dear children, so try to be like him. 2 Live a life of love. Love others just as Christ loved us. He gave himself for us—a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 ERV

Talking about His victories in our lives isn’t bragging on us and our great feats; it’s simply leaving the fragrance of Christ for others to enjoy.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

Be grateful, be thankful, leave a sweet smell!

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Abundance of Friendship

How did you do yesterday with writing down one or two things that you were thankful for? I hope you didn’t forget.

Dave and I ran errands most of the day. When we stopped for lunch, we began talking about some of our dear friends. The impact they have made on our lives and how grateful we are for each of them. Some of those dear friends have died in the last ten years and our hearts still feel the loss.

Others we don’t get to see as often as we would like, and we miss the times of fellowship that we have had but the impact of their friendship is none-the-less diminished. Yes, gratitude fills our hearts.

I think friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts.

King David had Jonathan. Daniel was friends with Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Paul and Silas traveled the known world together. Yes, friends are a blessing.

“Servants don’t know what their master is doing, and so I don’t speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything my Father has told me. 16 You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.” John 15:15-16 CEV

How great to know that God doesn’t see us as servants but as friends,” …Abraham was called ‘God’s friend'”. James 2:23 ERV, and even more than that as His children. For that I am grateful.

As I finish writing this morning, I have committed to pray for those friends that I hold dear, I hope you will do the same. Friendship is such a special gift, and I am thankful for each and every one.

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Forgiveness Brings Freedom

This morning, I have been enjoying the sounds of a gentle rain. Oh my, rain on the desert stirs the senses. The cool air, the gentle pitter-patter on the roof and the scent of freshness.

It brings a cleansing and refreshes the soil.

I thanked the Father for touching this dry land and then I thanked Him for touching my life when it was dry and brittle. I thanked Him for his forgiveness and the freedom that forgiveness brings to a parched soul.

Guilt and shame can wither the heart like the scorching sun on the desert floor but the refreshing breeze of the Holy Spirit bringing forgiveness gives life.

If you’ve ever felt remorse, shame, and guilt over something from your past then you will know some of what the woman who met Jesus at a well was experiencing.

The disciples had gone to town to buy food and Jesus stayed at a well to wait. A woman came to the well to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. This was unheard of – he was a Jew, and she was a Samaritan, a half breed. This was not racially or socially acceptable, but Jesus did it anyway.

“Jesus asked her, ‘Would you please give me a drink of water?’

9 ‘You are a Jew,’ she replied, ‘and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink of water when Jews and Samaritans won’t have anything to do with each other?'” John 4:8-9 CEV

As they talked Jesus told her that she could have living water. He was talking about Himself. She asked him to give her this water and when she did Jesus gave her more than she asked for.

He told her to bring her husband – you see it wasn’t proper for a married woman to receive gifts from a man without her husband’s permission.

Now comes the rub. This woman was going to have to reveal what she had wanted to keep hidden. She wasn’t married; she was living with a man, and she had had 5 husbands. Ouch!

“Jesus told her, ‘Go and bring your husband.’ 17-18 The woman answered, ‘I don’t have a husband.’

‘That’s right,’ Jesus replied, ‘you’re telling the truth. You don’t have a husband. You have already been married five times, and the man you are now living with isn’t your husband.’” John 4:16-18 CEV

Jesus didn’t condemn, he didn’t ridicule. He simply met the woman where she was and let her know that she was loved, forgiven and accepted. This loving outreach to a woman with something to hide made an eternal impact on her town.

“Many more Samaritans put their faith in Jesus because of what they heard him say. 42 They told the woman, ‘We no longer have faith in Jesus just because of what you told us. We have heard him ourselves, and we are certain that he is the Savior of the world!’” John 4:41-42 CEV

I don’t know if you’re trying to hide something from the Lord, but I can assure you He already knows about it. Hiding gives Satan an opportunity to condemn us but bringing it to Jesus releases us from the condemnation, provides us with forgiveness and freedom.

“So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty. 2 That is because in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free. It made you free from the law that brings sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2 ERV

Let God’s forgiveness wash you clean and shower you with freedom.

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God is Good!

A simple saying but it is a deep truth. I must give testimony to the goodness of my God and Father.

I know I often quote the later part of this chapter but this morning I would like you to read it in its entirety. The words of this psalm are the words of my heart and there is really nothing to add.

“I will praise You, my God and King. I will honor Your name forever and ever. 2 I will honor You every day, and praise Your name forever and ever. 3 The Lord is great and our praise to Him should be great. He is too great for anyone to understand. 4 Families of this time will praise Your works to the families-to-come. They will tell about Your powerful acts. 5 I will think about the shining-greatness of Your power and about Your great works. 6 Men will speak of Your powerful acts that fill us with fear. And I will tell of Your greatness. 7 Many words will come from their mouths about how good You are. They will sing for joy about how right You are.

8 The Lord is full of loving-favor and pity, slow to anger and great in loving-kindness. 9 The Lord is good to all. And His loving-kindness is over all His works. 10 All Your works will give thanks to You, O Lord. And all those who belong to You will honor You. 11 They will speak of the shining-greatness of Your holy nation, and talk of Your power. 12 They will make Your powerful acts and the great power of Your holy nation known to the sons of men. 13 Your holy nation is a nation that lasts forever. And Your rule lasts for all time.

14 The Lord holds up all who fall. He raises up all who are brought down. 15 The eyes of all look to You. And You give them their food at the right time. 16 You open Your hand and fill the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is right and good in all His ways, and kind in all His works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. 19 He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The Lord takes care of all who love Him. But He will destroy all the sinful. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. And all flesh will honor His holy name forever and ever.” Psalm 145 NLV

Speak of the goodness of God all the days of your life!

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1 CEV

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Followers, Friends, Family

I wish you could sit with me in the mornings and hear the words that the Lord drops into my heart. Although they can’t be heard audibly, they thunder in my soul.

“‘Wash yourselves clean! I hate your filthy deeds. Stop doing wrong 17 and learn to live right.
See that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans and help the oppressed.’

An Invitation from the Lord

18 I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool. 19 If you willingly obey me, the best crops in the land will be yours.” Isaiah 1:16-19 CEV

When the Israelites were delivered from Egypt they had God’s promise, “I will be your God and you will be my people”. (Exodus 6:7, Leviticus 26:12)

But they forgot to serve God and went their own way and served other gods and also their own selfish ambitions. However, God did not forget them. He invited them to come, sit with Him, talk things over and He would forgive their sins and make them clean again. They were followers.

Jesus also had a group of people who were faithful followers and before He died Jesus elevated their relationship to one of friendship.

“14 And you are my friends, if you obey me. 15 Servants don’t know what their master is doing, and so I don’t speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything my Father has told me.

16 You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 17 So I command you to love each other.” John 15:14-17 CEV

For three years they had followed Jesus. They had their up’s and down’s; Jesus taught them how to honor the Father. They had seen many miracles. Their time on earth together was coming to an end. Jesus reminded them that they had been chosen, we too have been chosen. He also reminded them that the Father would be attentive to their prayers.

Followers become friends. Friends become family.

“Only those people who are led by God’s Spirit are his children. 15  God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father. 16 God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. 17 His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him.” Romans 8:14-17 CEV

Family.

We have been invited to become family. Our heavenly Father is just, kind, and good. He is faithful, all-knowing, all-powerful, unconditionally loving. Nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:35)

Christ suffered persecution and rejection. His words were misunderstood, and He was ridiculed for saying that God was His Father. We will experience some of the same because we are His family.

Since we will share some of the same challenges and hardships, we have His promise of help.

“ Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:15-16 CEV

We are family and God, our Father, is always there for us.

Followers, friends, family. I was a follower who became a friend but then I was adopted and now I’m family. Family is the best!

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Not Enough Time

One of the things I hear most from people is they would like to read the Bible on a regular basis but there just isn’t enough time.

This morning, I would like to have you read an entire chapter of Psalms with me.

“All of you nations, come praise the Lord! Let everyone praise him. 2 God’s love for us is wonderful; his faithfulness never ends. Shout praises to the Lord!” Psalm 117 CEV

end of chapter. done.

There was enough time for that and look what we learned.

God’s love for us is wonderful and his faithfulness never ends!

If you’ve ever experienced betrayal by a friend, then you will be encouraged to know that God’s faithfulness to you never ends.

If you’ve ever heard the crushing words of “I just don’t love you anymore” then shout praise to God because His love is wonderful and it never ends.

If you never read another chapter in the Bible read this one over and over again. Each morning, in each stressful moment, in the quiet of a hospital room or in the roar at a sporting event, read this chapter.

Take a screen shot and keep it in your phone.

God wants you to know that He loves you; you can trust Him, He is faithful!

Now if you have just a little more time, there are a few more verses I’d like you to read.

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails. 2 Praise the God of all gods. God’s love never fails. 3 Praise the Lord of lords. God’s love never fails…23God saw the trouble we were in. God’s love never fails. 24 He rescued us from our enemies. God’s love never fails. 25 He gives food to all who live. God’s love never fails. 26 Praise God in heaven! God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1-3,23-26CEV

Seems like a pretty important message that the Father wanted you to hear. God’s love never fails.

Never be too busy, make time for the important. God’s love never fails!

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Chosen – Not Left Out

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to share with a ladies’ group at a church in the Phoenix area. The teaching the Lord gave me was “Chosen Before the Foundation of the World”.

“ Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6 God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.” Ephesians 1:4-6 CEV

Stop and think about that. Before God said, “Let there be light”, He choose us to be His adopted children.

That truth is more than enough to drive out any feelings of insignificance or low self-esteem. We were chosen before there was anything in this universe but God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

There has never been a time that we haven’t been part of God’s heart and His plan.

Now, more than ever before, those words “chosen by God” strike a deep chord whenever I read them in the Bible. I am chosen and you have been chosen by God!

Not ever the most popular, best dressed, prettiest or the best at sports, I remember the hurt of not being chosen. But that hurt was healed long ago. It was healed when I realized that God’s love and acceptance was enough. It became my mission, my calling, to let others know of God’s unconditional love.

This morning, while I was reading the last of Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, the admonition he gave them jumped off the page and touched my heart. I hope you don’t mind but from time to time when I come across these “chosen” verses I will be sharing them with you.

“ My friends, we ask you to be thoughtful of your leaders who work hard and tell you how to live for the Lord. 13 Show them great respect and love because of their work. Try to get along with each other. 14 My friends, we beg you to warn anyone who isn’t living right. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone. 15 Don’t be hateful to people, just because they are hateful to you. Rather, be good to each other and to everyone else.

16 Always be joyful 17 and never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.

19 Don’t turn away God’s Spirit 20 or ignore prophecies. 21 Put everything to the test. Accept what is good 22 and don’t have anything to do with evil.

23 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 5:12-24 CEV

Encourage anyone who feels left out. Be patient, be joyful, be prayerful, be filled with peace.

We have been chosen and the One who chose us can be trusted!

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Making Claims

Have you ever had to make an insurance claim? You know, you’ve been in an accident or perhaps had damage to your home or had something stolen.

You call the insurance company to report the loss. They send out a claims adjuster, he writes an estimate of damage done and then it’s filed with the company, and you wait for restitution and/or the repair to your property.

We had to file a claim on our home and one of our vehicles once because of a hailstorm. It was a lengthy process. That was the thought as I was reading this morning in Mark.

“Then so many of them came to the house that there wasn’t even standing room left in front of the door. Jesus was still teaching 3 when four people came up, carrying a man on a mat because he could not walk. 4 But because of the crowd, they could not get him to Jesus. So they made a hole in the roof above him and let the man down in front of everyone.

5 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses were sitting there. They started wondering, 7 “Why would he say such a thing? He must think he is God! Only God can forgive sins.”

8 At once, Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said, “Why are you thinking such things? 9 Is it easier for me to tell this man his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and pick up his mat and go on home? 10 I will show you that the Son of Man has the right to forgive sins here on earth.” So Jesus said to the man, 11 “Get up! Pick up your mat and go on home.”

12 The man got right up. He picked up his mat and went out while everyone watched in amazement. They praised God and said, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:2-12 CEV

That particular damage to the house could certainly be listed as “an act of God”.

These four friends wanted to bring this man to Jesus, so they just picked up his bed and carried him through the streets to the house where Jesus was. Not being able to get in because of the crowd, they carried him to the roof and made a hole in it.

Now for the tricky part. They had to let the man down through the hole and hope that he would drop in close to where Jesus was standing. The Bible doesn’t specify but the friends must have come prepare for every possible circumstance. Did they bring the tools that made the hole in the roof? How long did it take to deconstruct? How did they let him down into the house? Did they bring ropes that they tied to his bed?

However, they did it, it didn’t matter. What mattered was their faith in getting to Jesus? They made claim on Jesus’ ability to heal their friend. Jesus also made a claim. His claim was that the man’s sins had been forgiven. That one set the religious leaders on edge. They objected – they refused His claim.

Jesus produced the evidence that supported His claim. “Take up your bed and WALK”. The man had been crippled. How long, we don’t know. But there was power in the words Jesus spoke. Power to give strength to legs that hadn’t walked in quite some time. Power to refute the skeptic minds of the religious elite. Power to heal and forgive.

Claim filed and settled.

“But I trust you, Lord, and I claim you as my God. 15 My life is in your hands. ” Psalm 31:14-15 CEV

We all need to make a claim. We claim the Father as our Lord and our God. We place our lives in His hands.

“Everything and everyone that the Father has given me will come to me, and I won’t turn any of them away.

38 I didn’t come from heaven to do what I want! I came to do what the Father wants me to do. He sent me, 39 and he wants to make certain that none of the ones he has given me will be lost. Instead, he wants me to raise them to life on the last day.” John 6:37-39 CEV

The claim we make on God’s love will certainly insure us against loss.

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