Category: Relationship

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A Life Transformation

As I was reading in Colossians this morning, I immediately thought of a series of stories I read to our younger grandchildren. Two of them are old enough to read the stories for themselves but I think they really enjoy the time of us sitting together, cuddling, and I’m glad they still like to hear the sound of my voice.

Max Lucado, the Christian author, not only writes books for adults but he has a whole children’s book line as well. One of these characters is a caterpillar named Hermie. Hermie has all sorts of adventures, each one teaching him about God’s love and character.

So, I want you to think about Hermie, his transformation, and your life and your transformation as directed by God’s word.

“ When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!” II Corinthians 5:17 ERV

Let’s read:

“ Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian. It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.

12 God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. 14 Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful.

16 Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Everything you say and everything you do should be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.” Colossians 3:10-18 ERV

Wow! That’s enough good solid teaching to live on for the next month or so. Daily application of God’s word brings transformation. Our spirit is created new the minute we receive Christ as our Savior, but our emotions and our will need to be transformed on a daily basis.

“ Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.” Romans 12:2 ERV

Don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged by the process. “Let God change you inside with a new way of thinking”. The transformation takes place daily – God is working in us and through us, giving us a new way of thinking, completing the transformation.

“I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.” Philippians 1:6 ERV

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Being First

You all know that we just returned from spending the week in Daytona. The big question of the week was “who will be first”.

There were practice races, qualifying races, and then the main event. There were races for the ARCA cars, Trucks, Xfinity cars and the Cup Cars. Each series would have a winner. In fact, the car to cross the finish line first wasn’t always the one who took home the trophy. There were two races where the winners were disqualified, and another car and driver were given credit for the win.

How disappointing that must have been!

Don’t we love being first?

It is such an honor – being the first to get a phone call or text with really important news – getting the first piece of cake on your birthday – the first dance at your wedding – the first lick of an ice cream cone – the first ride on a motorcycle – the first kiss… I could go on and on.

The Lord also desires to be first.

“Jesus answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and most important command.” Matthew 22:37-38 ERV

This isn’t an egotistical desire. No, God wants us to place Him first because He knows the great plan that He has for our lives. His plans are for our good.

He knows that when we lose focus and become distracted by other things we will be like Peter, in yesterday’s verses, looking at the waves and feeling the wind and we will begin to sink.

However, when we seek the Lord first, when we make Him first place in our lives, He fills us with joy, hope, peace, and faith, a true abundant life.

“ Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” 32 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these. 33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.” Matthew 6:31-33 CEV

When we make the Lord our first love we will never be disqualified; He always causes us to triumph.

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At Work in Us

“ With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of.” Ephesians 3:20 ERV

At home this morning, with my favorite coffee cup in hand, I continue to focus on the mighty, never-ending, precious love of God.

Reading in Matthew, chapter 14, I was reminded of the account of John the Baptist’ death. The ruler, Herod, was bothered greatly by the reports and miracles of Jesus’ ministry. He made comment that he believed John the Baptist had come back to life.

You see, he had beheaded John the Baptist out of purely selfish motives. He knew John was a man of God but ordered his death anyway and now he felt John had come back from the grave.

Jesus dearly loved his cousin and was grieving his death. Jesus told his disciples he was going into the desert to be alone. But the crowd found out about it and got to the place before He did.

“ When He got out of the boat, He saw many people. He had loving-pity for them and healed those who were sick.” Matthew 14:14 NLV

Not only did Jesus heal the sick, He fed the hungry with five loaves and two fish.

“ He told the people to sit down on the grass. Then He took the five loaves of bread and two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to His followers. The followers gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people were finished eating.” Matthew 14:19-20 NLV

It was the loving compassion of our heavenly Father that moved through Jesus to heal the sick and it was also His loving-compassion that provided food for their bodies. Jesus, in his grief, didn’t stop His work of showing out the love of God.

“ God is able to do much more than we ask or think through His power working in us.” Ephesians 3:20 NLV

But Jesus’ day wasn’t over. He told the disciples to go back to the other side of the lake, sent the people away and then spent time alone with the Father in prayer (the thing He had intended to do from the beginning).

“ After He had sent them away, He went up the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.” Matthew 14:23 NLV

The disciples encountered a storm on the lake and were in fear of the boat sinking. Jesus had prayed all night and just before the light of day, the Bible says, He came walking on the water.

The disciples were afraid and thought they had seen a ghost. Jesus called out to them, “Don’t be afraid”. That’s when Peter spoke up, “Lord, if it’s You let me come out to You”. Jesus said, “Come on out Peter”.

Peter started walking on the water to Jesus (according to the power of God) but when he saw the waves and felt the wind he took his eyes off Jesus, entered into fear again, and began to sink. Jesus lifted him up and they walked to the boat.

Jesus question to Peter was “why did you doubt”. I think He asks the same question of us on so many occasions.

“ Those in the boat worshiped Jesus. They said, “For sure, You are the Son of God!” Matthew 14:33 NLV

This is what the Apostle Paul wanted us to see and understand. The power of God working in us and that power was/is activated by God’s love for us. We need to understand that.

“I pray that because of the riches of His shining-greatness, He will make you strong with power in your hearts through the Holy Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ may live in your hearts by faith. I pray that you will be filled with love. 18 I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is. 19 I pray that you will know the love of Christ. His love goes beyond anything we can understand. I pray that you will be filled with God Himself.

20 God is able to do much more than we ask or think through His power working in us.” Ephesians 3:16-20 CEV

And I pray that for each of us – may we be strong in the love of God and be filled with Him, so that His power will be working through us!

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Incomparable & Absolutely Amazing

Once again, my heart is overwhelmed as I sit here this morning thinking about the unconditional, everlasting, unfailing love of God!

There are no words to adequately express what causes my heart to swell and my eyes to tear as I sit in the quiet knowing I am surrounded by His matchless love.

So, I will let God’s word speak for me.

“…I am the Lord God. I am merciful and very patient with my people. I show great love, and I can be trusted.” Exodus 34:6 CEV

“Lord God of heaven, you are great and fearsome. And you faithfully keep your promises to everyone who loves you and obeys your commands.” Nehemiah 1:5 CEV

“But I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love. You are my fortress, my place of protection in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16 CEV

“Praise the God of all gods. God‘s love never fails.” Psalm 136:2 CeV

“The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” Zephaniah 3:17 CEV

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV

” …God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people. I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!” Romans 1:7 CEV

“I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.” Galatians 2:20 CEV

“But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much he made us alive with Christ, and God‘s gift of undeserved grace is what saves you.” Ephesians 2:4-5 CEV

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, 39 and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:38-39 CEV

There is a praise song I sometimes sing and it is bubbling in my heart right now, “Reckless Love of God”. The chorus goes something like this:

“Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God”

Don’t let circumstances, worry, fear or doubt steal the peace that God gives. We are wrapped in His arms, held there by His never-ending, unconditional, everlasting love!

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Loving Conversations

In those times when we think “doesn’t God see what’s going on” or when we say “I wish I knew what to do now”, the Bible tells us that God, our heavenly Father, is waiting to talk with us, to direct us, to reassure us.

From the beginning, in the garden the Lord would come to talk with Adam in the cool of the day. On the day they sinned, He still came looking for them. Sin doesn’t keep us from God but trying to hide our sin from Him does. God didn’t abandon them. He made clothes from them and gave them instruction on how to live.

The Lord talked with Noah and gave him the specifications for building an Ark and told him how to care for the animals that would be on it.

God spoke to Abram and made him a promise that he would be the father of many nations and that his descendants would occupy the “promised land”.

Joseph and the Lord talked about a famine that was coming to Egypt and he told the pharaoh how to prepare for it. It saved the Egyptians and also all the members of Joseph’s family.

The Lord spoke to Moses from a burning bush while the nation of Israel was being held captive in Egypt. He gave Moses an exit plan.

The Lord spoke to the kings of Israel showing them how to succeed in battle and He gave this promise to the prophet Jeremiah.

“I was still being held prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guards when the Lord told me: I am the Lord, and I created the whole world. 3 Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out.” Jeremiah 33:3 CEV

And that’s just a few examples from the Old Testament. In the New Testament we find the Lord giving instruction to Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zachariah and the shepherds through visiting angels.

Once Jesus started His ministry the Father spoke through the words of Jesus and those words are still our instruction for today.

“ Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.” Matthew 7:7 CEV

We have also been given the Holy Spirit to give us instruction and guidance.

“The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen.” John 16:13 CEV

And because we have the Holy Spirit, we also have this promise.

“We who have the Spirit are able to make judgments about all these things. But anyone without the Spirit is not able to make proper judgments about us. 16 As the Scriptures say,

‘Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind? Who is able to give him advice?’

But we have been given Christ’s way of thinking.” I Corinthians 2:15-16 ERV

The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to hear and know God’s love and direction. That’s why we bring everything – everything – to Him. We trust Him, unwavering and He gives us the direction we need.

“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.” Proverbs 3:5-6 ERV

Start the day meeting our Father for a loving conversation. He will direct our paths and He tells us not to worry. We can trust Him!

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So Much Better

Happy Valentine’s Day!

These are verses I always like to read on February 14th – Valentine’s Day. They are such a wonderful reminder of the greatest of God’s love for us.

I don’t normally include the footnotes with verses but this morning I did. You need to read it and absorb the meaning of grace – some much better than we deserve.

“3 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

4-5 But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much he made us alive with Christ, and God’s gift of undeserved grace is what saves you. 6 God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. 7 God did this so in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. 8 You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve.[a] This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. 10 God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. This is why he sent Christ to make us what we are.” Ephesians 2:3-10 CEV

Footnotes

2.8 treats us much better than we deserve: The Greek word charis, traditionally rendered “grace,” is translated here and other places in the CEV to express the overwhelming kindness of God.

God’s gift to us!

“But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 CEV

When we seek the Father with all our heart, we will want to be like Him. Imitate Him. Then others will be drawn to Him like we were when we came to Christ.

Jesus wants us to have an abundant life. King David knew that when he wrote the Psalms, hundreds of years before Christ was born.

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

“Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23:6 CEV (King David)

” 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.” Romans 3:22-24 CEV (Apostle Paul)

Our heavenly Father isn’t looking to quench our lives, on the contrary, He has given us an abundant life filled with His love which is so much better than we deserve!

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Start Your Day with a Song

Here I am all the way across the country from my Arizona home. We flew from Arizona to Florida yesterday – Kim, Austin, Dave and me. A bit jet lagged but filled with joy and praise.

We’ll be here for a week taking in all the sights and sounds of the Daytona 500 races. This trip was a 50th birthday bucket list adventure for Kim and she invited us to come along since she knew this is one of her dad’s Top 10 too.

Last night as we were driving to our B-n-B we were greeted by the full moon over the ocean. I plan to be on that beach this evening to take in the full beauty of it. And this morning, there is a chorus of unidentified birds singing their melodies outside my window. It seems that all of creation has joined in welcoming us here and giving glory to God.

“Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you. I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance.” Psalm 143:8 CEV

Maybe that’s why the birds start their songs before the crack of dawn – they want us to join in their praise to the Father.

Oh, there have been days when I woke up dreading what the day had in store – those were dark days. It’s so much better to be filled with joy from the moment my eyes open and my feet touch the floor. I’ve learned to take my cue from my feathered friends.

“ I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth much more than birds?” Matthew 6:25-26 CEV

These sentinels of song aren’t worried about how many bugs, worms, or seeds they are going to find today. No – they just know they will be provided for like they were the day before. They don’t worry about how high they will fly – they just fly. Why? because our Father in heaven takes care of them.

Maybe we should be a little more “bird-brained”!

Don’t worry – we are much more valuable to the Lord than the birds.

“Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you.” Each morning as we learn more about His love for us, we trust Him more.

Then we can start your day with a song!

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No Greater Love

I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression “Take one for the team”. This can be used in the context of sports, military, family relationships, business experiences – in just about every walk of life. And nowhere is it more applicable than in our spiritual lives.

The very purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to take one for the team. Without his selfless sacrifice there would be no eternal life for any of us. He left heaven to live a heavenly example on earth. He became sin when dying on the cross so that we could live redeemed from sin. He took our sickness, our anxiety, our depression, our death so that we, through Him, could walk free!

Thank God for His marvelous provision through Jesus.

” 4 The fact is, it was our suffering he took on himself; he bore our pain. But we thought that God was punishing him, that God was beating him for something he did. 5 But he was being punished for what we did. He was crushed because of our guilt. He took the punishment we deserved, and this brought us peace. We were healed because of his pain.” Isaiah 53: 4-5 ERV

It’s impossible to look at the severity of the crucifixion and not see the love of God.

“We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21 Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so Christ could make us acceptable to God.” II Corinthians 5:20-21 CEV

His death brings us life. His anguish was for our peace. His stripes are for our healing. His darkness moment of separation from the Father, brought us to the throne room where we find help in time of need.

“ 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

There’s an old hymn we used to sing. “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow”.

“ The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.” John 15:13 CEV

There is no greater love than this!

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A Child’s Love

Glitter and goggley eyes, glue and glitter. Red construction paper, pink crepe paper, scissors and markers – these are the tools of a young child making masterpieces at Valentines Day.

The giggles and the laughter come from the heart. “Mom, how do you spell Grama”? “What’s Dad’s favorite animal”? All the creativity and ingenuity of a 5- or 6-year-old is being harnessed and put on paper.

I think I still have a couple of these masterpieces stored away!

A child’s love – sweet, sincere, innocent – and the expression of it makes an indelible imprint on the parents’ heart and in their mind.

My mom was 97 when she passed and those last couple of years, she would relive my childhood with me when I went to visit. The heart doesn’t forget!

I pause and wonder, what memories am I making for my heavenly Father. How do I express my love for Him? What do I do that makes Him smile?

” Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” I John 3:1-3 CEV

The Father’s love is so great! How do we express our love for Him?

“When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38 When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:35-40 CEV

When we show God’s love and compassion to those who are in need, the Father sees those acts as if we have done them for Him.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John 15:9-12 NLT

“Love as I have loved you”, Jesus said. Compassionate, encouraging, correcting, protecting, always teaching to exemplify the Father. That’s the love we are to have for one another.

So, maybe today you want to break out the glitter and the glue. Write words of love to the Father and place a card on the table…or, maybe you just want to lend a helping hand, give a word of encouragement, reach out to someone in need.

Give a Valentine that will make an indelible imprint on their heart!

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Such Great Love

I want us to stay with the writings of the Apostle Paul this morning. He shared the message of God’s love with so many people – Romans, Grecians, Turks, Jews. Face-to-face, he told them of the great love of God.

And because of those written words, we are also being taught by him.

“God made us free from the power of darkness. And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son. 14 The Son paid the price to make us free. In him we have forgiveness of our sins.” Colossians 1:13-14 ERV

Jesus told his disciples that He was the Good Shepherd and He would give His life for the sheep. That’s exactly what He did when He died on the cross for us. His words from the cross, “It is finished” meant that the payment for sin, our sin, was complete. Nothing more was required for our forgiveness. No more sacrifice. It was done!

“Christ first said, ‘You don’t want sacrifices and offerings. You are not pleased with animals killed and burned or with sacrifices to take away sin.’ (These are all sacrifices that the law commands.) 9 Then he said, ‘Here I am, God. I have come to do what you want.’ So God ends that first system of sacrifices and starts his new way. 10 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 10:8-10 ERV

When Christ came to earth the Jewish people were making the same sacrifices that had been made since they wandered in the wilderness. Animal sacrifice was required as an atonement or covering for sin. These sacrifices were made over and over again, year after year.

But when Christ came and offered Himself as the spotless, sinless lamb of God all other sacrifices were no longer necessary. One sacrifice was good enough for all time.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world!” John 1:29 ERV

Our sins are gone and we have new life in Christ.

“ You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. 7 Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful…9 God lives fully in Christ. 10 And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority…13  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 2:6-15 CEV

I can only give you short pieces of God’s word in our times together each day. I would like to encourage you to read the whole book of Colossians. It’s a short book. Only four chapters but the wealth of God’s love is poured out in a powerful way.

” God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.” Colossians 3:12 CEV

There is no love greater than the love God gives freely to us!

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