Category: Relationship

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Forgiveness

Never underestimate the power of God’s forgiveness. Our heavenly Father sent His Son to be the pure, sacrificial lamb, who takes away the sin of the world.

When we sin, we all do, God opens His arms wide and offers us complete forgiveness.

“ But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.” I John 1:9 CEV

Christ died to cover our sins with His blood and restore us to right relationship with the Father.

“Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:2 CEV

Repentance isn’t only admitting that what we did was wrong, but it is also a conscious act of turning away from that sin. We run to Jesus and thank Him for His wonderful grace and mercy.

“If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. 2 The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. 3 The Law of Moses cannot do this, because our selfish desires make the Law weak. But God set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin. God used Christ’s body to condemn sin.” Romans 8:1-3 CEV

God chooses to forgive and to forget our sins and failings. Then He washes our consciences clean.

“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.” Hebrews 10:16-17 CEV

“ And we have a great priest who rules the house of God. 22 Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ.” Hebrews 10:21-22 ERV

God’s forgiveness doesn’t give us a license to sin. Far from it but it does give us a welcome mat when we come running to Him in repentance.

“ Don’t let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God’s undeserved grace and not by the Law. 15 What does all this mean? Does it mean we are free to sin, because we are ruled by God’s gift of undeserved grace and not by the Law? Certainly not!” Romans 6:14-15 CEV

God loves us. He forgives us and He cleanses us from our sins. AMEN!

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Love You This Much

Dave and I were watching more country music the other night and a young man, Jimmy Wayne, sang his hit song, “I Love You This Much”. It brought tears to our eyes.

So many times people want to quantify love. There’s a trap in that.

“I love you very, very much”. Is that different than a simple “I love you”? True love is unconditional and sacrificial so can we really love someone more than we did say 6 months ago?

I think we can express love better than we did before and may be willing to sacrifice in a greater way but if it’s true love, it really can’t be more.

We are often caught in the vicious cycle of trying to do the right thing so that people and/or God will love us. We also strive to keep from doing the wrong things, so they won’t stop loving us and walk away.

That’s a really heavy burden to bear. No matter how good we try to be, there will be times of failure and if we feel that love is based on our performance that can be devastating.

One of my favorite passages on God’s love is found in Romans 8.

“So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. 32 He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. 33 Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. 34 Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love? 36 As the Scriptures say,

“For you we are in danger of death all the time. People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed.”

37 But in all these troubles we have complete victory through God, who has shown his love for us. 38-39 Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 ERV

Jesus said, “I love you this much and He stretched out His arms and died! Rest well dear friend – God loves you!

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HOW GREAT!

Very often, early in the mornings my heart fills with song. Sometimes it’s just a spontaneous outpouring of gratitude, at others it’s a prayer put to music. Then there are the occasions that the song comes as a result of something I’ve read in my Bible as I start the day.

“ Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.”

46 Then they came to the town of Jericho. When Jesus left there with his followers, a large crowd was with them. A blind man named Bartimaeus (meaning “son of Timaeus”) was sitting by the road. He was always begging for money. 47 He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!”

48 Many people criticized the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man and said, “You can be happy now. Stand up! Jesus is calling you.” 50 The blind man stood up quickly. He left his coat there and went to Jesus.

51 Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”

He answered, “Teacher, I want to see again.”

52 Jesus said, “Go. You are healed because you believed.” Immediately the man was able to see again. He followed Jesus down the road.” Mark 10:45-52 ERV

Immediately! he followed Jesus. I can’t help but believe that he followed praising God, singing, shouting, rejoicing in God’s goodness. How great You are Almighty God!

There have been many times I felt like the blind man. Circumstances beyond my control, financial hardship, chronic health issues, broken relationships and I couldn’t see. I couldn’t see how things would change.,,

and then I realized that Jesus was walking by – in fact, I realized that I wasn’t alone. He had promised to never leave me or abandon me. He had said, “Ask and it will be given” and “Call on me” and “Come to Me and I will give you rest”.

He never once turned me away when I called. He welcomed me with open arms. His word instructed me not to be afraid but to trust in the Lord.

Reading this man’s story my heart began to sing, “How great Thou art, How great Thou art!” https://youtu.be/a-m_6KN5ISA.

Maybe that’s what you need this morning.

Call out to Jesus – give Him your blindness to the answers that you are seeking. Tell Him you want to see, see how He is going to work in this situation and then follow Him as He leads the way.

Oh Lord, how great thou art!

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Making Right Decisions

Here we are at the beginning of a new year and there are so many decisions ahead. Where God? When God? How God?

That’s why I love the godly counsel we can receive from reading the book of Proverbs. Let me recap a few verses that I’ve read so far this month.

“ Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.” Proverb 3:5-6 ERV

“ I am teaching you about wisdom and guiding you on the right path. 12 As you walk on it, you will not step into a trap. Even if you run, you will not trip and fall. 13 Always remember this teaching. Don’t forget it. It is the key to life, so guard it well.” Proverbs 4:11-13 ERV

“The Law of the Lord is a lamp, and its teachings shine brightly. Correction and self-control will lead you through life.” Proverbs 6:23 CEV

“Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you than silver or the finest gold.” Proverbs 8:10 CEV

“Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord. Knowledge of the Holy One leads to understanding. 11 Wisdom will help you live longer; she will add years to your life.” Proverbs 9:10-11 ERV

I think you can see just how important God’s wisdom is in our decision-making process. Now, let’s look at a few verses which stood out to me today.

“If you don’t ask for advice, your plans will fail. With many advisors, they will succeed. 23 People are happy when they give a good answer. And there is nothing better than the right word at the right time.” Proverbs 15:22-23 ERV

Wisdom isn’t something that just comes with age; wisdom is also for the young if they are following God’s instruction.

“These are the proverbs of Solomon,,, 2 They will help you learn to be wise, to accept correction, and to understand wise sayings. 3 They will teach you to develop your mind in the right way. You will learn to do what is right and to be honest and fair. 4 These proverbs will make even those without education smart. They will teach young people what they need to know and how to use what they have learned. 5 Even the wise could become wiser by listening to these proverbs. They will gain understanding and learn to solve difficult problems.” Proverbs 1:1-5 ERV

Before I close, I have two more verses to share.

“People think that whatever they do is right, but the Lord judges their reason for doing it. 3 Turn to the Lord for help in everything you do, and you will be successful. 4 The Lord has a plan for everything.,,” Proverbs 16:2-4 ERV

And here’s the key for gaining wisdom.

“ ‘I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.’ This message is from the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 ERV

To make right decisions we need wisdom; to gain wisdom we need to call on the Lord and He will show us His good plans and cause us to succeed!

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Wrapped in Kindness

Each morning when I come out to the living room my routine is the same. My coffee, my Bible, my journal and my blanket. Even in the middle of summer and yes, it always includes my blanket.

This is my comfort zone, my happy place, my quiet time when its just the Lord and I.

As I was finishing yesterday’s blog this phrase came to mind, wrapped in kindness. It stayed with me all day long and this morning it was still resounding in my heart. So much so, that I want to share a few thoughts and verses with you.

“God has been kind to you. He has been very patient, waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of his kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will decide to change your lives.” Romans 2:4 ERV

As a child, I never understood why preachers felt they needed to preach “hell fire and brimstone”. It was scary but it didn’t convey the heart of God.

We all know that we don’t measure up in our own efforts. That’s why God displays His kindness – kindness is revealed in His love, His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness and it’s those very things that bring us to a point where we want to change and dedicate our lives to Him.

“Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. ” Philippians 2:1 ERV

He gives us the courage, the power, the desire and the ability to walk in His love, to be free from fear.

“ The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 1:7 ERV

God is patient and He is kind. He is love. “ Love is patient and kind.” I Corinthians 13:4 ERV

“God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. 23 All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. 24 But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. 25-26  God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so by faith in him we could come to God.” Romans 3:22-25 CEV

He treats us so much better than what we deserve – that’s grace, that’s kindness on display.

I pray that you have accepted that gift and that each day you experience being wrapped in God’s kindness.

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Measuring Up

Have you ever felt like you don’t measure up? You know, comparing yourself to others is something we never seem to outgrow.

Not as fast, not as smart, not as attractive, not as athletic, not as…

Comparing isn’t just for kids or for those seeking to succeed in their professions. As a retired “senior” adult, I sometimes fall into that trap as well. Maybe you have too.

Even good church going people can be plagued by thoughts of unworthiness.

Have I read my Bible enough, prayed enough, gone to church enough, served my community enough – plain and simple been good enough for God to love me?

The answer is No. But before you become condemned for your answer let me assure you that is exactly the answer you should give. None of us have ever done enough good to earn God’s love; we couldn’t measure up.

But God chose us anyway!

“ 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.

8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:6-10 ERV

None of us have a right to brag about our good works giving us an “in” with God. It’s all because of what Jesus did.

“Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God.” II Corinthians 5:21 ERV

Before any of us were born, before our parents and grandparents were born, God had a plan for us.

“ I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace! 3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! 4 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 1:2-6 CEV

We were chosen – you were chosen by God to be His adopted child before the world was created. Did we measure up? No, far from it. It is by His grace that we have been adopted.

“You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This shows that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-27 ERV

When we are clothed in Christ, we can stand tall knowing that because of Him we measure up!

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Forgiven & Free

Some people think that to follow God’s Word and to be obedient to the instructions we receive in the Bible is stifling, constricting and even archaic. But…I’m not one of those people! To me the Word of God is vital, living, powerful and life changing in a positive and strengthening way. I can live by God’s word and not be disappointed; His Word never fails, it’s beneficial to my well-being. My Father never lies.

“My soul, praise the LORD! Every part of me, praise his holy name! 2 My soul, praise the LORD and never forget how kind he is! 3 He forgives all our sins and heals all our sicknesses. 4 He saves us from the grave, and he gives us love and compassion. 5 He gives us plenty of good things. He makes us young again, like an eagle that grows new feathers.” Psalm 103:1-5 ERV

Have you ever had one of your kids come in and tell you “I’m so glad you’re my Mom/Dad.”?

What does that do to your heart? Why did they say that? Generally, that comment comes because you’ve just given them something unexpected or done something for them that they really appreciate. They are taken back by how much you love them, and they want to express how terrific they think you are. We’re thrilled to do good things for our kids.

Do you really think that God the Father, the source of all love, would act any differently toward us? We’re His kids – He wants the very best for us. That’s why He sent us Jesus – Jesus gave all He had, to see that we were adopted into God’s family and able to have the abundant life that God intended for us to have.

“Our Lord, you keep your word and do everything you say. 14 When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. 15 Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right, you provide them with food. 16 By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live. 17 Our Lord, everything you do is kind and thoughtful, 18 and you are near to everyone whose prayers are sincere.” Psalm 145:13-18 CEV

God provides forgiveness, peace, joy, power, victory, health, freedon from worry and sin. To sum it up, LOVE!

Whenever someone came to Jesus with a need, He met it. All throughout the Bible, wherever you find God you find provision. The Jewish people gave God names I AM, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shammah – the God who is more than enough, the God who sees before, the God who is ever present…

The Father’s character is mirrored each day in us as we provide lovingly for our children. Next time on of your kids says “I love you” for no specific reason or “Thanks – you’re the greatest” or “Cuddle with me” and your heart swells with love, let it be a reminder of how the Father loves you!

We are free to experience His love and forgiveness!

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Good News Good News

We all like to receive good news but here we are not even two weeks into the new year, and I feel that some of you are struggling with an Eeyore complex.

It’s hard to see anything good – you’ve become discouraged and hope seems to be fading. Before you allow that kind of thinking to take root in your heart, stop and read the good news that God has for you today!

Most of you know someone who has all the characteristics of Eeyore. Gloomy, downtrodden, anxious, negative with low self-esteem. Then there’s Pooh – an encourager, looking for the best in everyone, a messenger of good news and hope.

Today, I will take on the role of Pooh.

” Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better. 11 It doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, or if you are circumcised or not. You may even be a barbarian or a Scythian, and you may be a slave or a free person. Yet Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12  God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. 13  Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. 14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16  Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.” Colossians 3:10-17 CEV

In the Apostle Paul’s day there were definitely class distinctions – the religious and ruling class thought they were better than the more common people. Slaves were treated poorly and deemed to be in the lowest class by society.

But God…

chose each one of us to be His own and it’s His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE that gives us our worth. We are priceless to Him. He gave His all, His very life, to bring us to new life because of His sacrifice.

God loves you; He has chosen you; He has forgiven you. Christ made you part of His body and He gives you His peace. Because of Him you are worthy to be loved!

“ 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.” Romans 5:6-8 CEV

Good News – Good News! Christ died for you and you are deeply loved!

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The Night the Lights Went Out

No, it’s not a country song – it’s what’s going on in my living room. I was up having a cup of coffee and reading my Bible and the lights went out. All over our community it dark, except for the moon light and the stars.

Reminds of what Jesus told his disciples, “You are the light of the world”.

“ You are the light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15  and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:13-14 CEV

We need to shine brightly and provide light for those who are in the dark. They may be in the darkness of fear, worry, stress, or complacency. We are called to be a light of His love, peace, joy, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and grace.

“The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.

7 We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.” II Corinthians 4:6-7 CEV

And just like that – the power has been restored!

Lights are on, the coffee is warming again but more importantly, our hearts should be warmed by the fire of His love.

Let someone warm up by the fire of grace that God has placed in your heart. Enjoy the day – I’ve got to dash and get ready for work.

Love you all!

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No One Like You!

Who is like our God?

No one – there is no one like You. Those are the words that kept running through my mind in worship this morning – There is no one like You!!!

Amazing love, You gave Your life for me…there is none like You!

Amazing grace, You forgave all my sins…there is none like You!

Amazing joy, You put a new song in my heart…there is none like You!

Amazing relationship, You adopted me…there is none like You!

Amazing transformation, You made me a new creature in Christ…there is none like You!!

“O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” I Chronicles 17:20 KJV

“LORD God All-Powerful, there is no one like you. You are strong, LORD, and always faithful.” Psalm 89:8 ERV

“Remember what happened long ago. Remember, I am God and there is no other God. There is no other like me.” Isaiah 46:9 ERV

Oh Lord, we worship you this morning. Your word is our source of life and strength. You keep your word and your word directs us in relationship with you! How we praise You! You alone are worthy of all praise!

“You will do all these wonderful things because you said you would do them and because you want to do them. And you decided to let me know about all these things. 22 Lord GOD, this is why you are so great! There is no one like you. There is no god except you! We know that because of what we ourselves have heard about what you did.” II Samuel 7:21-22 ERV

There is no one like You! Amen and Amen.

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