Joyful Hearts

Psalm 119:2 - Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all of their hearts.

Accepting God's salvation and love for us creates a joyful heart within us that we would never be able to experience without Him in our lives.  We are blessed beyond all imagination.

It's funny (in a good way) how God works.  I was just speaking to a friend yesterday about how much joy has filled my heart since I surrendered my life to God.  I told her that God has shown me a love I have never known, and didn't think was possible.  He has given me such peace and joy in my heart that I searched for my whole life.  My cup runs over with His love for me, and it runs over with joy and love for all because of Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me.  Thank You for showing me what I was missing and searching for, for so long.  Thank You for teaching me what love and joy and peace truly are.  I ask that You continue to bless me so that I may be a blessing to others for Your glory.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Never Alone

Psalm 25:16 - Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.

David had the right idea here.  He was alone and scared, and He knew that God would always stay with him to comfort and protect him.  Jesus promised to always be with us (Matthew 28:20), and that is something we can always count on.  He doesn't want us to be alone.  We can always turn to Him for companionship.

Loneliness is something I struggle with on a regular basis.  Now working on my second divorce, it has done wonders for my prayer life.  Since I don't have anyone that I can turn to here for comfort or companionship, I have to remind myself to turn to God in prayer, and He will always be there for me.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your promise of companionship.  Thank You for not leaving me alone, and being the Great Comforter during the hardest times, and the Great Encourager during the best.  I cannot do this alone, and I am eternally blessed to have You with me for this journey.  In Jesus' powerful and holy name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Our Bodies

1 Corinthians 6:20 - For God bought you with a high price.  So you must honor God with your body.

We need to take care of what God gave us.  Our bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit.  God purchased us for the highest price possible - the blood of His Son Jesus.  We should be encouraged to eat good and exercise.  For those who are self-conscious about their bodies and looks, don't be.  God bought you because He loves you, not because you look the best (certainly in my case...).  Surgeries to correct some PERCEIVED physical defect should never be the answer.  What for?!  You are beautiful just the way You are.  That's how God made you.  Because God said so!  Who cares what people of this world think.  God bought you for your heart.

This is something that I struggled with for a long time, and still do to a certain degree.  I am so blessed that God loves me for my heart for Him, and not my 6-pack abs that I don't have (hey, round is a shape...).

Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder that You love us for our hearts and not our physical appearance.  I will strive to keep my heart strong for You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

That's Love

Romans 9:2-3 - My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters.  I would be willing to be forever cursed - cut off from Christ! - if that would save them.

That's love right there.  Paul would give up every eternal reward if it meant that his fellow Jews who had not accepted Christ yet would be saved.  That is what unfailing Christlike love looks like.

Do I have this kind of love in my heart?  Am I willing to be cut off from Christ so that others may be saved?  Am I willing to make that sacrifice?  Most of my family (I don't have a lot of friends) are not Christians, and have not been saved.  My sister and I are the closest, and I have tried to share the Gospel with her, to no avail.  But I need to be willing to do more for her to show her what God's love is all about.  Would I give it all up for her if it meant she was saved and could spend eternity with God in His Glorious Kingdom?  You bet I would.

Dear Abba Father, I thank You for the opportunity and the privilege to serve You for eternity.  I ask for the wisdom and guidance I need to continue to share Your message with those that need to hear it.  Please use me to show them what Christlike love looks like, because I wan them to have it in their hearts too.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

He Loves Us More

Romans 5:20 - God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were.  But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.

Even though we sin, God loves us more.  As people throughout time have rebelled and sinned, God keeps saying 'I love you'.  His amazing grace was and is more abundant than our sin.  No matter how justified He was, and is, to condemn and abandon us, He just keeps loving us more.  And He demonstrated this love with the sacrifice of His only Son.

As sinful and prideful as I was in my old life, it was very difficult for me to understand His love for me.  I was, and sometimes still am, a very unlovable person.  But God continues to wrap me in a big bear hug of love and grace, and tell me how much He loves me more than yesterday, and will love me even more tomorrow.  What an awesome feeling.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me regardless of how difficult I make it for You.  Your love truly knows no end, and I cannot show my gratitude enough for this life You have given me.  All I can do is praise and honor You with all of my heart, mind, and strength for as long as You allow. In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Loved Anyway

Romans 3:23-24 - For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.  Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous.  He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.

None of us is righteous, and we we will all continue to fall short as long as we rely on our own selves to make us right.  God loved us anyway, regardless of our shortcomings.  As it says, 'with undeserved kindness'.  We are so blessed to serve such a loving and forgiving and faithful God.  We have to make sure we are relying on Him.  That we are putting our trust and faith in His promise.  That is the only way we will be made right.

I know I certainly didn't do anything to deserve God's love and kindness.  When I was doing things on my own (or at least trying to), all I ever really accomplished was to make a mess of things.  When I finally gave myself up to God, and accepted His sacrifice of His Son for my sins, I finally started to understand (started) how it was supposed to be all along.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me anyway.  I am certain that I have made it difficult through the years (that seems to be my specialty), but You have stayed faithful and true to Your Word and Your Promise, and I will continue to keep my trust and faith in You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Pouring Out Love

1 Thessalonians 5:9 - For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us.

I believe a common misconception among unbelievers who have never taken the time to study and understand the Bible believe that God is angry with us and only wants to condemn us for being bad.  This simply isn't the case.  As Paul reminds us here, God doesn't want to pour out His anger on us.  God sent His only Son to save us, not condemn us.  The blood of Jesus on the cross was God pouring out His love for us.

When I finally took the time to sit down and study the Bible, I finally understood this.  And my life has never been the same since.  And I am completely happy with that.  Understanding God's love for me has made such a profound impact on my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me.  I don't know how I made it so long without You in my life, or without understanding Your love for me, but I don't want to live another day without my relationship with You.  I thank You from the bottom of my heart for sending Your Son to die for me, so that I can have eternal life in Your Glorious Kingdom.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Pray For Them

Jeremiah 29:7 - And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.

This is a great foreshadow of Jesus' message to us that we should love and pray for those who would persecute us.  We need to understand that what happens to one of us affects others.  Jesus did say that He came to fulfill the Scriptures, and this is definitely one of those.  Love them, pray for them, regardless of whether you agree with them.

This is something I have struggled with a lot, although I am getting better.  I heard a great message from author Bob Goff at my church recently.  He broke it down very simply - Love God, Love others, and Do Stuff.  God really put it on my heart to reconcile with those I could, and pray for those I haven't been able to yet.  This is also the 3rd time in the last 3 days that I have come across this specific passage in Jeremiah.  I guess God is trying to tell me something...

Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your promises, and thank You for fulfilling Your promises with Your Son Jesus Christ.  Thank You for teaching me about love, and for reminding me that my work is far from over.  Please continue to be with me and guide me with Your wisdom and understanding Lord.  In Jesus' powerful and Holy name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

His Promise

Psalm 135:1-2 - Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.  Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, both now and forever.

I love this promise.  David hit the mark with these verses.  For those who trust in God, He will always be with them.  He promises to protect us forever.  All we will ever need is God.  He will always provide abundantly for us.

My obedience to God has gotten so much better in the past few months, and I have seen the benefits.  God has blessed me more than I could have ever asked for.  He has provided for me in abundance, and I am so grateful for His blessings.

Dear Lord, thank You.  Thank You for being You.  Thank You for showing me Your devotion to me through the abundant blessings You have given me.  I know there is nothing I can do to physically repay You, I just ask that You use me to do Your work for Your Glorious Kingdom while I am in this world.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Be Ready

Matthew 25:13 - "So you, too, must keep watch!  For you do not know the day or hour of My return."

Throughout this whole section, Jesus was teaching them to be prepared for His return.  He used many parables to illustrate His points and He dedicated a lot of time to this subject.  So it needs to be given great importance and taken seriously.  In society today, people spend so much time preparing for inconsequential things, and not for Jesus.  The day will come when it will be too late.  We cannot afford to not be ready.

Am I ready?  Is my heart prepared for Jesus?  Only God knows my heart.  He has given me the tools to prepare myself and be ready.  It is up to me to make sure that I am prepared.  I pray that I will be counted as a good and faithful servant when I step before His throne to be judged.

Dear Lord, thank You for giving me what I need to be ready.  Please continue to give me the wisdom to use these tools properly, so that I may be deemed worthy of Your Kingdom.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Do It Right

Numbers 14:40 - Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills.  "Let's go," they said.  "We realize we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us."

The people understood that they sinned and upset God by not obeying Him.  But they weren't repentant.  They didn't ask God to forgive them.  They based their decision for obedience after the fact, based on what they DIDN'T want, not on what they should want.  They didn't want to wander in the desert for 40 years, which is certainly understandable, but they should have been focused on asking God's forgiveness and seeking a right relationship with Him.

When I do something stupid and sin, am I truly repentant?  Am I doing it right, and asking God's forgiveness because I want a good relationship with Him?  I need to be mindful that I am not just saying, 'sorry', but that I am doing it for the right reasons.  Because He deserves more from me than just some words, He deserves a humble heart that is seeking His grace and forgiveness.

Dear Lord, I thank you for showing me this reality check this morning.  You know my heart better than I do.  I humble myself to You, and ask You to forgive my transgressions.  I know I am not worthy of Your grace and mercy, but Your love has made me worthy, and I am truly thankful for that.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

All Possible

Matthew 19:26 - Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But with God, everything is possible."

Through this whole section, Jesus was trying to make His disciples understand that anything was possible as long as they kept their faith in God.  There is nothing God can't do, and nothing He won't do for us if we ask Him with a sincere heart.  He makes everything possible.

This has been made very apparent to me over the last year.  I have dealt with some heavy heartache and tests of faith.  I responded correctly to these tests (even though it wasn't easy at times), and God has blessed me so much more than I could have ever imagined.  Just seeing and recognizing His power and love has been a tremendous blessing to me, and I will be forever grateful to Him.

Dear Lord God, thank You for this work You have done in me, for me, and through me.  Your presence and hand in my life has been such a blessing, I pray that You will continue to use me for Your glory, so that I may share it with others.  I want everyone to share in the unfailing love You have for us all.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Whole Time

Genesis 49:10 - The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the One to whom it belongs, the One whom all nations will honor.

From the beginning, God's plan was to send us a Redeemer.  A Savior for His people.  Despite humanity's wickedness and our bent toward sin, God wanted nothing more than to bring us back to His Glorious Kingdom the whole time.

This applies to every individual who has ever lived.  One misconception I always had about the God of the Old Testament was that He was vengeful and mean-spirited.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  How blessed I feel to have finally recognized and understood this free gift of redemption and salvation.  God wanted me thousands of years ago!  Once I finally got it, how could I not accept it?!

Dear God, thank You so much for wanting me.  Thank You for preparing a place for me in Your Glorious Kingdom.  Thank You for showing me love when people told me that You had none left.  I have been so blessed by Your loving kindness.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Rest For the Weary

Matthew 11:28 - Then Jesus said, "Come to Me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

What a promise.  Worrying about the material things of this world can give us more than we can handle sometimes.  How many workaholics suffer from stress related issues every day?  Some of which can be debilitating.  When we put our faith in Jesus, He promises to relieve the burdens of this world and lighten our load.  Now that's a great stress reliever.

My stress and anxiety levels used to be really high.  I was always worried about being the best at things and buying things.  When I put my trust in Jesus, I finally learned that none of it really matters.  I don't have to be the best at what I do for a living, because God already thinks I'm the best even if other people don't.  I don't have to have everything in this world, because I already have the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.  That's a gift that keeps on giving...

Dear Lord, thank You for opening my eyes.  Thank You for lightening my yoke, and easing my burdens.  My mind and soul find more rest and comfort in You than I could ever find in anything in this world.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Bottom Line

Psalm 117:2 - For He loves us with unfailing love; the Lord's faithfulness endures forever.  Praise the Lord!

The shortest chapter in the Bible (2 verses) sums everything up very well for us.  God's love knows no bounds and has no end.  He is always faithful to us even if we are unable to see it.  The shortest chapter doesn't need to be any longer.

Have I always been faithful to God?  Nope.  But He loves me without end anyway!  Who does that?!  Only a loving God is capable.  I have dedicated my life to serving Him, and I know that I will stumble and fall from time to time.  But His love and faithfulness will endure forever, and I trust that He will always be there to help me back to my feet.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for always being there.  Thank You for loving me even though I don't deserve it.  Your faithfulness made me deserving.  There is nothing I can do to earn it.  I pray that while I know that I will stumble and fall sometimes, that the incidents are few and far between.  I trust that You will always be there to pick me up, and for that I will forever praise Your Holy Name.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Always Listening

Psalm 116:2 - Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

David knew what to do.  He knew that the key to success for any relationship is communication.  He knew that God was listening to him when He spoke to Him in prayer.  God just wants to chat with us, and He is always listening, even if it feels like He isn't.  We can't build a relationship with Him if we're not talking to Him.

How's my prayer life?  One of my favorite things to do is pray.  I pray for people all the time if I see that they're hurting or if the Holy Spirit moves me to pray for them.  Sometimes it just doesn't seem like it's enough.  Sometimes I feel that God wants to hear from me more.  I need to pray more.  I know that He will always be bent over to listen to me.

Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder that I need to make sure that I am talking to You more than I do.  I love talking to You, and I know that You are always listening.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Darkness To Light

Matthew 4:16 - The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.  And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.

That light is Jesus Christ.  Prior to accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we all sat in the darkness.  We all lived in the land where death casts its shadow. Jesus has cast His light for us.  We no longer live in the shadow of death, we live in the land flowing with milk and honey.

Have I seen the light?  You bet I have.  God's love for me has given me a purpose and a meaning that I never could have gotten anywhere else...believe me, I looked for a long time before I found Him.  I have found my refuge and my place of safety in the wide-open arms of Jesus the Messiah.

Dear Father, thank You for showing me the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Thank You for surrounding me with such beautiful, gifted, and amazing brothers and sisters in Your family.  Thank You for showing me such an amazing and loving church home where Your awesome Holy Spirit dwells in.  I have been so blessed by Your love.  I know it is something I could never repay, but I will gladly go to the ends of the earth to spread the message of Your Good News.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Truth

2 Corinthians 13:8 - For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth.

The truth is that God loves us. The truth is that God sent His only Son to die for us.  To take our place and carry our burden of sin and shame.  Opposing this truth is pointless, and will gain us nothing.  Standing for it, and accepting God's love and sacrifice, will gain us everything.

I spent so much of my life opposed to the truth of the love of God.  Opposed to accepting Jesus.  Even after I first accepted Him, I was indifferent to Him.  Oh what a difference a decade makes.  I would not want to live another day without inviting Christ into my heart to give me the strength, courage, and wisdom that only He can provide, to take on each new day.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me the truth of Your love and sacrifice.  Thank You for setting me free my captivity and bondage to sin.  Thank You so much for coming into my heart and my life and giving me everything I need to survive and flourish.  I am forever Your humble servant.  In Jesus' precious and powerful name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Boasting In Love

2 Corinthians 10:17 - As the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord."

I read something once that said, "We cannot boast about our love for God, because we fail Him daily, but we can boast about His love for us, because it never fails."  Great words of wisdom.  God's love never fails and knows no end.  That is certainly something worth boasting about!

There is nothing wrong with getting that pat on the back for a job well done.  I even get them occasionally at work...But if I let that pat turn into boastful pride, I am taking glory away from God, and that is a dangerous and slippery slope to be on.  I have to be mindful of this easy trap to fall in to.  The only thing I should be boastful of is when I get to Heaven and Jesus tells me, "Well done good and faithful servant."  I don't mind boasting about His awesome power of unfailing love.

Dear Lord, please help me to stay humble to you, and be sure that I give You the glory that You deserve way more than I ever could.  Your love is so awesome and powerful, I cannot imagine not wanting to boast about it.  Thank You for all of the blessings You have given me.  In Jesus' powerful and Holy name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Glory In Him

2 Corinthians 4:17 - For our present troubles are small and won't last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

Everything bad that we deal with and go through on a daily basis is temporary.  God's love and the blood of Jesus have washed it all away forever.  His Glory is stronger than anything and everything!

Often times when I am praying and asking God forgiveness for my sins and transgressions, I thank Him for them too.  I thank Him because without the brokenness I had from them, I wouldn't have sought Him out for the healing that only He can provide.  They led me to Him and the amazing healing power of His love and glory.  And for that, I will always be thankful.

Dear Lord, thank You for healing me from my hurts, habits, and hangups that brought me to You.  I am by no means a finished product - I am still a work in progress, but with Your love, strength, and glory I can accomplish anything and get through any trial and tribulation.  It is all temporary, and Your love is forever.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Humility and Trust

Job 42:6 - I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.

It took a lot of "soul searching" and bad advice from friends for Job to reach this point.  God finally confronted him directly, and showed him how wrong he was for questioning God's love and protection and blessings on his life.  God not only redeemed Job when he repented, He blessed him twice as much as he had before, and He promises to do the same for us.

After reading the story of Job for the third time now, I think I finally get it.  I will work to wait patiently on the Lord, and to never question Him when I go through tough times.  I know that He is using the trials to build me up stronger and preparing to bless me twofold.  I am committed to trusting His plan for me in His time.

Dear Lord, thank You for opening my eyes, and showing me what true humility looks like.  I recommit myself to Your Will for me, and pray for Your continued guidance and strength in all that I do, so that I may bring You the glory and honor You so richly deserve.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Victory

1 Corinthians 15:55 - O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?

Jesus Christ achieved victory by defeating death at the cross.  Our faith in Him takes the sting out of death.  When we close our eyes for the last time, we will open them in Heaven in an instant.  THAT is victory!

One of my biggest issues I used to have was anxiety.  I had crazy anxiety over dying one day, ever since I was a teenager.  When I came to know Jesus, I realized that it was Him trying to get my attention.  It was Him trying to tell me that I had nothing to fear.  I look forward to that day when God calls me home to Heaven so that I can rejoice in that final victory.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your unending patience.  Thank Your for achieving the victory over sin and death, so that I could have the honor and privilege of being with You in Heaven.  I know I took longer than what was probably preferred, but I know this is all according to Your will.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Right Idea

Psalm 109:4 - I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them!

David had the right idea.  Love them regardless.  David trusted God to bring him through every tough circumstance, and here he is praying for and loving his enemies, because he knew that was what God expected of him.  This is what God expects of all of us, as confirmed by Jesus' instructions to love and pray for our enemies, because that was where the true glory was, and Paul in 1 Corinthians that we could have everything, but if we didn't have love, it was all meaningless and we would really have nothing.

This is something I have been working hard on lately, loving people regardless.  It has been a tough challenge for me, but anything worth doing is worth the challenge.  All I can do is continue to pray for God's strength and guidance.  I know that when I learn to love like Jesus loves, I will live like Jesus lives.  God has already done a great work on my heart to reach out and begin to repair one relationship, and I have felt Him touching my heart to reach out and repair another.  I love that feeling that I can get only from Him.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for working on my heart and teaching me to love like Jesus loves.  I ask for Your continued guidance and strength as I continue down the path You placed before me.  I know I can get through any trial with Your strength, and I know I will get through this one with Your blessings.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

All One

1 Corinthians 12:13 - Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.  But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

It doesn't matter where we came from, it matters where we are going and how we get there.  Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we are all children of the same Father.  God doesn't care what we've done at that point, He is happy that we are coming home to Him.

A long time ago, I used to believe that since I wasn't born into a Christian home, I couldn't be one myself.  Boy, am I glad I was wrong.  I have to make sure I am accepting of everyone because they are all my brothers and sisters.  Especially the unbelievers, because one day soon, I pray, they will accept Jesus as well.  Or if I treat them badly, they could reject Jesus because of it, and that would be worse.

Dear Lord, please help to keep my heart focused on You so that Your loving Spirit will shine through me and be a beacon to others to come to know You, as I have had the privilege to do these last 4 years.  Let me show everyone I encounter what love does...for Your Glory.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

God Is Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

GOD is patient and kind.  GOD is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  HE does not demand HIS own way.  HE is not irritable, and HE keeps no record of being wronged.  HE does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever HIS truth wins out.  GOD never gives up (on us), never loses faith (in us), HE is always hopeful (for us), and HIS LOVE endures through every circumstance.

When this verse was explained to me in this way a couple of years ago, I had a light bulb moment.  I knew then, that I would spend the rest of my life serving and worshipping the Lord with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  My favorite part of this passage, is verse 7.  God never gives up on us, never loses faith in us, He is always hopeful for us to return to the wide open arms of His salvation, and He will love us through every circumstance.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me the love that I never could and never would find from anywhere or anyone other than You.  I have been so blessed because You never gave up on me.  You never lost faith in me.  Your hope in me, is more than I could ever return to You in glory and honor.  Thank You for being everything I ever needed You to be and more.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

On Guard

Job 36:21 - Be on guard!  Turn back from evil,  for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil!

We know that God didn't send the suffering that Job's experiencing directly, He allowed Satan to do it (with limitations).  However, Elihu's advice is fantastic.  The suffering he is going through, that God has allowed, is intended to strengthen Job, and show Satan that His chosen people can endure and grow stronger in their faith when tested.  Elihu is trying to let Job know that if he makes it through this trial faithful to God, then God will reward him.  Because He has already promised to reward us for staying true to Him.

What an amazing promise and gift from a God that is so loving.  Whose love knows no end.  I pray that as I face trials and tribulations, I will stay strong and true to God.  I know I can do it with the power and strength of Christ in my life.  When I am weakest is when He is strongest, and so am I.

Dear Lord, thank You for being who You are.  Thank You for Your promises of unending love, grace, and mercy.  I ask for Your strength and refuge during the hard times, so that I can resist the temptation of Satan and stay true to You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Heart Check

Job 34:37 - For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.

Elihu is questioning Job's heart for God.  He points out that even though Job believed himself to be righteous, that no one is without sin.  And as soon as Job was tested, he questioned God's loyalty to him instead of humbling himself and asking for God's forgiveness.  Job may have done some great things, but when he was tested his heart started to rebel.

It's all about our hearts and not our deeds.  If our hearts are right, our deeds will follow, not the other way around.  Does my heart rebel when I am tested?  I pray for God's strength to keep my heart for Him strong when I am faced with trials.  I know His power is the only way I will get through them.

Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner, but You love me anyway.  Please keep my heart strong for You when I am tested so that it doesn't rebel against You, and that I can show non-believers around me what the Light of the World can do for them.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

When In Doubt, Pray!

Job 33:26 - And when he prays to God, he will be accepted.  And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing.

Job's friend Elihu gives him some good advice here.  When in doubt, pray!  He tells Job that he shouldn't be whining and complaining and blaming God, but he should be praying to God.  He's telling him to open his heart to God, and He will receive him.

Do I pray enough?  Am I opening my heart to God during difficult situations or only when it is convenient for me?  I am human and I still lose my patience sometimes.  I need to be more mindful of my negative thoughts and emotions, so that instead of saying something that I'll need to ask forgiveness for, I am praying or God's guidance and wisdom.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me your unending mercy and patience and love.  Please help me to remember to constantly open my heart to you in prayer, and give me the guidance and wisdom I need to continue to be Your good and faithful servant.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Above All, Love

Galatians 5:14 - For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Everything we do as Christians should flow from love.  That doesn't mean we will be perfect if we are loving.  We are still human and subjected to human emotions.  But if we earnestly seek to love as Jesus loves, we will start to live as Jesus lives.  He will bless us beyond measure.

At my Church, we have been going through a series on love.  This has had such a profound and positive impact on my life.  I said earlier today that I have never been a part of a Church that is so loving before in my life.  And God has blessed our Church in so many ways because of this.  I am honored to call this Church home, and I will pray for God's continued blessings on us all.

Dear Abba Father, I thank You so much for bringing me to my Church home.  I thank You so much for the amazing teachers and leaders at the Church, that teach us Your Truths every week.  I ask for Your continued guidance and blessings on them as they seek You.  Thank You for showing me and all of us what love truly means, and what love truly does.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Faith Alone

Galatians 3:6 - In the same way, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."

In this chapter, Paul is reminding the Galatians that faith alone is what saves them and brings them the Holy Spirit among them.  He reminds them that the law will not do this by reminding them that Abraham was blessed and counted as righteous because of his FAITH.  The law of Moses that Paul is referring to didn't come for another 430 years, and was only brought to show people their sins, and remain until Christ came to save us.

Do I trust in my faith to bring me God's blessings of grace and redemption?  Yes I do!  My time in God's Word these last couple of years has strengthened, beyond measure, my faith and trust in God and His plan for my life.  Would it have been better if I had this faith and trust years earlier?  Of course it would have.  But God had other plans for me, and I know it wasn't my time yet to work for His glory.  So now, as I go down the path he has put me on, I am excited for the things that I can accomplish for God's Kingdom and Glory.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your Word and Your Truth.  I have been so blessed because of Your love for me.  I know I can never do anything that would make me 'counted as righteous'.  It is only through my faith in You that has saved me and redeemed me.  I ask for Your continued guidance and wisdom so that I may bring You glory in my time on this earth.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!