Tag: GodIsLove

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No Matter Where

I love how you can see God’s work all around – each day there are new reminders of His amazing love. The songs of the birds at the ocean are different from the ones in the desert but they are sweet just the same.

The sound of the waves coming to the shore is as exciting as the sight of the sunrise or sunset that captivate me each day at home.

The earth is truly filled with the glory of God!

“The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. 2 Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. 3 They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. 4 Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world. In the heavens a tent is set up for the sun. 5 It rises like a bridegroom and gets ready like a hero eager to run a race. 6 It travels all the way across the sky. Nothing hides from its heat.

7 The Law of the Lord is perfect; it gives us new life. His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people. 8 The Lord’s instruction is right; it makes our hearts glad. His commands shine brightly, and they give us light. 9 Worshiping the Lord is sacred; he will always be worshiped. All of his decisions are correct and fair.

10 They are worth more than the finest gold and are sweeter than honey from a honeycomb. 11 By your teachings, Lord, I am warned; by obeying them, I am greatly rewarded. 12 None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sinwithout knowing it.

13 Don’t let me do wrong on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life. Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault.” 14 Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.” Psalm 27 CEV

May your day be filled with seeing the Lord’s majesty and filling your heart with wonder, No matter where you are!

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Out of Balance

Practical. God is practical.

Everything He does has balance. Gravity, sunrise, sunset, changing seasons; earth, sky and water created before fish, plants and animals. Sun produces light and heat, the moon on reflects light and no heat. Balance.

What is out of balance and impractical about God is His unconditional love!

It doesn’t matter what we do or don’t do, God’s love for us will be the same. (Now that doesn’t mean He approves of everything we do, not in the slightest but He always loves us.)

Men won’t go to hell because God hates them. They will go because they don’t accept His gift of love and His sacrifice for them.

But let’s look at how God expects us to put His love in action. Since we have Christ living in us it’s His love that should be flowing out of us.

” 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 3:14-17 ERV

The most important thing we can do is love God and one another. Love brings us to a place of peace. When we love we know that we have done all God has asked of us and we are responsible to let God do the rest. When we trust God to do what only He can do we can be thankful because He definitely has the talent and capability of handling His part.

We love not because those around us deserve our love but because God first loved us and so we can extend that love to others. It makes our Father happy to see us acting like Him.

I’m not asking you to go out and love the whole world today but I am asking that you extend God’s love to your co-worker, your neighbor, your child or spouse or sibling.

Love unconditionally the way God loves you. Being out of balance isn’t practical but it is beneficial.

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God’s Love Never Fails

If you read yesterday’s blog you will understand my opening comments.

I got up this morning, made another pot of coffee, filling it to the 11-cup mark and I will do that again tomorrow. I enjoy the coffee each morning, I don’t get tired of making it and I am even willing to share it with others.

That’s how I feel about sharing God’s word with each of you, every morning. It was so good to read Psalm 136 this morning. There are thirty verses and thirty times one phrase is repeated, “God’s love never fails”! In another version it says “God’s love endures forever”.

Forever is a long time.

“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. 4 Only God works great miracles. God’s love never fails.
5 With wisdom he made the sky. God’s love never fails. 6 The Lord stretched the earth
over the ocean. God’s love never fails.7 He made the bright lights in the sky. God’s love never fails. 8 He lets the sun rule each day. God’s love never fails. 9 He lets the moon and the stars rule each night. God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1-8 CEV

Before the earth existed, God’s love was there. Before the sky or the oceans, God’s love never failed. Before the sun, moon and stars God’s love always was!

Before you failed to acknowledge His presence, God’s love never failed. Before great accolades and fame, God’s love was there. When we were prodigal and when off to our own devices and ignored His love, God’s love never failed.

I may need to be filled daily with joy, peace, hope, faith but God’s love never fails and He is always there sharing it with me. Reminding me that:

“ 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

“Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. 9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger.” Romans 5:6-9 CEV

Dave just refilled my coffee cup and that brought one more thought to mind about the love of God.

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:5-6 NLT

God’s goodness and unfailing love pursues me all the days of my life. My cup is running over with His love. His love never fails!

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My Father Did That

A couple weeks ago Dave and I went camping. We went to a lake that I had fished as a child with my family. It was one of our favorite spots. It has changed a lot since then. There is an organized campground and the water level is lower than it used to be but somehow it felt like home.

My Heavenly Father made that lake.

This morning has me thinking about my dad. Dad was a good man. He loved mom, us kids and the Lord. He was an impressive figure of a man; handsome, strong, rugged, loyal, outspoken and he hated injustice.

Dad wasn’t well educated, only went to the 7th grade but he was one of the smartest men I know. He could read people, their sincerity or deceit and he could fix or build anything.

Dad’s been gone for 21 years now and I miss him. When we find a great new lake, I think of Dad. Driving through a river valley and spotting a good place to fish, building a new shed, fixing the car – all make me think of him.

Watching my grandchildren grow into good people, playing with our smallest grandchildren and the greats, talking to our grown kids – all these make me miss him and I’m grateful that I have so many wonderful memories.

There were times that I needed Daddy to come to my rescue and he did. Never a question that he wouldn’t be there to help and defend. Now if I had done something stupid he would talk to me about that later but first instinct was to come to my aid.

Maybe you don’t have such good memories of your relationship with your dad. Our Heavenly Father desires a relationship with you that is so much greater than any you’ve ever had with your earthly father.

“All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. 29 So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham’s family, and you will be given what God has promised…Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. 7 You are no longer slaves. You are God’s children, and you will be given what he has promised.” Galatians 3:26-4:7 CEV

In God’s family we are all equal – the same blessings are available to all of us. God’s love is not greater for one than the other; His mercy is given freely to us all and His protection and provision are not awarded with prejudice or bias. It’s our faith in Jesus Christ that makes us equal.

My Father did that – He made me one of His own!

You’re heavenly Father loves you and whatever you may be going through today He’s right there with you and when things get bigger than you can handle your Dad’s got this. Let Him handle it!

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Bright Hope

Every night the stars and the moon come out and every morning the sun comes up. To some that may seem like a monotonious repetition but to me that’s hope!

Hope that God is faithful to bring the end to one day and to bring new life to start the next. Without God’s presence we can be without direction and purpose or worse yet we try to become our own god and that means that we are responsible for making everything happen, making everything work out right and it’s simply not in our power to do so.

The sunrise and the sunset are God’s examples of His faithfulness.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ERV

When we give up living for ourselves and find our life in Christ we can have rest from this vicious cycle of dependence on self. In Christ, we are promised a new and abundant life; life filled with joy, peace, love, forgiveness and grace.

“But we know that no one is made right with God by following the law. It is trusting in Jesus Christ that makes a person right with God. So we have put our faith in Christ Jesus, because we wanted to be made right with God. And we are right with him because we trusted in Christ—not because we followed the law. I can say this because no one can be made right with God by following the law…I died to the law so that I could live for God. I have been nailed to the cross with Christ. 20 So I am not the one living now—it is Christ living in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God. He is the one who loved me and gave himself to save me.” Galatians 2:16-20 ERV

Each day is a new opportunity to receive God’s mercy and strength, to be wrapped in His love. Each evening we are given an invitation to rest securely.

“I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.” Psalm 4:8 CEV

Great is the faithfulness of God; He is faithful to a thousand generations.

“Great is thy faithfulness,
Great is thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hast provided;
Great is thy faithfulness,
Lord unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside.”

In Christ we have new life and in Him we have the power to live a life of purpose and a bright hope for tomorrow.

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Everlasting Love

This morning when I woke I picked up my journal and wrote:

“Father, thank you for my life, my family and Your amazing blessings. You have given me so much more than I could ever ask or imagine! Thank You for your everlasting love!!”

There was a time that I was not confident in God’s love for me. I thought I had failed too many times and surely, I was past being forgiven and was no longer lovable. But then I heard a testimony of a woman who insisted that God’s love for us was everlasting. That He would not desert us or abandon us. She said nothing could separate us from the love of God and that when we are in Christ we are complete having all we need.

When we have Jesus, He and I are more than enough. That changed my life.

“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

“God our Father loves us. He treats us with undeserved grace and has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father 17 will encourage you and help you always to do and say the right thing.” II Thessalonians 2:16-17 CEV

“ 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

“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…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 8:31-32, 38-39 ERV

These are the verses that have been the foundation of my life for the last 55 years. Today is my 73rd birthday and I can tell you that nothing has ever separated me from the Father’s love.

“ The Lord appeared to me in a faraway place and said, ‘I love you with an everlasting love.
So I will continue to show you my kindness.'” Jeremiah 31:3 GW

He has been gracious and kind to forgive my sins, my failings and shortcomings and He will do the same for you. His love is everlasting!

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Abide in Love

Happy Father’s Day to the wonderful men who hold such an important role in our lives. I’ve heard it said that parenting is one of the few jobs we have that doesn’t come with user’s manual.

Oh, but it does!

“ I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love continue in His love with Me]. 10 If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love. 11 I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.” John 15:9-11 AMP

Jesus was a reflection of the Father’s love and He wanted us to know the depth of the love. His whole life was an example of the depth of His Father’s love. He lived each moment in the Father’s love and He wanted us to “abide” in that same love.

“Abide in my love”. Just like we “abide in our homes – it’s a place we live, our sanctuary, our safe shelter and that’s the picture Jesus painted for us of abiding in the Father’s love. It’s our place of safety, shelter and protection.

The unconditional love of God!

“ 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! Ephesians 1:2-3 CEV

Our Father sent Jesus from heaven to earth to bless us with peace! We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places when we are in Christ.

“We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4 God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.” II Peter 1:3-4 CEV

“Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful.
2 Then you will say to the Lord, ‘You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God,
and I trust you.” Psalm 91:1-2 CEV

Thank you Father for showing us how to abide, to live in Your love each and every day and thank you for the fathers who reflect your character.

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Through the Father’s Eyes

Have you ever fallen into the trap of defending yourself? You’ve been misjudged or maligned and you step up quickly in your own defense? Me too! Not a good place to be. But there is something in all of us that desires to be well thought of.

The only opinion we should care about is the Lord’s. In His eyes we are loved unconditionally and He holds us in a place of high regard, He holds us in His heart.

We should not care about man’s opinion, it will distract us from doing what God has called us to do.

“Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God’s mysterious ways. 2 And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, 3 it doesn’t matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don’t judge myself. 4 I don’t know of anything against me, but that doesn’t prove that I am right. The Lord is my judge. 5 So don’t judge anyone until the Lord returns. He will show what is hidden in the dark and what is in everyone’s heart. Then God will be the one who praises each of us.” I Corinthians 4:1-5 CEV

We simply need to be faithful and let the Lord be the judge. Paul was a living example of being judged falsely and still being faithful to his calling. He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned many times and he just kept on preaching.

“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.” Romans 8:31-34 ERV

Don’t be derailed by the opinions of others. Keep looking at the Father and you’ll stay on track!

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Too Great to Measure

Do you know what the image is that I used this morning? Of course you do, it’s a measuring wheel.

It seems we have a measuring tape or several around our house that are in constant use. I have a small one in the kitchen that measures up to 10′, an even smaller one in my purse that measures 3′. Dave has several in his tool box – 25′, 50′ and 100′. On more than one occasion I have been asked “do you know if Dave has a 100′ tape”.

Astronomists can measure the distance to the planets, elephants and whales can be measured. Geologists can tell us the height of the tallest mountains and the depth of the deepest canyons.

But who can measure the love of God? No one can fully measure or understand the height, the depth, the width and the breath of God’s love.

“ I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-19 CEB

Nor can we count or calculate the loving thoughts that God has for us.

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18  If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 137:17-18 AMP

The magnitude of the miracles that Jesus did while on the earth were impossible to record.

“This is the disciple who testifies concerning these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If all of them were recorded, I imagine the world itself wouldn’t have enough room for the scrolls that would be written.” John 21:24-25 CEB

But the one thing for certain, we know that everything Jesus did was good!

“You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Messiah by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good for people. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, showing that God was with him. 39 “We saw all that Jesus did in Judea and in Jerusalem.” Acts 10:38-39 ERV

I just don’t understand how we can get so sidetracked that we focus on our problems and not on the goodness of God.

There was an old hymn that rolls around in my heart and it reminds me of just how loving God is. It was written in 1917 – World War I was being fought and the Spanish flu was running unchecked and still he wrote this song.

“The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

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 is unconditional, unending and is too great to be measured! Amen!!

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Amazing Love

Each morning I try to take time to focus on the unconditional love of the Father. As I follow that path, my thoughts are overwhelmed with His goodness and grace.

“ I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 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. 20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen. ” Ephesians 3:17-21 ERV

This was the Apostle Paul’s prayer, written thousands of years ago, and it is still a life-impacting, life-empowering, life-changing prayer for all who read it and take it to heart.

There’s an old hymn, written by John Wesley who was a great preacher. He marveled at the amazing love of God.

“And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!”

These words were written in the 1700’s and repeated in a more modern song which was written by a current Christian artist, Chris Tomlin.

“I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your sprit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.
(Repeat x2)

[Chorus:]
Amazing love,
How can it be?
That You, my King would die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honour You,
In all I do, I honour You.”

Sometimes all I can do is sit silently and let my heart sing in worship of my Lord and Savior. Never has He forsaken me, never have I been abandoned, never has He lied to me.

““The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has chosen me to tell good news to the poor. He sent me to tell prisoners that they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. He sent me to free those who have been treated badly 19  and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness.”

Always forgiven, always accepted, always loved. AMAZING LOVE!

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