Category: Relationship

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Start Each Day Right

I love the way the Father gives me examples of Christian life. This morning He showed me something about my routine that reflects on Him.

“Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who believes in me will ever be thirsty.” John 6:35 ERV

My morning begins with starting the coffee, coming to my office, telling the Lord I love Him, talking about the morning blog with Him and then having my Bible reading and prayer time. I have done this for over twenty years. There are a few variations when I go visit family or am traveling on the road, the location is changed but the routine is the same.

Before that, I was a working wife and Mom. I needed to be at work by 6:30 and had a husband to send off and a daughter to get up for school. My routine was different in those days. I like this one better. But if you have a busy morning routine already let me encourage you to get up just a little earlier and spend some time with the Father before you spend time with anyone else.

My time with the Father is my most important part of the day. It’s a time of refreshing. A time of friendship. A time of counsel. A time of joy. It’s a time I come to Him to get nourishment, eat from His word and then stay to visit and experience His love.

He doesn’t want our Bible reading to be “drudgery”. We should be excited to come, eat and then stay to be loved on. God’s word is a wonderful love letter but it’s also a banquet, a meal that will strengthen us and provide all we need for each day. We shouldn’t eat and run.

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are? 27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. 29 But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. 30 If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? It’s just grass—one day it’s alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small!

31 “Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.” Matthew 6:25-33 ERV

They say Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Getting spiritual nourishment at the beginning of our day is like starting the day with a big country breakfast. It will stay with us all day long!

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Timeless

There are some who think the Bible is antiquated, archaic or just plain out of touch with our modern day society. This sentiment seems to be expressed quite frequently during the last generation. With this sentiment is a failure to show that God’s word is ever living, ever powerful and always life changing. God’s word is more contemporary then the latest best seller on the New York Times list – it is certainly more accurate.

God’s word is infallible. My life verse comes from the book of Numbers in the Old Testament. This is a book I skipped through many times when I was younger because I felt it really had nothing pertinent for me. After all, it was mostly just a list of names and numbers. It is the census that Moses recorded after the Israelites fled from Egypt. How life changing could that be?

But then I found this verse securely anchored in the middle of the book.

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT

Once I began to really take this verse a part, phrase by phrase, I realized that if this one verse isn’t true then the whole Bible can be discarded. If God can lie or change His mind then we have to eliminate other teachings that are foundational to our Christian faith. Things like the unconditional love of God becomes conditional, if God can change His mind. Eternal life becomes relative and not available to everyone, if God can lie. Grace is no longer grace and our Christian walk becomes merit based if we can’t trust what God says.

But God isn’t human; He doesn’t lie and His word isn’t subject to change. It is truth and it stands forever.

“The sky and the earth will not last forever, but my words will.” Mark 13:31 CEV

God’s word never fails. The failure is a human issue and not caused by God. The Word of God will make a difference in our lives if we allow it too. We aren’t suppose to be living stressed out like the rest of the world; we aren’t supposed to be living under the circumstances. The Word of God tells us that we are world overcomers, more than conquerors and it causes us to triumph. When we are standing on the Word of God the storms of life won’t flatten us. We will be steadfast and sure.

“Let the peace of Christ have power over your hearts. You were chosen as a part of His body. Always be thankful. 16 Let the teaching of Christ and His words keep on living in you. These make your lives rich and full of wisdom. Keep on teaching and helping each other. Sing the Songs of David and the church songs and the songs of heaven with hearts full of thanks to God. 17 Whatever you say or do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:15-17 NLV

These verses from God’s Word should become our standard. We can look at our life now and say, “Lord I don’t quite measure up to this yet…but I am growing and I am who Your word says I am and I am growing and I will be a beacon of what Your Word will do in the life of someone who is willing to be believe it – not in theory, but by faith.” AMEN

God’s Word is timeless! It doesn’t need to change, we do.

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The Problems We Face

When I was a kid we would occasionally have the television screen would fill with a test pattern and a voice would come on and say “Do not adjust your set. This is a test of the emergency broadcast system.” There would be a prolonged beep and once that was over programming would resume.

Oh for the days of a blank screen – television, computer, ipad, phone. To have it quiet and drama free. (Except on the days when there’s a NASCAR race on. ;)) But wait…there is a way to do that – we can turn it off!

Turn it off and open God’s Word instead. It is such a great way to counter what’s on the tv or in the paper.

“After we came to Macedonia, we didn’t have any chance to rest. We were faced with all kinds of problems. We were troubled by enemies and troubled by fears. 6 But God cheers up people in need, and that is what he did when he sent Titus to us. 7 Of course, we were glad to see Titus, but what really made us glad is the way you cheered him up. He told how sorry you were and how concerned you were about me. And this made me even happier.”
II Corinthians 7:5-7 CEV

There is so much around us that keeps us from resting – problems, enemies and fear…but God! God cheers up his people in need. We see in these verses that it was comfort in the form of a person, Titus, who encouraged Paul as he was going through some pretty tough stuff.

That comfort can come in the form of a card or letter, a phone call, FaceTime or Skype, a text or an in-person visit. When the Lord brings someone to mind stop and pray for them. Then, if they continue to stay in your thoughts reach out, in some tangible way, and let them know you are thinking of them and that you love them.

It means so much to me when someone calls and says I was just thinking about you and wanted to say hello. The same is true of those text messages and calls that come “just thinking about you”. I don’t know how many times I’ve been talking to someone, just general conversation, and they begin to tell me about something that’s on their heart. It’s an opportunity to empathize, provide a listening ear and an encouraging word. I don’t have to preach a sermon but I can take what’s been shared to the Lord and ask His guidance in their situation.

I will close this blog this morning the same way the Apostle Paul ended his letter to the Christians who were a part of the church at Corinth.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” II Corinthians 13:11 NLT

Let God use you today to encourage those who are going through life’s difficulties. He depends on us to share His love.

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No Missing Pieces

Did you look at the image I used today? Was your eye immediately drawn to the missing piece?

I’m an avid jigsaw puzzler and let me tell you it’s extremely frustrating to work diligently on a puzzle and then find you have a missing piece.

I vaguely remember my parents living room when I was just 2 or 3 years old. It had several card tables set up with puzzles on each table. My Mom and Dad would invite couples over for an evening. Mom would always bake something and they would spend the evening talking, snacking and doing puzzles. When company left, the tables with unfinished puzzles would be set aside until the next visit. I wasn’t allowed to touch the tables because I was told “we don’t want any missing pieces”.

I always have a puzzle waiting in the cabinet. When our daughters come we make it a weekend project. The goal is to visit while we assemble the puzzle and have it done before they leave on Sunday afternoon. It’s what we do.

No missing pieces.

The events of our life seem to fit together like the pieces of those puzzles. We work toward a particular goal and those pieces seem to fall in place. Other life events seem disjointed or unattached but if we wait and not get upset by a random moment we will see that it has a place and adds to the overall picture.

Our life, as a follower of Christ, is the same. Little pieces coming together to reveal the plan and purpose the Father has for us. There’s a picture in the Father’s heart of what we will look like when the pieces come together. There will be no missing pieces.

“I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10 ERV

Do you see that? We are complete in Christ. All that we need for our life here and for our eternal life has been provided. God, the Father, placed all of who He is in Christ for His life on earth and Christ has placed all He is in us for our life on earth.

“He gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life. 4 Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.” II Peter 1:3-4 NLV

The picture on the box lid of our lives is glorious! It was designed and created by our loving heavenly Father. Day-by-day, circumstance-by-circumstance we are seeing all the pieces coming together for His glory and our benefit.

Our lives will have no missing pieces – we are complete in Him!

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I’ll Take Bible for $1000

When I was a kid we played an early version of Bible Jeopardy. Of course, it wasn’t electronic. The questions were on 5×7 cards and we only had two categories. One box held cards with people from the Bible and it was called “Who Am I” and the other box had questions on “What Am I”. I t was a fun way for us to learn Bible characters and facts. The fact that I still remember it nearly sixty years later is proof of that.

I wanted you to join in the fun so I have a couple of “Who AM I” questions for you. I’ll provide you with some answers from the Bible and you provide me with the question.

Ready?

  • I am your shield
  • I am your strength
  • I am the bread of life
  • I am the way
  • I am the truth
  • I am the first and the last
  • I am your salvation
  • I am the light of the world
  • I am with you always
  • I am the door
  • I am the good shepherd
  • I am the resurrection and the life
  • I am the vine
  • I AM WHO I AM

Who am I? You are correct, the answer is the Lord.

Now, one more question for the day. Ready?

  • I am a new creature
  • I am not alone
  • I am blessed
  • I am the righteousness of God
  • I am redeemed
  • I am loved
  • When I am weak then I am strong
  • I am adopted
  • I am a joint-heir
  • I am the apple of His eye
  • I am fully persuaded
  • I am not ashamed
  • I am an ambassador
  • I am under His wings
  • I am a child of God

Who am I? If you answered with your name, you answered correctly.

Because of who God is and our relationship with Him all of the statements in the second category are true. And because of who God is we have been freed/rescued from the jeopardy of this life – we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The reward is much greater than winning Final Jeopardy.

“But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 NLT

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Drink, Swear, Lie & Steal

How many of you are wondering what this morning’s blog is going to be about? What connection is there between a butterfly and those four words – lie, swear, drink and steal?

Last night while Dave and I were watching television the words from a Michael Peterson song recorded in 2012 came to mind, “Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie”. I’m always looking for a good play on words and I found one in this song. This song is about a man in love and this is his declaration:

“I want to drink from your loving cup
Swear I’ll never give you up
Steal all your kisses underneath the moon
I wanna lie here close to you look at what you made me do
Darling you’re the reason why
I drink, swear, steal and lie“

We were watching a southern, down-home Bible study. Something that was said prompted the memory of this song and then sent my thinking in the direction of Psalm 23.

“The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need. 2 He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water. 3 He restores my strength. He leads me on right path] to show that he is good. 4 Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave,  I will not be afraid of any danger, because you are with me. Your rod and staff comfort me. 5 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 ERV

I can lie all I want as long as I lie down in green pastures to rest. I can drink all I want as I drink from the cool, still waters that He provides. I can steal all I want as long as I steal my thoughts so they aren’t captivated by fear. And I swear that I will live for the Lord all the days of my life.

Those four words – lie, swear, drink, steal – can be used to create the image of a life that is void of God or they can paint the portrait of a person who is completely sold out to following Christ.

The Apostle Paul gives us this instruction for living a godly life.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2 MSG

Did you notice – we’ll be changed from the inside out. Just like a butterfly. There’s a metamorphosis that takes place when we give our lives to Christ. The fuzzy little caterpillar of our existence is changed into a beautiful butterfly that gives glory to God. The culture of the day looks at the caterpillar side of the image and God looks at our life from the transformed side.

Drink in God’s goodness; Lie in His pastures to rest; Steal away from life’s distractions to spend time in God’s presence and Swear to stand on God’s promises. This is the formula for a victorious Christian life!


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Facts Lead To Wisdom

Life is a progression of accumulated information. Hopefully, this brings us to a place of wisdom.

Take, for example, the fact that the stove is hot. We were taught by our parents not touch the hot stove. For most of us just the statement of fact was not enough. We had to test the fact by experience. At one point we did touch it and felt the warmth, sometimes getting a small blister as a result of the experience.

From that experience we gained knowledge. Knowledge is the process of putting the facts into practice. Knowledge becomes wisdom when we take the fact of the stove being hot, the experience of touching it and use that knowledge to cook something without burning it and then teach others to cook on that stove as well.

We can apply these steps to everything in life; walking, riding a bike, driving a car, using the internet and dealing with people. We go through the process – facts, experience, knowledge and wisdom.

The same applies to our walk with Christ. When we first become a follower of Christ it is generally based on one fact. God loves me and wants to have a relationship with me. Just the facts.

As we learn more about our heavenly Father and His love we begin to experience the faithfulness, mercy, forgiveness and grace that are an outward expression of His love. Our experiences with God’s love give us the knowledge that He will never leave us or abandon us and that His love will never fail.

“And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.” Ephesians 3:18-19 ERV

The final step in this process is wisdom regarding God’s love. Wisdom is knowing although we can do anything and God will still love us that we want to do only those things that please Him because He does love us unconditionally. Wisdom also has us sharing our experience with others so they can have a greater knowledge and understanding of God’s love.

“There is no fear in love. Perfect love puts fear out of our hearts. People have fear when they are afraid of being punished. The man who is afraid does not have perfect love. 19 We love Him because He loved us first.” I John 4:18-19 NLV

Our knowledge of God’s love takes the fear of being rejected and punished for our wrong doings out of our thinking. We experience forgiveness and restoration because of God’s great and amazing love. We love Him because He loves us first – that’s wisdom.

The lyrics of an old song go something like this: “Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry, Nor could the scroll contain the whole Though stretched from sky to sky.” (The Love of God by Fredrick Lehman, 1917)

There will never be enough time, words or talent to pen the greatness of the unconditional love of God.

Each one of us may be at a different place. Some are gathering facts, others are beginning to have daily experience with God’s love and still others have gained years of knowledge and are some are wisely sharing the knowledge they have gained. Whichever one you are, it all starts with one fact.

GOD LOVES YOU!

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Traveling Home

This morning I am thinking about and praying for those family and friends who will be traveling home. We’ve been gone from our home for the last ten days. It’s been fun but it will be nice to pull into our own driveway and unlock the door to “Home”.

To quote Dorothy “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home”.

When we come to faith in Christ we receive a new citizenship. It’s not of this world. We receive a heavenly residence, a place our Father has prepared for us. We are given a new home.

“There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am.” John 14:2-3 ERV

Is it any wonder that sometimes we get weary with this life? Feeling like we don’t belong? Longing for home?

Abraham gives us an example of how to stay strong and focused while we are waiting to go home. He was seventy-five years old when he left the country of his birth. He traveled with his wife, his nephew and his servants.

“So Abram left Haran just like the Lord said, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the slaves, and all the other things he had gotten in Haran. Then he and his group moved to the land of Canaan.” Genesis 12:4-5 ERV

God saw in Abraham something He didn’t see in others, faithfulness. When God spoke Abraham listened and obeyed. He went to a new land where God blessed him abundantly. He had a son, promised to him by God, when he was ninety-nine years old. He became a man of prominence and wealth. The land where the Lord led him is what is referred to in the Bible as the Promised Land or as we know it today Israel.

But somehow Abraham knew in his heart that this new land wasn’t his home either. It was just a temporary residence.

“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.” Hebrews 11:8-10 NLT

Abraham was looking forward to a heavenly home. The place where he could live with God. I am so looking forward to that day – the day of being in the heavenly home that God has prepared for us.

But until that day comes I will keep moving forward here, building relationships and telling others about Jesus and the home that they can have with Him. The Apostle Paul refers to us as ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is the representative of a country living in a foreign land. We have ambassadors living in embassies all across the world. They represent the United States of America and are backed by US authority. We are here representing the will of the Father and we too have authority, we have His authority.

“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” II Corinthians 5:19-21 NLT

So, if today has you traveling, don’t become weary. Realize you are just one day closer to getting home!

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True Freedom

This morning started a little differently for me. I woke at 2:30 and thought I should sleep just a little longer…Yikes! Woke at 4:50 am. My youngest daughter and I had committed to walking the “God Shed His Grace on Thee” 5k so I had enough time to change out of my jammies and into my walking clothes. We were out the door by 5:05.

We participated in a virtual 4th of July 5K. Walk done. Cool down in progress and now it’s time to share some thoughts on freedom with you. True Freedom.

On this day of independence, it’s important to remember that we are truly free through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We are no longer held captive or enslaved by sin and/or the devil because the Son, Jesus Christ, broke the chains of bondage and set us free! Hallelujah!

“So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.” John 8:36 ERV

Our nation was founded by men who were seeking a better way of life; an opportunity to achieve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They trusted in God’s leading and direction in the founding of this nation.

Many of us have become disheartened, during the recent past months and years, by the events taking place in our nation. But one thing has not changed, God is still, and forever will be, Lord God Almighty who rules and reigns in mercy, truth and justice!

We can trust Him and Him alone! He is our hope, He is our peace, He is our joy, the Everlasting God!

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories” Isaiah 41:10 CEV

Kingdoms and nations will rise and fail but the kingdom of God and the liberty that we have in Christ will remain forever. We should be grateful to live in this country that we have but the most important thing of all is that our citizenship is secure in heaven.

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.” Philippians 3:20 NLT

Make today a celebration of freedom!

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Seeing Clearly

This morning I experienced a life lesson that I have had a few times in my life. One that I try to avoid. I wear contact lenses and I reached up to rub the sleep from my eyes, not realizing that I had not washed all the soap from my hands and immediately every cell in my body screamed that this was the wrong decision.

Pain shot through my body; my eyes were watering, my nose ran and I struggled to remove the lens and bring relief to my eyes. The only thing worse than soap residue is the result of having chopped jalepenos and then touching your eyes. I hope you never experience this. I’m still squinting as I look at my computer screen, my eyes feel like they are scratched and my nose has only now quit running.

Isn’t it amazing how our bodies are designed to respond to danger or pain and all systems immediately come on board to aide the hurting part? But that’s another life lesson…

Research shows that approximately 80% of perception is based on visual sense. Today’s life lesson was on the importance of protecting our eyes, but more importantly protecting what we perceive.

Early in Jesus’ ministry he taught a sermon of short life lessons. It is often referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. When we read chapters 5-7 in the book of Matthew we find a series of snippets that give us instruction for a good and prosperous life.

These are some of the verses that came to mind after I removed my contacts and sat here wiping the tears from my cheeks.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. 22 Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! 24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matthew 6:19-24 NLT

These verses are written about perception. Jesus is telling us that there is more to life than physical riches. Those things can be stolen or they can deteriorate. True treasure is what we hold in our heart. Our perception can be clouded or darkened just like our vision is when we are in a dark room. We will stumble over things that are hard to see when we are focused on chasing after things. However, our vision will be clear and we will have plenty of light to guide us when we serve God.

Please understand this does not mean that we must relegate ourselves to a life of poverty. Not in the slightest. In fact, just seven verses later Jesus has this to say.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

When we keep our focus on the Father’s love and provision; when we seek (look for diligently) God’s way of doing things we will be able to see that He is our source for an abundant life.

Protect your vision.

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