"By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created,
people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see:
eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being."
Romans 1:20 (The Message)
June 29, 2009 |
...Friendship with God... |
"...the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Exodus 33:11 NLT |
"And the LORD replied to Moses, 'I will indeed do what you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and you are my friend.'" Exodus 33:17 NLT |
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"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener... ...you are the branches... ...stay joined to me...produce much fruit... ...You are my friends if you obey me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other." --Jesus John 15:1-17 NLT |
June 22, 2009 |
"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:16-23 NIV |
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"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV |
June 15, 2009
A W O R K I N P R O G R E S S
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| "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6 NIV |
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| "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ. I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven..." Philippians 3:8, 12-14 NLT |
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"May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace. ...Happy indeed are those whose God is the LORD." Psalms 144:12, 15 NLT |
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June 8, 2009 |
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"Therefore I... beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God... |
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"With the Lord's authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ... |
"Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness – righteous, holy, and true. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption... ...So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." Ephesians 4:1, 17-24, 30, 5:15-17 NLT |
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June 1, 2009 |
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"Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their sorrow." |
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| "Yet Jerusalem says, 'The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.' Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!" Isaiah 49:13-15 NLT |
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"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Isaiah 49:16 NIV |
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May 25, 2009 |
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"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV |
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"The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom... ...they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.' Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert... And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way... No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." Isaiah 35:1-10 NIV |
May 18, 2009 I N T E R D E P E N D E N T |
| "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:18, 24 NIV |
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Before time, God understood the value of teamwork - divinely planned mutual cooperation for the highest good. Our all-wise Creator wired us for synergy. We, as human beings, do not function at our best independently. At the root of independence is pride -- which God warns He resists (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5) and also comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). The original Hebrew word neged in Genesis 2:18 translated suitable, or comparable means He intended for man to benefit from a companion that is conspicuous, in front of...parallel to... God did not create woman to be under or behind man, that is to say, in a subservient or behind-the-scenes position. God engineered the necessity of varied perspective, balance and accountability into human design. Tragically, those of us who misunderstand or reject God's wisdom in instilling co-dependency risk limiting His favor in our decisions, actions and outcomes. In God's Kingdom independence is not a strength, but a weakness. |
"In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman." 1 Corinthians 11:11 NIV |
| May 11, 2009 | |
| "Now, brothers and sisters, we do not need to write you about times and dates. You know very well that the day the Lord comes again will be a surprise, like a thief that comes in the night. While people are saying, 'We have peace and we are safe,' they will be destroyed quickly. It is like pains that come quickly to a woman having a baby. Those people will not escape.
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"But you, brothers and sisters, are not living in darkness, and so that day will not surprise you like a thief. You are all people who belong to the light and to the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness. So we should not be like other people who are sleeping, but we should be alert and have self-control. Those who sleep, sleep at night. Those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But we belong to the day, so we should control ourselves. We should wear faith and love to protect us, and the hope of salvation should be our helmet. God did not choose us to suffer his anger but to have salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us so that we can live together with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes. So encourage each other and give each other strength, just as you are doing now. |
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| "Now, brothers and sisters, we ask you to appreciate those who work hard among you, who lead you in the Lord and teach you. Respect them with a very special love because of the work they do. Live in peace with each other. We ask you, brothers and sisters, to warn those who do not work. Encourage the people who are afraid. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to do what is good for each other and for all people. Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus. Do not hold back the work of the Holy Spirit. Do not treat prophecy as if it were unimportant. But test everything. Keep what is good, and stay away from everything that is evil. Now may God himself, the God of peace, make you pure, belonging only to him. May your whole self -- spirit, soul, and body -- be kept safe and without fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. You can trust the One who calls you to do that for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:1-24 NCV |
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| "My people are being destroyed because they don't know me." Hosea 4:6 NLT "Try to learn what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:10 NCV |
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| "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure." Isaiah 33:6 NIV | |
May 3, 2009 U N I T Y |
| Jesus prays for His disciples... |
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"I'm praying not only for [the disciples with me now] but also for those who will believe in me because of them... The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind - Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as we are - I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you've sent me and loved them in the same way you've loved me." John 17:20-23 (The Message) |
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Almighty God, may Your glory fill us… overwhelm us… change us... ...that Your presence would melt away everything in our hearts and minds that hinders the unity You desire in Your church. Yes Lord, cleanse each and every one of us from all presumptions, pride, conceit and arrogance – subtle self-deceptions warring within, attitudes keeping Your body so incredibly disjointed from one another – as well as from You. Oh Lord, may Your people worship You in spirit and in truth, that we would hunger for Your glory... Glory, given You by the Father, which You said You've already given to those who believe in you, let it fall upon Your people. Purify and unify Your church - that the lost shall behold Your glory - a formidable evidence of God more potent than we have yet to understand. |
| "How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults."
Psalms 19:12 NLT |
April 27, 2009
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"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" John 15:1-9 NLT |
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The depth of Christ’s message here in John’s Gospel warrants exploration. I trust a short journey into the original text’s language will reveal concepts valuable to consider in your quiet time with Him. In verse 1 Jesus testifies He is the true vine. In the original Greek text the word true is alethinos and it means "opposite to what is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated or pretended" In verse 2, every branch He prunes, the Greek word kathario, means "to cleanse, of filth impurity, etc; to prune trees and vines from useless shoots" In verse 3, His branches become clean through His Word spoken to us. Clean, the Greek word katharos means "like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit; free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt; free from every admixture of what is false" In verse 4, to remain, also translated to abide in Him, the Greek word meno means "in reference to place; to sojourn, tarry; not to depart; to continue to be present; to be held, kept, continually; to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure; of persons, to survive, live; in reference to state or condition; to remain as one, not to become another or different; to wait for, await one" In verse 8, to bring glory to the Father, the Greek word doxazo means "render it excellent; to make renowned, render illustrious; to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged" In verse 11, to be filled with joy, the Greek word pleroo means "to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally; to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim; to make complete in every particular, to render perfect; to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out" Thus, my summary: As we hold fast to, sojourn with, endure with and wait for our indisputable God, He rids us of what is useless to our lives, freeing us from corrupt desire (which would surely lead to separation from Him and inevitably, our own destruction). A life that remains in Him abounds with joy! Yes, it even overflows with all that we need! Not only that, we are granted our every request (stemming from purified desire). Indeed, a life interfused with Jesus becomes living-proof reality of an illustrious, undeniable God. |
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I appreciate the reiteration of this axiom in the book, The Shack, by William P. Young: "Jesus now spoke again. 'Mack, I don’t want to be first in your list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life – your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities – is connected to me but moves with the wind [that is, the Holy Spirit], in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being.'" |
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April 20, 2009 P U R I F Y M Y H E A R T |
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"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT |
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"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned... You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner... But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow . Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you." Psalms 51:1-13 NLT |
"The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalms 51:17 NLT |
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April 13, 2009
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"So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever." Hebrews 9:11-12 NLT |
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| "Therefore... let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV |
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"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV |
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April 6, 2009 I T I S F I N I S H E D |
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"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split." Matthew 27:50-51 NIV |
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Jesus ministry on earth as a human being was finished. Also, the traditional Jewish law established to approach God was finished. At the exact time of Jesus’ death on the cross the earth shook, the rocks split and Jerusalem's temple curtain tore in two. The curtain, woven of fabric as thick as a man’s hand, which hung in the temple to separate the presence of God in the Most Holy Place from the presence of mankind, tore. Note the direction it tore, from top to bottom. God, reaching down from His throne on High, made a powerful statement. The sacrifice of Jesus replaced the most significant right of passage ever given to His people, previously given only to the high priest but once a year, a passage into the very presence of God. Jesus sacrifice, once and for all, became the way, the only way, for all mankind to approach God from that moment on and forever. |
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.'" John 14:6 NCV |
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| C E L E B R A T E A G L O R I O U S E A S T E R | |
March 30, 2009
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"Prepare the way for the Lord…" Luke 3:4 NIV ...Our hearts are where we start. |
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| "Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you." Hosea 10:12 NLT |
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"This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." 1 John 1:5-10 NLT |
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March 23, 2009 |
Seeking shelter... direction... hope... peace in these unsettling times? |
"I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what He will say to me..." Habakkuk 2:1 HCSB |
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"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" Romans 8:28, 31-32, 35, 37-39 HCSB |
As long as we position ourselves to hear God, and keep our hearts open to see what He will say, we have no reason to fear. |
March 16, 2009 G R E A T E R L O V E |
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"I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends." John 15:12-13 NLT |
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"I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities." Isaiah 58:7-8, 11-12 NLT |
"I love you, O Lord, my strength." Psalms 18:1 NIV |
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March 10, 2009 I can be dreadfully near-sighted – my vision grossly refracted by the here and now – or at other times excessively far-sighted and totally miss the significance of something right in front of me – truly a Mr. Magoo within the scope of eternity. Jesus explained to his disciples that not even a sparrow dies without our Heavenly Father knowing about it (Matthew 10:29). Then He expounded on the depth of God's loving focus toward us – why, He even knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30)! Our Savior clarified the degree of God's attention to then validate the following bottom line: God not only sees the big picture, encompassing the entire cosmos for all eternity, but He also sees every microscopic detail. He understands how even the most minuscule factor (such as a germ or cancer cell) can influence a mammoth, eternal outcome. |
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"God even knows how many hairs are on your head." Matthew 10:30 NCV "And I pray that you...will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love - how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is." Ephesians 3:18 NCV "We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him." Romans 8:28 NCV "...God's perfect love drives out fear.." 1 John 4:18 NCV |
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| The Lord Jesus Christ loves us intricately and infinitely beyond our comprehension (Matthew 10:30 and Ephesians 3:18). And He is able to work all things for our good when we love Him back (Romans 8:28). Now, that's the kind of perfect love that “drives out fear” (1 John 4:18) – the perfect prescription I need to improve my vision. | |
| Last week I felt inspired to repost this entry from 2007 - it seemed to provide a timely reminder of God's faithfulness, His personal interest and loving care. Thus with this week's time constraints it seemed like the right thing to do, both practically and spiritually. Freedom from fear is a wonderful gift from God. Take time to embrace His promises, His presence, and let His peace settle into your heart. |
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March 2, 2009 Our God is M I G H T Y T O S A V E
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I discovered these delicate wild flowers along the banks of the Umpqua River during the month of January. Yes, January, when the capricious grip of winter yet grasps the northern lands. How dare these fragile flowers arise among the decay! Are they deaf to death's threat yet scowling on the wind? |
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| "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom... Strengthen the feeble hands steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.' Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and steams in the desert." Isaiah 35:1-6 NIV |
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"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27 NIV |
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Do not fear during days of uncertainty. For in times most desperate, the LORD brings forth His triumphant life. |
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"Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." Isaiah 49:26b NIV |
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February 23, 2009 |
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"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit." Psalms 34:18 NLT |
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February 16, 2009 K E E P O N S E E K I N G |
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"And you...acknowledge...God...and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you..." 1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV "The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise him-- may your hearts live forever!" Psalms 22:26 NIV "The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalms 34:10 NIV |
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"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6 NIV |
"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. You fathers – if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." Luke 11:9-13 NLT |
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valentine: An expression of affection...[a] message given to a person [who is] the object of affection (en.wiktionary.org) |
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February 9, 2009 |
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"See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don't know God, so they don't understand… Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him... This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another..." |
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| "This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other." |
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| "…if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us." |
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| "God is love... We love each other as a result of his loving us first." 1 John 3:1, 2, 4:10-12, 16, 19 NLT |
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photographs taken by Amanda Diane Johnson, edited by deb allen |
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February 2, 2009 |
"I, Jesus...I am...the bright Morning Star..." Revelation 22:16 NIV |
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Wherever there is darkness - within, without - invite God in. Let His light permeate every area bringing forth new life. |
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" John 8:12 NIV |
January 26, 2009 |
"Those things [self reliance, religious rituals, social status, accomplishments (vs. 4, 5)] were important to me, but now I think they are worth nothing because of Christ. Not only those things, but I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ and to belong to him. Now I am right with God, not because I followed the law, but because I believed in Christ... |
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"I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death. Then I have hope that I myself will be raised from the dead. I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above." Philippians 3:7-14 NCV |
January 19, 2009 |
| To know the Prince of Peace... |
...is to know the peace that... ...transforms perspectives... ...provokes grace... ...fills the empty... ...instills hope... |
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"The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. " Isaiah 32:17 NIV |
January 12, 2009
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| "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2 NIV |
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| "And so, since God in his mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up... For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. But this precious treasure – this light and power that now shine within us – is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own." 2 Corinthians 4:1, 6-7 NLT |
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| "This work must continue until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like a mature person, growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection." Ephesians 4:13 NCV |
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January 5, 2009 |
"Great is [God's] faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day." Lamentations 3:23 NLT |
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"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV |
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Comments? Feedback? Testimonies? Please feel free to send an email to deb@HeartScribeForHim.com. |
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| If you would like to "subscribe" and have a link to each new addition greet you via email each Monday morning, please send an email to deb@HeartScribeForHim.com. Simply type "subscribe me" in the subject and/or text box. Of course, I will not share your address with any other party. (Also, you can let me know to "unsubscribe" you at any time.) If you'd rather not subscribe, then please bookmark my web page to your favorites and check back at your convenience. |
